Topic : Ways to Exercise in the House

My Jan/Feb/Mar focus challenge was really helpful. I was able to keep a couple things together and some things just need more practice.  So for the summer, I'm just going to focus on the following 5 steps. Nothing too hard . mostly practice. 

K3, S2 .. choice shift.  I plan on adding 1 new fruit, veggie, and making meals that include fresh fish.

K5, S4 .. Be more flexible. I really noticed how upset I was getting when I wasn't able to eat my scheduled meal. So I used my food log that I keep to write down "why I didn't" and came up with my common (okay, my pattern) bumps in my road.  I'm going to develop my daily menu based on them and then practice them.  Means I'm going to learn to be more flexible this time.  WISH ME LUCK HERE!

K6, S2 .. program an active life style. I once again lost exercise during the holidays and it took me time to get back into swimming. Didn't really take any swimming lessons so we weren't prepared for the test last night that would have moved us to Level 5!

K6, S4 .. monitor my progress. Last year, I experienced body pain and starvation. First, I overworked my body by doing too much in one day and had to actually stop everything for 2 weeks!  And because I was doing too much, I wasn't eating enough and that triggered deprivation which we all know triggers overeating.  This year, I'm going to practice maintenance ... using 'mypyramid.gov' recommended calorie intake - 300 calories a day for weight loss.

K7, S4 ... accountability.  That's you guys.  I'm just so happy I have you because you make me take those little steps that I would normally say FORGET IT!! 

The easiest one is posting here.  So once again I'll be providing weekly status of what's going on .. it helps me to keep myself on--track and to have my AHAs pop up as I post as well as you guys asking questions or posting similar stuff too. 

I'm still over weight if I use the BMI (body mass index) I got from a Dr.

Also I have done different BMI tests on line. 

 I took the Real age test at real age.com

It says I'm 6 months younger than what I really am.

I'm sure I could stand to lose another 10...15...20 lbs if I wanted to be skinny.

But realistically I probably won't.

I have been at this weight for 4 months now.

Ever once in awhile I lose a few pounds but don't keep it off.

Right now with work and family and horses I haven't been doing much exercising like before.

My abs STILL need WORK!!!

Keep smiling.

MB

Morning Girls,

Well my exercise hasn't been what I thought for this week. If I told myself one time I told myself a dozen, get on Eli and get back into the program.  But everything else comes up !!! Right now my exercise is coming in the form of VACUUMING !!!!

Went on to the Target web site looking for a steam cleaner for my daughter, started to read about the upright vacuums, (people comments). Well the new vacuum I have (5 months old)  read as a piece of "JUNK". How it changed from were it use to be made to were it is now. Now mind you this is not a cheap vacuum.

Then I started to read on some good reasonable ones. Went out to Target and bought the one that these ladies said was really good for the money (peoples comments again) !!! Oh my !!!!!!! This vacuum that I just purchased is bag-less, so I can see in the clear canister what has came out of my carpet !!!!! I had my mouth open, like how in the daylights we lived in this house !!!! A few strokes and I had a cup full, not canister, a cup full of fine gross dirt. So I showed hubby what is in our carpet, "Gross" !!!! Needless to say I continued to vacuum my living room, of carefully vacuuming I got out at least 5 cups of dirt !!!!!!

So I guess all the vacuum cleaners I had, never was picking up the dirt, even the one that was brand new, 5 months old. I usually vacuum once a week, sometimes twice, depends on the company. I always thought my carpets looked pretty clean. I don't want to even think about the other two rooms !!!

Then the rest of the house is hard wood floors.

So my exercise has been vacuuming just my living room. Will continue that room till I receive "NO MORE DIRT", heck who knows I still might be there next week !!!!!

So in all this excitement of discovery, I tell my sister about it, and she asks me to bring it over to see if hers is picking up and hers is not old either, but the same brand HO***R. just different model !!!!! Well to her amazement she vacuums 3 times a week and no heavy traffic. I pulled a cup full in a few stokes !!!!!! Boy did we laugh !!!!! Both of us had been using the same brand for years, it just shows quality has changed. Needless to say she is getting a new vacuum come Monday !!!! And hers was maybe 2 years old.

Now I paid over $200.00 for my HO***R, and the one I purchased was just $99.00, it's a Bissell  Momentum !!!!!

So still trying to get into a schedule of stuff I need to do around here. I'm making a list come Monday, and allowing only so much time for this and that, otherwise, I becomes too focused on one thing and leave the rest.

It's suppose to reach 100* here this coming week !!!! Will get the stuff outside done very early, too hot.

MB if you're your sticking at this weight .. then let it go.  Give yourself permission to just "be".

As for the abs.  now that's something I'm going to be working on as well. 

Focus on abs ... how you can get them stronger ...  with your schedule that may be hard .. however, check out how you do your normal workouts .. the horses, you home, etc. 

I know that when I walk my dogs or just for that matter walk in the grocery store, I hold my abs tight and it's a workout.  Not an intense one, however, it's a workout none the less.

Okay, you didn't use ELI this week .. that's okay ... the one thing I've learned (and my exercise partner has agreed) that when you are working on getting something into your already overloaded life pattern, you have to give yourself time.

