Exercise Accountability - anyone want to be exercise buddies?

[Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket]

Over this year I have really lost condition and I'd like to start doing some daily exercise to make up for the fact that I'm at home all the time now. Anyone want to join me for some daily accountability?
My plan is to do at least 20 minutes of YouTube yoga each day and increase the amount I'm walking by doing long walks on my days off.

I really struggle with FB too penguin I stay on there for a few support groups and home ed stuff (11yo is at home) and I use messenger for group chats more than WhatsApp. But I barely post or read others’.

I’ve done nothing today so far, I feel like I’m wading through treacle TBH. I find it so hard to know what to do when I’m potentially heading for relapse as doing too little can be bad too

Can’t go out today as DH has started yet more meds and is totally wiped out in bed. He used to be the fit one, running 5/10ks etc, now he can’t walk without pain (spine issues). Him being home usually means I do have more time to exercise which is why I was able to join the gym last year, but I’m a bit overwhelmed by everything else I need to take care of at the moment.

I am starting to think I would benefit from a Fitbit type thing, now that I’m more able to walk further. Definitely a cheap version though. I’m not fussed about the apps and stuff like that as I’d just keep a record on paper (I am experimenting with bullet journaling at the moment).

@SingToTheSky I have a letscom tracker from Amazon, think it was about £20 in January and it still works perfectly.

I use it to tell the time and count steps as I wanted something basic too.

This is the one I have -

Just read back on your post there sings sounds like you've lots going on! Try not to beat yourself up, every step counts.

Have you tried the Lesley Sansome happy walk videos on Youtube? They're a good starting point if you're having an offday as they're just about walking with no awkward moves - if you're feeling a bit more upbeat and like to dance around then I like Body Project beats videos as they're fun and you don't feel like it's a workout. My favourite one is only 10 minutes long!

Penguin that's a great day's exercise, well done!

That's a similar tracker to the one I had- it lasted a year or two, so I can't complain!

Cheers penguin I’ve saved some videos on my YouTube playlist and I’ve ordered a step counter thingy. I know I could check my steps in my phone app (even Pokémon go!) but TBH I don’t have it on me all the time and for example if I’m pushing the buggy I might not have it in my pocket, in the gym I leave it in my locker etc.

All that said I still did nothing today. Really struggling to get my mood under control, I feel pretty low. Actually have the chance to socialise a bit tomorrow (homeschool activities are allowed this time round, in line with schools) but I don’t want to. Hoping to get into town for some shopping perhaps which will give me a bit of a walk.

I hope you have a better day today @SingToTheSky

That must be very hard for your DH, to have once been very fit and energetic and now to be so limited - and hard for the rest of the family too. Is there anything that can be done to help his spine issues, either short or long term?

Thank you for the Team Body Project recommendation @PenguinErector, I'll have a look at that! I have a cheap fitness tracker too which has been great and I do find it quite motivating to count steps.

How is the Tai Chi going @picklemewalnuts?

Hi @SingToTheSky hope you had a better day today. Sounds like you've got a lot to deal with. It's so hard to dig out when you find your mood spiraling.
I managed 3 short walks yesterday (probably about 8-10000 steps) today I did a yoga video and a couple of longer walks. Tbh the yoga was more meditation than exercise but I enjoyed it and it was 40 minutes where I wasn't eating!

Aw thank you both.

I did finally drag myself outdoors this afternoon, it was really grey and dismal and pitch black by the time I got home from the shops, but I’m glad I went. I took a longer route round the park in order to collect more Pokemon 😂 I’m quite achy again this evening but TBH I suspect this is partly down to my crappy diet lately. I KNOW my pain and energy levels are affected by rubbish food but willpower is a lot harder when I’m unmedicated 😳🤦‍♀️

Hopefully I will get my tracker tomorrow,I’m quite excited!

Yoga is fab iggle I miss my class at the gym. Must keep going with the YouTube videos!

I really recommend yoga with Adrienne if you want to try it!

Oh she is lovely isn’t she! I also found someone called Kassandra, her videos are nice too. I really need to get on with stuff

Two walks done today despite a busy work day and DDs school being closed. I feel quite stressed though so will try to do a yoga later too

I managed a short yoga video today. I can see how my fitness/strength has declined as I found downward dog really hard again 🤦‍♀️ I’d finally been able to do it at my regular yoga class between lockdowns!

I put on my new brightly coloured gym leggings though which makes me feel a little bit better, and my fitness tracker arrived which is exciting!

