WaistAways Team Chat JANUARY 2022
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Evening all!
1/23 exercise:
12499 steps
Brad is up north on business for a couple of nights, so it's quiet around the house. No one to compete for bike time with
I did another FTP test on the bike this morning - it had been just over a month since my last test and my average output improved again so the power zone training I'm doing is paying off with improved results.
Speaking of monitoring progress, interesting results on your run there @DD265 and fingers crossed that plantar fasciitis is nowhere to be found in that foot!!!! You have been so busy with the house lately - I get tired just reading about everything you've been up to
I went over to my Mom's house tonight with a chicken dinner in tow and cooked for us. It was yummy. She has dabbled with calorie counting over the last year and she started full time on the 1st and she's down around 9 pounds so far this year. I am so beyond happy as her mobility has really suffered as of late and I hope she will find some renewed energy and range of motion as she continues down her healthy path.
Well, time for sleep.. hope everyone enjoys their Tuesday 5 -
I don't think I'm ever repeating that step count @ashleycarole86 - I hope not anyway
Had physio this morning (instead of training) and there isn't any plantar fasciitis/nothing wrong though there is inflammation in my shoulder (particularly the right from paintbrush wielding) and ankles. He thinks it's just a case of having irritated/fatigued the fat pad under the heel and shoulders, so a couple of more restful days then back into it. I did get the final part of my week 1 training program done which was intervals on the rower and he was pleased with how far I got. Week 2 was a 10k recovery run, which will be split into at least 2, probably 3, and a weight lifting session.
Flooring fitters are here now. I wanted to stay upstairs until they'd finished and only see the finished result, but I'm so hungry that needs must. We got the other little bits done in time. There's still plenty to get done, but no more hard deadlines thankfully. We agreed to move the bare minimum of furniture tonight, then I think we'll have a takeaway for tea and just blob. I've taken tomorrow off work so I can start on cleaning/organising at a more leisurely pace.4 -
@conleywoods Congrats to your daughter (and her proud parents!) Glad you had a great night together celebrating.
1/24 exercise:
7133 steps + 47 minutes cycling + 10 minutes upper body strength
Was up before work to make my breakfast, Brad does 99% of the cooking so the rhythm of my days are always different when he's gone.
Make it a great one folks!4 -
@conleywoods you and your daughter rock! Refusing doughnuts, top student, slurping milkshakes without needing to feel guilty afterwards - you have hit some cool pinnacles for sure. Well done!
@DD265 I'm so glad you just have a sore heel and no PF - bullet dodged! Enjoy that rowing machine, and go in nice and tight so you gently stretch your ankle and achilles tendon every time. Rowing machines are amazing for those times when you have pain anywhere in the lower body but want to keep having a great workout. I am having a good chuckle picturing you tiptoeing down the stairs to get something to eat without disturbing the flooring people. Needs must!
@ashleycarole86 cooking! I think Brad goes away on purpose to remind you of how awesome he is Still, it is nice to have the house to yourself once in a while, and jump on the Peloton whenever you want. Enjoy it and have fun playing with your food 
I'm glad to hear your mom is working on her weight and health - she won't regret it, I'm sure.
I made a fun discovery while snowshoeing yesterday. I was wandering in a part of the woods where a lot of branches came down in the wind during recent weeks. There was something bright blue partly buried in the snow so I went over to see what the heck it was. I found a deflated Lilo and Stitch mylar balloon with several white balloon stems all tied together, tangled around a fallen branch. Someone had a party and this one floated off! I wonder where it came from. I'm glad it is now in the trash, and not out in the woods.
Make today work for you!9 -
1/24 exercise:
10,072 steps + one hour Orangetheory (25 minutes treadmill + 35 minutes weights/rowing/stretching. Fitbit gave me 4381 steps)
I am tired today. And I'm really feeling the uncertainty in my future. My job contract ends on April 30th, my master's supervisor gave my project to another student and won't get back to me via emails, and my weight is spiralling. I am a planner, I like my routine. So I'm so tired of this, especially not having a secure job with benefits. I'm almost 32 and my husband and I are not sure if we want a kid. But we won't be able to afford one without two incomes or at least me getting mat leave. And I can't get may leave unless I have a salaried position. I feel like my time is running out and even if we decide not to have a kid, I don't want to make that choice because we were backed into a corner.
