Shape Shifters Team Chat - MAY 2023
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My workouts are just walking in the morning and running in the evening (most days, but I will miss one or both on occasion due to life).
I would like to start doing strength training, most likely with body weight to begin with. But I've definitely been dragging my feet getting it going. Im hesitant to give up my little free time to more working out but I know it would be for the best.2 -
Hi all. Out of curiosity, how many days a week do you work out and for how long? Does that involve any strength training? Let me know when you get a chance. Thank you.
I walk 7 days a week and have just recently added 10-30 minutes about 4-5 times a week for strength training. I'm not using weights yet, but am doing some arm, neck, shoulder, waist and core exercises. Don't do them all every day...if I'm feeling sore or tired, I'll only do about 10 minutes just on arms, shoulder and neck exercises.
Jessica3 -
dancingonstarz
Friday
PW: 165.8
CW: 164.9
Finally seeing some movement in the right direction 🙂5 -
Itadakimasu7 wrote: »@JenHul -- I hope the allergies are better! Mine have ramped up also.
@dcresider -- I think the best workout this summer has been the push mower and weed eating.
Most of my family have passed away now and I don't live near where I grew up at all but still feel the pull of putting out a Memorial Day meal like we used to have back in the day. What is your food strategies for the weekend (if you're in the US) ? What are some of the foods your family eats at gatherings?
Like you, @Itadakimasu7 most of my family have passed and my two cousins just moved away to southern Indiana (I'm in coastal Virginia, about 20 min from the oceanfront). My only brother is in Kentucky about 9 hrs away and his daughter, my niece is in Florida. I was born and raised in a small town in Kentucky and we used to go to the cemetery and put flowers and flags on the graves of our military family to honor their service. My grandfather, father and several uncles served in the military. We would also put flowers on other family's graves to honor their memory. Then, we would all meet at my house and have a nice cookout together. I too miss those days.
It's just another day for me now...I'll be cooking/eating at home this weekend and spending some quiet time, just reading...running a few errands...playing with my cat, Betty. She turns 1 yr old on Jun 1st...I'm searching for one of those special birthday cakes at the pet shop that's made of tuna...saw an article about it online...
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Jessica3 -
ganival
Fridays
PW: 172.4
CW: 173.2
Had a pretty good week despite the scale not moving in the right direction. I'm making huge progress with breaking my sugar addiction so I'm fairly with that. Have a nice long weekend in the states!4 -
6
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I clearly screwed up on my last post...
I meant to respond to @LaurieWrobo's post:
Don't let others' abilities deter you from doing yoga or anything else. You can only start from where you're at, and if you don't start that's where you'll stay. Yoga can help a lot with improving your flexibility and balance.LaurieWrobo wrote: »....
That's amazing. I've been meaning to take yoga classes but am too intimidated by the young flexible "kids" out there.
I attempted to start doing yoga in January 2021, following a YouTube 30 Days of Yoga series on the Yoga With Adriene channel. But it wasn't until November 2021 that I was able to make it part of my routine. At that time, I started taking yoga classes at my gym. I couldn't do the faster moving yoga flow classes, but I was able to do a restorative yoga class. Yoga has helped me improve my balance and flexibility. Now, I'm starting to take more challenging yoga/pilates classes, and I've been doing tai chi twice a week for a number of months now. But even now, there are poses that I have difficulty with during which I'll resort to doing child pose.
And then, respond to @dcresider's post:
I work out a lot. I'm single and retired (just turned 74), so I've got lots of time on my hands. Plus I'm trying to make up for decades of neglecting my fitness and health. My weekly routine can vary a bit, but basically consists of:Hi all. Out of curiosity, how many days a week do you work out and for how long? Does that involve any strength training? Let me know when you get a chance. Thank you.- one hour walk most days (on 3 days it is partly run/walk)
- one hour water aerobics daily
- ~five sessions of yoga, pilates or an agility, stability & balance class
- two tai chi sessions
- one or two swims of 1,000+ yards
- three half-hour strength training sessions
- three hour-long Silver Sneakers cardio/strength classes
- I plan to start riding my bike again, if I can find a comfortable seat (and/or improve my tolerance)
Obviously, it isn't necessary to spend this much time exercising, but doing a half hour to an hour most days has huge benefits. And strength training becomes more important as we age.
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Hi all. Out of curiosity, how many days a week do you work out and for how long? Does that involve any strength training? Let me know when you get a chance. Thank you.
I used to do alot of the classes at my local gym,eg circuit training,yoga,boxercise ,water aerobics but since covid the only class is Dancefit.I go 4 times a week if I can book it in time.
