Fitness, health, and wellbeing 2019 - holding your feet to the fire with 2 months to go! - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Off Topic

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Fitness, health, and wellbeing 2019 - holding your feet to the fire with 2 months to go!

Runcarla

Veteran

How has your year been so far regarding your fitness, health, and wellbeing goals set at the beginning of the year?

My motto has been: ‘any day I move my body is a good day!’ This is much different from when I trained in order to be competitive in sporting events! That said, I did set myself a goal of hitting the gym regularly for a combination of weight training and cardio. I set a goal of 156/year or 13/month. I’ve been on target most months, except for June and July when my workout buddy (who doesn't deal well with summer heat) bailed on me and I succumbed to the lure of the garden. However, I’ve made up some time, and I am at 122 workouts with 2 months remaining. I renew my gym membership November 1.

The months leading up to the New Year are a good time to ramp things up, since holidays can provide free time that you might not otherwise have. Use the time to hit the gym, take a yoga class, meditate, make an appointment with a nutritionist, have a massage. Book your self care into your schedule NOW! Body work folks are booking up, as are hair dressers and aestheticians. Make sure you take/make the time to take care of yourself over November, December, and into January.

Write it down, and make it happen!

Off Topic

36 replies

Latest reply was from anne

Sal

Veteran

Well done Carla - you are motivating us!!

Fitness wise, 2019 has been a really good year for me. I am running my first half marathon on Saturday 2nd November! I have established a regular yoga practice I have been attending the gym twice a week for strength work and fitted in some casual walks and cycles with friends.

I have lost an inch or so in my middle, and in my bust, but not a lot - I don't weigh.

I have room to progress on insomnia but we have just bought a new bed!! Woohoo.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You are an inspiration, Carla! Thanks for the prod.

I've really messed up this year when it comes to fitness and health. The reasons are many ... and not all are in the category of mere "excuse." It's been a tough and complicated year and I've needed energy for other goals and pursuits. But I want to get back on track.

I'm about to go on holiday and all bets are off. I always walk like crazy but I won't be doing workouts. When I return, I plan to regroup and refocus on my fitness goals. I've gained weight the past few years, and I'm not sleeping well, and I'm not happy with where I'm at. So....

rachylou

Veteran

Well, my primary goals have been medical: Get a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) and stand firm against the doctors. I have continued to drive my a1c numbers down since abandoning the insulin pump and all advice. Yay me.

I’ve failed tho on doing my shoulder and knee exercises. They’re so easy to forget about. *Sigh.* This is one thing Lilypup fails to remind me to do. It’s her fault

Staysfit

Veteran

Nice work Carla! My 2019 goal was Wellness, however, somehow I have managed to develop terrible shoulder pain. I am going for an MRI next week. I have tried PT for 8 weeks with no relief, and the PT and Doc think I have a type II acromion process, impingement and maybe a minor rotator cuff tear. :-(. The bony problem is bilateral, but the pain is unilateral.

Until I know more, I’m stuck doing squats, lunges and ab work without any involvement of my arms...and minimal weights or vigorous aerobics with arm swinging.....ugh! I am watching my fitness level plummet and feeling sad.

Style Fan

Veteran

Well done, Carla! You are definitely an inspiration. I am continuing my Yoga practice. I try to do 4 or 5 classes a week. I also fitness walk for about one hour a day. It has been a struggle for me to do the Yoga classes. The studio in my town has gone through some changes and some of the new teachers are not as experienced as the old ones were. I could drive for an hour to another studio but that is tiring after a while.
We are leaving for Montreal this Saturday (actually we will be in Toronto for one week and then in Montreal for six weeks). I am looking forward to the change. Yoga in Montreal is fantastic.
My personal life and my physical health have been stressed lately. Time away will be good.

citygirldc

(website)

Veteran

As soon as I get back from my Iceland trip (hopefully we'll be pretty active in the cold), I'd like to start my half marathon training. I've totally given up activity the past few weeks due to my work schedule and I can feel it catching up with me. Thanks for the inspiration.

