Healthy Habits: 12/3

It's been awhile, my apologies. The last few months have been very hectic, and I keep forgetting to post on Sundays. My schedule this past month was particularly crazy, and I've only been able to put in about 2h/week at the gym due to scheduling and gym hours. As a result, my goal has simply been to 'lift heavy' relative to how I'm feeling that day--ideally squatting, benching, and deadlifting, and doing rows when there's time. These days, I'm squatting about 185-195lb, benching 120lb, and pulling 250-265lb. This week, I managed a few dead-hang pull-ups, after about a year's hiatus. It was tough, but I didn't feel any ab strain. Despite the time (and energy) constraints, I'm feeling strong and well, and am grateful for it.

How was your past month?

7 years ago

Off Topic

12 replies

Latest reply was from kellygirl

anne

Veteran

Hi GF,

I'm sure it must indeed to hectic working and with a still young baby. Glad you are feeling strong and well.

As for me, I'm also in a situation where I only get to the gym for limited time and want to make the most of it. I'm a bit frustrated at the moment, as our gym changed management and they've given me what they call a "basic" programme, despite the fact that they know I was doing what they call "intermediate" stuff before. So no deadlifts, pullups, chest presses. I'm gathering up the courage to ask about putting them back.

In other HH news, after a week off running because I felt run down, I'm back to it and did a 10km on Sun. I also cycled to work again yesterday, again after a week off, which was great, though I won't the rest of the week as it's my 6 nights out in a row week (combination of end of school event, dance concerts, end of year youth group). Tomorrow I have my first Christmas party and it's a breakfast, so an early morning in the mix as well.

I've lost some weight over the last few months (intentionally, as I had some winter gains) am trying to maintain for a month and then lose some more, though that may be hard with Christmas and time off work.

7 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I hear you about not having time (or space, in my case) to work out lately. We are getting ready to move and our apartment is filled with boxes, and every spare minute is devoted to either packing, doing small things to get the new place ready, or face planting in dismay at the amount of things we have to get done. On the other hand, I’ve been inadvertently lifting heavy things while packing. Lol. Last weekend my workout was lugging heavy bags of stuff to the goodwill... they were legit very heavy and I could feel it in my legs afterward. Anyway I’m telling myself that packing and moving counts as working out (we are getting movers but I feel like there’s still a lot of lifting that gets done nevertheless).

On the other hand, we’ll finally have room for J’s erg (Which is currently being stored at his parents’) in the new house! I might upgrade the mini elliptical to a full size version too - not sure though as it’s wouldn’t really be easily moveable, and the room is going to be an office/workout/spare bedroom so it’s better if the furniture/equipment can be shifted around as need be in there. The erg, while not exactly portable, is surprisingly easy to move around/store upright.

Trying to eat healthy despite half the kitchen being packed up and trying to use up pantry staples. Doing ok on that front although we have been buying a bit too much holiday treats...

7 years ago

Anonymous

Utter fail for me! My work is so busy now i dont leave the office til late, and its cold and dark
My modified goal through the winter is only 3 hours of intense exercise per week, but last week it was 1. Dragging myself to barre tonight to make up for it!

7 years ago

Anonymous

I have managed 4 workouts per week, 2 days with a trainer and 2 days on my own. And I learned something very interesting. After my severe back spasm a little over a year ago, my hips became uneven causing pain on my lower back on the right side. I worked on glute and hip strengthening, but every now and then it would start to bother me again. So what I learned from someone who had the same problem and was able to resolve it, was that sleeping on my side caused the problem.

After my back spasm I was unable to sleep on my back and the only comfortable way to sleep was on my left side. It was so comfortable that I continued to sleep on my left side for 8 hrs a night, which caused my right hip to hike up and cause an imbalance. After hearing about this I stopped sleeping on my side and have managed to sleep on my back. Lower back problem resolved though I am still working on making sure that when I stand I do not shift my weight to one side. It is amazing that something so simple and that we are unaware of doing can cause problems.

I have been doing 70 lb lat pulldowns (80 lbs straight arms), 20 lb dumb bell chest presses 30 lb dumb bell rows. Did my first Chinese plank yesterday. Working on breathing this week to increase lung capacity - we will see how that goes.

