Health and Fitness, July 2019

[Harriet]

It's that special date of the half-point of the year of 2019. Our minds have the chance now to reflect, becoming still in the midst of activity ... ... to consider "where we are".

Time to give ourselves pats on the back for healthful eating, increased activity, getting back to postponed check-ups, meeting goals.

Time to revisit specific resolutions we made at 2018's end, or other dates.

Time to share here goals to meet by or during 2020, and plans for consistency over the NEXT 6 months.

Time to plan record-keeping of the things we find important to our well-being!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

So I have this theme journal thing.... Had to come up with themes for this season (sounds less formal than Q3.) Not goals. Themes.

I've settled on two:

Season of focus.

Season of Walking on My Own Two Feet.

It is the second that I'll be tracking here.

Description: Recover my physical ability that I lost after the concussion, shingles and depression.

Ideal Outcomes:

Health - sleep better. To achieve that I'll start tracking sleep again and practice good sleep hygiene.

Health - More Flexible. To achieve that I'll work on daily stretches and resistance training.

Health - improve stamina. To achieve that, daily exercise with increasing intensity.

Health - diet. To achieve that I'll track food intake and focus on higher quality and less quantity of food.


Mental - Restore Optimism. I'm a lot better than I was 5 weeks ago, but in the fall the weather will crap out on me again so I need to be back to 100% so I can deal with the SAD. To achieve this I'll meditate and focus on positive activities and meditate. I've made a promise to myself to only be on Reddit through the app and have installed software that will shut the app off after an hour each day.

Mental - Me. I'll take time for little things that make me happier with my appearance. Like making sure my nails are shiny.

So here I go. I've started tracking food again. Of course, I started this on the day we have booked a food truck for supper! (So I had veggies as my snack. Even so, I'll barely make 5 fruits and veggies for the day - I have a long way to go.)

[Nancy]

I walked the dog today before errands.

[Lynlee]

Kathryn - they are great focus themes to be growing in strength over the coming months.
*\/* *\/**\/* the cheer squad cheers you on your way.

My areas of focus are about trying for improved physical and mental health before the zap of summer gets back, and while it is cool enough to walk in the higher than almost sunset, sunlight.

I have taken a clue from Kathryn and been walking to and from the shops more often. The downside of this is that carrying or dragging too heavy a load is debilitating for me, not necessarily the strength training I'd hoped for. I'm needing to find the middle ground with that.
I've also renewed my no added sugar foods, or dried fruit eaten as if they are lollies aim.
This is an experiment (again) of sorts, and a bit of a challenge when exhaustion is a factor.
And from memory, it can take a while for 'withdrawals' to depart.
Not eating unknown substances would be better for now. Eat right 4 me is my old name for that.
The sleep task is interesting. Exhaustion has me fall asleep some days lately. Getting to bed earlier often has me waking up at some ungodly hour, or maybe its a very godly hour, and thats it as far as actual sleep goes for the rest of the night Anyway. better bedtime practice would help. Another experiment.
I do believe that medative practices help, and relaxation meditation counts as more than 'natural sleep. I believe its the only way I've survived at times.
I count as progress that mostly I sleep better and longer than when I was at my worst. Please don't tell me to use meds for sleep.

Reminders to me - Strength training always needs a day's break between workout days to allow muscle fibers to repair, so not to overdo the pushing.

Tai chi with the present group is another experiment. There is a pain workshop I could go to, needing to catch a lift for a big day out on Saturday. I could be the 5th person in a car, to squish inbetween others in the back seat, or catch a train and walk 2k to the venue. Though that may be as the crow flies, go ogle distances with no basis in fact when there are roads that you need to negociate.
My other cynical pov concerns the number of instructors with injuries. I fear I'll get there and challenge the pain instructors. Did I mention I am ambivilent about going? Going to the workshop could be a telling point on my decision to get beyond the weekly for 6 mths aim, or fortnightly for 12 and consider I get my money's worth.
On the other hand there is a member I trained with last year who has improved out of sight, who told me she averages 3.5 classes a week atm. No way am I contemplating that level of commitment. I don't think her energy levels are as restricted as mine are though.
My current plan is to step out of the line up as often as I wish when the repetitive exercises that trouble me get going for too long. And stick with the set form, and practice of set moves as they get a refresher instruction.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Lynlee: do any of the shops do delivery? That is what several of our seniors do. It costs $10 but gives them more independence and they can buy what they want without thinking of the weight. If there is an instore special, they'll pick it up but it may not have shown up with online shopping.

