Staying the Course -- 06-12-2017

[Superbob]

Hello, good folks! Hope your week is starting well. I am off to kind of a slow start. With the rising humidity, wasn't really keen on walking outside this morning but my doggie insisted -- so she won the day. We did a lap around a complex of baseball fields then shared a sausage biscuit (not a great nutritional choice, I know) while observing the waterfowl at a neighborhood lake. Supposed to get even hotter and more humid by mid-week before we get some cooling showers.

On a whim, I bought a silly t-shirt off Amazon to wear to exercise class tomorrow. Thought it was in small letters but says very loudly: PLANKING IS THE ANSWER -- WHO CARES WHAT THE QUESTION IS. But I don't know if I want to be THAT big a clown to wear it to class. Pretty sure my teacher will get a kick out of it, but I might just give it to her for her hubby or one of her fitness clients who is really into planking. I am not much beyond beginner stage.

Anyway, hope the air-conditioning will be working full force -- it is getting hot for any exercise other than lifting a mint julep.

Cheers,

Superbob

 

[jwinter]

Good Morning Superbob and all. Summer is here and I do enjoy it. Out early with my Molly this morning and she didn't come in but for a short greeting and is now lounging on the front step.

I get a kick out of those t-shirt sayings SB but don't think planks are in my book, lol

Work continues (slowly in the heat) on our screened patio and am awaiting a long enough break in showers to paint the plywood, help lift up to top, and quickly get it shingled. I am not real good on ladders or with height so will do my best to paint, hold, and be the gopher(go for this and get me that) It will be so nice when and if we ever get done. Right after that we are taking a break and heading out to White Fish, MT for a little family time. I don't know if Glacier park has even gotten rid of snow yet so probably won't get there.

INR 2.2 last week so I am enjoying my wine and a few less greens. lower means more wine, right? lol

Have a great week and what a blessing to be staying the course.

 

[dornole]

Enjoy your week everyone! I am excited because my parents and sister are coming to MN and we have rented a lake house. Hoping the weather is good for swimming and boating. Could be 90, could be 40 . . . or both in the same day -- Minnesota in June : ) We will have a great time regardless. There's a sauna on the dock if it's really cold!

 

[Paleowoman]

Summer has arrived in London ! It's mid 70s now, due to hot air from Spain, and due to get to over 80 at the weekend due to tropical air from the Atlantic. I've been enjoying walks along the river.

 

[honeybunny]

SB, the fact that you plank at all impresses the hell outta me!

Humid in Houston, too. Glad I got my lawn done this past weekend when there was a breeze blowing. Missed line dancing last Thursday 'cause I had my granddaughter over. But I was ready to go otherwise. Also doing better on my sugar intake; resisting the pineapple sherbert in the freezer and chocolate toffee candy in the fridge (though I did have a bowl of cereal before bedtime; the cards help me fall alseep).

I'm also doing good wearing my CPAP. Went months without using. I need a nose/mouth mask because I breath through my nose and gasped for air when I tested the nose-only masks. But the fuller mask is very annoying. Finally decided that I needed to be diligent about using it to give my heart a break and I'm doing well with it. Three cheers for me!

Good to see the posts. Stay the course everyone!

 

[Superbob]

So I don't wear my planking tee and what happens? -- several of the gals show up in PLANK FIRST/WINE LATER t-shirts. Mine would have complemented perfectly. Oh well, my day was made, HB, when the teacher complimented my planking form to the whole class. We did a series of 8 of them -- wow!

 

[epstns]

Hi, everyone!

It has been hot here, too. On Monday afternoon when I left the (indoor, air conditioned) fitness center, the thermometer on my car's instrument panel said 117 degrees! Obviously it wasn't that hot, but down at the pavement level in the parking lot, it was. Actual temp was right around 97 degrees. Too hot for me. I did a couple of miles, walking on the indoor track, then called it a day. Yesterday I was back on the elliptical, did 2.5 miles in 30 minutes and felt fine.

I've been recovering from a sinus flare-up that started with the cottonwood trees went to seed a couple of weeks ago. I'm badly allergic to cottonwood "fluff" and was hacking, sniffling and coughing up a storm. Finally last Friday I went to the doc and got prescriptions for antibiotic, antihistamine and cough suppressant meds. I'm now beginning to feel closer to normal and have gone back to the afternoon fitness center routine, although I have skipped the morning exercises and weight training for a few days. I imagine that by next week I can get back to it - including planks, SB. BTW, SB, how long does your instructor have the class maintain their plank? I've read that you are not "super-trooper" until you can hold the plank for 2 full minutes. I'm not there - not even close. I'm still at multiple reps of 15 seconds. . . but eventually I'm sure it will improve if I stay with it. At least I can maintain some core/trunk tone without doing sit-ups, which cause me more pain than progress (back pain and past abdominal hernia stress).

Weather here finally cooled off a bit last evening - down to the upper 70's but felt cooler. I can live with that.

Hang in there everyone! Somebody told me that the first 70 years are rough, and the next 70 easier. . .

