Talk about your exercise experience today

[ProfPacker]

today I started out a little differently. Passed the basketball court and it was empty. I actually went int to shoot hoops for about 20 minutes. I actually made some baskets and some from the free through line.

20 minutes cardio and 40 minutes weight machines and weights.

[Charmingbutch21]

2.5 hours of softball practice. Here's hoping my back feels good tomorrow.

[nycfem]

Yesterday, 30 minute walk in Central Park with my brother and his husband. We were walking super slow, practically limping, and I finally said with irritation, "Why are we walking so slow?!" My brother said, "I was thinking the same thing!" Oy! We then easily picked up the pace (since we'd been trudging) but the damage felt like it had already been done!

[ProfPacker]

been a while since I went swimming after work. Felt good to swim for an hour today. Peaceful

[nycfem]

Oh, and I should add that the walk was actually an hour but I only counted it as 30 minutes because it was so damn slow. Forgot to share that it had been converted in my head

Originally Posted by nycfem

Yesterday, 30 minute walk in Central Park with my brother and his husband. We were walking super slow, practically limping, and I finally said with irritation, "Why are we walking so slow?!" My brother said, "I was thinking the same thing!" Oy! We then easily picked up the pace (since we'd been trudging) but the damage felt like it had already been done!

[diamondrose]

Zumba for 1 hour

[diamondrose]

Yesterday I did 20 mins on the treadmill and 1 hour Zumba. Today I did 45 mins of Zumba.

[Charmingbutch21]

20 mins on the treadmill. 2 circuits of free weights.

[Candelion]

An early and VERY wet run this morning. Arrived home covered in mud...it was GREAT!!! 16.5 km of muddy trails (that's 10 miles in American lingo)




Wishing you all a very happy and physical weekend.

[diamondrose]

1 hr zumba

[nycfem]

3 hour walk in the park and going up/down stairs in the park. beautiful fall-like day.

[diamondrose]

I feel like a repeating record when i say...zumba today after work. despite the fact i have absolutely no rhythm..its my kick at the moment. couple of 5ks to come

[SmoothButch]

Just did my first mud run/obstacle course (Muderrella, 5mi) with a couple of friends this past Saturday

And still training for my first regular 5k in October!

[Gemme]

Okay, let's talk.

Why do you exercise?

Health? Vanity? Doctor threatening you? Parents/friends/lovers threatening you? A fetish for stinky, sweaty people? A fetish for spandex? Are you stalking a regular gym-goer?

For me, I have to bribe myself because the 'doing it for own health' thing doesn't work. I have to say 'if I do this, I can do or have this' or I have to play games with the competitive part of myself and see if I can best my last performance or go a longer distance.

Now, with my little 'friend' that never quite seems to go away, it's different. It feels like a chore, especially when the first 15-20 minutes of every workout is for the sciatica. It takes that long for my muscles to loosen up and for the discomfort to subside. Also, the physical benefits diminish shortly after the workout is done, usually within an hour I'm back in discomfort mode. It's not fun and creates the mindset of 'why bother?', which is frustrating.

I can be very good at debating and it gets super frustrating when it's myself that I'm debating against because I know all of my tricks and I wind up at a stalemate.



So I have to make myself go nowadays. It's not a 'want' anymore. Even in the middle of the workout, when the endorphins are starting to slink in the back door, it's just not fun anymore.

So, does it still benefit me to do these workouts or does the mental and physical battle deplete the overall benefits?

Sure, I burn calories and it helps keep the munchies at bay. I admit that and I do like that. I just wish I could get control of my physical self. I used to feel sympathy for those who I knew were struggling with chronic physical issues but having shuffled a mile in those shoes, I realize that on my best imaginative day, I was nowhere near close to feeling how draining it truly is. Physically. Emotionally. Psychologically.

This stuff beats you down from the inside out, especially when you are doing all of the 'right' things and progress is slow or non-existent. 'Why bother' comes as easily as breathing now.

So why am I telling you all this?

Because today was a better day.

I struggled with the decision to go but I did. I had annoyances once I got there (woman directly behind me on her cell phone and complete inaction on behalf of the staff to correct the issue once I brought it to their attention, for example) but I dealt with it. Literally. I dealt it. I can't say it smelled but I mentally aimed it her way and I hope that she received my gift loud and clear. Well, not loud. But clear. I hope it was clear.



Anyway, I found a new machine that is in line with an air vent and is on the edge of the span of blades on a ceiling fan and had a good workout without feeling like I had heat exhaustion.

