The Exercise Motivation Thread - 2016

[Columbine]

Such a pretty track tammat SO much nicer than pavements and houses :nod:

Mucked out Collie today, and wandered up to her field for a cuddle too :9: Way too hot and humid for her to cope with being worked though....and besides, my body was pretty much done by the time the stable was finished Hoping to do some yoga later, but as I've had to drug myself to the eyeballs (tramadol for pain and valium for muscle spasms) I don't know whether that's going to be possible...or even sensible :frusty: SO damn sick of this flare already :disa:

Ugh - sorry for the moaning guys :anon: Just one of those days/weeks :slant:

 

[Norachan]

I rode my bike for 40 minutes today, then spent about an hour walking around slowly with Little Boy.

That's a really pretty track @Tammat  It makes you feel more like going out when you've got some nice scenery, doesn't it.

Sorry to hear you're having another rough day @Columbine  I know it's frustrating, but don't push yourself to hard.

 

[Columbine]

It sounds like your weather is identical to ours today Norachan ! I'm loving it, simply because it means I can feel my hands and feet for once :lol3: I think the animals are just grateful that this is an old stone house with foot thick walls - its at least 10C cooler inside than out!

LOVE that pic It'd make a great pic of the month entry imo :nod: :eyebrows:

Thank you for your kind words :heart3:

 

[jtbo]

@Norachan, I'm amazed that you actually manage to get any exercise done, whenever I go to yard, there is four furry friends greeting me, then demanding petting and something that tastes good and whenever I try to move there is gentle or less gentle bump against my leg.

That is only with four of them, you have full house of tripping experts, is the secret in yoga, that they will have no chance of tripping you over all the time?

@Tammat, that route looks really nice, keep your feet up! I tend to kick stones and my own ankles when running on gravel as I forget to lift my feet enough and running on gravel is so different from running on tarmac.


I did fuel up really a lot as I was hoping to do bit longer bike ride, but now I'm thinking it is starting to get late, oh what to do, why humans can't have empty fuel tank option? Well, I guess I ride at morning or go ride even it gets late.

 

[artiemom]

Tammat, that road looks so nice and peaceful.. a perfect place to travel.

Gym day today... getting bored .....  I am afraid to weigh myself because I feel as if I have not lose those dreaded 2.4 lobs which I gained. 

I stayed in yesterday, having a semi-lazy day...I have had a lot of them lately. 

I did do some laundry, strip the bed, wash and put away clothes, dusted and vacuumed. Not much at all. 

I was bad because I got a late start, and was constantly taking breaks. I also felt as if I over ate. 

I had some popcorn last night after 8pm.. a no-no for me. I was hungry and had the nibbles a lot. 

It was also a crazy day. Late afternoon it got nuts around here. Started with me getting a virus/malware/who knows what, at one of the other forums I visit. Could not get out of it. I finally got out, cleared history, and got it again when I entered that website...infuriating. 

Called Apple (I have a Mac). Told me to to clear history, start in safe mode, and then re-start, and it should go away..

No way. Called a friend (long distance). He has a PC so not much help. 

Called the owner of the site (FB friend) Back and forth with her. I am deleting and reinstalling the website from my computer. May have to do it a couple of times and change my user name and password. 

I am also going to install AVAST on my Mac. I got a Mac for this purpose.--not to have to install any virus protection......ugh!!!

Then my supper was interrupted by a big accident across the street. A speeding car hit a fire hydrant.. water everywhere but where it should be.,. No Water for a couple hours!! 

No wonder why I felt unsatisfied, with food. All this happened in the space of 3 hours!!

Gym today.. wonder how it will go....

Well, it is a full moon, so what do I expect?? craziness..of course....

 

[Columbine]

artiemom Sorry you're struggling and having a crazy day from hell Try to use the gym to clear your head today, rather than focusing too much on improving performance. It's prpably then yoga geek in me talking, but staying present in the moment and focusing on your breath can make SUCH a difference, no matter what the exercise you're doing. Take the time to stretch well at the end too, and use that to centre and calm your mind. Got to be worth a try :winkblue:

 

[artiemom]

Thanks, @Columbine   .... I did go to the gym, I was really not into it. 

I only did one mile on the elliptical. I did an 18.23 mile...

I did not use all the equipment that I usually do. I cut it kind of short. I have increased a few of the machines. Still at a very low weight, but I am trying. On a couple of them, I cannot get out of 10 lbs. That is frustrating to me..but I have to remember that I have a 12 lb on lifting according to a huge physical therapy exam, so the 10 lbs goes along with that. It is my shoulder that is bugging me..

My knee was a bit sore when I left.. I do not know what I did to it. 

I went to the grocery store right after...that was the extent of my exercise for the day. 

I was so tired when I got in. After I put the groceries away, I went outside to sit for a few minutes. I did not last long because I was so tired. I came in and lied down on the coach. I did not sleep, I dozed for a couple hours. My mind was racing..so it was not really sleep. Then the phone rang, so I got up. Not hungry today. Just had a huge apple and some peanut butter, and some green tea.   I had a power bar after the gym, before grocery store. 