Anonymous

Feeling so happy that our Canadian friends have sent us down some cooler air! Now I can resume my daily 3-mile walks while catching up on my podcasts. I just don't feel right when I don't walk. The treadmill at the gym doesn't provide the same endorphin rush, for some reason. Thanks for reminding us to take care of our fab selves, Runcarla.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Well done, Carla. I love your realistic, unaffected and positive attitude. You are fabulous

Well done to everyone else too. There are some very impressive athletic Fabbers! Wow!

I am very consistent with my nutrition, health, weight, and levels of movement. It's been a way of life for decades, so I can manage and enjoy it without stress. Nothing extreme, lots of energy, and lots of ongoing hard and fast rituals, beliefs and routines that I stick to. All good, and I'm grateful for that.

I'm 95% on foot since moving to our new loft by the water downtown. So even better because I'm moving all the time. Come rain, snow, ice or shine - I'm out and about and wearing whites, blues or brights!

I do have to find new yoga studio though. The new one I've been going to for four months since moving to our new Seattle loft is not up to scratch - yet it's an easy 12 minute walk. The next one is a 25 minute walk away. And since I walk everywhere already, it's an extra 50 mins of walking I don't want to do on a yoga day. I have to figure it out.

Sleep - there is always room for improvement. I don’t sleep that well and not nearly enough. Go to bed late and am up at 6am or before. Oh well. It will improve I hope.

kellygirl

Veteran

You are my style and fitness muse, Carla! I love your motto and will aim to make it mine too instead of beating myself up when my workouts feel sub par. (I'm also going to try and cut myself a little more slack and remind myself that I'm only competing against myself. We are our worst critics, no?) I committed to doing a program geared toward master's athletes for three months--and it's finally coming to a close. I like to think that if I wasn't so tired from work, I think it would have been more fun but now it just can't be over soon enough. It's kind of disappointing because I was hoping to notice some results--leaner, fitter, stronger but I actually feel the same or worse which means it's probably time for me to dial it back and regroup. I'm looking forward to working out with friends again and doing group classes instead of solo. It will be a fun way to bring the year to a close! I also haven't been super diligent on diet--so I need to address that too. I've never seen a nutritionist. I wonder if I should look into that... I've always felt like I know what I should eat, I just don't always follow through.

kkards

Veteran

Pilates classes booked thru November, can only book one month at a time. Haircuts booked thru the end of the year. and i'm 2 months ago made an appointment with to get a facial, and the earliest i could get an appointment was December (yes, she has perfect reviews on Yelp, very excited) .i'm working on cutting back on sugar, i had been sooo good for a couple of years, but the past couple of months it got a little out of control.

Anonymous

I'm thankful that I have you to keep me on task It's as important as anything to stay focused, regroup when necessary, and learn new things when it comes to self-care.

I've been taking Pilates classes all fall (Core Pilates - a level 3 class which is about killing me) as well as my regular all-around weights/fitness class. My daily step count is not here it should be though, and I've started wearing my FitBit again as a reminder. This has not been as easy to manage as it was, and I'm not sure why.

I have also been seeing a Naturopath and have made some very major changes to my diet as a result. So far so good. Thanks for the reminder to prebook nail and hair appts through to the end of the year too!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh, yes! My hair apps are always booked in advance. Sam's too, and we go every 6 weeks.

Anonymous

In May I blew out my lower back (right side), but I kept on doing modified exercises until things got back to normal. Unfortunately that took about 5 months because working out uncovered that I had muscle imbalances that led to the lower back spasm. Anyone hear of "dead butt syndrome?", well my right butt cheek could not activate which led to other muscles to compensate until they could not take it anymore.

Then about 7 weeks ago I developed trigger finger in both hands (worse in the left hand) and have not been able to lift while waiting for hands to recover. Apparently, this is quite common in women, especially after age 40.

I have been thinking about taking Barre classes once a week, in addition, to my personal training, but am not sure yet. I want to use a free trial week to see if this would add anything additional to what I am already doing. Anyone here take Barre classes?

Anonymous

@danusia yes I do barre. It hurts-but in a good way! Basically it targets all the little muscles using very small movements. The hour goes by really quickly!
I've been slacking a lot with exercize and diet lately-for many reasons-but started seeing an acupuncturist. Wish I had done it earlier!