 

[FredW]

Still here. Not happy with my weight going up. I may have to give up the "wife-away" diet. She was gone to some pottery Symposium for four days and I gained 4 pounds! I also saw my cardiologist yesterday for my annual visit. It was a non event. He said my echo was OK, blood work good, heart sounded good and the weight is going the wrong direction. See you in 6 months. He was in a rush and scolded me again for my weight befor he buzzed out of the examining room.

I am not sure why I drove two hours to Pittsburgh and paid my $50 co-pay to get chewed out for something I already beat myself up for. Then got soaked in a downpour going to the car to drive two hours home.

Guess it it was free and just a guy in the street it would mean as much.

So, I will get back on staying the course.

 

[Superbob]

I skipped exercise class today to take wife to doctor. I could have scheduled a different time, but I thought I could make good use of an excuse to skip because I felt rest-broken. Now of course, I feel the worse for not going. Steve, our instructor normally does plank reps of 30 seconds -- 8 of them last class. I think the longest "super-trooper" stint she might expect of we oldsters is a minute. Of course, she always tells us to break off if anything is too strenuous for us. Fred, I wouldn't mind having a good talk with my cardio about weight -- but I'll be darned if I'd want to be chewed out by a doc in a hurry to get out the door.

I think need to get back on course with regard to weight too --- not to blame her (exactly) but my wife has a sweet tooth and lately has been cooking or buying all sorts of dessert things -- and I haven't had the willpower to keep from sampling them. Yeah, wish she didn't have all those baked confections around but she doesn't make me eat them -- I do that. Got to cease or my A1C number is not going to be so great in my next blood draw a week from now.

 

[epstns]

I've taken a week off from my morning weights and exercises due to my sinus inflammation. Probably will re-start Monday. I am back to my afternoon jaunt on the elliptical, though, so at least I'm maintaining cardio fitness while I slack off on the rest. I, too need to focus. . .

Fred - I hear you on the goodies your wife makes. Mine does the same -- she will get into a baking frenzy and bake a cake, cookies, some Polish pastries and maybe even bring some other stuff from the bakery. Then she wonders why I don't manage to eat it all before it goes stale. She usually has to take some to work, as I just won't eat that much of it. I may be old(er?), but I still maintain some willpower.

Where I get into trouble is at the office. I get there at about 6:15 AM. I have a 2 large cups of decaf coffee and a plain bagel before I get to work. Then at around 9:30 I have a cup of tea and a cookie or something. Then at 11:30, a very light lunch (like a plain sandwich, no side dishes or chips, fries, etc.). I usually leave the office around 4:00 to go to the gym, but often around 2:30 or so I get the munchies. At that time, I am likely to eat anything I have left around that is remotely edible. We have a modest supper when I get home around 6:00, but it is that mid-afternoon slump that gets me. Maybe I should just retire. Then I wouldn't be at the office at that time to get hungry?

 

[jcgtok17]

I'm coming up on 7 weeks post op (AVR) May 1st and all is going well. Today was the 1st day I could jog/walk without sternum discomfort and while not fast, it felt good to get the heart rate up from the 100bph typical of a brisk walk. Interval basis to 135bpm back to 105 and back for 8km (5mi.). Gaining 1kg (2.2lbs.)per week since released May 23rd (lost 11 total in hospital) which I would like to curtail! Weather is Japan is getting hot. Headed to Canada (Nova Scotia) July 4th for 2 months where the weather will be much more conducive to outdoor training. JCG

 

[Superbob]

Great to hear that you're getting back on the trails, JCG. Look forward to seeing updates on your progress. Enjoy that refreshing Canadian air!

And the same to you, Dornole, staying lakeside in Minnesota and enjoying some occasional cool breezes. Here in the subtropics, relief from the heat and humidity would be very welcome. About the best we can hope for right now is a refreshing sea breeze, or a pop-up thunderstorm dropping the temperature. Anyway, enjoy!

 

[MartinF]

Light workout week but tomorrow is a run in Dana Point harbor to avoid the heat. Then Sunday will be another run. Our new puppy Poppy enjoys the runs and then sleeps the rest of the day.

Good to see JGC join the group. Welcome!

INR this week was 2.6 so next blood draw is in 5 weeks.

Happy Fathers day weekend. Martin

 

[Superbob]

Hey Martin, great to hear about your running. If you can beat the heat, by all means do so!

Indeed, good to see JSG join our merry band.

Happy Father's Day! I have it on good authority my wife is giving me a handsome new hickory walking stick (since I picked it out and ordered it myself!) : )

 

[honeybunny]

"Maybe I should just retire. Then I wouldn't be at the office at that time to get hungry?"

Uh, probably not going to help LOL

 

[Superbob]

LOL. Yeah, sadly Steve, the munchies don't leave you when you retire, nor do the sweet-tooth cravings. : )

 

[MartinF]

Ended up walking 5 miles on Saturday and 7 today. Total for the week at an estimated 19.5 miles in only 4 days of walking. I count my weeks Mon - Sun, a leftover from my long distance running days. Some weeks we used to run long Sat and other weeks Sun so this helps keep the weekly mileage from big spikes.Need to do more during the week. I've been too busy to walk at work so need to make the time. Planning a trip to Sequoia next month to do some day hikes.