Fitness Goals - Staying Active!

Sometimes it can be hard to maintain consistency in working out. For me, it is usually because life happens and I'm busy or up late or have to be somewhere early. I have generally had success with morning workouts. When the kids were little, if I got up before them I could get my workout in before really starting the day. I have done it on my own and taken classes. I enjoy the accountability of a class. When others ask "where were you" when you miss a day, it makes me think twice about missing without a good reason. 

With Covid19, there wasn't much of 'life' getting in the way. Everything that we normally were busy with seemed to one by one close or get cancelled. But, I did have to be on my own the past 5 months to work out. In our area the schools closed 151 days ago and the Y cancelled classes and the eventually fully closed for 12 weeks 148 days ago. Even when they reopened, the group classes did not return. 

When the schools closed and knowing that the Y had been cancelling classes, I made an assumption that the Y would likely close, so I decided to make a commitment to make it outside for a 30 minute walk each day. I needed to have something to keep me active, something to allow me to decompress from all the news and continuous fear that seemed to be presented and with everyone home all day, every day, I needed some me time. Yesterday marked 150 days in a row that I have managed to successfully complete at least a 30 minute walk. Probably 90% of those walks have been within my own neighborhood. I started at 30 minutes but stretched it to 50 minutes most days. I have walked any time of day from first thing in the morning until the sun was setting. I walked in the snow and rain, under sunny skies and cloudy skies, in the heat and the cold. Most days, even with weather, I was able to find a 30 minute break in the precipitation where I could get in my walk. There was one day where my timing was off and I walked the last 10 minutes by circling the rooms on my first floor over and over. It feels good to have made the commitment and stuck to it. I think my next target is 183 days (1/2 a year) and then likely 200 days will be my next target. How long will I continue? I don't know. It will be a sad day when I can't fit in the walk and my streak comes to an end...so much like others asking me "where were you" I think the fact that I have such a long streak, I will think twice before I just decide to skip a day. 

Before and after closures, my other primary activity this year has been swimming. I swam a few times in December but really started swimming regularly at the beginning of the calendar year. The YMCA posted about their 100 Mile Swim Club (with a 150 mile anniversary challenge). When the Y closed in March, I had been on pace to complete the first 100 miles by the end of March. When they finally reopened in June, they had limited hours, were limiting total time in the pool to one hour and limiting one swimmer per lane. In addition, I fortunately was starting a new job which meant less time available to swim. The good news is I was still able to complete my first 100 miles by the end of July. 3,520 laps (yup, down and back). I hadn't swam with consistency or purpose for almost 30 years, back when I swam on a team. It felt so good to be back in the water. I missed it when the Y was closed and am glad to have it back...even though I generally only make it 1 or 2 days each week. I am still on target to reach the 150 mile challenge by the end of the calendar year. 

How have you been staying active? Have you any streaks or accomplishments that you are celebrating?

One Hundred and Ten days!

It is a little bit crazy to sit back and reflect on the last 110 days. It is 110 days since 'normal' life took a shift.

From an accomplishment perspective, I have held to my commitment to walk at least 30 minutes every day for the past 110 days. There have been a few times that I just didn't feel like it but I found a way to persevere and get the walk in. As a result, I have achieved my step goal almost every day in that same window. I had one day where my watch hadn't updated to the new goal and so the goal 'fireworks' went off but I discovered the next day that I was 4 steps short of the goal. I had one day where we were at a bonfire and I didn't realize it was midnight and wound up 100 steps short because I had been sitting most of the evening. I had one day where a tornado sent me to the basement for the last hour plus of the day and I wound up 200 steps short. I had one day where I simply fell asleep with less than 100 steps to reach the goal. The orange bars that show up when I look at my 4 week step history over the past 3-4 four week periods make me sad but I also realize that most were not a true lack of effort but just bad timing.

In addition to my daily walking, I was finally able to get back to swimming earlier this month, after 12 weeks of the pool being closed. I had been on target to complete the 100 mile swim club (for 2020) back in March, until the pool was closed down due to COVID19 orders. Even now, the pools are open but we are only allowed to swim for an hour (75 minutes in the building is the rule) at a time, which has made reaching the 100 mile mark a little harder. I did get to just over 90 miles swam as of the end of June. I should be able to reach 100 in July and hopefully make some steady progress towards reaching the special anniversary 150 mile challenge that they included as part of the 100 Mile swim club for this year. Essentially, I need to swim at least 10 miles per month to reach that goal. That is very doable and I should complete it easily before the end of the year.

It was just over 110 days ago that schools were closed for the rest of the year, and now graduations are being held in parking lots because of gathering limits. Our school was hoping to have theirs at the stadium but did not receive the approval (not sure who had to approve) to do that, so they went with the contingency plan for a parking lot ceremony. They held Prom two nights before graduation across two venues - food trucks at the high school (with in car service) and then a movie at the drive in (where they are being asked to stay in their car). I'm glad they got a night to celebrate but wonder why we couldn't find a way when wedding receptions are permitted for up to 300.