Just bummed out...

I ran into an elderly man I know, on the way into the gym. He suggested that I change up my routine a bit. I do not know how to. He said I hit the proverbial "Wall".. to mix things up a bit. To keep going and change things up...

So today, I did not do all that much. I skipped a few machines. Back there Thursday, I will change things up a bit also..I will alternate equipment. See if that works. 

 

[foxxycat]

Hi Artiesmom=yes its the wall=its called boredom- depending on what parts you are trying to work-focus on the areas that dont hurt as much. Have you tried using hand weights and just doing light reps of arm weights-without lifting the shoulder above shoulder height or even shorter? Sometimes the machines tick me off because you are limited in range of motion. I tend to like free weights better.

Also if you are doing machines for your leg muscles it is recommended that you only do 10 min of cardio before those machines=then do the machines THEN do the cardio=you will have a bit more strength in your legs to push the weight. 

personally I HATE doing it that way. I do the cardio first because I really don't like doing it. Then I hit the stretching machine then weights then stretch again. Sometimes if I do tons of reps of squats I hop onto the treadmill and do just 5 min of slow walking to stretch my legs before I drive the 20 minutes it takes to get home. or at least it feels like 20 min. probably about 15. its 3 min just down my road never mind the stupid stoplights all along route 11. 

try Google searching shoulder exercises for injured shoulders=I bet you may find a few new exercises to try that you didnt think about. Thats how I deal with the "wall". 

I sure wish I had time for the gym tonight. But not until tomorrow after work if I even make it. Got cat health issues going on-spent 2 hours at vets=they are always late but i dont mind.

I plan on hitting it hard at lunchtime tomorrow. I got about 35 min I can cram an hours worth of exercise in my lunch then change clothes. I dont mind sweating at work because I control the AC unlike the gym. I still think some areas in the gym are too hot but thats just me. 

 

[tammat]

It was another glorious winter day today. I set off for my "nature walk "again today. I didnt think I had actually managed to post the pic. Thanks for all the nice comments. I saw a wallaby and at the same time heard my favourite song bird singing. I tried to get a pic of the wallaby to show you but he hopped off. This time I did it a bit faster. The track connects onto the town lake that I used to run around so I'm going to try that too. It will add another 40 mins. For some reason I actually find walking more strenuous on my body than jogging?? Strange?? I try to keep a good pace up but I get lost in my thoughts and taking in the scenery ect... I don't know if I'm slacking off in those moments or not? I guess it doesn't matter. It makes me feel great.

Keep going everyone.

 

[Norachan]

@Norachan, I'm amazed that you actually manage to get any exercise done, whenever I go to yard, there is four furry friends greeting me, then demanding petting and something that tastes good and whenever I try to move there is gentle or less gentle bump against my leg.

That is only with four of them, you have full house of tripping experts, is the secret in yoga, that they will have no chance of tripping you over all the time?

Oh, they trip me up all the time. 

 They know when I'm at my most vulnerable. First thing in the morning, when my eyes are still half shut, they lie in wait and ambush me on the stairs. Whenever I do yoga a few of them wait until I'm in a headstand and then come over and give me head bumps. Sometimes I fall over from giggling too much.

@Tammat  I would love to see a picture of a wallaby! I sometimes meet deer on my walks, but a wallaby sounds very exotic.

30 minutes on my bike and then an hour weeding the garden today.

 

[Winchester]

4 miles on the treadmill this morning. 

@Artiemom  , I'm sorry you're having problems right now. Sounds like you're really stressed out and a lot of things are going on for you. I don't really know what to say, but I can give you a 

 and hope you feel better soon.

I read somewhere that if you're having training problems, sometimes it helps to take an extra rest day between exercise days. And do a little less of your exercises for a while, until you feel better. Trying to do everything you normally do when you just flat-out can't do it does your body no good at all. Or try to mix things up a bit. Do some different exercises until you start to feel better. I hope things start to go better for you.

Tammat, your route sounds great!

 

[artiemom]

Thanks Winchester...

That is pretty much what I did yesterday. I kind of skipped some things. 

I am really hitting the wall. I am afraid to weigh myself. I think I will skip it this week. 

I am still forcing myself to eat healthy. Craving the bad stuff, but not eating it. 

Today it is another cleaning day--should account for for exercise.. my bathroom, top to bottom, Artie litter boxes and hopefully his bathroom. So it will be a lot of work, but I will feel so much better when it is done. 

I am forgetting about my computer issues for a while. I am just not going to the website where I am having the problems. I will wait it out. 

My knee bothered me yesterday. During the night, my back, hips and shoulder were sore..I do not understand it. I was tossing and turning all night. Could not find a comfortable spot..

It will get better..

 

[jtbo]

90km / ~56 miles bike trip, lot of wind and had to take it slow so it took 4 hours and 55 minutes, that is still over 18kph / 11mph average speed for nearly 5 hours non stop riding.

My butt is sore now, there is always some rubbing.