I also do strength training about 2 /3 sessions a week.I would love a personal trainer to help me make progress.
I walk alot for pleasure & nessecity as I don't own a car.
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Izzyred9400
Sat weigh in
PW 139.6
CW 139.6
My steps
5/25 20,698
5/26 18,277
@jessicakrall8 can I weigh in next Friday instead of Saturday please ? I go on holiday Friday afternoon so please excuse me for 4 weeks after that.😎🍹🏊5 -
Jlswensen
Weigh Day: Saturday
PW: 218.7
CW: 218.24 -
One year ago, I couldn’t walk without a cane and was looking at wheelchairs (because the Statin I was taking was ripping up my muscles). Now, a year later, I’m closer to my goal weight and training to become a Jazzercise instructor!
Wow! 🤩— Thank you for taking a minute to share your fantastic progress @nancyinmo!
My mother had a similar problem with statins and had to change jobs - and then retire earlier than she wanted to - because the muscles in her legs atrophied and she had terrible trouble walking or standing.
I’m so glad you identified the problem and you were able to overcome this scary situation — your story is inspiring! What kept you going in the early days of your journey? I can definitely see (and admire!) your determination after setting a goal - like qualifying to become a Jazzercize instructor - but I’m wondering if you have any strategies or habits that you can share with us?
About a year ago, I polled ShapeShifters group about what motivates us, and many members responded that they like to hear success stories. So, I encourage everyone to keep posting your “scale” and “non-scale” victories (often written as NSV). I’m so impressed by all the recent posts about our progress — even small victories add up to big ones! Thanks again for sharing and motivating us.
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frankwbrown wrote: »I clearly screwed up on my last post...
I meant to respond to @LaurieWrobo's post:
Don't let others' abilities deter you from doing yoga or anything else. You can only start from where you're at, and if you don't start that's where you'll stay. Yoga can help a lot with improving your flexibility and balance.LaurieWrobo wrote: »....
That's amazing. I've been meaning to take yoga classes but am too intimidated by the young flexible "kids" out there.
I attempted to start doing yoga in January 2021, following a YouTube 30 Days of Yoga series on the Yoga With Adriene channel. But it wasn't until November 2021 that I was able to make it part of my routine. At that time, I started taking yoga classes at my gym. I couldn't do the faster moving yoga flow classes, but I was able to do a restorative yoga class. Yoga has helped me improve my balance and flexibility. Now, I'm starting to take more challenging yoga/pilates classes, and I've been doing tai chi twice a week for a number of months now. But even now, there are poses that I have difficulty with during which I'll resort to doing child pose.
And then, respond to @dcresider's post:
I work out a lot. I'm single and retired (just turned 74), so I've got lots of time on my hands. Plus I'm trying to make up for decades of neglecting my fitness and health. My weekly routine can vary a bit, but basically consists of:Hi all. Out of curiosity, how many days a week do you work out and for how long? Does that involve any strength training? Let me know when you get a chance. Thank you.- one hour walk most days (on 3 days it is partly run/walk)
- one hour water aerobics daily
- ~five sessions of yoga, pilates or an agility, stability & balance class
- two tai chi sessions
- one or two swims of 1,000+ yards
- three half-hour strength training sessions
- three hour-long Silver Sneakers cardio/strength classes
- I plan to start riding my bike again, if I can find a comfortable seat (and/or improve my tolerance)
Obviously, it isn't necessary to spend this much time exercising, but doing a half hour to an hour most days has huge benefits. And strength training becomes more important as we age.
Hi Frank. You really inspire me to get out there. I've been meaning to try yoga and have taken classes in the past, but youtube may be the way to begin with. I'll check out the 30 days of yoga because I really want to get flexible.3 -
@PatriceFitnessPal
Thank you for your sweet words❤️
I can’t believe your mother went through a similar thing. Apparently, this happens to 15% of those who take Statins, which isn’t a large number, but isn’t small either. The frustration I was feeling was almost as bad as the pain.
As for what motivated and continues to motivate me, I was first determined to figure out what was wrong. I’ve never experienced serious illness, so this literally came out of nowhere! There HAD to be an explanation! I got lucky when an acupuncturist asked to see a list of my meds. None of my “traditional” doctors could figure it out. When I mentioned what my acupuncturist thought to my doctor, he suggested I take a two week Statin vacation to see if this was the cause. I did, and within 10 days, I was pain free and back at Jazzercise.