Anyways, these are the thoughts that keep me up at night. And that's why I'm super tired today6 -
Happy Tuesday! I'm visiting my older daughter in Winooski, VT and plan to go home tomorrow. It's been nice to keep her company and do some crochet and embroidery projects. We're going to do a little browsing for snow pants in a few minutes. I used my 6'2" spouse's snow pants last year and found that folding up the hem the amount necessary for my 5'2" frame counterproductive!
I feel for you, @kellie_erin about making such decisions based on income. It feels lousy on so many levels. If you can emotionally disconnect from the money aspect, visualize a scenario where you have a child, and feel where it all sits in your body, you may find a more authentic answer. In my experience, feeling where possible solutions sit helps me figure out what the "next right thing" to do is. There will always be job insecurity and unknown future events. That's one constant you *can* rely on...change. An acronym I've come to appreciate for the word "fear" is "False Evidence Appearing Real". Another, which is easier to land on when I'm more fearful is "eFF Everything And Run". Give yourself some grace and space to sort through those possibilities. Keep breathing and chew slowly...you can do this.
A reminder to those who suffer from intermittent plantar fasciitis: calf and Achilles' stretches are crucial to do. "heel dips" will help assess how things are going in the deeper layers of tissue. If they feel uncomfortably tight and pull-ey, go slowly and hold for 8-10 seconds for several reps and times per day. My favorite stretch is to stand in a doorway with your shoed forefoot up on the edge of the doorjamb (like you're trying to climb the wall but with the heel on the floor). Inhale with straight back and as you exhale, move closer to the doorjamb. This helps ankle flexibility, too. As a side-note, sometimes there's enough tension in the calf muscles to also affect the tibial head (outer side of the leg just beneath the knee) where a few other muscles attach. Be sure to massage both inner and outer portions of the leg to keep everybody happy. Good luck!
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Great foot/ankle/calf/knee (connected to the thigh bone, etc. etc.) advice @EvMakesChanges ! Fitting those stretches into the day quite frequently sure helps, especially as age thins the pads on the bottoms of our feet and all the other things. Tight calf and Achilles tendon cause a lot of problems. I'm having more troubles with the tight neck connecting to the scapula and the side of the head, though! I'm stretching and doing all kinds of things, but one side is cranky. Hmmph.
@kellie_erin take some deep breaths - those times of uncertainty are not fun, that's for sure. Want me to send a drummer to have a little "chat" with your grad supervisor? It was always fun being a music prof and joking with our drummers and percussionists that they were the department "enforcers". They just loved being asked to go have a chat with someone! Seriously, though, it is not a good move to give someone else your project and not get back to you. Not cool. But eating and putting on weight certainly will not solve the problem. Breathe, plan, and do that perfect day. If nothing else, it will help you feel stronger and more in control until you can figure out what is the next step. Hugs flying your way!!!
How are the habits going this week, everyone? I'm working to keep the checkmarks happening in the habit tracker - but there is a bit of slippage... I need to clean up the ice cream my son brought here on Saturday without eating all of it myself
but that is proving difficult! Luckily snowshoeing burns a LOT of calories and so far I have not seen any bad gain. But this cannot go on! I think I'll bring the rest back to my son's house tomorrow. HE can deal with it!! 5 -
Guess what? Wednesday weigh-ins will soon be due! I love having Tuesdays off from weigh-ins, but here come the wonderful Wednesday people:
@PlaneMonkey
@MoStacy
@metaphysicalstudio
@MandiSaysHey
@KellyBgetsFit
@AshenMoon
Hopefully you have had a good week, but if not - you get to start a great week right away after weighing in! Don't let it derail you!3 -
@jugar Habits are going well:
Minimum 5,000 of my step goal to be met by actual steps
-Doing better on this one than planned. Hit every day but pleasantly surprised that a lot of days are exceeding that. With the cold it forced me to get creative walking around the house. I mostly set this goal to ensure I didn't have any days where I just didn't walk around at all, especially since I've been biking a lot.
Push-ups every second day
Missed one day but just made up for it the next. Reminds me to fit in small efforts throughout the day. Thankful I can do them now!
Core work once per week
I am doing this but my weekly session is due this week. I really don't like working my core so this puts it top of mind!
