Sara – holding, holding…

Hi, everyone!  Welcome back, Lynn, and I hope your jet lag is soon a thing of the past…

Weather this last week was mostly quite hot, but yesterday was lovely and today is quite cool so far.  Unfortunately I am doing indoors work which I’ve put off for too long, so am not in the best position to enjoy it.  I will get out later today though…

June 23-29:

Wed. 9984 steps (2463 aerobic); 8×20 cardioglide; 2′ on trampoline; 1.19 mi. outside walk (pace 19′).  This pace info comes from sparkpeople.com which calculates these things for you.  I have entered a bunch of maps there, so now know how far I am going when I walk outside – I time it with my pedometer.

Thurs. 6611 steps (2198 aerobic); 4×20 cardioglide; 1 mi. outdoors, pace 18′.

Fri. 14768 steps (7533 aerobic); 4×20 cardioglide; 2.84 mi. outdoors, pace 18-20′

Sat. 9546 steps (4945 aerobic); 3 mi. LS DVD; 8′ on trampoline; 6×20 cardioglide.

Sun. 6474 steps (2168 aerobic); 1 mi. outdoors, pace 18′

Mon.  13381 steps (4823 aerobic); 3 mi. LS, last with 2 lb. weights.

Tues. 7800 steps (3583 aerobic); 6×20 cardioglide; 1.44 mi. outdoors, pace 19′

I know the hot weather affected my desire to exercise, both outdoors and indoors – no AC in my house, although my downstairs is built on a cement slab so stays cooler.  But when temps go into upper 80s with humidity, it is still daunting.

Now I am hoping I can finish this paperwork soon and get myself back on track.  Fortunately I kept to my calorie allowance last week so am back to 145 lbs.  Had hoped to be lighter, but hey, what can one do?

Here’s to good weather and lovely walking for you all!  🙂

Lynn–back from England

Greetings! I got back from England late on Saturday and am still feeling jet lagged and spacy. There were certainly many sad and difficult times during the  2 1/2 weeks I was there but also long, relaxed afternoons and evenings in the garden. I do love the long northern days with light in the sky at 10 p.m. I managed to get out for walks most days–there’s a nice 1/2 hour walk near my sister’s house with a view of cows and sheep and distant hills.

The rest of this week promises to be busy but I’m going to make a point of getting out for walks–if nothing else it might help me get through this jet lag.

Sara – in a holding pattern…

Bonjour!  That headline is fairly accurate.  Our new sidewalks are completed but it has been very hot and muggy, and I have been too lazy to break out the camera and photograph them.  Maybe tomorrow and I will add a photo here.  We still must hire someone to put up walls between our gardens.  We’ll talk to another company tonight…

I wouldn’t mind some of that chilly weather right now.  Hot and muggy does not encourage me to exercise but I’ve pretty much kept plugging anyway.  Was doing well on watching my weight too until last night when I yielded to temptation and finished the creme brulee ice cream while watching a movie…ah, but it was worth it!  Yum yum!

Here is the week of June 15-22

Wed. 9993 (5596 aerobic – 2.2 miles outdoor walking); cardioglide 4x20x145

Thurs. 14391 (9188 aerobic – 3.5 miles outdoor); cardioglide 6x20x145

Fri. 8397 (4961 aerobic – 2 miles outdoor); cardioglide 4x20x145

Sat. 13485 (8000 aerobic – 3.15 miles outdoor); cardioglide 4x20x145

Sun. 11115 (4919 aerobic – 1.16 outdoor, 2 miles LS); cardioglide 6x20x145

Mon. 15084 (6712 aerobic – 4 miles LS); cardioglide 6x20x145; 2 hours international folk dancing

Tues. 14153 (8942 aerobic – 3.81 miles outdoor); cardioglide 4x2x145; yucky weather

Wed. AM weight – 146

Yes, lots of cardioglide – somehow it is so easy to just get on this machine in the AM and do the job.  Later in the day works better for walking.

We had a GREAT time doing international folk dancing this week, lots of fun music.  The only downside was that my feet did feel it the next day – but I think that was because of my doing the 4-mile Leslie challenge the same day.  Or maybe I need to wear different shoes.  Possibly both.

I’m wondering how Lynn is getting along in the UK.  I’m still doing the sparkpeople and am happy with the way it’s helping me track all sorts of little projects.  I am getting a lot done here in my house that I’ve put off for too long and that feels good.

Have a great week, everyone!  🙂

Lia – Not according to plan

Hello, gals! I know my strategy of getting over jetlag was a fine one, but like all good plans it didn’t work out. It took nearly six days before I was able to sleep at night. It was very frustrating to spend the evenings wide awake and finally get tired around 5-6 o’clock in the mornings. I didn’t manage to do anything other than a 20 minute walk each day. Still, that was something.