Random program: levels 3-8.
Stats: 368 calories, 3.33 miles, 65 minutes
I walked on an incline for all but 2 minutes. For 2 minutes, I ran at a moderate pace of 5.0 mph.

All in all, a good day. A victory for me and my body.

[cinnamongrrl]

I have been going on longer walks since its dark when I get home most nights...

I found a very steep hill and I make a point to ealk up it. The downhill is actually more challenging lol

I also did day one of couch to 5k (C25K) yesterday. I have to say, I understand the term second wind now. Midway thru I got such a lovely boost of endorphins....I may be hooked

[ProfPacker]

I haven't been in my usual gym routine and was afraid that I was not going to get back in but yesterday I went for cardio and weights and today I swam for an hour. It felt good.

[Gemme]

Ugh. I woke up at 5am and was not going back to sleep so I decided to go to the gym.

I like it when there's not a lot of people in there but it was still hot.

T33 and I had a grand ole time. Level 5 through the whole thing. 45 minutes total. I did 7 running intervals, 2 of which were 90 seconds each and the remaining ones were 60 seconds each.

Stats: 290 cal, 2.50 mi

When I left, the sky was a soft cornflower blue and the clouds were nothing but wispy, uneven streaks, like cotton candy, and a peachy pink color. The moon shone full and bright in the middle of the sky.

I'd been in major discomfort for most of the morning but, at that moment, all was well.

Thank goodness for endorphins, right?

[Kenna]

I went outside to feed the farm critters.... this is sometimes a chore for me because of hiking back up the hill from the garden shed...

But today I had a little extra exercise chasing a run-away chicken...
My favorite, friendly, "blonde" chicken dashed out the gate as I was trying to gather eggs...
When the others saw her eating grass, they all did the Mad Dash Funky Chicken Run to join her, so I had to rush the gate.... (this is a new coop and we're afraid they won't roost at night back inside before being prey)...
After I gathered eggs, I had to catch my run-away.... only she proceeded to run just ahead of me, around the fence several times....

I wasn't gonna do the "Ring Around the Chicken Coop, Catch Me if You Can, Duck Duck Goose" chase.... so I hiked back to the house to get the large fishing net, caught her on her first try at "leap and run", gently dumped her back in the coop.... then hiked back to the garden shed to finish feeding the CRAZY guinea birds!!

No wonder my roommate called me the Chicken Wrangler!!

OMG!!! I had to laugh instead of call them ugly names...

Kenna....doing the Mad Dash Chicken Run to catch a chicken with her FISHING net!!

[Gemme]

A good workout this morning, all things considered.

T33 and me got along well again. Level 5 again. It's good for now. I'll bump it up in a week or so if all goes well.

Stats: 392 cal, 3.51 mi, 65:00 minutes

She gave me 2 90 second intervals and 3 60 second intervals.

Mr. Screechy Shoes came back but not until I was somewhere around minute 50, so I turned up my MP3 player and moved on. Luckily, he was alllllll the way down the line, bothering some poor other folks. I think he remembered our little interaction and is staying away from me. I can deal with that.

Before I left, I tried some very light weight training. Just the legs and abs and I stretched on the monkey bar looking contraption in the back. It didn't seem to hurt anything and it didn't seem to help anything, so we'll keep at it and keep an eye on things.

[nycfem]

Gemme, this was a wonderful post- I laughed, I cried, etc. etc. (well, not really, but I found it full of all that I enjoy). It's nice to get deep on the exercise thread sometimes, and I look forward to more from you. I also think an integral part of talking about exercise is also talking about pain and illness because they do affect exercise so much. I hope people always feel comfortable talking about these issues here.

Today I did 30 minutes on the stair master (55/65 intervals), 15 min. weight lifting, 30 min. floor exercises, and 15 min. stretching.

Originally Posted by Gemme

A good workout this morning, all things considered.

T33 and me got along well again. Level 5 again. It's good for now. I'll bump it up in a week or so if all goes well.

Stats: 392 cal, 3.51 mi, 65:00 minutes

She gave me 2 90 second intervals and 3 60 second intervals.

Mr. Screechy Shoes came back but not until I was somewhere around minute 50, so I turned up my MP3 player and moved on. Luckily, he was alllllll the way down the line, bothering some poor other folks. I think he remembered our little interaction and is staying away from me. I can deal with that.

Before I left, I tried some very light weight training. Just the legs and abs and I stretched on the monkey bar looking contraption in the back. It didn't seem to hurt anything and it didn't seem to help anything, so we'll keep at it and keep an eye on things.