Oh, I’d be just as delighted to be locked in a library any time. 
Even though I haven’t been to a library in ages, as of course my smartphone serves the function just as well as it would function to call the cops for help, message all my friends & relations, stream Netflix movies, or whatever else I might think I need to do to keep myself occupied during however long I was locked in. (The Utah guy suffered for all of 19 minutes. )
I ran 8 miles today with a friend, with walking breaks to take pictures and chat. Then I did yardwork all day which at the beginning of the season always leaves me unbelievably sore. I swear nothing makes me more sore than gardening when I haven’t done it in a while. I think it is all that bending and pulling and digging.
Out here it is the season to plant all the poppies, sweet peas, calendula, foxglove and ranunculus. Here is hoping for a pretty spring. Super bummed to work tomorrow, at least I’m working from home…
Thanks, everyone for the support. I know it’s baby steps but crashing and burning us self defeating so I’m trying to do a deliberate ramp up.
I think my MDs will be quite shocked and pleased with my progress. I’m not trying to be competitive, I just want to build conditioning, stamina, muscle mass and bone density. I’m fine with my weight and ok with my strength.
This is a great thread! Thanks for starting it! It helps to have a group who is supportive, though we are all at different places with widely divergent goals.
Today is the day I get back on the treadmill (ha!) of exercise. I’ve been a slacker for 6 months, finding excuse after excuse. Not eating like I should. I’ve put on some weight, my back is absolutely killing me and I feel really pudgy. Just went to Florida for a long weekend and that did it!
Even when I do exercise regularly, I just want it over with. I envy those of you who truly make sure it happens.
This.
For years I used the excuse that I didn’t have time to workout, and while I do believe that in some cases that is true , for most (me) , it was simply an excuse. The turning point was when I realized I liked yoga and decided to invest in an “unlimited” pass at the studio. I had to practice 3X/week to justify it so I figured out how to make that work. At the time my job required long hours at certain weeks of the month and uncertainty of what time I would get home. So I started getting up early to practice at 6:30AM. Not for everyone, I know but I never had a schedule conflict at that time. By the time I started running I was able to figure out how to fit that in.
Most people do have time to workout. People have a few hours every day when they watch TV, surf the net and social media, read, etc. (I do a lot of the last 2). It’s how the time is used.
Making time , for me, is aided by a “contract” I made with myself concerning what days of the week I will do which work outs. Yesterday was my day to cycle. Life got in the way during the day and then we unexpectedly had dinner with my daughter’s in-laws. Got home at 8:45. Last thing in the world I wanted to do was work out. But I had made a “contract” with myself that yesterday was a cycling day. So to overcome my reluctance to go downstairs to my studio for the drudgery of indoor cycling, I took the easy first step of simply changing into my riding kit. That then cued me to take the next step of going down to the bike. That plus my wife pointing at me in my clown suit standing in the bedroom and telling me quite clearly that no, this was not the beginning of any bedroom dress up games. ?
LOL, MichaelNKat.
Ugh- did not spring joyfully from bed this early morning. Got out there anyway for 3.3 slightly drizzly miles (real rain is a deal-breaker for me) and now back to the office after my time off in Florida.
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Good run yesterday @TheFrenchChef ! One day at a time, y’all.
Question - How sick do you have to be to not exercise?
I currently have a cold. Sniffly, mild sore throat, no fever, and got good sleep. I’m already in workout clothes and will bundle up and get out for my power walk.
My H and some friends think I should be resting. It’s not like I’m going to a gym where I will spread anything as I walk outside.
My feeling is that if I’m well enough to do the rest of my chores/tasks, I’m well enough to go out for my walk. Maybe it will be a slightly slower pace today because I’m stuffy but I don’t see a reason for not getting in my distance.
It would be different if I had a fever and was feeling awful, but I’m not.
Thoughts?
I’ll be honest, I have found that when I’ve had a cold or similar symptoms I felt like exercise helped - it cleared out my stuffiness, my chest, etc. It’s like the adrenaline of the exercise helped me get past that lethargic stage of a cold.
I decided to do a week of food tracking on My Fitness Pal starting today. I eat pretty healthy and find that cutting out processed foods to be not too difficult BUT I think I need to track my sugar intake and reset. Not like I’m having a donut each morning and a piece of cake each night but I think it adds up/creeps up.
Breakfast this morning is/was coffee w/creamer, an egg, a piece of baked oatmeal with natural crunchy peanut butter on top and some blueberries that were getting a little past prime that I added just a bit of sugar to and microwaved to make a saucy blueberry treat (this will be my mid morning snack if I’m hungry). I’ve logged that in and as of breakfast I’m already to my 66 grams of sugar for the day! That’s a problem!!! (66 grams of sugar is what MFP told me I should limit to).