This week I have done 40 minutes of walking yesterday (Monday) and 60 minutes today (Tuesday).

Claude – elliptically yours

It’s been a chilly week over here, but somehow it makes exercising easier. AND last Tuesday, my brand new elliptical crosstrainer got delivered at 11h30 and mind you, at twelve, I was pedalling and moving my arms. I must say that since I’ve received it, it has been used every day, and I love it. Also, I have discovered new muscles in my body, most particularly some I didn’t know I had in my back and in my arms.
I didn’t go to the swimming-pool last week as Tuesday is usually my swimming day and I definitely HAD to try my new machine 😉

Monday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, Abs 5×10 + 4×10, 50mn cardio (cardiowalk 26mn + 2miles LS AHA = 24mn), 10,000 steps
Tuesday: 10mn stretching, 45mn elliptical cardio, 12,750 steps
Wednesday: One-hour stretching class, 36mn cardio (Elliptical), 2×10 thighmaster, 13,200 steps
Thursday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 57mn cardio, 10 squats, 2×10 thighmaster, 12,000 steps

Here’s my new acquisition

Friday: 10mn stretching, cardio 40mn, one-hour Feldenkrais, 10 squats, 10 thighmaster, 13,200 steps
Saturday: 10mn stretching, 250 reps arms reinforcement (1kg), ABS: 5×10 + 4×10, 10 squats, 2×10 thighmaster, 45mn cardio on elliptical, 12,500 steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 5×10 + 4×10, 10 squats, 15mn cardio, 13,300 steps
This coming week, I’ll be walking around Paris with my friends, from Norwich, UK, as I did on Sunday, around Cimetière du Père Lachaise. So I might slow down on the cardio exercise, but will try to keep on doing some anyway

Sara – better!

Bonjour, tout le monde!  It is a cool greyish day here in State College but our construction progresses – they poured our new sidewalk yesterday & now it is drying.  Work schedule is slower, although I do have to sing a funeral this week.  Celine Dion’s The Prayer – and Over the Rainbow for the postlude.  The lady who passed was one of my friends, an amazingly vital and creative person.  I hope I can manage not to cry while I’m singing…

June 9 – 14

Wed. 8665 (4375 aerobic); LS 3-mile w. stretchy band.

Thurs. 9579 (2896 aerobic); plus 3-4 hours of gardening.

Fri. 12226 (2590 aerobic); 1.5 miles outside; 2 hours intense gardening! 4 arms exercises (4x6x5).

Sat. 13698 (7560 aerobic); tired but walked outside anyway, 3.14 cardio miles

Sun. 6381 (2607 aerobic); 5 sets 20 reps cardioglide

Mon. 12336 (6873 aerobic); 4 x 20 cardioglide; LS 3 miles w. stretchy band

Tues. 13634 (8393 aerobic); LS 1-fast-mile; 4 x 20 cardioglide; 2 mi. outside

Wed. AM weight – 145 lbs. 🙂

Yes, that’s correct!  I hit my goal and my underwear fits perfectly.  But I am going to try to get a bit lower, so as to wear some other clothes.  It feels so good to be thinner AND more in shape!   This is what I weighed when I went to France 2 years ago. Sparkpeople has been a big help.  BUT I would never have gotten started with such regular exercise, if Claude had not talked me into joining you that same year.  Your inspiration and encouragement has kept me moving through the rough spots.

Now it’s a question of maintaining these gains, but I am learning to like new habits so that should not be so bad…

And here is a denizen of SC “cafe society” – he is to be found at Wegmans cafe most mornings – he mutters to himself as he reads & is always very quiet.  I had to be sneaky with this photo…so did not frame it just right…

not as picturesque as Paris, but what can you do...

Je vais commenter maintenant.  A la semaine prochaine!  Et bonne semaine a tous!  🙂

Lia – back in the saddle

Hi! I was away for nearly two weeks visiting family and friends in Toronto and Montreal. This is to say that I am now safe and sound and back at home. It was a very busy three weeks (extending the visit to include the rushed week before the trip) and even though I didn’t post, mainly because of the lack of internet connection, this doesn’t mean that I haven’t been out walking. Actually, I’ve never done so much walking than I did in the last while. During this time, I think I was walking a minimum of one hour on a bad day and up to 4-5 hours on a good. All of it being done on concrete sidewalks, so this was hard on the hips and knees, but the new insoles really kept my feet in shape. Was our for three days before my visit because I broke the tip of one of my toes. A laptop battery fell down on it.

I’m trying to get over my jet lag with the help of a long early morning walk. Wish me luck that this works.

Claude – a rather good week

Finally, I decided against going to a gym. The three I visited were either tremendously expensive or awful-looking. So last Monday, I decided that an elliptical machine would be the thing, took a loan and bought one. It’s not here yet, it will arrive tomorrow morning. Before buying, they let me use it for some ten minutes, and it was just great, it felt like flying.
The other good news is I was able to sell the indoors bike.