Alternatively, I have an excellent shopping cart. It is heavy duty and 4 wheels so can be pushed like a walker or tilted and pulled behind (I don't recommend that for any distance.) It easily holds 50 lbs or more. The only problem I see for you is that, as I recall, your neighbourhood is hilly.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/easy ... p.html#srp

[Lynlee]

Thanks for the link Kathryn.
I have a soft sided one that will hold 2 supermarket cold bags, though of course I don't know the size those come in across the wide lake. If I take a bus home there is less of a 'drag', or a taxi is better.
Monday I had my 2 yoga mats (one is thicker), cushion, beach towel and blanket for starters, and some of the 'short cut' home is cross country, a unpaved or grass stretch, with less one hill than if I go around the block.
From the town it takes about 30 min, less to the closest supermarket.
I still don't do the online shopping thing, though the local store does have that.
An old neck injury complains if I do too much carrying, or arms up work. There is a reason why I let down my clothes line to a lower level, unless its a sheet washing day, and all the smalls go on a drying frame.
Its another reason why I can have trouble at tai chi, and years ago wrecked my shoulders with a class of too much monkey practice and the like. It took 4 months for them to lose the ache. That was one of the times I disappeared without a trace from the classes. This time, I'm testing my ability to be forward when it comes to stepping back from the 'too much' of any move.
I've had 2 days recovery time since the last class, which was one days rest from/with the migraine.
Decided not to go to a workshop in the city tomorrow, even though my interest in subject matter is tweaked.

[Harriet]

I, too, am avoiding foods that should be avoided, and try-try-trying with sleep schedule. Must not brag on schedule right now, no. And I know better. Sigh. I was gratified by dd's recent comment about studying for a test then making sure of a good sleep that night to secure memory. Every once in a while one of my children listens to me.

Happened upon a better grocery store produce section today. Considerably better - way larger, much better maintained, and having excellent fresh variety. To shop there means, probably, passing 5 or 6 perfectly good groceries in that direction, so for all trips it wouldn't be wise, and it's not close to our pharmacies, for example. But for main long-list shopping, I may switch grocery stores and drive out of my way. HRH was most impressed with the maintenance and cleanliness (yes, he turned into an inspector), which means a lot.

None of our groceries here are actually owned by the old local names on the buildings any more, but by big companies, so there is no logic in loyalty.

There is always the truly FABulous destination-type international store on the other side of a tedious traffic trip in another more congested direction. But I haven't tried that since HRH started into his treatments, and somehow I've survived. I love that destination fun idea, but know if I try that I'll need to carry an insulated bag, and would only enjoy it when dd could go too - rare.

I am doing absolutely nothing with weight, even fighting gains at times. I very much need normalcy again. HRH is losing weight rather rapidly, but this is weight artificially put on by meds. 4 pounds in a month, says dr., added to 20 already lost since the very worst of it. He's disappointed in musculature, though, after months of enforced sedentary time. If we can get the household back to some semblance of normalcy, and other emotional situations calm by August, maybe I can get back to scale progress myself.

Had a perfect 24-checkmark day Friday. Just one so far in the month, though, is not a banner month! Yet!

[Nancy]

I have not been as good at walking the ddog bc of the heat.
I can get on the stat bike or walk at the store doing laps, but that does not get the pooch out so this week
has been a focus to get out with her in the mornings. Plus it has been cooler so we have been ouside a bit more doing yard work.
The trouble with yd work is the dog will watch me from the center of the yard her fav. Place. She does sniff around and investigate when I am weeding.

[blessedw2]

I tend to put myself on the back burner - trying to change that attitude (excuse ) and work towards a healthy day.

[Nancy]

I walked the dog at 6 a m .