MsMaven

Veteran

After a couple of years of slowly but surely gaining weight, struggling with balance issues, and various aches and pains I changed course in 2019. In some ways I'm in much better shape: I've lost 12 pounds since my peak, but more importantly, about 1 1/2 inches around my belly. Even though BMI is still okay, body fat % has been going up.

Pushups and hill walking have been important in regaining upper and lower body strength, but in the last few month I've developed a new problem caused by too many hours hunched over a computer. Overdoing it on gardening doesn't help. I'm not 57 anymore.

Saw my MD a week ago about upper back pains that I've developed in the last few months. My chest and shoulder muscles are so tight that I have developed a hunched upper back. I do not want to be a bent over old lady.

For the next 2-3 months I plan on doing the exercises religiously. If I can't do it on my own I'll go to physical therapy. We're advised to stay indoor until the bad air from the fires clears up, so I miss my walks. Of course, I could go over to the mall . . . which would turn out to be expensive.

I've already seen some improvement in upper body flexibility. My former yoga teacher was really adamant on this, but when we moved too far away to attend classes. I gradually stopped doing yoga.

Somewhat inspired in losing weight by DH, who has lost 32 pounds mid-July. He's fanatical about health issues right now--sometimes a pain to live with. But what joy to take him clothes shopping for new stuff that fits him and he is so excited about it! I'm going to have to ask fashion advice for him pretty soon.

My balance issues are much, much better. Last week my younger sis told me she wasn't feeling great--she just fell off a wall. So you see, we're the kind of family that just won't give in to admitting we aren't as young as we were.

Anonymous

Ms Maven - sorry to hear things have been challenging for you .

And to the barre question - yes, I took classes for almost a year and really liked it . It’s as challenging as you want it to be .

Joy

Veteran

Runcarla, that is a good reminder. I recently decided to try tai chi Isee that it will help balance plus stretch some muscles

nuancedream

Veteran

Each morning, I do my kettllebell swings and squats and my Pilates mat exercises. I have been practicing Pilates for about 7 years and it has been life changing not only from a physical standpoint, but from an emotional/ mental health one as well. I also use my rowing machine since the kayak has been put away until next spring. Although I have a demanding job, I make sure I get away from my desk and computer every 30 minutes to walk, stretch, etc. I have a lot on my plate right now, but taking care of myself will help me to juggle all of the demands that have been placed on me.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I've been a slacker this year compared to you all. But I need to remember not to compare and despair. I want to try to get back on track. I've made attempts to walk (with a little running) or ride my bike or Peloton most days, and do some occasional yoga, but my weight got stuck on the high end this year, and has just finally budged a little bit back downwards since the Morocco trip.

Some steps in the right direction: I loved doing yoga everyday on the yoga retreat in Morocco and have been trying to do more of that now that I've been home. Even a half hour of self-directed yoga in my Peloton room is helpful. I've also been trying to meditate a bit everyday. But I could use more strength training. I've been trying to do some Peloton workouts with the small weights I have to help me in that regard.

The other small nudge in a good direction is that since October 11, the only alcohol I have had is one beer. We didn't drink in Morocco (well, at least I didn't, some of the others bought some wine to enjoy in the riad, but I was nursing an awful head cold so didn't partake). Strangely enough, I haven't been craving wine or beer or cocktails, so I'm just not bothering with it. Even though I'm not a big drinker anymore (I can't do more than one or two drinks in an evening), I think this saves me some empty calories.

Now if I could just stop loving sugar... Sweets are my downfall.

cindysmith

Veteran

I am back in physical therapy again, because my trainer and I agreed that it was necessary. The stupid muscles BETWEEN MY RIBS have been throwing fits, and it sucks. It's grinding at me emotionally, but my trainer manages to help me get enough endorphins going to persevere.
Now, if I could just quit eating my feelings (they taste like brownies), I might get somewhere with the fitness goals LOL

AJ

Veteran

Kudos to everyone on your actions whether big or small!

I read somewhere that our minds default to what is easier whether that be a positive or negative thing. So I pondered how to make exercising easier to start? I decided that three times a week, after I drop my daughter off at school, I would drive to a nearby neighborhood and do a jog/walk interval for 30 min. I knew if I waited and drove to my neighborhood I would be more likely to just go into my home and find too many excuses not to exercise. It's only been a couple of months but it has been working and I find myself not being winded after my workout. Considering switching to run/jog intervals.