7 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

Arthritis in knees--now both knees--before just one--is slowing me down. That and rain. My doctor told me to just walk on flat ground for now--I do miss my hill walking though. At a minimum I go out 2x a week. At home I have a routine--push ups--but not from the floor yet, and plank. Working on side planks now, from elbows first. First few times couldn't lift my body weight off the floor.

Last two years I've been slowly gaining weight overall. Gain a few, lose a few less. Working on finding a new way of eating.

My cat also has arthritis. I try to get him to work out (play) with me but he'd rather sleep.

7 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

I have been doing a 90 min vigorous Yoga practice 4 to 5 times a week. We are in Montreal for 5 weeks (our stay is coming to an end) and the studio I am going to is an Ashtanga one. I will miss it when we leave. The teachers are so good. I can feel my practice deepening in many ways.
I have been walking more. We have not used the car once here. We walk everywhere. Occasionally we take the metro. I usually do about 10,000 steps a day. I have managed to find footwear that works and my feet are hanging in.

7 years ago

Adriana

Veteran

I was ill (lungproblems) in September and I was just recovered for vacation in October. In the beginning of that month I was tired but at the end I managed to get back to normal.
I have Style Fan to thank for her advice of doing yoga to learn doing push ups. Much better/interesting/fun to do then pushing against a wall or kitchencounter. Not only do I feel muscles in my arms now ( not there yet) but I feel so much better mentally. I even stay calm driving the car in the city.

7 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

I am so sorry that you were ill Adriana but it sounds like you have recovered. I am glad that you found yoga helpful for learning to do push ups (chaturanga dandasana). If I can do chaturanga then anyone can.

7 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

Well, I signed up for a crossfit comp in late January (regretfully, sort of) so have upped my efforts at the gym. I don't know what I was thinking with the holidays and all but it's a bucket list thing so I'm giving it my best effort as time allows. (My coaches have not trained a master's athlete so it's a good exercise for them as well.) The goal for all of us is not to get hurt. Dialing in my diet as well. The one good thing is that I feel more accountable since I have friends taking time out of their busy schedules to help me train.

7 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

Workouts have been regularly irregular as I'm still adjusting my fitness activities after 'retiring' from years of training for specific events, and a prescribed training cycle. Weight training is the core of my current program because it addresses my goals of maintaining muscle mass and strength in my senior years. I'm regularly hitting the gym for 3 workouts a week that take about 90 minutes. I randomly throw in a lane swim, cycle fit, or yoga class - when it works into my schedule. DH and I are still taking long walks.

In my 30's, 40's, and early 50's my weight was stable in the 150 range. After we moved (4 years ago) I started to slowly drop weight and last year while training for an important race event I dipped below 140. Though I am not training as intensely as last year, weight has remained steady at a couple of pounds under 14O. This is what I weighed in uni and in my 20's before I had the DS's - so a good weight to maintain, I think.

I will be doing my year end review of my fitness journal in a couple of weeks. I already know that I have not worked out as much as last year - but I'm okay with that.

7 years ago

Anonymous

Haha, kelly, my goal is to not get hurt too, but I have not been successful this month!

First I slipped a disk in my back doing jumping jacks (though I think the previous round or rowing that really did me in). It took a week to recover. Then I played soccer and a heavy fellow stepped on my foot and I could barely walk for a couple of days. Then I recovered from that and went back to the gym where I slipped a disk rowing again!
I’m not sure what to do about all this except to take it easier. SO, who is quite athletic, thinks it’s just bad luck.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to stop, as my health in general is so much better (haven’t had so much as a cold in the last 1.5 yrs, and that’s with kids!) so I’ll just have to go easier on the rowing.

Eating has been really good (healthy foods, no sugar) but I think I’m gaining weight.

7 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

Sorry to hear about your injuries, Smittie. Are you sure that your rowing technique is correct? I see a lot of people bending forward and pulling before they extend to drive their legs out. I'm not a very good rower but I used to do that until I was corrected. Hope that you make a swift recovery and get back to working out soon!

7 years ago

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