In our area, conversations have started with groups of parents, teachers and administrators meeting online to talk about what school could look like in the fall. Our school is looking at three approaches - 100% online, hybrid in school/online and back to the classroom. They are gathering info from the CDC, studies/findings that have been published, perspective from schools in other countries and counties and other sources that participants are sharing to help inform their proposal. They have done parent and student surveys. In the return to the classroom approach, it definitely feels like parents are divided on whether they will send their child back to school if it resumes in the fall (and fortunately, the schools are making plans for that contingent of students within their option of fully returning and hybrid approach). With back to the classroom option, there are those that think masks make sense but another portion that is expressing concern with the challenges with them being worn correctly, teachers/students being able to effectively communicate, safety/adverse consequences of wearing them. I have heard that one thought is require masks at arrival/departure, in the hallway, and other places where they will pass each other in close proximity but allow them to remove masks in the classroom where the desks are spaced, so as to balance ability to teach/learn. I don't ultimately know where things will land but my hope is that we will have them back in school and take sufficient precautions without being too prescriptive or doing things that will negatively impact learning. We will know more next week when they present the proposal to the school board...then I think the Board of Health has to weigh in.

What goals have you set? Were you successful in meeting them? What is the plan for school in the fall where you live?

New Year's Resolutions

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I received suggestions and information from Hormel for this post

The first couple of weeks of the new year have not been very typical. I started the year with a cold, that turned into an infection and left me with a pain in my side. Needless to say, it hasn't helped me in support of any of my goals for the year.

One nice thing is that my goals for this year are primarily a continuation of the activities started last year. I want to continue to prepare nutritious and flavorful meals for the family, maintain a regular workout routine, and hopefully, as a result be healthier and with any luck, lose some weight along the way.

Hormel has provided some suggestions on you can set a resolution to challenge yourself in the kitchen this year:

New Year’s Resolution: Challenge Yourself in the Kitchen

Did you know that 45% of Americans make resolutions each year – but only 8% actually achieve them? This year, instead of making resolutions, try setting realistic goals. Joan Hanson, Hormel Foods Test Kitchen Director has provided the top five tips to help you get started with reaching your mealtime goals this year:

1. Try at least one new, quick and easy, family-friendly recipe each week (check out Hormel Foods’ recipe ideas on Pinterest and Facebook for ideas!)

2. Put ‘family dinner’ on the schedule at least three times a week and commit to those days as a way to connect with your spouse and children.

3. Incorporate at least three food groups into each meal, such as meat, dairy, and a vegetable

4. Get the whole family involved – whether it’s cooking or cleaning, making it a team effort will ease stress and make it fun!

5. Try to meal plan at least one week each month – it means fewer trips to the grocery store (and less impulse spending) and no uncertainty about what’s for dinner.

As I check out these challenges, I am happy to report that they are all part of my routine.

This week, my menu plan included five new recipes actually. That is a little heavy on new, but sometimes you just need something new. (so far they have all been keepers). So, I guess I am over-achieving on #1.

We eat dinner as a family close to 7 nights a week. It has alwasy been a priority and a goal of mine. As we get busier with sports, it gets more challenging and sometimes it is only 3 out of 4 of us sitting down together...but we still sit down. Having dinner together most days can be a challenge, but with creative menu planning and some prep work, it can be done. Sure, it means that sometimes we at 5 pm and sometimes we eat at 7 pm, but we are flexible that way.

I suppose that three food groups might be the one that I sometimes miss. I'm usually good at dinnertime and for packed/purchased lunches. but it is more of a challenge at breakfast or a weekend lunch.

Generally, I handle meal preparation. Even on the nights that my husband starts dinner, I generally do the prep work and he just has to start it. The kids are in charge of helping to get things set up for dinner. Then after dinner, they take their plates to the sink and clean up the crumbs on the floor at their seat.

Meal planning is part of my routine for several reasons, which I discussed here.

Did you make New Year’s resolutions this year? If so, did any of them involve your cooking goals? What is your number one cooking goal for this year?

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I received suggestions and information from Hormel for this post.

Motivation

Everyone needs motivation. It's what drives us towards our goals. Those goals can be big or small.

When it comes to fitness and weight loss, I sometimes struggle with motivation. One of my biggest challenges used to be that I would set too high of a goal for myself. When I wasn't getting to my goal, I would become frustrated and lose my focus. Next thing I knew, I would be right back where I started, feeling disappointed in myself.

This time around, it has been different. I am nearly half way to my big goal, but I have been celebrating the little victories along the way.

One thing that has helped me focus on the little victories is my Weight Watchers meeting. When you join, you don't set a goal weight. I imagine that it is because in the beginning, this would be too much. They provide you with a 5% and a 10% weight loss target. Your goal weight is set after you have reached these progress points. At the meetings, they celebrate each 5# lost and as you pass them, you celebrate your 5% and then 10% weight loss. They even have special stickers to celebrate each victory. During the meetings, everyone can share their little victories - on the scale or otherwise. For me, I have been able to celebrate a few 5# losses and 5%. Two non-scale victories for me have been the first time someone commented on my weight loss (makes you feel awesome when someone notices) and when I went shopping this weekend and tried on and bought the next size smaller in jeans.

When it comes to exercise, it sounds strange, but the tenderness of my muscles the day after I work out is a great motivator. It is my body's way of saying, hey you pushed us and now we are getting stronger. Not only that, but I feel so energized the rest of the day when I get up and work out in the morning.

Another motivator to me is one of my co-workers, she doesn't know it but she inspires me. She never struck me as heavy or unfit, but she started doing P90X and now she looks amazing. She was the reason that I started doing P90X. I thought, if someone who already looked good can get those results, what could it do for someone like me who had weight to lose.

This time around, I will be successful at my weight loss and fitness goals. I am already almost half way to my weight loss goals. Finding the motivation that works for me is helping me achieve my goals.

For more tips and tricks, check out Works for Me Wednesday over at We Are THAT Family.