I missed a training day due to a bad sinus headache. These borderline migraine headaches will trigger nausea and the best thing for me is to take meds & lie down & wait for the worst to pass.
So, for me? Severe headache, nausea, or fever.
Re: Illness. I’m probably not the best to ask. I’ve done plenty of dumb things in my day. LOL. But from what you’d describe, I think you’re fine. I’m OK with missing a workout (now) as long as I make the call before I go to bed. If I get up in the morning, I will go. If I don’t, I’ll lie there and question myself the entire time and won’t get any rest anyway. Fever, bodyaches, chills, bad cough that keeps you up all night, vomiting, etc. Those are definite reasons to skip! But general common cold stuff? Eh. I’m usually out there.
And an FYI to those who struggle with consistency. People who are consistent often struggle getting started as well. Often => almost every single day. Throughout the day I look forward to my next workout. I know I want to do it, and I’m always glad I did it. And the last few years, even getting out of bed and getting dressed isn’t awful. But those first few steps when I realize how far I have to go, and I just want to cry. A few minutes in, I know I’ll feel better and most of the time I do. But even still – some days are just a struggle and today was one of those days. Mondays have been hard for me lately. I think I counted down every minute I had to run. My video of the day was P90X Core Synergistics. I haven’t done it in forever and only a few times at that, so many of the moves are awkward and I didn’t get that much out of it. Next time will hopefully be better, but I did like the moves that involved push-ups/planks. I can do those and not feel like a big clumsy idiot.
For me, the worst part if literally the rolling out of bed! Once my feet are on the floor, it all starts to improve. If I’m doing an early morning workout I get everything ready the night before. From shoes to clothing to headband for my hair. As little effort as needed to get out the door.
Most days I wake up knowing when I’m going to exercise and what it is going to be. I also wake up knowing largely what I’m going to eat that day. That is a method of control I like and works for me. When it’s planned, I am less likely to fall off the exercise or eating wagon because, PLAN.
Might sound silly but I get a lot of satisfaction out of being part of the exercise crowd. Whether I’m out on a run at 6am or taking a dusk 3 mile walk, when I see others out doing their exercise thing I say to myself “hey, I’m one of you - I’m out here too doing good for ME”.
Unless I have a fever and really can’t move, I will do my workout. I might shorten it or lessen the intensity, but I do it. I’m sort of stupid that way, though. I think a head cold is not enough to keep you from doing it.
For those just getting back into an exercise routine (or for the first time!) this is a very practical article for prepping yourself for walking as a successful exercise.
Never underestimate the power of a good walk! While I do run, I also walk 3 miles 2-3 times a week because 1. I like it 2. I listen to podcasts while i power walk 3. I know that one day running may not be what my aging body can do - but walking will hopefully carry me through.
@abasket , does your sugar intake include sugars already in food? I had read that a woman should only take 25 grams of sugar a day and a man should take 35.
Where I live and at the time I exercise, if I see 1 person outside/month, that’s a good month. And I run in a city, albeit a very small city. But, it’s not like I’m on rural roads. I’ve got sidewalks and streetlights. Just very few people exercise regularly, and even fewer outside in the early morning hours.
I like walking too! I could easily see me making the transition some day.
I hope everyone gives themselves credit for getting started and doing something!
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good!
I started back up by walking. Then, hiking. Then weight training 2x a week. Then, 3x a week. Now? 4 day split. This was over years/months.
Figure out what you will actually do! Meet yourself where you are!
My training log is riddled with “Eh. Not into it today” and “Really wanted to skip”.
But as others said, despite those initial feelings, once you get going? You just do it, and are glad you did.
I find it helps to practice being the observer of the crazy person inside my head.
@conmama in no world of mine am I going to follow a 25 gram day of sugar.
Here was my breakfast that got me to 65.6 grams of sugar:
Coffee with 1T sweetened creamer
Blueberries
Egg
Piece of baked oatmeal (homemade so took a guess)
1T natural crunchy PB
I can definitely do something about the creamer - I often just use half and half. I’m not going to go sugar free.
But this is the purpose of tracking food for a week - to bring awareness back to the forefront.
I enjoy food and cooking and occasional splurges. I’m not going to change that. I’m not going to micromanage my intake. But I can become more aware (or re-aware!) and make some small changes for longer impact.
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That would be “added sugar” - that white stuff that we put into tea or coffee, not sugars naturally present in foods. 
@BunsenBurner got it right. It’s added sugar, not naturally occurring sugar like in fruit.