Health and fitness 2022

[StraightForward]

It looks like we're due a new thread for the new year.

I am feeling weaker than I'd like in my core. I haven't seen the inside of a gym in almost 22 months, and each time I prepare to head back, something happens (hello, Omicron surge...), and we're having Actual Winter this year, so running outside is hit or miss. So I saw that the Dressage Rider Training program is open for enrollment and decided to plop down my $200 for the 12 weeks. Hopefully this will be the kickstart I need to find my core by spring and have some hope of sitting Tesla's trot for more than 5 strides at a time.

[khall]

I actually feel the strongest I have in a long time. After getting vaccinated this year I went back to my Pilates studio that I had given up for a year due to Covid. I’m taking 3 classes a week. Two regular reformer classes and one stretch class. I’ve also lost the weight I had put back on but want to lose another 20 at least. So I wanted to add in some cardio and weights at home. My husband wanted to add in stretching and weights to his running routine. We gifted ourselves a home gym area and slowly are adding to it. We put a good sized TV in it so we can stream the workouts we want. I have a home Pilates toning tower to use as well.

Unfortunately with what I’m dealing with family wise I’ve just not had the energy to do much in our gym but I am still going to my 3 classes a week at the Pilates studio. It is a small studio and the equipment is distanced 6 feet or better so I feel ok with risking it. I’m vaccinated and boostered and dammit I need this right now

[heddylamar]

With my hip and shoulder, and all the physical therapy, I've come to realize I need a more rounded exercise program than running, riding, backpacking, and occasionally using the rowing machine/bodyweight/bands. And I absolutely HATE going to the gym. So I started working remotely with a personal trainer in November. We meet once a week over Zoom and he walks me through three new sets of exercises that I will do once each over the course of the week.

He's been kicking my ass.

And — please no one throttle me — with absolutely no real effort or calorie counting, I've lost all but 5 of the pounds I put on over the past 4 years. I haven't been running or working out enough to make that sort of difference. I've certainly not been eating my healthiest — ice cream was a big part of my diet the past few weeks for the sore throat ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Tanga]

I wish I could lose weight. No matter what I do, it stays there, and I am working harder and harder. I've been super tired lately, I think because I had the extra slog up the hill in deep mud looking for Quilla who escaped the pasture routine to it. I finally think I've got her in with lots of bailing twine whee she was escaping.

I pretty much do five days a week with my kick ass Zoom class as well as the riding and hiking and feel like I'm barely keeping up. If anyone wants a good class, she charges $25 a month for 7 classes a week as much as you want. M-F at 11 am PST and Tues/Thurs. at 9 am PST. We've been doing this almost two years and it's just as good as it was in the gym. She always varies it, so just when you think you've got it, she's pushing you more. It's always a mix of pilates/yoga, kick boxing, jazzercise, and whatever. And she watches you and gives you feedback and always has alternative exercises for people like me who can't do knee bends, etc. PM if you want to check it out and I'll give you her info.

[khall]

Tanga I tried a weight loss supplement to help boost me because like you I do a bunch between Pilates and walking 15-20,000 steps a day riding etc. been cutting sugar and bread now for the most part two years. Now trying to add in more cardio and weights. Truvy though has given me the boost to drop the lbs I had put on in this last year. Down to where I was in April 2021. Hoping to lose another 20.

https://shop.truvy.com/Mlamuleli/Products?type=2

My ds has lost 40 lbs this last year or so in college/co op. He was having blood pressure issues and had to change his life style. He was working out as well as diet but now more just diet. Almost vegetarian lots of salad but he is 21 and male while I’m 50+ and post menopausal

[StraightForward]

I just completed Week 1 of DRT. The workouts have been deceptively easy. Like the yoga one - two days later my obliques were sore and it took me a bit to figure out why. Today I did the ~18 minute rider strength and then went out for a run. My body was like "what is the meaning of this?!" Now pausing for an espresso before I head out to ride.

[StraightForward]

Into Week 3. The workouts are definitely hitting muscles I've forgotten about. Part of the "homework" is riding without stirrups 2x a week. I forgot last week, but did it yesterday and am already doing better managing all three gaits and it's pointing out some spots where I use the stirrups for a crutch.

