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SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Today
Warm up :x:
Zero Hero Day 7 :x:
Food :star::star::gstar:
Workout streak: 0

Today ft. running around from 10:30 until 17:30 between various town halls and govt places. Did it mostly on public transport but also quite a bit of walking at the end. I R ded.
Already had a restorative bath and plan on collapsing on the sofa very soon.

Try again tomorrow I guess.
 
SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Hello, I had some struggles and dropped the ball on this. And then my anxiety rocketed off the chart yesterday and the only thing I could think to do, since it was early in the morning, was to go out and walk and walk and walk. I figured I would either start to feel differently (not even better, just different was good enough) or I would get so tired I could sleep more. In the end, both happened. So I did the same again today.

Handily, that means I should be able to start the Walk program tomorrow, since I figured out I can walk 60-90 minutes without dying. I still want to do Zero Hero and should be able to run them both. And hopefully it's a big enough change that other things will shift. I don't even really care what happens first - fitness, lower anxiety / better mental health, weight loss, better sleep: any one of these would help me so much.

Imagine a magic pill that eased anxiety and depression, improved focus and mood, helped you sleep, caused you to lose weight, have better sex, and guaranteed you lived longer. Oh, and it’s free and has no known side effects.

That magic pill exists…

It’s called “exercise.”

- Mark Manson (@IAmMarkManson)
Click to expand...

Saturday
Walk, 90 min+ :v:
Food :star::gstar::star:
Workout streak: 1

Today
Morning stretch :v:
Walk, 60 min+ :v:
Warm up :x:
Zero Hero Day 7 :v:
Food :star::star::star:
Workout streak: 2
 
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SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Morning walk was terrible. Chose a different direction and ended up someplace not to be on a Monday morning, full of police and clean-up crew. Came away hating humanity more than ever.

Okay so I was also dreading some tasks I had to do. But I did them.
And! something nice came in the post.
Finishing the day with a late-night workout - I seem to have hard-coded exercise to this one music group I like. Their albums arrived, I put the playlist on for the first time in ages, boom I'm working out. Don't say the simplest types of training don't work perfectly well!

Today
Morning stretch :v:
Walk, 60 min :v:
Warm up :x:
Zero Hero Day 8 :v:
Food :star::star::gstar:
Workout streak: 3
 
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SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Woke up sore on Wednesday and thought about having a rest day. Then [bad news, family things] and I went into a slump for 2.5 days. I'm clawing my way out today, via routines and cooking food (which I did yesterday too) and trying to move past just vegging out on the sofa all day with a game.

I had plans and I don't have time for this, but also, sometimes there's nothing much I can do. This particular phase only happens once in life and I only have to get through it. I only have to do the minimum and try my best, there's no point also berating myself for not doing more.
 
SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Saturday
Walk 1h :v: - I walked to my sister's and now I know how long that takes! I could make it more scenic / prettier / avoiding main roads, but it's safe and easy even sticking to the most direct route. Got transport back because I collected a bunch of things I'd stored in her cellar.

Today
Walk Day 2: 46 min :v:
Morning stretch :v:
Day 2 Part 2 :v:
Warm up :x:
Zero Hero Day 9 :x:

Food :star::star::star:
Workout streak: 1

It took a lot of persuading myself to restart morning walks, but I felt better after this one. This week is tricky: my mum's funeral is on Saturday AND I started the next quarterly planning yesterday. I'm struggling a little to focus on creating something new but life keeps going on, doesn't it? "Only Forward", as my friend says.

[edit] whyyyy are march steps harder than walking, WHY!
Anyway that's done, needed a focus break and had some good ideas while walking in place.


20230627_115925.jpg
 
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SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Thanks everyone. She died in late May, just after we finished clearing out her house and I moved to a new place (new apartment in a new city) - hence my absence at the time.
It's also just over three years since my dad died, and I've moved home 5 times in that period, that's why I'm struggling so much with everything.
I really, sincerely, hope that my life settles down a bit from now, I would so love to make some progress on running my business and improving my fitness and other little things like that.

Wednesday
Walk Day 3 45 min :v: (did not manage the second part)
Food :star::star::star
Workout streak: 2

My mood was off from the start, and even the walk didn't make a dent... I struggled all day to make myself do, well, anything. In the end I gave up and speed-read my way through a great little fic.

Today
Walk Day 3 part 2 :v:
Food :star::star::star:
Workout streak: 3

Late night workout crew, checking in.
 
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SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Hello, I am back from my trip! I walked such a lot.

Thursday
Walk 17,587 steps
Food :v:

Friday
Walk 5,825 steps
Food :v:

Saturday
Walk 10,238 steps
Food :v:

Sunday
Rest
Food :v:

I've stopped the workout streaks, I hate restarting them all the time. My new goal is not to have two inactive days in a row.
I'm not sure what to do with the Walk program: I didn't complete Day 9, so if I pick up from there, I will extend the program by however many days I missed, but why not? That shouldn't be a problem, right? I don't have a fixed deadline by which I need to complete it. Just keep moving.
 
Mamatigerj

Mamatigerj

Well-known member
from CentralTX, USA
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 2,516
Welcome home!
SkorpionUK said:
Hello, I am back from my trip! I walked such a lot.

I've stopped the workout streaks, I hate restarting them all the time. My new goal is not to have two inactive days in a row.
I'm not sure what to do with the Walk program: I didn't complete Day 9, so if I pick up from there, I will extend the program by however many days I missed, but why not? That shouldn't be a problem, right? I don't have a fixed deadline by which I need to complete it. Just keep moving.
Click to expand...
Welcome home!
I like your new goal, and I would say yes, just pick back up the Walk program.:unstoppable:
 
SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Monday
Walk :x:
Food :star::gstar::star:

Today
Day 7 Walk 90 min :v:
Food :star::star::star:

I didn't get outside yesterday - still recovering and busy trying to get back into my daily rhythm. Went to bed early, too.
The new rule says "no skipping two days in a row" so today I MUST get out. We have another heat wave so... going to combine the walk with buying food.