I've also changed some of my eating habits and have been losing a pound a week. If I can keep up with that, I will be happy.

My immediate setback has been the cold spell this week that has the mornings down to freezing temperatures. This is too cold for me to want to be outside. The afternoons are 20 degrees warmer, so I am thinking of ways to make it easy to exercise in the afternoons instead. My initial thought is to arrive 45 minutes early to pick up my daughter and do my intervals then.

rachylou

Veteran

That’s smart AJ!

Jules

Veteran

I've been inconsistent for over a year now and my weight shows it. I've probably just managed to maintain my basic fitness level. But I'm taking your suggestion to make November and December count - with a bulking period! AKA amping up my weight training while not worrying about diet beyond trying to get enough protein. In January I usually do a dry month, plus easily eat lighter after a month of holiday indulgence, so I can "cut" AKA try to lose fat then. It makes sense to go with the seasonal flow, right? Why fight it

smittie

Veteran

I decided to quit orange theory, my fitness studio, because it was expensive and I didn’t like the running and rowing aspects (which are more cardio than I want to do). Like, I don’t think that amount of aerobic conditioning is necessary, especially considering I have bad joints.

I’m now at Fit4Less for $5/bi-weekly!

I am working on bodybuilding for aesthetics: growing my butt (with muscle not fat!), shrinking my waist, and gaining definition in my legs and arms. I also want to get a stronger back, as I believe it’s currently quite weak.

Danusia: Yes, I’ve heard of absent butt. I think hip thrusts are good for activating glutes. Check out Bret Contreras, “the glute guy” on YouTube. He’s awesome, and tells you exactly what form you need in order to activate your Flutes using the hip thrust. (Tip: you need to keep your head up and forward, and you chest down.)

As for diet, I have gone 90% carnivore with a few “fruits” like tomatoes and eating 1 huge meal a day. I find the big meal makes a huge difference for energy (as in, I have more of it) but the lack of carbs hasn’t really done much.
I’d say that my skin is noticeably nicer though.

I love not having to think of what to eat for lunch
I also eat ice cream and chocolate a lot, but not a crazy amount.

Gretchen

Veteran

Thanks for the reminder Carla!

This has been an up and down year so far. I've maintained most of the new eating habits I started in February, but being sidelined with a foot stress fracture for 6 weeks over the summer really killed my workout intentions. However, in 3 weeks in Europe, I averaged over 6k steps/day, so I'm declaring myself healed. Now I need to recommit to exercise being a stronger part of my health program for the next 2 months.

I should add, as a reminder that interim steps are moments to celebrate, it felt good to retire or tailor some larger sized clothes this fall. I'm still not quite comfortable that I can maintain at this size, but it was a good reinforcement that I'm making progress.

Gretchen

Veteran

@danusia my daughter had a similar issue to what you are sharing. In her case, she had not learned to fire her glutes while doing dance pirouettes, and ended up with knee issues as her quads and inner thighs were compensating. It took about 3 months of physical therapy to address the situation, and she still can feel the problem when she dances while tired (that darn muscle memory is hard to change). Hope you find a solution!

nemosmom

Veteran

Thank you for the reminder, Carla! I picked up a new contract job last month and totally threw my workout routine out the window. I am spending more weekdays chained to my desk, and I can feel it in my body and see it in my poor eating habits. I clearly need to re-work my schedule to make health a priority!

Anonymous

Today I switched trainers at my club. I really loved my old trainer, but my back issue has not completely resolved after 6 months. This new (to me) trainer is absolutely wonderful. Zeroed in on the issue and fined tuned my movements so that I worked the correct muscles. I like his attitude that we are individuals who have individual needs when it comes to training. I hope this works out.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

Carla, sounds like you’ve got everything under control! For me, the year started out with my doctor telling me my cholesterol was borderline high. Time to make some changes! Except...I didn't. I tried! I failed. Then I got a health coach in September and 7 weeks later - perfect cholesterol scores! Also fewer migraines, better sleep, more energy, and I dropped 12 pounds of belly flab and 8.5 inches.
For exercise, I subscribe to a streaming app called Daily Burn and do 30 minute workouts every weekday, plus walk the dogs for about 45 minutes every day.

12