Yoga/stretching 4x/week
I am stretching more frequently now as one of my bike programs so I've exceeded this target... most days I take at least a 5 minute post-ride stretch, and I even did a few longer ones. Fit in a couple yoga sessions here or there.3 -
Sounds like a nice visit with your daughter @EvMakesChanges .. I'm going to do that stretch in the doorway as soon as I'm done here!
@kellie_erin Lots of big life stuff going on for you. Hoping for a better night of sleep for you tonight.
The day got away from me today.... a relatively normal work day that ended with an operational issue right at the end of it that dragged into the night, so I got on the bike late, phone was ringing while I was on the bike (but ignored...), bike ride was FUN.. my gosh was it hard, I had just done a re-test for my zones (form of training on the bike) and the ride I was doing would have been hard in my old zones so this was just an extra challenge, but a fun one... but then yeah, by the time it was all said and done and I returned the calls and made supper it was 8! Late for me.
Quick soak in the hot tub, a shower, and here I am. Bed time now! Brad comes home tomorrow night so things will go a little more smoothly when the duo is reunited 5 -
@kellie_erin I have similar thoughts. We could manage without my husband working, but he just landed the dream job and has no interest in being a stay at home parent. We can't rely on family for childcare, so I'm hoping his (lower) salary more than covers it. I earn over twice what he does and have better prospects, but it's a lot of pressure and a bigger impact financially if I were to reduce hours for childcare. I tell myself plenty of people manage on lower/less stable incomes than we have but it seems like a massive hurdle to me! I am entitled to 12 months maternity leave (the UK is generous in terms of how much you get off) but my income from both employer and government won't be sufficient. I'm saving now, but can't set aside as much as I'd hoped!
@evmakeschanges that's great advice, thank you. It's very easy to neglect the little things until you get a big shock.
@jugar I've not really given my habits much thought over the past few days! Finally getting a bit of breathing room and I want to make sure I track everything today. That's enough.
The flooring looks great. I can already see little paw prints all over the laminate though, and I've been cleaning the windowsill every day. The skip has been and gone already; two guys brought it and very kindly helped me load which was much appreciated. The conservatory is still full of furniture (only the dining table, half the sofa and footstool are in the living room so far) but the garage is now relatively back to normal. I am working some of today; have some urgent testing to do for two customers but hoping to have the full afternoon off. I'm just going to do what draws me, probably resetting the office first, and everything else I spot will be added to to-do lists. It is cold but lovely blue skies, so I will go out for a walk at lunch (in proper walking boots as a precaution!) to feed the ducks and see how I feel, then maybe do a short run round the village later on. In road trainers, not trail shoes! 4 -
I am not mia, just been very busy. We are re-writing the drs contracts.. ugh.... anyway sunday weigh in 1/23 was.....
179.2...
I am trying I swear... lol 😂 one step forward, 2 steps back, cha cha cha....6 -
PW 148.8
CW 148.6
A little green is better then no green at all. After 5 weeks of red, I am going for 5 weeks of green.👊 Somebody please tell my 2 year she has to stop sleeping with me so I can workout.
@kellie_erin That has got to be so frustrating. I would definitely have anxiety over your job situation. But, don't let that stop you from having kids, if that is what you want. You will make it work. We were not in a financial position to have number 2 and it was a HUGE struggle. I did not have paid maternity leave for any of my kids, but we made it work. 10 years ago, I would have never realized our finances would have improved so much. We learned a lot about budgeting and our incomes have gone up significantly.
@dd265 I wa in a similar position, where I made more money and I have all the benefits, but my husband would have never been able to be a stay at home day. When we had 2 kids in daycare, 2/3 of his pay went to that. But, he would have hated being home ... he also now owns that company so he made the right choice. I wish we had 12 months maternity leave. I would have loved that. I was put on nearest for one my of pregnancies, which counted against my 12 weeks. I had to go back to work when he was 9 weeks old. Luckily, my mom was able to watch him because I only had 3 weeks until summer.
@ashleycarole86 haha, I do that too! I am in a very competitive fitbit group with friends and sometimes on a Sunday night, I walk up and down the stairs to get more steps!
