Pleased with my progress

[sarahmichigan]

I started tracking "self-care" goals back at the end of October, and as I've been looking over the past few months of the information I'm tracking, I'm mostly pretty pleased with myself. I must be doing something right as far as stress reduction, because my fingernails are the longest they've been in years. My cuticles are a little raggedy, but one thing at a time.

My most successful goal has been boosting my activity level. I had a blip in late November and early December because I had that abscessed tooth and the root canal, and I just felt too lousy to exercise much for a few weeks. But other than that, things are going swimmingly. I've increased the number of days per week, on average, I'm getting a cardio workout, the duration of my cardio workouts, the number of days per week I'm doing weight-lifting, and the number of reps I'm doing when I'm weight training.



Week of Nov. 15 to Nov. 21
Number of days I got at least 10 minutes of cardio exercise: 4 out of 7
Total hours: minutes of cardio exercise: 1:10
Total days I did at least 5 minutes of stretching: 2
Total days I did at least 4 weight-bearing exercises: 1

Week of Nov. 22 to Nov. 28
Number of days I got at least 10 minutes of cardio exercise: 3 out of 7
Total hours: minutes of cardio exercise: 1:20
Total days I did at least 5 minutes of stretching: 2
Total days I did at least 4 weight-bearing exercises: 2

Week of Nov. 29. to Dec. 5
Number of days I got at least 10 minutes of cardio exercise: 2 out of 7
Total hours: minutes of cardio exercise: 0:50
Total days I did at least 5 minutes of stretching: 2
Total days I did at least 4 weight-bearing exercises: 2

Week of Dec. 6 to Dec. 12
Number of days I got at least 10 minutes of cardio exercise: 4 out of 7
Total hours: minutes of cardio exercise: 2:00
Total days I did at least 5 minutes of stretching: 3
Total days I did at least 4 weight-bearing exercises: 3

Week of Dec. 13 to Dec. 19
Number of days I got at least 10 minutes of cardio exercise: 5 out of 7
Total hours: minutes of cardio exercise: 2:20
Total days I did at least 5 minutes of stretching: 4
Total days I did at least 4 weight-bearing exercises: 2

Week of Dec. 20 to Dec. 26
Number of days I got at least 10 minutes of cardio exercise: 6 out of 7
Total hours: minutes of cardio exercise: 2:50
Total days I did at least 5 minutes of stretching: 4
Total days I did at least 4 weight-bearing exercises: 3

Week of Dec. 27 to Jan. 2
Number of days I got at least 10 minutes of cardio exercise: 5 out of 7
Total hours: minutes of cardio exercise: 2:20
Total days I did at least 5 minutes of stretching: 4
Total days I did at least 4 weight-bearing exercises: 3

Comments

[custardfairy.livejournal.com]

When you first started doing cardio, how did you work it into your day?

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

I've been going to gyms off and on for the last 10 years or so. When we're not signed up at a gym, we walk a lot, or bike if the weather is nice. I also have several exercise DVDs or tapes at home, a few on yoga, several new Pilates ones I got for Xmas, and a Bellydance fitness DVD. They're nice for when I don't have time for the gym and the weather isn't good for a walk.

I know a lot of people say to get your workout first thing in the morning, but that just doesn't work for me. I do stretch before work occasionally, but I can't make myself get up in time to get in a 20- or 30-minute cardio DVD.

It helps a lot that J. is my exercise partner; we keep each other on track. We've been hitting the gym on the way home from work (we carpool several days a week) on Tues/Thurs at minimum, sometimes on Mondays and Fridays as well. We also go to the gym on Saturday mornings fairly consistently. On Sundays, we either rest, or we do a yoga tape or go for a 15- or 20-minute walk.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

I guess the short answer is that I just make it a habit. I plan in my weekly schedule to hit the gym Tues/Thurs/Sat. so I'm getting some cardio in at least 3 days a week, and those days are non-negotiable, not to be interrupted by anything except for major events like out-of-town vacations or maybe a birthday party or something.

I need *some* flexibility and variety or I get cranky, so I sprinkle in yoga tapes and walks around the neighborhood as I have time. I've gotten used to exercise making me feel so much better (it really attenuates my anxiety) that I tend to at least want to take a brief walk even on days I haven't specifically scheduled in gym time.

[zoe-1418.livejournal.com]

Impressive. Me, I'm back to Square One... Make that "Pre" Square One.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

If I'm not being too nosy, what do you normally enjoy doing for activity/exercise?

[zoe-1418.livejournal.com]

No,not nosy at all! Walking has always been my number-one thing -- When I lived in Seattle (1990-1995), I lived right downtown, without a car, and I didn't like to stand around waiting for busses, so I ended up walking about 5 miles a day on average. I also took up country-western dancing (it coincided with my coming-out) and did Western Two-Step about 4 nights a week one year or so!

Here in Madison, walking is still the most reliable form of exercise for me, especially since I have a dog who really wants to go to the park every morning... but it is possible for me to do very little walking if I'm too tired/sick/late -- whereas if I am determined, I can do a few miles by going around the perimeter a few times -- or by walking her there and back.

M and I also belong to the YMCA, and we like to go ride the stationary bikes, take in a "water bouncing" class (water aerobics, one that's geared toward older/larger women), or swim -- M also does the weights there, but I haven't yet had the orientation to the machines. They have a whole set of new recumbent bikes, though, which makes getting aerobic exercise not too unpleasant.

We've had trouble finding time to set up a routine, what with all our family crises, trips to Michigan (where we could use the Ann Arbor Y but haven't managed it yet), etc. And right now I'm seven days into a cold/sinus infection and M is right behind me with something similar!

Of course, I got in some activity fighting that possum the other night.... ;-)