February 2015 Health Challenge

[AeryFairy]

Back stuff is going well, and I'm keeping up with my twice-daily excersises.

Next thing is taking care of myself mentally - when my husband goes away from work, and I'm at home by myself for a week, it's too easy for depression to get the better of me. So I have a tendency to stay in pyjamas, watch endless shows on netflix, only eat whatever's fastest to prepare, and not speak to a single other human being.

My action plan while he's away this week is to get dressed every day, contact friends and make plans, and have at least one cooked-from-scratch meal a day. Yesterday I went to a dinner party at a friend's house, which accomplished all three things, and I also made plans with the same friends to do other things. Today I'm up, dressed, and making a vegan sausage casserole. Tomorrow I've booked cheap train tickets for a day out in London with a friend I haven't seen in forever. I'm already feeling a lot happier.

 

[PTree15]

That's awesome, AF! I hope you have a fun week.
I had another kick-butt treadmill session today, 50 minutes and lots of climbing.

 

[PTree15]

Today was snow shoveling. Our apartment admins told us the snow had to be off our decks by today, so I spent 40 minutes removing snow and ice. What a mess. I had a good foot and a half on the deck. Just in time for snow on the weekend, lol. It was a good workout. I was sweating when I got back inside.

 

[Andy_T]

Feeling butthurt.

Not uncommon among vegans on internet boards, but today it is from an overdose of lunges and squats, so it's the good kind of butthurt.

 

[KLS52]

I started doing stretches/yoga/Pilates moves again. I'm going really slow and will build up to doing more and getting in some cardio. For now, with the weather being what it is, on days when I'm home all day, I set the timer on my phone to go off every hour and I go up and down the stairs for five minutes or until my legs make me stop, lol.

It's so minimal, right now, but it's helping me get into the mindset that I need to get moving. At least when I'm at work I am up and down from my desk and running around like a crazy woman. But when I'm home, it's too easy for me to fall into the winter-hibernate mode and sit around all day.

 

[PTree15]

Wow, I love that idea about the timer. I might try that out, as I, too, can get very hibernation-like when it's cold out, especially on weekends.
This weekend, I did very little exercise. My sister was visiting and it snowed on Saturday and it was bitter cold, so we pretty much stayed in save for the three hours we went out for drinks and appetizers on Sunday.
Today, though, I did the treadmill for 50 minutes, and a couple of minutes of crunches. Good workout. I needed a good sweat after all that weekend indulging. We had a fun time, though.

 

[PTree15]

Today was a weights-and-toning day. I did squats and lunges with 7lb weights (I hope to graduate to 10 lbs in each hand eventually), arm stuff (chest flies, overheads, curls, etc.), leg lifts, crunches and two planks. I'm finally past a minute on the planks. I did 1 minute and 15 seconds each. I warmed up on the life cycle for 10 minutes or so.

 

[PTree15]

I got to take a long walk outside today, a good two hours. This made me happy.

 

[Andy_T]

Back home after traveling for Chinese New Year, so able again to go to the gym and work out. Yay!
And the best thing, I did not even gain weight (as I always only ate salad and steamed veggies, while the rest of the family gorged themselves on nonvegan stuff).

Best regards,
Andy

 

[Moll Flanders]

I've got about a week until I go and get a new cholesterol test. I'm hoping it might have been a one off that it was high but I have been trying to eat more healthily.

I'm going to have a blueberry lemonade/smoothie later.

 

[PTree15]

Good luck, Moll!
Today was a toning/weights day. Lots of lunges, squats, crunches, arm weights, etc. And two planks, both over a minute.

 

[AeryFairy]

Went to the GP yesterday. Huge deal for me, I really hate going. It was ok though, the new doctor seems nice. Having some tests done for circulatory & bladder issues, and got some medication for my stomach - my stomach acid is apparently trying to eat through my aesophagus, which is kinda uncomfortable

 

[KLS52]

Glad you got checked out, AF...hope your tests come back ok.

 

[PTree15]

Hope you are on the mend, soon. AF. Good on ya' for getting it checked out.
I have had a really good exercise week so far.
Today was weights, tomorrow more cardio. I love cardio; the weights are more of a chore, but I know they are good for me.

 

[AeryFairy]

Tried to have blood work done today. Had a panic attack instead. The nurse was wonderful about it though, she let me take my time and told me we'd do it in stages and I can just keep coming back and trying until I'm comfortable enough to do it.

 

[KLS52]

((((AeryFairy))))