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EvMakesChanges wrote: »
I feel for you, @kellie_erin about making such decisions based on income. It feels lousy on so many levels. If you can emotionally disconnect from the money aspect, visualize a scenario where you have a child, and feel where it all sits in your body, you may find a more authentic answer. In my experience, feeling where possible solutions sit helps me figure out what the "next right thing" to do is. There will always be job insecurity and unknown future events. That's one constant you *can* rely on...change. An acronym I've come to appreciate for the word "fear" is "False Evidence Appearing Real". Another, which is easier to land on when I'm more fearful is "eFF Everything And Run". Give yourself some grace and space to sort through those possibilities. Keep breathing and chew slowly...you can do this.
Thank you so much for that Evelyn! I needed that this morning as well. I think with all the changes and uncertainties happening here, my fear is over my shoulder. I like "False Evidence Appearing Real". I think over the last four school years not working, I have grown more and more cautious and fearful. Very isolated with this pandemic as well. This move back "home" will be good for us I think. Just lots of hurdles before we settle. I am thinking of returning to work. (Kind of a necessary for healthcare reasons) Oh how I wish the US would get their act together like other countries around the world and have universal healthcare! It would help solve lots of problems for us. Hubby is on Medicare, the closest thing we have to it. I am 7 years away from qualifying.). In any case, the fear is just from doing nothing. It will all work out. But I sure do like that! And if not, eFF Everything and Run!!! LOL
Woke early for me because I wasn't asleep anyway. Hundreds of things to do rushing through this head of mine. Made coffee, put dishes away, got on my mat for Pilates. I am keeping that as part of my day. It is for me. Food is fine. So many things I've learned stick most of the time. And I'm super busy anyway. No time to eat! Yes. I am eating!
My daughter has a potential buyer coming to see her house today. We had movers here yesterday for an estimate of the two houses. We filled a whole truck!!! Today, I must weed more belongings that don't bring me joy!!
Love you guys. Make it a great day.
Michele5 -
I forgot to weigh this morning so I'll be a day late.
And it won't be good. I had 2 good weeks and now I'm back off track after being sick in bed for a couple days late last week. Hopefully today is better.5 -
CW: 144.2
Jenn2 -
1/24: 40 minute walk + 12 minutes elliptical + 30 minutes weightlifting + 9589 steps
1/25: 46 minute walk + 15 minutes yoga + 42 minutes elliptical + 13469
Whoa! I have been making a real effort to up my steps and workouts. I gained some weight this week, but I don't mind. I feel pleased with this physical output, and it feels really nice to be getting more movement into my sedentary life! It's a win.
Jenn4 -
CW 191.8
February will be a reset for me. I'm back at work beginning Friday and we have two large meals planned for this weekend (that I will be conscious of my portions for!) I'm hoping that Monday can begin my new normal of reincorporating intentional exercise into my life and once again having routine.
Regarding having kids @kellie_erin, I had the same debate as you about 6 years ago. I thought I wanted them, and bought a house that was family friendly and gave up my shift work career for a Monday to Friday lifestyle to have them... But then a couple of things happened: we'd moved closer to family during this process so I was able to develop a stronger bond with nieces and nefews, and we got a kitten who filled a lot of my maternal needs at the time. I got to thinking about all the things I liked about my lifestyle that I would have to give up if I had children, and that was best case scenario. I have friends and relatives (a scary high percentage) who have children with medical issues and special needs that meant their lives now revolve around that child's specific needs. Everywhere they thought their life or career was going is now gone. I know enough about myself that I'm too selfish and would resent a child that derailed my plans to that extent. Possibly if I had been younger when I met my husband and we got ourselves financially established it would be a different story, but the risk of losing everything I liked about my life in order to have kids tipped the scales to where I was already leaning. I find owning a dog too much work and neediness. I child deserves better than the level of effort I'd want to invest. Having finances thrown into the decision making matrix was part of why I waited until it was 'too late' and we were too old to have the energy level long term for kids. kids are a lifetime commitment that doesn't go away. If you make the decision because you feel backed into a corner, it might still be the right decision for you, but no matter which way you go, you will likely always question your choice. I still occasionally question mine, and I LOVE my life. These decisions are forks in the road that define your path. I hope your career and school issues are sorted quickly so you can make your decision without the added pressure.
