piedpiper's recent activity
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
-
Comment on BlackBerry | Official trailer in ~movies
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper Link ParentThat sounds like a wonderful program! And thanks for the well wishes. I’ll be sure to update you here on my progress.That sounds like a wonderful program! And thanks for the well wishes. I’ll be sure to update you here on my progress.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkI started my 5k training plan this week. It's been cold but sunny and overall beautiful outside. I used to run at a pretty fast pace and would basically run to exhaustion, but I've been reading...I started my 5k training plan this week. It's been cold but sunny and overall beautiful outside.
I used to run at a pretty fast pace and would basically run to exhaustion, but I've been reading that it's better to slow down and run at a conversational pace for the majority of runs. While it felt a bit awkward at first, I've actually been enjoying running at a more relaxed pace, especially because it means I can go for longer.
And, so far, my knee is holding up nicely!
-
Comment on Experiences with extended fasting in ~food
piedpiper Link ParentWhen I quit smoking, I would get really intense hunger like I had never felt before. I started doing 18/6 intermittent fasting as a way to gain control over my hunger. I 100% agree about the...When I quit smoking, I would get really intense hunger like I had never felt before. I started doing 18/6 intermittent fasting as a way to gain control over my hunger. I 100% agree about the coffee. Once I had my morning coffee, I really wouldn't feel the hunger for a few hours after. And by that time, lunch wasn't too far off, so it was much easier.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkI’m slowly easing back into things after getting COVID last week. I did a short run yesterday and a light bodyweight workout and stretch today. It felt good! I was feeling a bit depressed and...I’m slowly easing back into things after getting COVID last week. I did a short run yesterday and a light bodyweight workout and stretch today. It felt good!
I was feeling a bit depressed and bored yesterday and I was thinking about how I’m coming up on 5 months without alcohol, and how that’s a pretty great accomplishment. I meant to do something for myself on the three-month mark, and then at the four-month mark, but just hadn’t gotten around to it.
Long story short, I went on a bit of a spending spree. I got some new running shoes, a smartwatch to track my runs and then signed up for my first 5k race.
I was really on the fence about the watch, but I really enjoy recording and seeing my stats, and it should just make that a lot easier. The race is more about going out and doing something outside of my comfort zone. I’m not really looking forward to it, but I think it will feel good to have done it.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkAll the ice melted off the roads last week, so I got a couple runs in. It felt amazing. Then I came down with COVID on Thursday and have been riding that out through the weekend. Feeling a lot...All the ice melted off the roads last week, so I got a couple runs in. It felt amazing.
Then I came down with COVID on Thursday and have been riding that out through the weekend. Feeling a lot better today and managed to do another easy paced run today.
It looks like the winter weather is coming back, but I'm grateful to have gotten some runs in for February. It also gives me a good idea of where I'm at, as I get ready to start training on a regular schedule soon enough.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkWhat apps/services do you use for your fitness? If they have a free/premium version, do you pay for the premium version? I use Strava for my bike rides and runs. I like the social aspect of seeing...What apps/services do you use for your fitness?
If they have a free/premium version, do you pay for the premium version?
I use Strava for my bike rides and runs. I like the social aspect of seeing my friends' activities. Though, every time it's on sale, it still seems too expensive for what you get in the premium version.
I've been using All Trails to find good hiking trails near me. The premium subscription was recently on sale for $20 for the year, which I thought was reasonable so I pulled the trigger.
I use Google Fit as a general fitness tracker. It's good enough for just logging my weight, workouts and tracking my steps (I just use my phone as I don't have a smartwatch), but it's nothing to write home about.
-
Comment on School librarians vilified as the 'arm of Satan' in book-banning wars in ~humanities
piedpiper LinkWe've seen a similar trend in Canada. A friend of mine is a Librarian, and while they haven't experienced anything that would make the news, they've had people complain about their drag queen...We've seen a similar trend in Canada.
A friend of mine is a Librarian, and while they haven't experienced anything that would make the news, they've had people complain about their drag queen story times, and there is a lot of negative chatter on certain local facebook groups. There's a lot more subtle stuff too, like people will see materials with LQBTQ+ positive themes and hide them behind other books, or other places where people won't find them.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkWe finally got a good dumping of snow, so I got to try out the snowshoes for the first time this winter. I found a really nice trail along a river, just a short drive from my house. So, I woke up...We finally got a good dumping of snow, so I got to try out the snowshoes for the first time this winter. I found a really nice trail along a river, just a short drive from my house. So, I woke up early on Friday and went out for an hour before work. The weather was gorgeous and it felt so peaceful. Such a great way to start the day!