My plan to become a Jazzercise instructor was almost accidental lol. I attend classes at least 5 days a week at a wonderful center that offers 65 classes a week, and I’m friends with several of the instructors. My husband and I are retiring to Miami in the fall, and over a dinner conversation, my instructor friends asked me what the Jazzercise options were in Miami. I replied that they were pretty grim. I don’t want to do Zumba (I think it’s an injury waiting to happen for reasons that are too long to go into here), and I don’t see myself joining one of the many overly-expensive gyms that are all over Miami. So the instructors asked, “Why don’t you create what you want now that you’re retired and become an instructor?” Needless to say, I laughed out loud, saying I think that ship has sailed. They convinced me otherwise, pointing out instructors all over the country who are older than me. So, they convinced me!! By becoming an instructor, I get to keep the activity that I love (been doing it for 15 years), keep the weight loss off (down 65 pounds so far), it’s good for my mental health (Jazzercise instructors face their students and cue the move, so when I say go “right,” I am actually going left), and I get to meet new people doing what I love (I’ve made many wonderful friends in my jazz center). I’ve never been one to sit still for long, and was worried what retirement would be like for me. Now I have something fun to work towards!! And now that I’ve lost all this weight (gained from both menopause and a year of inactivity), I’m never going back. Thanks again for your kind wishes❤️6 -
nancyinmo
Saturday weigh-in
PW: 159.0
CW: 158.2
A week in Miami and this week in NY and being off my routine, this is still good and I’m happy.6 -
The daily card is a bit late today, but here it is.
4 -
There are quite a few options for yoga on YouTube, but Yoga with Adriene is the one I'm most familiar with. Some people feel she is a bit too chatty, but I didn't mind. She has released a 30 Days of Yoga each January for around 9 years. I attempted one of those in January 2021, but because I couldn't keep up with the daily progress, I stopped. I wish now I had had the good sense to recognize there was no reason I couldn't take 60 or 90 days to complete the 30 day challenge. So my advice to anyone starting now is to progress at whatever pace you're able, and don't feel compelled to follow some set schedule. Success comes from doing it and seeing it's benefits.frankwbrown wrote: »I clearly screwed up on my last post...
I meant to respond to @LaurieWrobo's post:
Don't let others' abilities deter you from doing yoga or anything else. You can only start from where you're at, and if you don't start that's where you'll stay. Yoga can help a lot with improving your flexibility and balance.LaurieWrobo wrote: »....
That's amazing. I've been meaning to take yoga classes but am too intimidated by the young flexible "kids" out there.
I attempted to start doing yoga in January 2021, following a YouTube 30 Days of Yoga series on the Yoga With Adriene channel. But it wasn't until November 2021 that I was able to make it part of my routine. At that time, I started taking yoga classes at my gym. I couldn't do the faster moving yoga flow classes, but I was able to do a restorative yoga class. Yoga has helped me improve my balance and flexibility. Now, I'm starting to take more challenging yoga/pilates classes, and I've been doing tai chi twice a week for a number of months now. But even now, there are poses that I have difficulty with during which I'll resort to doing child pose.
And then, respond to @dcresider's post:
I work out a lot. I'm single and retired (just turned 74), so I've got lots of time on my hands. Plus I'm trying to make up for decades of neglecting my fitness and health. My weekly routine can vary a bit, but basically consists of:Hi all. Out of curiosity, how many days a week do you work out and for how long? Does that involve any strength training? Let me know when you get a chance. Thank you.- one hour walk most days (on 3 days it is partly run/walk)
- one hour water aerobics daily
- ~five sessions of yoga, pilates or an agility, stability & balance class
- two tai chi sessions
- one or two swims of 1,000+ yards
- three half-hour strength training sessions
- three hour-long Silver Sneakers cardio/strength classes
- I plan to start riding my bike again, if I can find a comfortable seat (and/or improve my tolerance)
Obviously, it isn't necessary to spend this much time exercising, but doing a half hour to an hour most days has huge benefits. And strength training becomes more important as we age.
Hi Frank. You really inspire me to get out there. I've been meaning to try yoga and have taken classes in the past, but youtube may be the way to begin with. I'll check out the 30 days of yoga because I really want to get flexible.
That applies to starting any fitness routine. Sure, set a goal you think is attainable when you start, but be ready to scale it up or down in response to what your body tells you. Measure your success by your progress over time.
Good luck. 😃2 -
Hi all. Out of curiosity, how many days a week do you work out and for how long? Does that involve any strength training? Let me know when you get a chance. Thank you.
It’s been interesting to read about typical work out routines from members of our team. Thanks for posing the question @dcresider! I agree with @Pupowl that it’s most important to find something we like.
My routine varies by season, and my weight also fluctuates based on my activity level, so I’m trying to find a more consistent balance of calories in and calories out through exercise and other daily movement. Here’s a general overview, starting with a TLDR summary —
- Cardio 3-7 days depending on season
- Strength training 2 days regularly
- Want to increase walking & flexibility
How many days a week do you work out and for how long?
