Hello everyone, hope all is well and you are able to enjoy some form of exercise. Whether that is a little or a lot, thats up to you. I fall somewhere in between on any given day. I mainly walk, this is usually with my best four legged friend Pea. The picture is of our recent trip to the beach a couple of weeks ago. Thats the beauty of exercise, its not necessarily the numbers and stats (which are great) its how it makes you feel. So hopefully you will find something that makes you feel great!
This is an all inclusive club, to cover all activity and all abilities and the aim is for each of us to highlight our preferred activities to give us all new ideas for exercise.Please see healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... for previous ideas.The idea is for you to post your exercise achievements from last week and your proposed goals for this coming week. This will not be a competition, but declared plans are easier to stick to and encouragement and support from fellow members are good motivators.By setting ourselves short, mid range and possibly long term goals we achieve a little at a time and with the forum family encouraging us each step along the way we may surprise ourselves by what we achieve. Any and all exercise counts, from housework to marathon running, armchair exercises to wheelchair basketball. Your only limitation will be your imagination.We love to see photos, so please post as many as you wish of when you're out and about, in the gym, at your fitness class, or boogying down in front of your TV. Please take some time to encourage your fellow FiF'ers, as this is all about giving each other support and inspiration.
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Pollyw
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Morning everyone and thanks for hosting this week Pollyw . I have had a better than expected week, since I was up at my parents for most of the week with 2 days of long distance driving I only expected to manage 5 days of 10,000 steps and no days pf 15,000 steps, however I managed 6 days of 10,000 steps and 3 days of 15,000+ steps ! Even managed a bit of gardening at my parents- the dreaded weeding So I managed 93880 steps (65.8km) and 437 mins of brisk walking and 60mins of light gardening so a good week
This week I am back home for the whole week (every other week I am going up to my parents to support them, alternating with my sister). I also have Alfie (my friend's dog for one day and will be working 2 bank shifts this week, but I am having a house cleaning day today so won't get many steps in. I hope to achieve 6 days of 10,000 steps and hopefully 3 days of 15,000 steps, last week I didn't do any couch to fitness sessions so I plan to do 3 sessions this week and hopefully some gardening, since the weeds and grass has been flourishing this year
It wasn’t physical aspect of care it, it was trying to make my dad see that some of his ideas- getting internet and a smart phone when he’s 93yrs soon and they’re moving in the next few months not a good idea. Or getting new savings account with a bank not based close to where they’re going to move to and that it would be best to wait until they’ve moved then see the banks and building societies close to them then choose a savings account. He would agree then the next day talk about them again so had to go through everything again!
Its wonderful that he has someone he can trust to give him good advice. We all need that sometimes, the idea we think is great can be a mistake. He sounds a character you dad! Hope the move goes smooth for them.
Wow you're not slowing down yet then, with your retirement. Fabulous! Hope your parents are doing ok and well done on the weeding - that's an endless job isn't it.
Ah well you probably keep on top of it then, before they can set deep roots. Some of ours have been given licence to dig deep and they take a bit of shifting. A friend of mine sweeps her paths regularly and she reckons that gets rid of a lot of weeds before they can even take root. I'm sure she's right as her garden looks lovely but we are not quite so disciplined.
my garden is over run with weeds I think I need to set aside a couple of days without any appointments to tackle the garden. Hopefully Friday depending on weather
Think thats the key with weeds, discipline. One of my neighbours has a beautiful front garden, always looks tidy and full of colour all year round. When I asked how it always looks so nice he said ‘every Saturday morning for one hour, all year round , never miss, thats all it needs’.
Wish I could be that organised instead of having to spend full days at it.
Brilliant lot of steps and great lot of gardening and enjoy your 2 days in the bankHope you get to do the couch to fitness i haven't been there for wk half... Will have to do some as well
Goodness RG07 you have been active. Not sure I can keep up with the stats never mind the activities. You must feel wonderful after achieving all that. How lovely to do all that and be helping your parents at the same time.
94,000 steps and 66km are off the scale numbers really👏, with an hours gardening thrown in for good measure. Your plans for this week are just as impressive. Working shifts, house clean and dog walking plus all those steps and 3 fitness sessions. If Alfie needs a rest he can stay with me and Pea.☺️.
Well done RG07, that sounds like you've been very active as always, both physically and mentally,lol. I have to admire your Dad for trying to modernize his affairs even if it's not quite the right time and he'll probably need lots of help.
