Ha! I bet you thought I was going to wax eloquent about food AGAIN. Nope. This time I’m talking exercise.
Now, without going on and on about my aches and pains (see previous post,) most of the time all my joints hurt, and there’s still something wrong with my knee. And yes. I finally have a doctor’s appointment, and as much as I dislike going to the doctor’s, I am looking forward to finding out what is wrong and if anything can be done about it.
So. I am still walking every day, and most days I walk two times a day. But the walks have been shorter–mostly 20-30 minutes each. Sometimes, when everything seems to be working well, I walk quite briskly. Noah can’t keep up LOL. But other times, like this morning, we both look at each other, and just cut it short.
Exercise at the gym has been going really well. Mostly I have been able to steadily increase the weights I am using. I don’t do squats so much any more. And if my knee feels unstable, I decrease the weight and do more reps. Oh, and I have a new goal. I want to bench press 100 pounds! My brother (my over-the-phone trainer) says I can do it. I got the idea for this when I miscalculated the amount of weight I was already doing. I thought I was doing 75 pounds, and that seemed pretty close to 100. Then I re-figured out how much I was lifting and it was only 60. Still, it is a fun goal to work on.
The other day I was trudging along, with everything hurting, thinking about the future. Thinking about how I keep track of everything I eat. How I eat very healthy foods. How I exercise all the time. And how it doesn’t seem to make a speck of difference (I know. faulty thinking.) And all of a sudden, I remembered that one of my big goals was to keep my blood pressure within normal limits and to avoid getting diabetes. I had almost forgotten about that!!
So. I am adding in a couple of good old exercises that hopefully will allow me to exercise a bit more, and will not hurt as much. My bike is in the shop getting a tune-up, and when I pick it up I am going to get a bike rack so I can take it places that are more bike friendly. I am really excited about the prospect of adding bike riding to my routine. Right now I don’t have a distance goal. Just getting on the bike and doing it is goal enough!
And, I have started back to the pool. I do have a goal here. I want to swim a mile. I don’t think this will be hard to do at all. I am already swimming 30 lengths, which I think is a quarter mile.*(edited to correct: a mile is 66 lengths, so I am already almost half-way there!) I have an order coming from swim outlet—a lap counter, some fins, a new suit, and some water shoes. So fun to get new equipment.
And now I must cut this short to get out for that second walk of the day. WAKE UP, NOAH!!
debby weighs in 
I love that you are mixing things up with your exercise, and listening to your body. No need to do a certain exercise if it hurts you, that’s for sure. That’s exactly why you won’t see me jumping – my ankle can’t take it. And I don’t feel bad about not forcing myself to do anything that hurts…I’ve gotten to the age/point in life where I’ll do whatever it takes to not hurt, if that makes sense – there’s a difference between hurting and muscle soreness – that, I can take.
Gee, am I writing a comment or a blog post? 😉
Yes! Doing whatever it takes not to hurt!! And yes, I don’t mind muscle soreness at all! (except when my arms are so sore that it is exhausting to knit haha!)
Popping in to say hello, although I’ve been reading all of your posts! 🙂 I’m sorry to hear that you’re having pain, but hopeful that the doctor can help figure it out.
I had forgotten how many lengths is a mile (*gasp*!), but I knew you were closer than you thought – good luck with your goals! It’s exciting that you’re doing some different fitness things.
HELLO PUBSGAL!!! So great to hear from you.
Glad you are finally going to the doc for that knee. Will be anxiously awaiting that report. Sure do wish we were closer since we know we enjoy each other’s company. Would love to do some more hiking and now, BIKING, with you. (P.S. Just finished one darn good 3M Muffin generously topped with sugar-free apple butter from a local orchard – YUMMO!)
Yes, if you were here, that would be just the nudge I needed to get out and hike some of the gorgeous mountain trails.
I have some sugar free orange spread. That would be good on those muffins too! I’ll have to try it.
I love these posts you’ve been writing lately because I think you are hitting the nail on the head for a lot of women of a ‘certain age.’ Glad you made that doctor’s appointment as ignorance is not always bliss but knowledge is always power!
Thanks Helen. That’s kind of what I had in mind when I changed my byline.
And yes, thanks for reminding me of what I have said in the past–“knowledge IS power!”
I basically was going to write what Shelly wrote…and add in, have you ever been tested for Lyme? It can cause the joint issues, not to mention make it harder to lose weight, because your body is under stress. BTDT.
Hmmm. Hope that’s not the problem. On the other hand, to have a reason its hard to lose weight??? That sounds good LOL.
100 pound bench – you go Debby! That is a worthy goal, and I may have to copy it 😉
Pain free exercise is really the key to staying motivated to keep doing it. So glad you are going to the doc and hopefully they can get you on a relief regimen that will allow you to do more.
What you are doing is amazing. Glucosamine Chrondroitin and Fish Oil work for me and rest days.
Wow, you are rocking the exercise! Go, Debby! I love creating challenges for myself, goals to chase. Most of the time I end up getting bored or I move to something else before I achieve them, but it’s fun while it lasts!
At one point, I bench-pressed 95 pounds, but I only did one rep. I tried the 100, but it was a fail. I just rounded up and called it complete. 🙂
Great job on the exercise, Debby! You and I both have the “doctor dislike” thing going. I need to do what you just did and make an appointment to get a few things checked out. And you have achieved a very worthwhile goal by avoiding diabetes and keeping your B.P. in check! Weight doesn’t always tell the whole story.
Good for you for going to the doctor. Better to rule out anything serious. And I bet biking will be a nice change of pace for your knee! Once I move out there I want to join you for a (short) hike! 🙂