Get more exercise

In my second week of concentrating on this goal, I surpassed the first week, putting in more than 10 miles of cardio-level walking.

At the start of this past week, I was slowed down a bit by blistered feet. So I took the opportunity to explore the strength-training plan that sparkpeople.com had recommended for me. I had to adapt it a bit – substituting other exercises for two that were going to be too hard on my knees – but that turned out to be quite simple. The routine takes about 30 minutes, and I can do it in front of the TV, so I don’t get bored.

Once the blisters healed sufficiently, I did some walking, too. And one morning when the weather didn’t co-operate, I tried one of SP’s nifty little 10-minute cardio workouts. Turns out that it burns more calories than 30 minutes of plain walking at 2mph, and afterward I felt fabulous: so full of energy that I walked more than half a mile before hopping the streetcar to get to an appointment. I’d have walked the whole way if I’d been sure I had enough time.

So the next day I tried another, and I have at least one planned for today as well.

All together, last week I logged 3.6 miles of walking and 20 minutes of other cardio (thus slightly exceeding my base cardio goal for the week in both total time and calories burned), and 60 minutes of strength training (only two-thirds of my weekly goal, but a full hour more than I’d done in any previous week).

^{I totally deserved those new clothes.}

...(Tuesday and today) instead of three times. But on the other days, I took advantage of the not-too-hot weather we’ve been having and walked outside. A lot.

On Thursday, when I would otherwise have done the walking video, I went for a brisk 40-minute walk with a friend and her dog.

But on Tuesday, in addition to doing the walking video first thing in the morning, I then walked 1.3 miles (30 minutes) to an appointment.

And then on Wednesday, I walked 1.5 miles (in 40 minutes) to meet a friend for tea.

On Friday, I walked 1.6 miles (in 35 minutes) to a business meeting.

All together this week, I walked more than I probably did in the whole previous month.

According to sparkpeople.com’s Fitness Tracker, I burned off 1300-odd calories in the process.

Not much for athletic types, maybe, but for sedentary moi, a significant shift.

...”once is not a streak.”

And indeed, having done my then-new walking workout video once on March 5, I proceeded to, er, not do it again until today – exactly 4 months later.

I’ve been really inspired, though, the past couple of days, by exploring the fitness tracker at sparkpeople.com (which I joined a little over a week ago). Who knew that decluttering and playing the guitar could actually be counted as “cardio minutes”?

Having added the two major decluttering sprees I did this past week, along with my daily guitar practice, I then decided to get a bit more serious. Yesterday I snuck in 10 minutes of dancing around the house while listening to my favourite oldies.

And today I dusted off the walk-at-home video and did the basic workout (which takes about half an hour from start to finish, and includes a 14-minute mile).

OK, twice in four months is not a streak, either.

But hanging out at SP has moved this goal to the front burner, and I’m hoping that I can keep it there this time.

Getting in exercise via this video could scarcely be more convenient – and I’ve found that if I treat it like dancing (which some of the instructor’s add-on moves resemble), it’s even ^gasp fun.

So if I do nothing else, I’m going to try to do one of these workouts three times this coming week.

Ima use the 43T reminder thingie to help me remember.

• On Sunday, a friend called out of the blue to offer me a ride to English Country Dancing. I hadn’t been dancing since September, and hadn’t expected to resume until the weather warmed up. Decided to go along, even if I just wound up sitting on the sidelines, watching the dancers and enjoying the music. Of course, once I got there, I wound up dancing every dance. Two hours later, I was tired but elated.
• This morning, I used my new Walk at Home exercise DVD for the first time. Warmed up, walked 1 mile, cooled down, had a lovely shower, and finished with a healthy breakfast. Felt very proud of myself.

Of course, once is not exactly a streak.

So my goal for the rest of the week will be to do the walking DVD least one more time, and then on Sunday, to go either to 5-pin bowling that afternoon or to ECD again that evening – or both!

...after only a couple of visits early last fall. And with zero income right now – not to mention the likelihood of a considerably smaller income in future, no matter what path my life takes – I can’t afford to re-up, especially not at that fancy-schmancy place.

However, I still want to increase my physical activity to at least the level of around 5 years ago, when I was at my most active in ages. I may never again look like the Dancing Tink of 20 years ago (see pic), but I can feel fitter than I now do.

I did pretty well zilch in the exercise arena through most of the winter. Vicious cycle: got depressed = didn’t feel like moving. Didn’t move much = pretty well guaranteed a longer and deeper depression.

In past few weeks, have bought (but not yet unwrapped) an exercise DVD, found a pair of dumbbells I bought circa 2002 but never used, walked more, made plans to go 5-pin bowling next Sunday, and gone back to dancing (2 hours last night, with a group that meets weekly not too far from me).

Next step: watch – okay, do – exercise video tomorrow.

Will keep this goal on my list for now, but change its wording from “Rejoin the gym” to something relevant to my current circumstances.

The gym’s Membership Director called me back yesterday afternoon. She’s going to organize the paperwork (including figuring out how many of the half a dozen personal-training sessions I paid for last fall remain unused), and I might be able to go back before the end of the week.

Woo-hoo!

P.S. Today I met with a dietitian attached to the hospital where the ileostomy was done. She’s going to help me work out ways to eat better without compromising safety.

...for the gym’s Membership Director. She likely won’t get back to me until next week – it’s late on the Friday afternoon before a long weekend – but at least I’ve started the ball rolling.

By this time next week, there’s a distinct chance that I’ll be enjoying the view from the ellipticals.

...I find reasons to continue to put this off, I’m using the 43 Things reminder function to nag me daily until it’s done.

...was put on medical hold last fall.

I got clearance from my surgeon last month to rejoin, but put it off because I thought I was getting enough exercise to at least maintain the status quo.

Stepped on my bathroom scale yesterday for the first time in weeks.

I’m calling the gym today.