I have to ask RG, what kind of bank are you helping out with, I'm not UK and I'm ondering When I ouldn't work anymore, I was very gratefull to be able to visit the old peoples home and manage a colouring session with some of the oldies. Covid has put a stop to that, they don't really need anyone extra from the "outside"
I hope you manage your steps this week, in spite of the housework. Enjoy those couch to fitness sessions.
it’s like an agency for the NHS they cover all the working groups in the hospital and provide cover for any staff shortages
have you tried local charities or schools or even hospitals. I know my hospital have volunteers who home on to wards and provide activities for the health care of elderly and dementia wards
Thanks RG, you must be very versatile to be able to fit in and help out anywhere.
I'm afraid here, helping out is very much a closed shop. Schools are very defensive and help from outside isn't really accepted. Hospitals and old folks homes are still very Covid wary.
There's already a group of pet therapy ladies with dogs. I find them incredibly know it all! Apparently the dogs and owners have to be "trained" ! Unbelievable
Morning Rg, that's a great exercise achievement when you've spent 2 days driving and been looking after your parents too so very well done.
I know what you mean about the gardens flourishing at the moment. I can cut the grass one day and practically see it growing straight away! Oh to have a low maintenance but still pretty garden lol
Hope you've had a great week at home, enjoyed your walks with Alfie and got back into the swing of work with those bank shifts. xx
We tried quite a few but the samples were very small so we felt fine the next day . It was a fun way of getting steps in .We always seem to walk a lot when we go to London
Its a fabulous way of getting your steps in 😂 love it. Cities are a great place to walk without realising quite how far you have walked. I am off to New York Friday so I am sure my walking will increase. Have to look for a winery along the way! 🍷
We had a 5 day bus pass when we were in NY. But we still walked over 15000 steps every day. Just watch out for the huge portions and temptation everywhere. Enjoy.
Photos are beautiful, nothing nicer than a walk with nature. Great step count 80,000 and fabulous mileage. Calorie count is interesting, thats a good portion of extra per day if you need or wanted them.
Love the active10 app, so easy to use isn't it. Good numbers too you have managed. Enjoy your nature reserve, have a great week.
My watch is a simple step count really. Although if I use the app (which I am too lazy to do) it does give mileage. I like the calorie count, have to look if mine displays that info too. Are the stairs virtual?
Wow! That sounds hard, counting and walking the steps to Everest. I wonder if my watch will count stairs? Need to have a proper look at the app. It all looked too complicated last time I looked.
My lovely hubby did this & has done this to get me an iPad & my Apple Watch . He also did this for a photography day at the Big Cat Sanctuary for my 50 th .
You picked the perfect week to be off work, glad you have been able to make the most of it though really sorry to hear it has affected your hip and knee. I hope they settle down soon for you xx
This week I did 376 minutes of walking and 74 of them were brisk. This is far better than last week (167 mins, 8 brisk) so I was very pleased. I went swimming too, which was great for my dodgy hip.
I also did a training session on Nordic Walking. I’ve been walking with poles for a while but haven’t done Nordic Walking, although it seems to have got very popular in recent years. She was very good and explained it all very clearly. You keep the poles lower, and further behind you, than with pole walking. You are really pushing yourself forwards all the time. It’s tricky to get the hang of it, especially if you are used to having the poles more upright, which is how I do it. After an hour or so of it though, I was beginning to get the rhythm. I’m not sure if I’ll carry on with it, as I’d need different poles, but it was interesting to see how it’s done, and it was another hour towards my walking total.
In the health book I’m reading this week she talks about having a gratitude journal. I’ve heard of this before but always thought it’s a bit of a chore. But she says: “While I agree with the power of thinking thankfully, I don't believe you have to write it in a journal. Keeping a permanent list makes me feel as though I should be coming up with profound events or emotions to be recorded for all time, different every day. In fact, gratitude can and should be just the opposite: simple moments of pleasure in the everyday. A disposable list, such as a Post-it note or the back of a receipt which you can chuck away, can feel more liberating.” I like the idea so I might try thinking of things to be grateful for as I’m cleaning my teeth, or folding the laundry!
Thanks henderslh and yes, they do help. It's two very different techniques though. I got them to help support my hip when I had that bursitis earlier in the year. You hold them fairly upright and they take some of your weight off your hips and knees. Nordic walking is more about speed really. You keep the poles low, and push behind you, so you walk faster, but they don't do anything o support the joints, or not that I could feel at least.
