It's always amazing for me to see about this time of the month those who are persisting regardless of pass days. We started this month with 51 folks which is I think about average. A few folks have been ill and or injured so I hope that Lynn and Bill are recovering and they are still connecting.

One thing which I think UAC teaches me is that when things get white knuckle tough it IS important to take care of yourself. 20 minutes of exercise doesn't have to be a walk or run. It could be gentle stretching yoga or chair calistentics. Working with light weights while seated can raise your heart rate just a little bit enough to help with endorphins. We set our own calorie goals so if you are struggling with a deficit, maybe you can back off a little and raise them a little until life settles down?

I know a lot of times I don't have the "on line energy" to contribute to the group but the simple act of check marks keeps me engaged. And it takes very little time.

Happy Easter to those who celebrate and hope that all can check in even when struggling or successful

Summerskier aka bON

17/04/2022
Exercise – yes, bike ride, a long walk, and a total of 15,000+ steps.
Tracking – yes
Calories – yes
No pass days yet

Lunch with mum and boyfriend was good – roast turkey and lots of veg – but mum brought a lemon tart, 250 calories a portion! It fit in my calories – just – helped by a long walk after lunch.

I’m doing well just now, slight downward drift in weight, getting ready for May, when we have two holidays, then the rest of the summer which includes several trips away from home.

Date: 17th April

Calories: Yes, within budget ✅
Tracked: Yes (I even weighed out my portions today. This was something I done a few years back when I lost a substantial amount of weight, so I’m giving it another go) ✅
Exercise: 28 min brisk walk ✅

I came across an event called Parkrun last night and I decided to register myself. The event runs every Saturday morning and people of all ages, shapes and sizes, get together to jog, run or walk 5K. At the end, people get their results (PB) which are then logged on to the Parkrun website. I’m quite an anxious person and this is something that is out of my comfort zone but I’m going to give it a go!

April 17.
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? Yes. I listened to a podcast today about exercise that got me thinking about it. I thought if I wasn’t doing what I was doing before I got sick that I wasn’t exercising. The stretching I have been doing, a few short walks, chores around the house and recovery are all beneficial to my health.
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? No
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? Yes
@SummerSkier your post also mentions the same thing about exercising. I will take my time to adjust and adapt to how my body feels. Exercise doesn’t have to mean the same thing that I was doing before.
Healthy habits are not static, they still need monitoring.

3 x yes

Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? 91 minute hike, 10 minutes upper body strength, 46 minutes on the Peloton and a 5 minute post-ride stretch
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? Yes
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? Yes

Pass days used - 6

Happy Easter all!

So true that we need to consider where we're at at any given time. Exercise doesn't always have to be intense, or the same thing as we normally do, but to make movement a habit is a great feeling. Same with tracking. We don't always have to be in a losing mode (and realize there's a good group on maintenance already), but for those still losing sometimes a maintenance day is needed for all of us. The deal for me is understanding when I'm truly needing them and that way I'm still able to achieve my overall goals while also giving myself some flex.

@jamcnewman Sounds like a healthy attitude.