So this week, you thought about it. Now you have to sit down and put it on your calendar.  You have to remember how you were able to do it before .. when was the best time.  You have to plan and you have to experiement .. then when you start up, you'll hit all sorts of speed bumps.  Just say okay ... write it down .. and then think about it at the end of the day to see if you really could have done it or not. If not, then let it go!

I have a bagless vacuum .. it was great until I didn't take care of it anymore.  Now I'm going to have to sit down and just do it's normal maintenance.  And like you, I was amazed to see who much dirt that came up.

I don't have carpetn for that exact reason.  It holds mold, dirt, dust, and all sorts of stuff.  I purchase those cheap $20-25 rugs from the store and replace them every year.  But I vacuum bare floors. 

And vacuuming isn't easy .. and it's an upper body exercise.  I wonder what kind of muscles you worked.  That would be cool to know so that you could do another type of housework to work another muscle.

Well I'll be heading for swimming in a few minutes .. trying to talk myself out of it .. however, that's what this 12-week focus period is all about.  Listening to my excuses and facing them with the light of truth.  hee hee

I broke down my list of 37 tasks into 7 different categories.  The 5 keys plus 2 others.  Including me brushing Sassy's (my dog) teeth.  The vet says she's got the start of skin disease and believe it or not, when the vet said that about one of my previous dogs, I had them clean his teeth and pull the bad ones and his back got better.  He had been experiencing some major spinal problems.  So I don't want this to happen to her.

And last night's AHA moment came when I saw myself giving her some junk food .. she eats what I eat ... that's not good is it.

I've walked my dogs already so I got my 30 minutes in.  Did swimming practice yesterday for 30 minutes.

This week's exercise goal is: 30 minutes minimum each day of exercise.

Walking the dogs is good for me right now ... in about 4 weeks time, my body will have adapted to it and I'll have to seek out another "fun" activity.

Tuesdays is swimming practice and I'm picking up dance practice Tuesday evenings.  with my new job, I can afford to pay a studio $15 an hour to practice there.  I have friends joining me ... so I'll save money that way.  Shame I have to do this; however, I just can't do it easily in my home.  I need to go this extra step to get it incorporated in my life and then I can do differently.

Thursday is swimming lessons.

Saturday is swimming practice.

Next weekend, I'm planning a 4-day out in my yard. I've not been able to focus on my yard and I really need to do so.  It's been raining .. same problem as last year .. and I'm finding myself just blowing it off.  So when I do the 4-day, I'll finally get some stuff done!

That's it for now.  My goal is 30 minutes a day, 5 days. 

So how is everyone else doing?

Okay, my goal is going out the door!  I bought these new sneakers by Sketchers (or something like that) and I've been experiencing the back of my calf cramping, midnight charlie horses in my legs.  I experienced this back in 04 when I bought Everlast shoes at Kmart. It got so bad, I couldn't walk up the stairs.  I ended up at the doctors.  DUH!!!   I'm not going to let that happen again.

 

My left calve is really tight .. I'm walking stiffly.   However, the shoes are going and I'll just wear my New Balance.  They really are more comfortable. It's just the money issue .. I paid $40 for the nasty ones.  BUMMER!!

 

Not sure what I'm going to do for exercise today .. I need to give my leg a break .. I was actually feeling the cramping when I was swimming the last 2 times. Just thought it was strange. Now I understand what's going on.

 

Hope everyone is doing fine.

I have a hard time getting used to new shoes...that's why I stick with the old ones until they have holes and are coming apart at the seams...

 

The thing that I have found the most helpful in wearing any shoes is to use orthotic shoe inserts.  I have a pair in every pair of shoes I own.  I make sure that I put the shoe inserts in the shoes that I am trying on to make sure thay they are comfortable with the inserts in place before I buy them.  I walk around the store a bit...if the shoes aren't attatched together, that is...but even that isnt' a guarantee that the shoes will be comfortable after wearing them all day.

 

I use the inserts for my knees...before the inserts, I had a lot of knee trouble...things have improved greatly since I started using them.

 

Do you do the calf stretches before and after exercise?  Also, a potassium supplement might be helpful...or just eat a lot of bananas...I think spinach has potassium too...not sure.  When you get the cramps, be sure to do more calf stretches...bend down and touch your toes, and sit with your legs straight and grab your toes and stretch your foot toward you...one leg at a time.  Also, put one leg behind you, and do some forward lunges with your heel on the ground.

 

I get calf cramps when I start hill training...which I had better get busy on...Cub Scout camp is coming soon, and everywhere at camp is uphill...even the downhill is up...LOL  I will be using my walking poles to give my arms a workout too...especially on the hills.

 

Well...gotta get going...lots on my schedule for today...Becky

I just got a Fitness newsletter and they have a 15-minute abs workout using a medicine ball .. here's the site:

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/abs/express/15-minutes-to-flatter-abs/?page=1

Didn't look too hard ... may do it myself, I bought myself a kids ball to exercise with .. it's not heavy; however, it's better for when I first start out ... Getting the movements right means I don't hurt myself.  hee hee