Other than that, I’ve been doing some reading and trying to put together a training schedule for running once spring rolls around. My main goal is to be able to run 5k without injuring my knee. I’ve been doing a lot of work on strengthening my leg muscles and improving balance, so I’m confident that as long as I have a proper plan in place with appropriate rest and steady progression, I should be good.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkDecided to explore some local trials this weekend. I did a long, fast paced, solo hike on Saturday during which I really cleared my head and felt invigorated. On Sunday I did a leisure hike with...Decided to explore some local trials this weekend. I did a long, fast paced, solo hike on Saturday during which I really cleared my head and felt invigorated. On Sunday I did a leisure hike with the family which was just beautiful and relaxing. Very good for my mental health and so I’ll be making this a regular thing.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkEven though I’ve been in my ideal weight range for months now, it’s hard to switch from a weight loss mindset to a focus on maintenance and fitness. It's like I’ve programmed my brain in a way...Even though I’ve been in my ideal weight range for months now, it’s hard to switch from a weight loss mindset to a focus on maintenance and fitness. It's like I’ve programmed my brain in a way that worked really well for weight loss, but now I don’t need to lose weight so I have to reprogram it in a new way.
This is further complicated by the fact that I quit drinking back in October. Now that I’m not consuming all those empty calories, I need to eat more, but I’m so used to eating a certain way now, it’s hard to eat more and not feel like I’m overdoing it.
I also have this fear of gaining weight back, like if I gained a few pounds back that somehow it would spiral out of control from there and I would gain all 60 pounds back. So, I allow myself to eat more because I need to, but then I’ll get overly cautious and not eat as much the next day to compensate when I shouldn’t. I also have this tendency to weigh myself daily so that I can catch a sudden weight gain and make adjustments to fix it before it gets out of control. It might have served me well enough when I was trying to lose weight, but it’s just not necessary anymore.
So, this past week or so, I’ve been trying to just eat when I’m hungry and make sure I’m getting lots of fruits and vegetables. Also, I’m going to only check my weight once a week at most. Ideally, I can just continue to eat healthy and exercise a lot and not worry about my weight anymore, but we’ll see.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper Link ParentNice! I'm doing one of her 30 days series as well, though I'm doing it weekly instead of daily. It's the only yoga I've done but I really like it.Nice! I'm doing one of her 30 days series as well, though I'm doing it weekly instead of daily. It's the only yoga I've done but I really like it.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkI’m still pretty new to running and don’t feel comfortable running on snow and ice. We had some mild weather this past week that melted everything, so I took advantage and got a few runs in this...I’m still pretty new to running and don’t feel comfortable running on snow and ice. We had some mild weather this past week that melted everything, so I took advantage and got a few runs in this week. It felt really great and despite not running for almost a month I found that I hadn’t lost any conditioning.
With the snow and ice inevitably coming back, I’ve been thinking of a rough plan to get me ready to really start running again come spring and hopefully not lose too much conditioning. I’m going to start doing aerobics/HIIT 2-3 times a week for cardio, and keep doing the core/leg work I already do to build the muscles I’ll need to support me with running.
A friend gave me their login to Beachbody on Demand, and I tried the T25 Cardio routine. I had to take a 30 second break a few times but was able to get through it. So I think this could scratch my cardio itch for the next two months until I can start running again on a regular basis.
I’ve had a lot of energy the last two weeks for some reason. It’s great, but I have to remember I also need to rest (especially my knees). I’ve been doing a lot of walking on my rest days as well as yoga.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkWe were snowed in for a few days over Christmas, and we had a lot of food since we were expecting guests who had to cancel. So, I ate an insane amount of food, but I also did 1-3 hours of...We were snowed in for a few days over Christmas, and we had a lot of food since we were expecting guests who had to cancel. So, I ate an insane amount of food, but I also did 1-3 hours of shovelling everyday for like four days straight. I also did a lot of yoga and stretching to keep my back from tightening up and getting sore.
I started feeling stir crazy, so I've been doing a ton of walking over the past few days and it's felt great.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkI've been struggling a bit with low energy, which I think is just a combination of the weather, lack of sleep, poorer diet than usual and recovering from recent illnesses. So just trying to get...I've been struggling a bit with low energy, which I think is just a combination of the weather, lack of sleep, poorer diet than usual and recovering from recent illnesses. So just trying to get that stuff under control and get back on track.
