Almost 15 Months! This is Just a Reminder

Picture found on Morguefile

 

Dearest Readers!

As you know, I have started getting on the treadmill regularly just before my 42nd birthday. *whew* There! I said it!

This wasn't easy, but I knew I wasn't ready for blood pressure medications, and all the side effects that come along with it. Some people may argue with my saying, but that's fine.

That's not where I was wanting to go with the topic.

Finding time is a hard thing to do. My counts sometimes bottom out, causing me to be very sick. I could remember always being active, but I could remember being inactive as well.

I always had an excuse like:

* I just got my period
* I'm sick
* There's no time for me to do this today.
* I'm just too tired, if I'm being honest

The excuses go on. It's endless!

I remember being in a car accident about 16 years ago. I was sitting at a stop light--yes, it was still red--when I got hit by a guy in a truck. Just a regular truck. But it took out my whole back end of the Toyota Echo (Remember those?) I had.

My arm was shot. For weeks, I had no movement in it. This accident happened in December. It was around April I had decided to do something about it. Back in the day, you used to be able to watch exercise programs for free before all this membership crap.

My only problem was they would put on these exercise programs very early in the morning. So, I would set my VCR (It's kind of like a DVR without the hassle), and exercise late morning just before going to work. I didn't have to be in work until 10, so it was ideal for me.

My arm improved, and everything was fine. Then I stopped exercising regularly. I started getting into yoga, and I became a vegetarian for several years. It worked out well until my doctor said I need more red meat in my diet due to lack of iron.

I even did the Secret diet....shhh! Don't judge.

Crazy stuff.

Then 8 years ago my husband got sick, and my exercising and dieting habits changed again. I blew up big time. Only with age, it gets even harder to lose the weight!

I started to do my exercises at night. I started about three years ago around December. I told my shrink at the time about it who told me to strive for exercising during the day.

Okay, so this is where the laziness started to come in!!!

On my days off, I find I get my best sleep during the day.

Unlike most couples, my husband and I don't share the same bedroom for a few reasons. He's an insomniac. He stays up all night watching TV. And he can. His work hours are 1 in the afternoon till 9 at night. My new work hours are from 9:30 in the morning till 6 at night. I used to have to work from 8 in the morning until 4:30 in the evening before the pandemic. Times have changed.

Still, it's easier for me to get my workout at night.

One of my other problems was me always saying, "Well, since morning is over, it's too late to get a workout in." This was always the mental attitude I have. 

Then one day I was like people work out at night. I used to work at the gym (I worked at the Y), and people would always show up in the evening to work out. I just managed to tell myself that 7PM is my 4AM. There are also benefits to exercising at night.

1. After exercise, you have time to shower and rest. I don't know about you, but working up a sweat makes me sleepy enough for bed.
2. Did you know after a shower you should wait at least an hour before putting on socks and shoes? Things like toe nail fungus and athlete's foot can occur if your feet aren't completely dry after a shower.

I guess that's all I really have on that.

And since I've started going to work at 9:30 in the morning, I find I have time to throw in a 10 minute yoga/Pilates workout. Just 10 minutes! I often have lower back issues, and it's my hamstrings that are tugging. I do a lot of yoga stretches. Recently, I added ab workouts/Pilates. I only do this 3 or 4 days a week, but I have noticed how much I feel better.

Picture found on Morguefile

I walk on the treadmill 5 days a week. I try to strive for 5 miles. I didn't always do 5 miles in the beginning. I started with 2, then worked my way to 3 miles. I started going 4 miles at the beginning of the year, and just back in September, I started getting in 5 miles. Only on good days.

I throw in 1 minute sprints every now and then. I never over-exert myself. I go at a pace that's comfortable for me, and I get to catch up on my TV programs while exercising. I've heard people make excuses about that too.

There are two quotes that I've heard. One was from Denise Austin who said: "If you rest, you rust." The other one is from Henry Ford that said: "Whether you think you can or you can't, either way, you were right."

This is not a blog for me to tell you to get out there and exercise. This is a blog explaining my experiences with exercise. The diet...eh, not so much. I'll get there eventually. This blog is just here for those that may need some inspiration.

As you can see. This was a side by side comparison. I even looked unhealthy in 2019 before I started exercising.

This was taken October 31st of 2020 this year. I'm not wearing my usual shirt, but you can (or at least I can) definitely see a difference.

And if you have a small dog--like I do--that barks every time you go to hit the treadmill, might I suggest bribing him or her with a treat? It calms them right down!

I usually buy Publix brand, but they were B1G1 

This is Spock!

DJ