Here’s my log for the past week from Monday June 7th to Sunday June 13th
Monday: 10mn stretching, 15 mn arms reinforcement, Abs 5×10 + 4×10, cardio 13mn, 12,300steps
Tuesday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 34mn cardio (800m swimming), 11,000steps

I was rather pleased with the swimming as I was not as out of breath as the preceding week and managed 800metres. Also, when I got back I didn’t have this craving for sugar that I had the past weeks after swimming.

Wednesday: 10mn stretching, LS 3miles 36mn cardio + 10mn cardiowalk, 10 thighmaster, 5 squats, 15,600 steps
Thursday: 10mn stretching, Abs: 5×10 + 4×10 reps, 10mn+30mn cardio, 10 squats, 15,300 steps
Friday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 2×10 thighmaster, 38mn cardio LS 3-mile, one-hour Feldenkrais class, 15,500steps

Jardin du Luxembourg, outside the hothouse

Saturday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, Abs 5×10 + 4×10, LS 3-mile AHA, 40mn cardio, 10 squats, 8,200steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, 11,000steps

Sara – under construction here

I have figured out how to keep my record – I have a Word document on my desktop so I don’t have to OPEN anything to make entries!  Hee hee, easiest yet!

Construction here has added stress, especially with my rather goofy neighbor.  Here is the wall they took down between my yard and hers.

Demolition begins...

Halfway through the demolition, she decided she would like them to leave part of the wall.  !!!!!   Even though code requires a wall, and a new wall could not be erected without getting rid of the old, which was falling apart.  So I guess she would have liked half of a new wall and half of an old one.  Go figure…but it’s my wall, I’m paying the bill.

June 1-7

Tues. 12729 (7612 aerobic) – estimated 2000 steps for 8 hours without pedometer!

Intense LS 3 mile, last mile w. 2 lb. weights;

Arms, 6 sets, 6 reps each, lateral raises & shoulder presses.

Wed. 15325 (7244 aerobic)

Thurs. 12520 (7054 aerobic)

Fri. 15795 (6727 aerobic) 3 mile round-trip to Wegmans

Sat. 11285 (5527 aerobic) LS 2-mile w. stretchy band

Sun. 6240 steps (2.56 miles). Generally exhausted & out of sorts.

Mon. 11991 (6543 aerobic) LS 2-mile w. stretchy band; 1.5 miles outdoors; 3 arms (4 sets of 6 reps w. 5 lb. weights)

Tues.  14479 (9495 aerobic, all outdoors) – one new arms exercise (seated arm rows – 3 X 8 X 5)

Weight Wed. AM – 147 lbs.

I’m fairly pleased that the stress of construction has not led me to overeat, & that I’ve kept exercising.  This was my first true week off and boy, does it feel good!  🙂   I exercise and potter about with nothing much in mind.  🙂  The wall is down, & tonight we meet with the fencing guy.  The sidewalk job is much bigger than my small wall – this was taken yesterday.

They are laying new retaining wall under our common sidewalk

It will really be nice when all this is done & normal life can resume, such as it is!   But it’s going well so I really have no complaints.   Happy walking, all!

Claude – a good exercise week

Pain in my feet has moved from my toes to my ankles or rather my tendons… I guess it comes from changing position when walking. So no jogging this week. I did enjoy the swimming better than last week as they had opened the swimming-pool and I swam looking up at the sky, and at the skyscrapers in the neighbourhood.
A lot of Leslie Sansone this week, as I can do that with two fans going full blast and jump in the shower afterwards. I have visited two of the gyms in my neighbourhood and decided gyms were not for me. Either too expensive or too drab.

Monday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 15mn cardio, 15,221 steps, one-hour Feldenkrais class
Tuesday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, Abs: 5X10 + 4X10, 10 thighmaster, 5 squats, LS – AHA 3miles, 35mn cardio, 14,432 steps
Wednesday: one-hour stretching class, 20mn cardio, 9,000steps
Thursday: one-hour stretching class, 9,000steps, 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, 29mn swimming (700m), 8,023 steps

The swimming-pool is somewhere among these buildings

Friday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, Abs: 5X10 + 4X10, 10 thighmaster, 5 squats, LS – AHA 3miles, 37mn cardio, one-hour Feldenkrais class, 11,300 steps
Saturday: 10mn stretching, LS – AHA 3miles, 36mn cardio, 10 thighmaster, 5 squats, 16,217 steps
Sunday: 10mn stretching, 15mn arms reinforcement, LS – AHA 3miles, 37mn cardio, 2×10 thighmaster, 5 squats, Abs: 5×10 + 4×10 reps, 11,500 steps