[edit] Oh no, bad idea. That took SO LONG, and in about 30° heat, so that it's now evening and I'm laid out on the floor with my legs up when I meant to work this afternoon. The fitness app counted 1.5h and 9981 steps. 🫠
[edit] I was actually supposed to do Day 7, which is a 90 min walk. Umm, accidental success!
 
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SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Today
Day 8 Walk 60 min
Food :star:

... well, yesterday got away from me, didn't it. That's how I left the update, and I did not go out for a walk. I eventually did some marketing homework but I also procrastinated a LOT.

Yesterday
Day 8 Walk 60 min :x:
Food :star::star::gstar:

Today
Day 8 Walk 60 min :x:
Food :star::gstar:gstar:

I'm feeling really tired despite sleeping nearly enough. I also have a strong case of the Don't Wannas. Let's see how it goes today....
[edit] yeah nope. Going to have an early night and try again tomorrow.
 
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JohnStrong

JohnStrong

Well-known member
Commando from Alberta
Posts: 654
"If not me, who? If not now, when?"
Happy birthday!
What Is That Season 5 GIF by The Office
 
SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Oh wow! Birthday wishes! I'm sorry it took me so long to notice, but thank you very, very much @Mamatigerj @Gandhalfit @mavie @JohnStrong @Laura Rainbow Dragon @NancyTree, you're the best!

So, uh, things have been complicated since last time I posted...
I mentioned before that my mother died in May (the funeral was in July), then I moved to a new city in June (my 5th move since 2020), and I started a new part-time job in August without quite giving up my self-employment. I was settling into all of that, then I found out at the start of this month that I have high blood pressure. I know this is why we have doctor check-ups after we hit 35, but damnit! Not now!

So anyway, I've been learning about lifestyle changes I can make to help lower my BP, and meanwhile I was put on one, then two, medications, which I'm trying to adjust to.
I think? I'm starting to feel better? so might be able to tackle improving my fitness soon. Meanwhile, I applied for nutrition counselling (I do love having health insurance at last! I love even more getting to do that for free!), and I am doing what I can to sleep more (easy when you're constantly tired...). No idea how to reduce stress, beyond, you know... getting my income steady, not moving house for a while, and having no more parents to bury...

Anyway that's why I haven't been here much and didn't really add any personal notes when I updated.

I'm not totally sure what my next fitness move is: I have at least one easy place to go for walks, but OTOH it is November, almost December, in North Germany, and that's pretty cold and pretty wet and I work at my desk 8:00 - 14:00... I've thought of creating a "fake commute" after work, because I did actually commute for a month in Aug/Sep, which was good, but now I'm WFH again. The other idea I've had is to do / re-do one of the programs and just add on walks when I can. TBH, I thought I might start something today, but then I had 2h overtime at work and walked to the shop for my weekly grocery run, so now I'm just tired. Going to make that nutritionist appointment and go sit on the sofa until bedtime!
 
Laura Rainbow Dragon

Laura Rainbow Dragon

Moderator
Moderator
Bard from Canada
Posts: 2,622
"Striving to be the change."
Good to hear from you, @SkorpionUK !

Walking to fetch groceries is pretty great exercise! So you did start something today, I would say.

I don't take any blood pressure meds myself. (I'm blessed to still have blood pressure in the low end of healthy range and am hoping remaining active will enable me to keep it that way.) But I have experienced heat-induced hypotension on occasion. So I can totally see how new meds that lower your blood pressure would make building a fitness routine challenging. Best wishes for working through that adjustment and getting the meds right. (Sometimes they need adjusting too.) I think it's awesome that you're also looking at nutrition and lifestyle interventions.
 
SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Laura Rainbow Dragon said:
Good to hear from you, @SkorpionUK !

Walking to fetch groceries is pretty great exercise! So you did start something today, I would say.

I don't take any blood pressure meds myself. (I'm blessed to still have blood pressure in the low end of healthy range and am hoping remaining active will enable me to keep it that way.) But I have experienced heat-induced hypotension on occasion. So I can totally see how new meds that lower your blood pressure would make building a fitness routine challenging. Best wishes for working through that adjustment and getting the meds right. (Sometimes they need adjusting too.) I think it's awesome that you're also looking at nutrition and lifestyle interventions.
Click to expand...
Hey! Nice to see you too! And @Anek too.

Well, yes, and also - this is normal for me. I have a car but it developed a defect back in... June? so it's just been sitting there on the street and I've been doing everything on foot. Still! It gets me out of the house, doesn't it?
 
SkorpionUK

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 315
"Building good habits"
Today, there was a presentation at our local medical school (and online) about blood pressure. I learned that potassium salt (KCl) has shown a great effect when substituted for a proportion of NaCl in diet, and how to measure BP correctly.

Then I double-checked my BP device against a list on the HBP League site and grabbed an app to record my measurements (and get reminders for my meds).

I also have my first appointment with the nutritionist (on Thu) so I've been given access to their Oviva app to record my meals.
I don't know if I'll keep using the rest of the app, but you can record loads of things: fluid intake, mood, BP, weight of course, exercise, even symptoms and digestion.
I don't currently qualify for their research program, so I'll ask about that on Thursday. I have at least completed their prelim survey, go me.

Mostly, I have been yelling dramatically about some K-pop boy, but that's neither here nor there, really 😉
 
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