Health and Fitness, December 2010

[Harriet]

Welcome. This is a thread about gaining and maintaining strength for our wonderful calling, homemaking. As we care for our own health, we grow more capable and competent to care for our families, our neighbors and our communities. As we grow more effective, our hopes for ourselves and those we care about get the best chance!

Okay, December. We can do this.

Much sugar, salt and starch will be on the offensive against us this month. We can hold the line. We can resist!

All around us, loved ones are putting batteries into their cameras. Not to worry. Our posture is excellent. Our self-images are stellar. Our smiles are serene.

We'll think of lots of extra things we'd like to do this month and we will have the strength to get 'er done. (quothe lucylee) We will take care of ourselves with enough rest, pace ourselves confidently, and wink at ourselves in the mirror.

The November thread was 7 pages long and so inspirational - be sure to read about the adventures!

If you have a specific plan or commitment during this month, let us know about it. Calendar event moments may be coming up for some of us. Plans for 2011 may be forming.


A little cardfile bird told me blessed is giving "fitness" as her Christmas gift to herself/family this year. Great thought

[Nancy]

It's pouring down rain outside today so I'm doing house work for my exercise up and down the
stairs with laundry etc. and chasing after a 2 yo.

[lucylee]

I want to get myself back on track with exercise, and fully intended to start fresh with the first day of the month... but... the best-laid plans, you know...
Last night I was -- and tonight I am -- just sooo exhausted. Last night I fell asleep on the couch around 9:30, and I slept there until after midnight, when dh woke me up and asked if I was coming to bed.
Aunt Flo is here and I think that is why I am so tired.
Plus, her influence seems to be leading me to the snacks more often. Which does nothing for my energy level. I know that; I just can't seem to control myself.

[Nancy]

Bumping this up so we will be mindful to take care of us these days.

Walking has been over town these days while I"m out and about shopping doing errands.
Other exercise includes vacuuming and or raking leaves plus sweeping the driveway of leaves.

Dropped a bit of lbs. this mo. I'm delighted about that yea!

[Harriet]

That's great Nancy.

Every day is a potential start, lucylee. Pick another day and treat it like your favorite.

Today I decided to stay within 1,000 calories and did it. I had to go back on prednisone yesterday, and I remember my dsil (late dh's bro's wife) saying that it is a cause of weight-gain. So I had that impetus, plus the fact that the scale was unkind this a.m., and I sure don't need to just play in to that scenario. I've had several steps back on fitness/weight plans this year already. Tomorrow I'll be sure to get 1,600 calories and I want to see if I feel well enough to exercise.

I used the everydayhealth.com site to track today. It is still not the all-encompassing info spot that the SlimFast site used to sponsor (now gone), but it's pretty good. I wish it would have tracked my sodium, though. I like that right on the same page it has a water tracker and also a simple vitamin tracker.

Whoops, now I see that it tracks a lot more nutrient calculations when you print out. Hmmm ... ... Still no vitamin info, but helpful. Sodium, fiber, etc.

I also ran across this handy one-page quick glance for condiments, their calories, and interesting points about using each one in a diet. I was looking up mayonnaise at the time, and after reading, I didn't use it.

Before anyone feels sorry for me on my 1,000 calorie day, note that I had Subway for lunch, and it was filling.

I guess I'll be the first one to mention here that we don't have "What I Ate" thread posted yet this month. That's fine as long as it's not needed. But if anyone feels a desire/need to post in one, don't hesitate to go ahead and start.

[Indiana]

Harriet as you found out weight gain is common with prednisone. Prednisone makes you hungry and you eat more and you are exercising less. It also will help to reduce your sodium and increase your potassium because prednisone will help you retain fluid.

It is amazing how sodium and potassium work with or against so many things.

[Harriet]

So true, Indiana. I was glad to see that when I printed the "diary" it calculated sodium, and I could see I'd kept it a few hundred less than the site's "target" for me. I am thinking the spike up had to do with the prednisone, some forgetfulness about water drinking Monday (while racing around from dr to drug store, etc), and like you mentioned, less actual movement, even though I certainly felt weary! It was 2 pounds in 24 hours, with no change in eating. So I was impressed. Anyway, my careful day yesterday took care of that on the scale at least.

Today I have felt stronger, and after a big fruit/almond/oatmeal breakfast did the Tempo Arms T-Tapp workout, which is 30 mins. It was a "reward" I'd bought for myself and had been saving up to try sometime. I don't know why I was able to go through a slightly longer workout today. It could be simply because this one has much less emphasis on the larger muscles of the legs. Or it could be that the prednisone is also having an energy effect. Yesterday, dstepson noticed I seemed "wired" and that my hands were shaking a little.

[Nancy]

It was 54* outside today here so I took advantage of it and did some clean up in the back yard while dgd played in the play house. I picked up sticks from the wind storm in the back and got them on the wood pile. Then we went for a walk that was great! Dgd fell asleep on the loop after I tucked a blanket in around her.

Later I started raking the front yard and then hubby came outside and cut up the tree branches from the wind storm in the front yard and we got those loaded in the trailer.
After that we worked on bagging up the leaves.
Perfect timing as it started raining before dinner was done.

Decided it was a great time with the warmer temps. to cook the turkey breast on the small Webber, hubby had to move it due to the rain that started after we fired it up; the phone rang while I was fixing the sides for with the turkey; and it’s the neighbor saying she was about to call the fire dept. when she saw flames on the deck until she saw hubby was grilling.

[Nancy]

I raked leaves by the West side of the house today glad to get the side yard done.
Counting that for my exercise today.
It did not take long but it was a rest day for me and light duty was a great idea!

[Nancy]

56* around lunch time had me outside raking leaves and bagging them up out in the front yard,
then a short walk for an excellent hour of exercise I chatted with a neighbor down the street and looked at the house that is being remodeled after a fire a few years back. It is a lovely sunshiny day here today!