Brilliant.... Swimming is a fantastic way of exercising and well done on increasing your brisk walking that is fabulous....Loved that you tried something new like nórdic walking....
Walking and swimming great combination. The Nordic walkng sounds really interesting, it has been mentioned on here before, apologies to who it was as I cant remember. Think I would need a training session on it first. But it does sound different and something I would like to try.
Love the gratitude journal. I keep a food diary every day and I wouldn't be without it. It has definitely helped me with my weight loss. So it was interesting to read that you can use a scrap of paper to jot down things as and when, as opposed to coming up with something to write. I have found thats what I have started do in my food diary. Not intentionally or always gratitude but positive notes to myself. So will start to do more!
Thanks Pollyw and yes, the training session did help. I'd watched Youtube videos on it, but there are so many things to remember - keep your arms straight, keep the poles behind you, strike the ground with your heel and roll through the foot, keep your head up, and more - so it was very helpful to have someone offering tips and advice throughout the session. I could certainly feel the extra 'oomph' and power when I eventually got it right.
That's a good idea - making notes in your food diary - mine has that feature but I never use it , but I could put my grateful thoughts there.
I found the training session through the local council. In the same section where they list the health walks. Do you have Health Walks where you are? They are volunteer-run walks on various days of the week, mostly round local parks. Anyway, it was on the same area of the website as those, so maybe your local council does the same.
Well done Sue, swimming is great for low impact workouts. I did Nordic walking with a PT as part of rehabilitation after 18 months in a wheelie, I found that the poles gave me a sense of more stability and even more power. They were also great for doing the downhill bits, I just stopped propelling and held them in front of me.
The tips on the gratitude journal are useful, I always feel so at a loss trying to think of something, I'm going to copy that and do a "disposable" list without anything too profound.
Thanks TheTabbyCat I've found that "disposable gratitude" idea works really well - I've been trying it all week. I always felt empty of inspiration when I was trying to use a written journal for it.
Wow Sunshine thats a huge jump up from last weeks stats well done. I'm glad you enjoyed your trial of Nordic Walking, great if you have healthy legs but if you need support they don't help do they lol.
I like the gratitude journal and have done this, i still write daily journal and include gratitudes when they appear, i don't strain myself to think of them all the time though. Another way to do it is to write them and put them in a jar. You can then look at them on low days and they perk you up
Hope you've had another good week and enjoyed the warmth of the sun this week xx
Thanks springersrule, I was really pleased to be able to walk more and (spoiler alert!!) I've done a similar amount this week. The sunny weather has certainly helped - hasn't it been lovely?
yes I want to build up slowly as well and see how I get on...i definitely dont want to get an injury so am doing slow jogging which seems to be low impact running at walking speed....we will see...
You have been busy Wine 👏 all sounds really organised and beneficial. Unbelievable step count, fantastic. Did I read it right you have completed a run? I am not a runner, would love too be, but something I never got to grips with even as a child ☺️. I do fancy giving pilates a try, seems gentle?
Yes I am getting to understand pilates and love their adjustments on couch to fitnessYes again week 1 run 1 done just need to press go on run 2 this week now... Sarah Milligan is cheering me on
ourparks.org.uk/news/couch-... should have the link to couch to fitness... I have signed up for the postnatal exercise programme... 3 exercises each week... Cardio, pilates and yoga
I was OK with the question... To me wasn't a personal one at all... So no problem😊.... You have a great day too.... They have a pre natal exercises on couch and fitness too... I think it was couch which said we could do all the programmes so I will just will take longer.... I love all their exercises 😁Have a gorgeous day today as well... I think I am going to the allotment
Also it's not boring.... My week is really good... I went to the allotment yesterday and today I am seeing a friend for lunch... Yesterday did my resistance bands and a couch to fitness session...Hope your week is going well too 🙂
Still haven't got back to it to restart w1... Apparently w4 is a tough one... Will have to plan it in and do it... Today is stretch and tone at 12.30 on ww app So looking fwd to that...Have to really plan it in
I'm sure that w4 will be fine if you take your time getting there. When i began the 5 week exercise plan i worried about the benchdips, by the time I reached them my arms were ready, I managed 3 then 5 now 10 is a doddle. I'm still on the sofa arm and not a bench, it took me 10 weeks and not 5 but hey I'm doing them 💪
Thank you... I love your confidence and making time for the exercise... That is what I have to find time for and keep it on that day and time.... But tomorrow I am going to see if I still gave my scrabble game in the house
Thanks Wine, I have to be strict with myself, I workout on Monday, Wednesday without fail, sometimes the Friday session gets moved to Saturday. It's the only way I can do it.
