Today was a half hour walk in the morning and the last workout of SOS (Stride and Strength Walk) which was a mix of weights and walking. This was one of Jessica's oldies. There was a lot of high rep work in this one. I counted 56 reps on some of the exercises! :eek:

Now that I've finished SOS, I'm not sure what I'll do next, but I'm going to take the next week off from anything structured and just do whatever I'm in the mood for on that day. I also am taking a few days off around 4th of July and just want to relax.

Donna, My nephew's virtual graduation ended up being an hour of teachers saying good-bye, a musical number, and photos of each kid in their caps and gowns. So it wasn't a graduation ceremony at all, but they are doing an in-person ceremony in early July that is just for the kids. No one else is allowed to attend due to COVID restrictions, but it will be live streaming so at least we can watch it. They are also having a prom in early August that will be staggered, meaning they'll have it at 4 different times and kids will sign up for the time they want. I'm not sure how enjoyable that will be, but I guess the school is doing the best they can under the circumstances. He is going to college locally at the same college his older brother goes to. The college hasn't said yet what is going to happen in the fall, so we'll see. Glad to hear your DD got a 90%!! I used to drive my nephews all over the place before they learned to drive. Part of me misses it, but like Sherry said, it does free up your time!

Sherry, Good news about your dentist visit! I have an appointment late in July but I'm not sure if I'll go. I'll see what's going on with the virus by then.

Waves!

Everyone,

This morning I went with Leslie:

3 Fast and Fun Miles (I think that is the title?) It came with the Miracle Miles set. Anyway, it was a good low impact cardio workout for this morning.

I also did - Jessica Valent - Stretch for Tight Hips.

In theory, I was supposed to do the Prehab Routine from Walk Strong 1.0, but I wasn't in the mood for it. I may do it tomorrow. I figure Jessica V's routine counts as some prehab, lol!

wishiwasinhawaii - those sound like reasonable measures for the school to take. It is so hard for kids - especially those w/ milestone events. My DD drove herself to the barn again this morning so I had some free time to exercise, clean, etc. Aside from the worry,LOL, it is nice to have the extra time.

Sherry - looking forward to hearing about your skincare! LOL! I do like the Cerave acne cleanser - it seems to be clearing up my skin already! So, fingers crossed. I do like the Cerave Sheer Tint, it its a little dark for me, but it works w/ the Cerave Face Sunscreen SPF 50 which is like mime make-up. LOL!

I am on the last week of Calm & Strong. I may move on to Summer of Strength next, but I think I will add in 3 cardio days a week - I really need cardio since I sit all day long.

Hope everyone has a good day!

Donna

Today was You Tube Latin Spice Walk. I find that just yoga on the other days doesn't keep my weight down, I have to do cardio also. Although, Jessica does mention keeping your step count up on the rotation schedule. I enjoyed the walk, those dance moves get my heart rate up more than I expect! Even if I do have two left feet, lol.

I've been using more You Tube because it has closed captioning, which works pretty well. I've discovered my hearing aids work better when I don't wear them for a workout, because I sweat and the moisture impairs their function. I do put them in a container with one of those moisture sucking packets for electronics, and that helps a lot too. But I'll have to figure out how to use the dvd's without hearing them well. I usually can follow it pretty well by sight, but it's a bit harder for floor work. I need a wall mount for my tv/dvd player, so I can adjust it, even tilt it towards the floor. I think that would work.

Donna, I'm glad the CeraVe is working for you. My products from India shipped today, so crossing my fingers it won't take long.

wishiwasinhawaii, it sounds like the school is doing the best they can. That's great the kids can at least have some more time with each other, before they say goodbye.

Today I did a mile Jessica walk and also walked indoors. It was too humid and stormy to go outside. I'm still trying to decide what rotation to do next. Not sure yet.

Donna, Yeah, I think the schools are doing the best they can under the circumstances. I added cardio to SOS and it went well. I also sit a lot when I'm working and feel like I need that movement.

Sherry, I'm surprised they don't include closed captioning on DVDs. If you turn the volume way up, can you hear it when you're doing floor work?

Hi Everyone,

I went with another Leslie this morning -

Leslie - Belly Blasting Walk - or something of that nature. It was 2 miles and followed by ab toning on the floor afterwards - I always skip that part!

Jessica Valent - Celebrate Your Body- Pilates

I also need more cardio both b/c I sit all day and I also find it relaxing/calming - not HIIT, but steady state, like Leslie, outdoor walking, step, etc. is relaxing to me.

So, I think I may see a Leslie rotation in coming in my future - after I finish this week of Calm & Strong. I think Leslie mixed w/ Pilates, Yoga, etc. until I get bored. I may sign up for her Daily Walk App so I could try the run and lift programs....but we'll see. I also am a sucker for having some sort of a schedule to follow.

DD and I went to the eye glass place yesterday so she could get prescription sunglasses - masks are mandatory and they also took our temp and measured our oxygen level. I'm glad to see they are taking precautions. I think we're going to be stuck with this for awhile.

Sherry - those dance walks are fun! And I do need more cardio for both physical and mental health! Crazy question - but could you use blue tooth headphones when working out with the DVDs?

wishiwasinhawaii - Hot and humid here, too....

Hope everyone has a good day!

Donna

I went for a short walk outside this morning, but it was already very humid so I only walked for 10 minutes. I also did Total Body Tuneup from 6 Mile Mix. I'll probably do a walking workout later. I was looking at the Spring Ahead challenge on Jessica's website and it looks good, so I might do that next and then maybe I'll do the Walk Strong Master rotation.

Donna, I badly need new glasses and the optical places here opened last week, but I've been afraid to go. It's good to know the one you went to took precautions. I agree this isn't going away anytime soon so I'll probably have to just go and get it over with.

