Summer Health and Fitness Goals

[ejchase]

I know I'm starting late on these, but at least I'm starting.

My plan:

Take a walk of at least 30 minutes 30 times between today and August 15th.
Take a walk of at least an hour 5 times between today and August 15th.
Stretch for at least 15 minutes 30 times between today and August 15th.
Stretch for at least 30 minutes 20 times between today and August 15th.
Go without sugar for an entire day at least 30 times between today and August 15th.
Have an alcohol-free day at least 30 times between today and August 15th.
Meditate for at least ten minutes 30 times between today and August 15th.

I have an index card for each goal in my purse, and I'm just noting down the dates as I go along. I'll report back periodically. This is a method that has worked for me in the past, and I think these goals are pretty realistic.

Anybody else want to join in with some goals of their own?

[awakenedsoul]

I've been going to the gym nearly every day and swimming for a half hour to an hour. I've also been walking each night around the track for 10 laps. I bike with my dogs there and back. I also bike to the bus stop and from the bus stop to the gym. It totals to about an hour of biking a day. I'd like to add some weight training. I may try the body pump class. I also do pilates or yoga several days a week. I just want to keep it up, and keep getting stronger. People tell me I look fit, but I feel like I've lost a lot of muscle in my legs.

[ejchase]

I'm revising my goals. The new ones:

Take a walk of at least 30 minutes 25 times between today and August 15th.
Take a walk of at least an hour 5 times between today and August 15th.
Stretch for at least 15 minutes 20 times between today and August 15th.
Stretch for at least 30 minutes 5 times between today and August 15th.
Meditate for at least ten minutes 30 times between today and August 15th.

I'm taking out the goals about alcohol and sugar because I'm not having much of either right now, so it seems kind of cumbersome and pointless to track. Then I lowered the other goals to make them more realistic. Here's what I've done so far:

I've taken 7 out of the 25 short walks planned.
Haven't taken any one hour walks yet.
I've stretched for 15 minutes for 5 out of the 20 times planned.
Stretched for 60 minutes one out of the 5 times planned.
I've meditated 7 out of the 30 times planned.

[awakenedsoul]

I've been swimming nearly every day. Am getting stronger. I love the jacuzzi and sauna. It feels great on the muscles and joints. I'm not walking around the track anymore. They are redoing a bridge in our neighborhood, and there are too many loose dogs if I walk around the detour. So, I'm running and doing cross country in the pool. I found some great exercises on Youtube to do in the water.

[Gardenarian]

Hi there,
I'm doing my own little boot camp since I'm on my own at home. In addition to doing lots of heavy outside work, I'm trying to walk an hour every day, do 100 push-ups (easy-style), swim whenever the weather allows, and do some yoga (both stretching and breathing) everyday. I'm also incorporating a basic skin care routine - something I've found hard to stick to in the past.

I'm also trying to eliminate grains and sugar from my diet, but that is really hard for me! I made some quinoa the other day because I was really craving something besides veggies, fruit, and beans - and I practically inhaled the entire pan. I probably need some moderation on this; last night I dreamed I was eating a thick slice of carrot cake with cream cheese icing an inch high. yum.

The work outdoors has been the most beneficial to me. I lost a lot of muscle this winter but feel I've gained at least half it back in just a couple of weeks. The time goes by so fast working out in the garden. I must say, I'm feeling pretty sore all over!

I'm also trying to meditate but I keep forgetting, even though it's on my checklist. When I meditate in the morning I get kind of anxious, and at night I fall asleep.

My checklist is just one sheet of paper with a list of goals and a grid for the days. It makes it easy to see the things I'm following through on (push-ups, walking) and the things that I kind of avoid (meditating, eating regular meals.)

My ultimate goals are to increase my strength, endurance, and sense of balance, as well as to create some healthier eating patterns. I'm also very motivated to get my yard and house looking better!

[pinkytoe]

I have only one health goal right now - figure out my mystery knee pain. It is very frustrating to have to ice my knee every night after a measly two block walk. I have been faithfully doing the exercises as prescribed by the physical therapist I am seeing. He thinks it is a meniscus tear but advises that I not even consider surgery. Nevertheless, I am going to see an orthopedic doctor for an MRI so that I know hopefully once and for all what it is. So strange to take something for granted all your life and then have it not work right.

[Spartana]

I have only one health goal right now - figure out my mystery knee pain. It is very frustrating to have to ice my knee every night after a measly two block walk. I have been faithfully doing the exercises as prescribed by the physical therapist I am seeing. He thinks it is a meniscus tear but advises that I not even consider surgery. Nevertheless, I am going to see an orthopedic doctor for an MRI so that I know hopefully once and for all what it is. So strange to take something for granted all your life and then have it not work right.I had a meniscus tear (a complex one with multiple tears) many years ago and had surgery for that (and have had other more serious knee injuries and surgeries since then). It was arthroscopic so not very invasive (two little holes and done on an out patient basis) and for the most part healed fine and was instantaneously pain free when I woke up from the surgery (other then surgery pain which was minor). They also found some other stuff while they were "in there" like a tear in my synovial membrane, loose bodies (bits of cartilage), tear in a tendon, and some other stuff they repaired at the same time. If they can repair the tear and just smooth out the meniscus without taking too much of it, most people come back 100% pain free. If it's a complex tear like mine was, they have to remove much of the meniscus. While that will leave you pain free and with greater knee flexibility, the remaining meniscus will eventually wear down over the years and you'll have more bone-on bone issues latter in life. This happened to me (had my surgery in my late 30's) because I run and play sports a lot since then, but if you are older and/or aren't doing more extreme physical stuff, then you'd probably do great with the surgery. Worth getting an MRI to confirm it in any case. Unfortunately meniscus tears aren't self-healing like other cartilage damage (unless it's torn on the very outer edge) because there is no blood supply to them. I do know it's common for doctor to recommend not getting surgery for people who aren't involved in sports as it's often not needed, but if it's causing you pain or limiting the things you want to do then check it out. Might be something else too - or just general arthritis, which can cause a lot of the pain you are experience.

[pinkytoe]

Very helpful info, Spartana. I am not into sports but do love to hike and walk so this needs to get fixed. Luckily, just one knee - X-Rays show no degenerative disease so that is good since I will be 60 soon.
I have heard both good and bad about surgery so will see after I know what is going on.

[ejchase]

I set a bunch of fitness goals here a couple of months ago so am reporting back about how I did.

I dropped a few of the goals, but here are the ones I mostly stuck to:

Take 25 walks of at least 30 minutes between 6/29 and 8/15: I think I basically met this goal, but I neglected to track it at various points like when I was on vacation. But I counted 19 times when I definitely walked.

Meditate for at least 10 minutes at least 30 times between 6/29 and 8/15: I only counted 11 times, but, again, I think I did a bit more and just didn't write it down.

Stretch for at least 15 minutes at least 20 times between 6/29 and 8/15: I counted 17 times, but think I did a bit more

Stretch for at least 30 minutes 5 times: I counted 2 :(

Walked for at least 60 minutes at least 5 times: I know I took some hour-long walks on the beach on my vacation, but didn't write the dates down. Definitely didn't do it five times.

Not a stellar performance, but keeping index cards on each goal did motivate me somewhat. I'm going to set up new goals for the end of August and September now.