[goldhorse]

I've been doing the DRT program for a couple of years now. The production quality goes way up as you move up the programs. I repeated DRT1-3 when the pandemic started and thankfully Nicola released DRT4. I'm on my second round of DRT4. Let me tell you, that one will kick your core to the curb. I combine this with rowing a few times a week and some weight lifting to counteract the pulling of the rowing. Recently, I got back into the pool for my cardio and that has been magnificent for releasing tension in my back.
My facebook feed kept advertising this gadget from "Activate Your Seat". So I bit and bought it. It seems simple enough but it does train you to open up your hip flexors and to find those small muscles that keep you aligned. I think one could replicate most of the exercises using a long theraband or other elastic thingie tied to an inanimate object. She gives lots of exercises on her FB page.

[Kyras_Mom]

Well, I am not doing any exercise programs currently. I have a unhappy hip (bursitis and gluteal tendonitis) that I am starting PT for this week. As soon as I can get that under control, I hope I can get back to regular exercise.

Even though the hip has put a crimp in much meaningful exercise, I am finally getting control of my diet and cleaning it up. I haven't cut carbs completely but have cut added sugar pretty precipitously.
The biggest boost has been intermittent fasting. I am sure I am prediabetic. My dad was diabetic as is my sister and dammit, I don't want to end up on a boatload of meds. The fasting decreases insulin levels and helps correct the insulin resistance and that ultimately allows you to burn fat. Currently I am doing 16:8. 16hrs of fasting then an 8 hour eating window. I have lost 9.6lbs this month! It started slow but the last 2 weeks have been crazy (with the pounds melting off). Mind you, this is with little exercise 'cause most everything makes my hip hurt. There are endless variations to fasting but I am finding the 16:8 quite easy to do and it works well with fixing my Mom's meals. She usually only eats twice per day so I am not making things totally weird for her and I can make the tweaks to my meals of decreasing the carbs.

I am starting PT for the hip this week and hope this time I get some improvement (already did one month of PT that was pretty lame and didn't help anything). Luckily, riding doesn't bother the hip too much but then winter happened. Boo. So I haven't done much of that either since I moved my horse to a barn with no indoor . Waiting for spring .

[heddylamar]

I have a unhappy hip (bursitis and gluteal tendonitis) that I am starting PT for this week.

Ouch, ouch, ouch! I hope you end up with an effective PT this time.

DH did 16:8 for a year+ and had great results. I liked it because it was sustainable and there wasn't the excuse of "I didn't exercise today" or "missed counting lunch calories" to excuse throwing all dieting caution out the window, which is the normal downfall here.

[demi]

Susan, sorry to hear about your hip, but I’m really encouraged to read about your success with IF. My sister is also pre-diabetic and has been able to control her glucose levels for a couple of years now by IF. I also have a few friends that have made IF a way of life. They are in the late 30’s just turning 40 and fairly fit to begin with, but one of the things they have noticed is clearer thinking. Two of them are in some fast paced work and they say the increase in energy from the results of IF is a really nice benefit.


For my Jan/Feb goals, I wanted to start 16/8 but havent been able to yet. 3 1/2 months ago I started 5 days a week workouts with weights (with a little aerobics) and have kept it up religiously. It has made a huge difference in my fitness but I haven’t lost any weight. A week ago I added 45 minutes of aerobics 4 days a week and reduced the weight work to 4 days a week. If I don’t start losing some weight with the added aerobics I’ll try to add in IF. Maybe 16/8 every day, or 18/6 MWF.

I’ve also cut my alcohol back significantly. I was hoping that in itself would cause a weight loss, but no. I can say for sure, I’d rather do IF than cut my wine back anymore!!

[Kyras_Mom]

Yes, Demi. I am following Dr. Jason Fung on YouTube. He said...what can be easier than doing (eating) nothing? Today I extended my fast to about 18-19hrs. I had an appt when I normally would eat so I just skipped eating until after my appointment. So far, I have been sneaking in a sweet treat every day (a mini York peppermint patty). Me and my sugar...you and your wine. I started PT today so that should help my exercise. Still no riding. Weather wise, we are stuck on low 20's at night and low 30's during the day. Maybe next week for low 40's. Still crusty icy snow in the arenas. I am hoping as the hip calms down, I can try rowing again (I have a machine in my garage). I have no gallbladder and am really not interested in going full keto. I am trying to accumulate some of the stuff that subs for carbs.

[heddylamar]

I've been working remotely with the personal trainer 3.5 months now. Up until omicron, then lameness I hadn't had any time off riding during that time. Then a month+ off. When I got back on today, I was pleased to find that my "Move now. No, NOW." muscles are all in very fine shape. Poor Maia

And now that I'm done with the third round of prednisone, I should be good to start running again <3

[demi]

Heddy, If I had a month+ off I probably wouldn’t be able to ever get on a horse again. Although, I will say, doing workouts again has made a big difference in my riding.