I found my scrabble it was covered in Xmas wrapping oaper and in my xnas cupboard... Thank goodness I was changing the door nobs otherwise would never have thought to go there to look... In fact hubs was sure I had donated it to charity... Now I am all set to play on Thursday... 😊
We do don't we just happy I still had it.... Saved me trawling charity shops to find the game... Also it would have been monopololy would have Been played on Thursday instead... I would have loved that more.... Have been trying to get the family to play it for years and no takers... They didn't want to play poker either 😁
Hi Wine, well done on all that walking as well as the other exercise you did. well done on completing the first run of the c25k, i hope you've managed to fit in a bit more this week. I have Sarah Millican talking me through it too lol
Hope this week has been good and you've enjoyed the sunshine xx
Hi Pollyw thanks for encouraging us to get up and move it! That's a lovely picture of Pea.
I haven't much to report, except that I've found a buddy who comes with me on the 1st dog walks, this is great as she holds Wiggles while I do my warm up bits! It's much easier doing chest presses and rowing without having to worry about what the dog is doing. 🤣 I'm still doing level 5 of the NHS 5 weeks fitness plan, it's taken me 10 weeks to get there and I'm enjoying it so I'm not stopping yet. I think I'll give Active10 another go now that I'm a little bit fitter and see if I can get a few brisk minutes 🚶♀️🚶♀️🚶♀️
I hope everyone enjoys doing whatever they've chosen, life's too short for just plodding along 🌞🤣💃🏄♀️🏋🤾♀️🤸
Lol,Wiggles doesn't want to leave me and she's only a little dog. A potential lap dog not a working dog like a JRT. I bet Pea would rather be with you ❤️
What a great week... I love that you have a buddy so you can do your exercise without worrying what Wiggles is doing... Keeping doing those strengthening exercises... They are building up muscle and that keeps using up the calories more than any Fat does... You have a lovely week.... It sounds fabulous 🚶♀️🚶♀️🚶♀️
Oooo partner a walking buddy I love having friends to walk with some days, not all the time though lol Great that she holds Wiggles while you do your warm ups too.
I'm glad you're still doing the S&F, no point giving it up just because you've got to the end when you are enjoying it
So true Polly, its why i love walking up at the racecourse. We bump into lots of people and their dogs and they all get on so well. Some of the dogs we meet actually come running to find us (not sure if they smell our presence or if they've heard us) with their owner jogging a few minutes behind lol xx
Morning all and thank you to Polly for hosting us this week. My week wasn't too bad, lots of walking with the dogs, as Polly says, you have to enjoy the exercise you do and i get to be lucky enough to earn money from it too lol
My stats for last week are 58,781 steps (39.424km) and i even managed 144 moderate intensity minutes!! It still surprises me i can get speed up on a crutch lol
The majority of those steps were walking the dogs but i did manage a bit of gardening (grass cutting) too.
Hope everyone has had a good week this week and enjoyed the sunshine that is finally here xx
Thanks Henderslh, oh i do wish i could. I do at least have an earlier appt with my knee consultant - 10th June, so hopefully we can start the ball rolling to solve the mystery pain xx
Excellent stats springersrule 👏. You have the best of all worlds, doing something you enjoy whilst being paid to do it. 40km is brilliant, even more so using a crutch.
Well done on your steps and fabulous brisk walking time as well... I did grass cutting too... Brilliant you managed it without having to ask your son... I think you said the grass was quite highHave a gorgeous weekend and I love that the sun is shining and it's warmer 😁
Thanks Wine, i was just pleased to improve on the week before :-
I still haven't got all the grass done. The front and banking are both sorted and about 1/4 of the back is strimmed so still a long way to go yet. I haven't got any further this week but fingers crossed i can get some more done next week
I'm living having consecutive sunny and warm days. It makes such a difference doesn't it Hope you have had a lovely weekend too xx
It does, i've been sat outside enjoying listening to the birds this afternoon, just lovely
My garden is rather large. I'm at the end of our road so have garden on 3 sides. Its mostly grass but does take a lot of time to keep on top of it. Once its all finished i'll take some photos to show it to you xx
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So I managed 93880 steps (65.8km) and 437 mins of brisk walking and 60mins of light gardening so a good week
Fit is Fun! Monday 22/11/2021 to Sunday 28/11/2021