Ohh, FYI, working for the Canadian federal government you get mat leave topped up to your full salary for the entire 12 months so maybe there's something in your field available you could get a salaried position to ease at least one stress....3 -
@kellie_erin and @DD265 I'm with @KellyBgetsfit If you want babies absolutely have them! There is never a perfect time to have kids. There will always be something that will make it seem too difficult. I never had paid maternity leave, we had no money with baby number 1, schools made huge teacher layoffs and my husband lost his job 2 weeks before our second baby arrived and the third baby was a total surprise and we were not prepared! We made it work and I would do it all over again. I think many people assume they will want lots of maternity leave. I really craved my professional life and was ready to go back to work after 12 weeks. I'm just a better mom when I balance all of my roles. There is no one right way and your experience will be unique.
@micki48 So many changes for you and look how well you are doing. You should be proud of yourself. Getting on the mat and checking off the to do list. Awesome job 👏6 -
@KellyBgetsfit I'm so sorry you can't get the 2 year old out of your bed. I know during those years at my house were exhausting. There are quite a few youtube videos with different celebrities reading a book called "Go the F*** to Sleep". Obviously bad words are involved and it's for adults only. My husband and I found it to be pretty funny and therapeutic at the same time. We stumbled across it one night Google searching tips to get kids sleeping 😴5
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No change here but I'm not letting that get me down. I'm taking small steps to improve, next up is fast food changes 😁7
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Where did that Tuesday go? I had an ophthalmologist appointment this morning with a new doc, and found out that the previous one I saw for a few years (and finally hated so much I refused to go back there - long story!) was totally wrong when he told me I had macular degeneration. It turns out I do not! I have some weird eye issues, but not that one, and nothing I have is degenerative. So I won't be losing my sight over the next 10 years as the detestable Dr. said. Yippee!! Now I'm going to get organised to make a formal complaint against that guy...
In any case, I got home, had a happy lunch, and went out snowshoeing even though it is extra freezing today. Nose and hands were cold, everything else roasting along. It was a beautiful afternoon.8 -
OH MY GOSH @jugar ... to have someone tell you that you have macular degeneration in error, my goodness..... well I mean congrats on the GREAT news but I'm sorry you went through that stress at all. Anything sight related always feels extra stressful to me so I can't imagine how that must have felt!
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metaphysicalstudio wrote: »1/24: 40 minute walk + 12 minutes elliptical + 30 minutes weightlifting + 9589 steps
1/25: 46 minute walk + 15 minutes yoga + 42 minutes elliptical + 13469
Whoa! I have been making a real effort to up my steps and workouts. I gained some weight this week, but I don't mind. I feel pleased with this physical output, and it feels really nice to be getting more movement into my sedentary life! It's a win.
Jenn
Glad it feels great! Seeing improvement in physical output is indeed a great feeling.
Just want to confirm - are these walks counted in your steps you're reporting, or is it extra activity on top of the steps?1 -
1/25 exercise:
51 minutes Peloton, 6665 steps
Loving all the kids discussions! As you know Brad and I met later in life and he is older, so if we were going to have one, we didn't want to wait. When we first met we did try, but we encountered some fertility challenges early on and then the pandemic hit and that derailed us further from getting help for that. As the years have ticked by and our focus has turned to our own health, it's basically not happening now unless the universe makes it so! I was always on the fence anyway and we have a great life and this will let us retire earlier, so it doesn't bother me that it's likely a no go. It's never an easy decision if you're on the fence and there's a lot to weigh!6 -
Thank you everyone for your perspectives! I so appreciate them. It's definitely something my hubby and I need to talk about soon... I've applied for another job. I'm just hoping I'll get an interview7
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Thursday weigh-in
Username ashleycarole86
PW 181.4
CW 179.86 -
1/25 exercise:
11,122 + one hour Orangetheory (25 minutes treadmill + 35 minutes rowing, weightlifting, and stretching. Fitbit gave me 3707 steps). I power-walked my treadmill blocks as opposed to running because my feet have been pretty sore getting used to the barefoot shoes.
1/26 steps: 8593
Yesterday was pretty awful. I did a bunch of driving (four hours or so??) to three gas plants and then got stuck in the snow for two hours. I was driving a work truck which didn't have a shovel or anything and had to be rescued by two operators and two other trucks. I know it happens, but it was a blow to my confidence and I couldn't help thinking that this will just reflect badly on all female engineers, not just me.
I find driving pretty exhausting. I fell asleep on the couch, and then my husband woke me up to go to bed at 8. Here's hoping today is better but my mood is pretty low.
You all are doing so great on your weigh-ins! Even the gains have been pretty small.7
This discussion has been closed.