My GP told me about Jason Fung. I’ve had the same GP for 25 years. He’s a few years older than me and a little bit more overweight than me. We talk about dieting all the time! Anyway, I found the YouTube’s quite motivating. I need to watch them again to get going. Or just do some reading.

[Chisamba]

Well, I am. Back on track with healthier eating and my winter pounds are melting away as slowly as the cursed winter ice.

I am on a new insulin pump and as always, better control = weight gain. But I am beginning to manage the learning curve.

Exercise is what I do to clean stalls and ride. I am really not finding time to do other stuff and I am so impressed with you that do make the time.

[khall]

Chisamba I hope the pump makes your life easier.

I’m cheering us all on to keep at the hard work of getting fit!

[Kyras_Mom]

Well, I am still mostly doing the 16:8 fasting but I started a weight loss program called Signos. It uses a continuous glucose monitor to show how life (food, exercise, stress, sleep) affects your blood glucose. By keeping glucose from spiking, you can keep insulin levels down and burn fat. Insulin is what drives fat formation. I have been randomly checking my BG before but between poking my finger and timing it right, it really wasn't giving me much information. Seeing the BS spike after a candy bar really puts it right in front of your eyes. This is the first week and I have kind of been eating whatever just to see what my favorites do to my BG. I am down 12 pounds since the 1st of January. Next week I will buckle back down and get back to more healthful eating.

I have been reading a book called Metabolical . It explains the rational of how hormones (primarily insulin) affects fat deposition, how following LDL as a cardiac risk is "wrong" (in most instances) and most of all how all the ultraprocessed food we are eating is poisoning us (and the planet). Very interesting. As soon as I am done with it, I am going to read it again as it is fairly technical.

Susan

[Chisamba]

My CGM had been life altering for my type 1 diabetes control. I hadn't ever thought of it as a diet aid. Insulin doesn't make you fat, insulin is essential for life. If you don't have insulin you die. But. Spikes in insulin for certain two you your sugar intake. And of course everyone blames sugar itself but I find for example that while grain pasta will kill me just as quickly as refined pasta. The CGM is kind of a truth tellers, without bias, whereas I've read a study where 77 percent of nutritionists and diet gurus actually suffer from eating disorders and huge psychological bias. So I say listen to your CGM and duck the books. I realize this is a fairly strong opinion, but I live in a family of people with eating disorders so I try to find unbiased sources.

[Chisamba]

GridArt_20220311_021538892_240x300-01.jpeg (40.23 KiB) Viewed 10534 times

My little boast for the year. Pictorial evidence of a five year journey.

[Fzybtfrm]

Congratulations, a major accomplishment! I finally sucked it up last year and lost 14 pounds to get back to my high school weight of 125...it took me six months, which seemed like forever. I can't imagine having to try to lose weight while dealing with diabetes, too, so I find your perseverance more laudable than mine. Yeah us!

[Chisamba]

Congratulations, a major accomplishment! I finally sucked it up last year and lost 14 pounds to get back to my high school weight of 125...it took me six months, which seemed like forever. I can't imagine having to try to lose weight while dealing with diabetes, too, so I find your perseverance more laudable than mine. Yeah us!

Tay all of us

[heddylamar]

Congrats to @Chisamba and @Fzybtfrm!!

[StraightForward]

Nicely done, Chisamba and Fzybt!

I just finished the last two workouts for DRT 1 this morning. I enjoyed the program and will probably start back at week 6, and also venture back into my gym a couple times a week. I need to use the elliptical machine a couple times a week because my foot and ankle have been grumpy about running. I've really liked the program since the workouts are quick, and hit some little stabilizer muscles that I wasn't getting at with the core workouts I'd devised for myself.

[StraightForward]

Enrollment is open for DRT2. I think it starts September 5th. I found DRT1 quite helpful, so I'm going to sign up. I've been back at the gym 2x a week for the past few month, using some of the DRT exercises (hello kneeling on a yoga ball!) as well as kettlebells and the elliptical machine. On the weekend I run 3-4 miles outside. I'd like to start running 2x a week and up my weekend distance to 5 miles, but waiting for the weather to cool off a bit. Overall it's helped a lot and I don't think I look like a total sack of potatoes when I sit Tesla's trot, but I know I'm going to have to up the ante as she develops more power. When I get her using the ground like a trampoline I can only sit it for a few strides before she starts to trot me out of the tack!

[Chisamba]

I've slipped a bit. Thanks for the reminder to get on track.