Few pics

There are these big trucks on roads and by the law I should ride bike on right side of that white line, when two of those big trucks encounter each other from opposite directions where I'm riding we run out of space.

big_truck_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

Then there are bridges, this one is so narrow that car and bicycle can't go there at same time.

bridge_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

We don't have too much flats, it is mostly hills, so imagine how it is at winter when road is at least 2 feet narrower from each side because of snow and icy, winter bicycling is extreme sport here, no visibility, no room where to go when cars come.

hill1_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

These were longest straight sections so one could actually see whole hill, lots of hills.

hill2_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

hill3_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

more_hills_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

These should be yellow in a month or so, I don't know English name for this, but they make bread and biscuits from it.

field_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

We have mostly, trees, fields and water.

scenery1_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

scenery2_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

scenery3_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

scenery4_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

scenery5_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

Also some bad road surfaces, sometimes there were larger than fist size pieces missing where white line runs, just deep hole, sometimes grass was growing 2 feet towards center line from that white line at edge, so good part of lane was unusable, have to be careful when avoiding those as car might come behind.

scenery6_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

Sometimes they cut trees out and sell them to factories, then there is lot of grass, actually there are no hard surfaces on forests where I live, it is always soft where you sink at least ankle deep.

scenery7_bike_trip.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

Another thing we have is swamp, even my house is actually on small sand island in middle of swamp. You can click this one bigger, it is made from 6 photos, 180 degrees view.

swamp_panorama.jpg

• jtbo
• Jul 20, 2016

I'm glad I don't have hills which @Norachan have to climb, but surely especially on windy days these our small hills seem to be bit much, this route does not have any steep hills luckily.

Moose, deers and bears lurk behind those bushes, sometimes run to road, so even driving a car one has to be alert, but mostly when sun sets and rises. I spot tiny dark brown rabbit, everything else seemed to be at sleep or hiding.

Got bit sunburn and destroyed 3500 calories, took cheap pocket camera with me to keep pace bit slower, but for some reason it did not help too much, but maybe you like to see what it is like to ride a bike here.

 

[foxxycat]

This looks EXACTLY what NH in America looks like. Same roads. Same trees. Maine too. Anywhere here in the country. We have some areas that are rolling hills too. Love the photos. Reminds me of some of the farm land we see up outside of Belfast Maine. Its so very pretty out there!

 

[jtbo]

This looks EXACTLY what NH in America looks like. Same roads. Same trees. Maine too. Anywhere here in the country. We have some areas that are rolling hills too. Love the photos. Reminds me of some of the farm land we see up outside of Belfast Maine. Its so very pretty out there!

I think that any place near same height up north should get similar day length and temperatures, which should favor similar plants and such, of course there are always differences, but I guess life finds to similar ways in similar conditions.

Often it is said how rich our nation is, but in here as in US when you move away from cities, it is not so rich anymore, not much hard shoulders and most of the things are somewhat broken :lol3:

Well, we have lot of space and trees, which reminds me that I would need to clear firewood storage area and start cutting dry firewood so I could put them to storage for the winter.

 

[Columbine]

jtbo Love the photos SUCH a beautiful area. I love all that space, trees and greenery :9:



I did 75mins of yoga this morning.

 

[tammat]

Good work everybody. I'm trying to give you purraise but it's not working for me??
I woke very early in the morning and it was raining heavily. I thought " oh no I won't be able to walk". Thankfully it was dry when I woke and so I set out for my big walk. It was 10.07km and it took me 1hr 38 mins. Every time I felt myself slowing I thought " go faster you gotta beat Winchester" lol!!!
No wallabies today but I did see 4 koalas!!! How's that for exotic!! I also saw 1 or 2? Ringtail possums. From one side of the tree it looked like one and then on the other side it looked like a Mother with a baby on her back. I couldn't stop for too long because I was thinking " Winchester would NEVER stop. Lol!! Thanks for nudging me along Pam Now I've got housework and grocery shopping to do but I'm a bit tired and hungry.
Keep going Peeps.

 

[tammat]

Something not right with my internet. I didn't see JTbos pics before. They are brilliant Thankyou. I also love the cats pic Norachan. They are all such beauties.

 

[Norachan]

Beautiful pictures @JTbo  Those look like  perfect roads for cycling on.

90 minutes horse riding today. I rode Chacha. She's 16 years old and has already had 4 foals.They were hoping she would have another foal this year, but she took a dislike to both of the stallions she was introduced to so she's under saddle for the next 12 months.

Horses17.JPG

• Norachan
• Jul 21, 2016

Horses18.JPG

• Norachan
• Jul 21, 2016

Mr Husband rode Sou Chan.

Horses16.JPG

• Norachan
• Jul 21, 2016

Horses19.JPG

• Norachan
• Jul 21, 2016

 

[Winchester]

Wonderful, beautiful pictures! They are simply gorgeous! JTbo, I really like the picture at the lake....is there a path around the lake for walking or biking? Norachan, Chacha is a beautiful horse. And your hair! It's just lovely!

I did my exercises and stretches last night.

3.5 miles on the treadmill this morning (No pictures of our basement though. 

 )