Also, I realized this week how important my daily walks are, not just for my fitness but my mental health.
Lastly, I was able to touch my toes while standing for the first time ever yesterday. It wasn't something I was consciously working towards but rather a byproduct of the various hamstring stretches I've been doing over the last 8 months. It was a pretty cool moment and I made my partner take a picture.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper Link ParentI have a daily 20 minute routine I have to do for my back: 1 minute dead bugs 1 minute side planks (1 minute per side) 1 minute glute bridges 1 minute regular planks ~ 5 minutes of various...I have a daily 20 minute routine I have to do for my back:
-
1 minute dead bugs
-
1 minute side planks (1 minute per side)
-
1 minute glute bridges
-
1 minute regular planks
-
~ 5 minutes of various stretches
-
Repeat
I find this to be a pretty decent exercise on its own, and sometimes I just don’t have the time or energy to do anything else. But if I feel up to it, I will tack on a few exercises before or after this core routine. Usually some other body weight stuff like squats or pushups or some weight stuff like bench presses or bicep curls.
For a while I would do my daily 20 minute back routine and then I would do a separate weight routine 2-3 times a week. I just found it so much easier to integrate the weight stuff into the daily routine and I really like the flexibility of doing it this way. Obviously if you have more specific goals this wouldn’t work, but for keeping me strong and healthy its been great for me.
As for resources, I really like the Hybrid Calisthenics YouTube channel and website. The main thing for me, is that I really like Hampton's approach and attitude. I generally just like watching his videos as I find them interesting and motivating even if I don't do the particular exercise he's talking about. He also has a complete body weight training routine on his website with progressions for each exercise, so you can do it no matter your current fitness level.
There is also the body weight fitness subreddit. There is a BWF Primer routine that is popular on there. The creator also put it on his personal website which has videos of all the different exercises.
I just use these resources to learn different exercises and progressions and then work them into my own routine.
Good luck!
-
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkBit of a weird week, where I just had a bunch of random, unforeseen shit to deal with. Nothing too bad or serious, but it definitely ate into my free time. I have a lot of short term and long term...Bit of a weird week, where I just had a bunch of random, unforeseen shit to deal with. Nothing too bad or serious, but it definitely ate into my free time.
I have a lot of short term and long term goals I'm trying to reach, but time is not always on my side. I've realised this week that sometimes I just have to accept that I don't have enough time to get everything done that I want to. It's not worth stressing about and I just need to be reasonable and re-adjust my goals.
Sometimes I set the bar too high, and I think that can be a good thing when it motivates me to do better, but not so much when I stress out because I'm not achieving the goals I've set out.
I did manage to do a run earlier this week with no knee pain, and it seems the stretches are helping a lot. I've been getting bad stomach cramps on my last two runs, which were in the morning before eating anything. Previously I've only had cramps when I run just after eating. I might need to eat something first and then wait to run.... but I otherwise enjoy getting up and going for a run straight away before doing anything else.
-
Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
piedpiper LinkMy knee has continued to feel better, and I went for my first run in over a month. Just a short, 6 minute run (~1.8 kilometers). It felt amazing to get back out there and I could have run for...My knee has continued to feel better, and I went for my first run in over a month. Just a short, 6 minute run (~1.8 kilometers). It felt amazing to get back out there and I could have run for longer if I wasn't trying to take it easy. I felt some mild knee pain right after, but it went away by the evening.
Then I had physio yesterday, and he thinks what I have is runners knee. He gave me some stretches to do daily/after runs and said to keep running but take it easy and stop if I feel any pain. This is the best outcome I was hoping for and I'm in a much better mood than I have been for a while. I'm going to go for another short run tomorrow morning and continue to keep them short and spaced out by a few days for a while.
Also, with winter coming I've been trying to figure out what I will need. It gets fairly cold and snowy where I live, but I should have a few months before it gets really cold. The running subreddit has a pretty good sticky thread about winter running tips. Anyone on here have any good tips or advice?
Sounds like an awesome, scenic ride!
I only got back into biking last summer and had to take it slow because of my back. I got in a few longer (~50km) rides in near the end, and it was so good for my mental health.
200 miles sounds crazy though! Do you take breaks?