Not sure I’ll get outside today though. It feels so horrible outside, it’s not even the cold really, it just feels sort of dismal and oppressive! I need to try getting up and out earlier to improve my mood a bit!

Oh dear, I've totally failed! It's been a scuzzy week, with loads of daft pressures that filled my mind and distracted me from being active. It's all very well knowing you feel better for doing it, but when you are constantly alert for various tricky things happening, you just don't switch off long enough to do it.

I did tai chi, even though I didn't want to a couple of times so not a total loss!

Not a failure pickle! You still did stuff!

I totally understand what you mean about the other pressures, distractions etc. There is always something, I feel like my life is constantly reacting to whatever the latest difficulty is, and never getting the chance to get ahead. If I could only sort out my life a bit I’d cope much better with the random stuff that came up

Anyway. I’ve not done anything since yoga, not been outside. I’m going to have a quick go on the exercise bike now though.

I know what you mean @SingToTheSky and @picklemewalnuts, I feel like my time is constantly spent firefighting rather than getting somewhere! I've done my 10K steps today, would have been a bit more but TBH it's getting too cold and dark for us to walk our neighbour's dog after school, and from next week the DC will (hopefully!) have their after school activities on again anyway. They're off school tomorrow though so we'll dog walk then, it's not like lockdown is offering a multitude of options...

A friend is doing an online bootcamp at the moment, a 45 minute hardcore workout every day. I am in awe of her (a) being able to do it and (b) finding the time

Yes!

Today I planned to finish off several fiddly task that were taking up too much headspace. Instead despite my best efforts they still drag on!

Tomorrow I'm only doing things for me- gardening, watering plants, washing, exercise, cooking... not fun stuff, but stuff for me and my household, not all the other gubbins that calls on us!

Today I didn't have any of the distracting irritations to deal with. I went into tai chi in a much better frame of mind and did so much better- better balance, better memory of the moves and routines.

It's a salutary lesson! I'm going to have to be ruthless about other people invading my headspace! I need it for looking after me!

That’s a really good point. I feel so much guilt about the distractions, well done for taking time for you! I have homework from my therapist about that - being more assertive both for alone time and getting the DCs to help out more.

Well I somewhat failed to wake up with my alarm today 😳 so I didn’t do the nursery run. But I did go out for a quick Pokémon walk which also tested my fitness tracker. It was 2.2k steps for a short walk so I reckon a normal walk would be more like 3.5.

Honestly 10k steps seems impossible ATM - the pain builds up so quickly .

I might try and do some weights (very small dumbbells) later as it’s only my legs that ache

Can I join? Finding WFH I am doing barely any steps and getting increasingly stiff and sore. Would like to s as I’m for 10,000 steps and gentle yoga every day. My scales put me at 8 years older than my true age so going to aim to get that down

Hello Brink!

Would setting an alarm every hour encourage you to stretch and walk about a bit? In my old office I had a loo break and a drink every hour, so I got up every half hour to stretch and walk a few steps. Otherwise I froze into an icicle, apart from anything else!

I've just been on a longer setting than usual on the wii fit. So that was my daily step target met! I'm just recovering briefly before doing some housework.

Welcome brink
Good idea about the alarm pickle
I failed to do yoga yesterday and instead drank too much red wine. I did try to simulate a pub crawl by going for a walk in the middle!
Feeling a bit rough today as a result but I've been on a longish walk and will try to do pre bedtime yoga later.
Well done on your tai chi pickle, great to have time and headspace

Hi brink!

My fitness tracker buzzes after an hour of inactivity I think.

I didn’t do any weights yesterday, I ended up in bed by 7 with a hot water bottle on my ankles due to a pain flare.

Thankfully short lived though as I felt fairly ok today. Dragged the family to the park mainly because we never really do anything all together.

Did my boxing workout when home (it’s a switch game), and then later walked to asda and back. All that is still under 8k but still, it’s an improvement for me especially the walk home as it’s uphill and I often can’t handle it.

Thanks all for the comments. I have set up my Fitbit to remind me every hour. Did 8k steps yesterday which is much better than I have been doing and going for a walk later. Joints ok today so hoping they will cope.

That’s great brink! I was about 8k yesterday too thanks to the asda trip. I am absolutely wiped today and have barely been able to move but I think that’s because of the stress of the crowded shops rather than the walking (I’m autistic and find that stuff really difficult especially with all the changing rules etc at the moment). So I think today might just be a do-fuck-all day.