During spring and fall, I row on the water - or use the erg indoors - about three days a week, depending on the weather and season. We’re on the river for an hour after carrying the boat back/forth, etc. Summer is more active because I also practice sculling on average three times a week for an additional hour each time. In winter, I can only erg twice a week (one day less) because of a work conflict with the winter conditioning schedule. I could make up the time at my gym but I find the accountability of my group really helpful.
I also play soccer once a week for 40-80 minutes, depending on how many women show up to play. The league requires 4 women players (out of 11), so we get more exercise when there are no subs. The female players have to be at least 29 years old (30 years old within the year) and the men have to be 40. I’m almost 57 and didn’t grow up playing so I try to let the younger, more skilled, players have more time on the field if we have extra players. Generally, the league has trouble recruiting enough women, but our team does a better job than most because the men on our team are so supportive, so I consider it our secret weapon when I offer to play for the other team if they don’t have enough female players! 😉
My husband and I workout with a personal trainer at our local YMCA gym for 30 minutes twice a week. I’d like to add more yoga and stretching into my routine but I’m waiting until I accomplish some of my decluttering/ downsizing goals first (only so much time in a week!). We had to say goodbye to our wonderful dog in early March and miss long walks with him (so painful still but we’re smiling more lately at the memories). So, eventually, I plan to add some more intentional walking or biking into my schedule. For example, I’d like to start walking from my house to the boathouse/ river (about 30 minutes) but the return trip cuts too close to work obligations so I’ll need to adjust somehow. Our neighborhood is walkable and I’d like to visit the weekly farmer’s market and First Thursday Main Street activities more, too.
Aspirations abound so I’m striving for incremental progress! ☺️
Does that involve any strength training?
When the weather is too bad to row, we’ll often use the erg machines for about 30 minutes and then add a combination of weight lifting, abdominal exercises, and stretching. The winter conditioning is much more focused on building strength so we increase the weight then.
The personal trainer concentrates on core body weight exercises and also uses some weights, resistance bands, TRX suspension training tools, and the medicine ball. He embeds balance into core workouts, too. Usually, I arrive a few minutes early and use the jump rope to warm up. I agree with @bearchested that it’s amazing how quickly the jump roping works to elevate my heart rate. After about 200 jumps, I’m warmed up, breathing heavier and heart pumping! 😅 It takes no time at all but I have no idea how many calories I burn. I just know it shine more than it is!! 🥵
Enjoy!
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Some garden progress under the spoiler. I made a little line with the shovel so I can see how much there is left to do. Second picture is where I stopped today. It is just too hot to do more. I also mowed the grass to make it a bit easier and those 4 big stones were heavy as frick so that wasn't fun either. I don't want a whole path since Tinus and I will make a path anyway as you can see where we walked previously. But a few step stones are nice. I am running out of places to dump the grass and root layers though. The bins were emptied two days ago and I filled mine up again the next day. Maybe I will put it in trash bags for now. Anyway, more digging tomorrow!
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izzyred9400 wrote: »Izzyred9400
Sat weigh in
PW 139.6
CW 139.6
My steps
5/25 20,698
5/26 18,277
@jessicakrall8 can I weigh in next Friday instead of Saturday please ? I go on holiday Friday afternoon so please excuse me for 4 weeks after that.😎🍹🏊
No problem @izzyred9400 just go ahead and post it on Friday. @pupowl will likely see it before I get home from work...I'll make a note of the four weeks as well. Enjoy! Where's this holiday trip...back to Greece? I think that's your second home!
Jessica1 -
Some garden progress under the spoiler. I made a little line with the shovel so I can see how much there is left to do. Second picture is where I stopped today. It is just too hot to do more. I also mowed the grass to make it a bit easier and those 4 big stones were heavy as frick so that wasn't fun either. I don't want a whole path since Tinus and I will make a path anyway as you can see where we walked previously. But a few step stones are nice. I am running out of places to dump the grass and root layers though. The bins were emptied two days ago and I filled mine up again the next day. Maybe I will put it in trash bags for now. Anyway, more digging tomorrow!
@pupowl Wow you're yard is really progressing nicely. It looks great and just think of all the exercise you've gotten from this...you get to see results in the yard AND in yourself as well! WIN WIN! By the way, I love today's card...very nice reminder that I needed today! Thank you for posting it! I also loved the last round of pictures you posted of wildlife...I always enjoy your pictures...helps me live through your adventures!!
Jessica1
This discussion has been closed.