Bit of a topic change…my training partner and I ran a 17 miler this morning. This is actually the second time we have run this distance - the first time was a few weeks ago and we struggled that day. We did great today, felt good (well as good as you can at this distance) good pace.
A few years ago I would never have thought it possible that I could do this.
Wow! That is wonderful. It’s great that you have a running buddy for shared encouragement.
You are most definitely me. I have had addictive tendencies; I do nothing in moderation. I have tried but moderation really isn’t a lifestyle change I can actually do for any length of time.
So yeah, I eat the whole bag of chips and I cannot conceive of eating a quarter of a cookie @Marilyn - wow!
The addictive tendencies aren’t just eating - I coupon, and so we just came home with 24 big cans of whole tomatoes/tomato sauce for the winter - $8 for all, yay me - but it creates lots of storage issues.
That said, when I decided the pandemic allowed me time to garden, I went whole hog on that too and now we have a solid quarter-acre of raised beds we built ourselves and that gave me a ton of exercise and healthy stuff to eat for the last six months or so (we did can tomato sauce, but wow, a lot of tomatoes goes into just one jar, so not a lot left over for winter).
Also, I can do one of those green smoothie cleanses for 10 days with very little effort, and have dropped a few pounds here and there on them. It’s knowing that it’s temporary that gives me life, hahah. Snacking-wise, I just need to find something I can mindlessly chomp on for hours and not be any the worse for it. It’s not that I’m hungry, it’s stress-eating during work. On the days that I don’t work, I keep so busy with errands and fun stuff that I literally don’t think about food or eat until dinner.
We are going away camping for a week starting Monday - long hikes every day and I am really looking forward to it as a way to jump-start some new habits.
It sounds like you are getting in the right mindset to get some healthy habits. That first step can sometimes be the hardest. Have fun hiking, my favorite kind of exercise.
About 10 years ago I recognized that my desk job, with intense hours at the computer including lots of offshift/stressful times, was quite unhealthy. Initially my “get moving” goal was simply to walk more, tracked via pocket pedometer (later switched to iphone Health app, since phone almost always in my pocket). At that point I did not loose weight, but likely I did prevent more pounds creeping up on me. My simple Omron pocket pedometer from REI is no longer available, but here is a link with other models in case you or other newbies are interested Top 10 Pocket Pedometers of 2023 - Best Reviews Guide
I like walking while listening to podcasts. My favorite series is Freakonomics. There are a few CC thread(s) with other podcast suggestions, including this one - Podcast recommendations?
I am still trying to find positive wins anywhere while my hamstring is still recovering. It’s doing better but my hamstrings are so weak in general. Any type of even baby isometric strengthening sets it off again. But I digress.
Today was an active recovery so after the bike I was doing my mobility work - I am really working on my ankle and hip flexor mobility. It’s slow (as expected) but the good part is that my ATs have been doing Better than they have in years and so have my feet. They feel so strong. Walking barefoot is comfy again.
So today in between mobility and core exercises, I would do two super slow pull-ups concentrating on making my body as straight/dead weight as possible followed by 5 super strict diamond push-ups - body perfectly straight and chest to hands. And it was all not terribly difficult. I did switch to trying one arm push-ups after a while. And well, jack LaLanne I am not, but I have a slightly better range of motion. So I was pleased with that. I didn’t count sets but maybe 20 or so.
I’ve also been working on controlling my handstands, going up and holding a tuck position and super slow on the way down. I still have a ways to go there too (not being able to do a good tuck because it cramps the hammy doesn’t help) but I’ve seen some good improvement there too. So yay.
My football superstition of riding the stationary bike so that my team wins wasn’t enough today. Glad to have knocked out the activity but am sad we lost in, literally, the last two seconds.
Maybe you should have pedaled faster?
Gotta love The New Yorker! :)! Imagine if this was true. We would be one very fit nation, under God. 
Just getting back from a 6 day bike trip in Vermont, for leaf-peeping. We were a little early (booked in 2019 for 2020, but went in 2021… this coming week will probably be more spectacular). We did at least 30 (I think 35) miles each day. We also ate and drank quite a bit. Today is the last of our vacation mode eating. I did do the elliptical for over 6 miles today, after the long (8.5 hours or so) car ride home yesterday.
What a fun opportunity!!
1214mom- that sounds amazing!
Wow - that sounds fun.
It was a bigger-than-usual exercise day for me today. I rode my bike to the lake trail (only about 3 miles round trip, and flat… I don’t do it enough). Then I ran 5k as usual plus an extra 5k, which I’ve been doing past few times in honor of the nice weather that I will be pining for come winter.
Boston Marathon today! Who knows someone racing? I know a couple of “former” or not so active CC’ers who are running. Feet forward and have some fun to all the racers!
Would you like some Monday morning inspiration? Here is an entire Twitter thread that has SO much good thought in it. Some of it is directed at running but much of it is just directed at people aiming for good health and fitness. Lots of food for thought.
It’s essence? The best advice is to keep it simple. The best exercise routine is something you enjoy, that can be done over the long haul. A mixture of hard, easy, long, short, strength, and endurance.
Definitely worth a look at this link!
In addition to the cc - ers running I know a woman here who is running. I’m looking forward to seeing pictures and reading race reports.
Excellent points.
Yesterday I listened to the first episode of “Maintenance Phase” podcast. It was not exactly what I expected, but very interesting. I didn’t agree with all they said, but it was good that they pointed out that being an overweight person who exercises can be a healthier than being thin person who does not.
I contemplated posting this Yahoo article (with other links) on the “Women and comments on weight” thread, since it makes the point that I was trying to make in that thread, but decided it makes more sense here:
I think you can definitely be what I call “skinny fat.” Thin - but no muscle mass, no exercise going on, etc. I remember in my early 20s I worked for the military, and they were doing some kind of test. They guy who was very thin, but did nothing, didn’t score well at all, and we were surprised.
I did 30 minutes of rowing, both yesterday and today. Yesterday I also did miles of walking (5ish, if I recall correctly). Rowing is hard for me, but I’ve set a goal to do it 3 x a week, for at least 20 minutes.
It’s not easy for anyone, including me.
Rowing engages your glutes, quads, hammies, back, biceps, triceps, abdominals, etc. Running, walking and biking work have far less muscle engagement than rowing. 20-30 minutes of rowing is a lot of rowing. 