Waves, Sherry!

Did some swimming yesterday evening at our friend's community pool. We were the only ones in the pool. Dh and I play card games with another couple on Saturday nights, and we swim afterwards. The wife and I go to Goodwill on Tuesdays. Fridays I started meeting again with friends for lunch, we hadn't met in three months. I probably shouldn't be socializing at all, but I'm at the point that my depression is going to get worse if I don't interact with people. I wish things were more clear cut (sigh). I do wear my mask as much as possible.

I'm planning on a short stretch or yoga this evening. I feel like I need a rest day.

Thanks both of you for the suggestions! Turning it up loud is an option, I can shut the door so it wouldn't bother my family. The problem is that because I hear some tones better than other, turning it up loud enough for comprehension is very jarring. As for bluetooth headphones, my hearing aids are my bluetooth for my IPhone, so I don't have regular bluetooth earbuds. I would have to buy them and the adapter, probably $50 total for the cheapest ones. And they both have to be charged, I'm not sure I want the inconvenience of more electronics to charge. The adjustable wall mount is $30, but after I looked at it online, I don't think it would tilt down enough for me to see it well.

So far, wearing the hearing aids is the best option. It's not just the moisture, but the oils and salt from the sweat that I'm worried about. I do get them serviced once a year, but I want to preserve the function for the entire year, if possible. I'm thinking I should find a headband that would keep the hearing aids away from the sweat on my head. And of course, place them in the container with the silicon gel desiccant for electronics, so they can dry out periodically. Off to look! ETA: Just ordered some workout headbands from Amazon. I chose these. https://www.amazon.com/SAMFAVO-Headb...2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1

Thanks again for the suggestions. It helped me think it through!

Hi,

Late and fly by check in for me today:

Jessica Smith - WS 3.0 - Cardio Interval Sculpt. I used my 5's for both the heavy and light weight parts and it worked well. I followed Debbie for low impact. It wasn't as bad as I expected!

Jessica Smith WS 3.0 - 15 Min Strong stretch - to wrap up my morning!

Outdoor walk this evening.

I may be scarce for a few days - fiscal year end and ramp up to new FY this week. And, a short week, too, w Friday being a holiday!

Sherry - I hear you, it really is a delicate balance re: the isolation and the virus. You don't want to take any unnecessary risks, but you also have to "live" too. It is tough! My DD wants to go to a friend's house this weekend, and I'm on the fence - I'm inclined to let her go as they are going to be outside and at this point, my DD is working at the barn where there are more people than there would be at her friend's house. My DD also wants to apply for a job in retail at the mall so she can get paid more $$. Again, I don't want to stifle her and I think that would be a great experience for her, but I do worry about the virus, too. *sigh* Maryland, so far is on the decline of cases, but that could change at any time. And it only takes one person to infect more people and so on and so on...

wishiwasinhawaii - I was happy w/ the precautions the optical place took. Also, if you tried on frames they disinfected them w/ UV-C light. So that is good.

Donna

Today was SOS Single Sided Strength from you tube. I used 5, 8 and 10 pounds. I also added in 5 Minute Standing Abs.

Today was grocery shopping. Costco and Walmart. I hadn’t been to either store in about a month. But I couldn’t put it off any longer. I did get some Gloria Vanderbilt jeans at Costco.

Donna, thanks for understanding! And it is hard with our kids too. My daughter is seeing her boyfriend, but they don’t see other people. At least I think that’s the case! I’m sure your daughter would do well at the mall, but I can certainly understood your hesitation. Yes, WS3 is pretty doable if you follow Debbie. I feel like I get a good workout.

Hi Everyone,

Catch up:

Yesterday:

Jessica - Feel Good Fusion - Flow Cardio
Jill Miller - Quick Fix - 5 min neck, 5 min shoulders
Outdoor walk

Today:

Jessica - WS 1.0 Total Body
Yoga w/ Kassandra- 30 Day Morning Yoga - Day 4 - Neck and Shoulders (see a theme here, LOL!)

Sherry - I like Single Sided Strength! I also liked the WS Total Body workout this morning, it had been a long time since I did that one.

Waves, wishiwasinhawaii

Hope everyone has a good day. Still busy at work..So sorry for the lack of personals!

Donna

Yesterday was a one mile outdoor walk. Will post later with today's workout.

Well, my daughter is off from Starbucks with two weeks pay. Apparently, a co-worker she worked closely with thinks she might have COVID. The co-worker has not been tested, nor does she have symptoms. However, her roommate tested positive. Dd has no symptoms, and we are hoping she didn't get it. They do wear gloves, masks and disinfect. She is going to try and find a place today to get tested. So, I guess I'm grounded too, until she has a negative test. I guess I better look into pickup for groceries. Fortunately, I did a lot of shopping on Monday.

Donna, I guess that gives you some feedback on your daughter working at the mall this summer! Although, her exposure might be less than at a Starbucks.

Today was Total Body Standing Strength, a prenatal workout on you tube. I really enjoyed this one. Jessica used 7 pounds, I used 5 and 8. I really want to buy 7 pounds (putting another thing on my wish list, lol).

A mini-update. DD has an appointment for a test on Friday. So far, she is feeling fine, and we are all fine.

I've just been doing random workouts this week as I try to decide what rotation to do next. I have been doing some workouts from Tony Horton's 22 Minute Hard Corps that I bought on DVD a few years ago and only did once, so I might do that one for a few weeks. We'll see.

I've also been going out every morning for a 20-30 minute walk. I went out at 7am today to try to beat the heat, but it was so humid that it wasn't too enjoyable. I still managed to walk for 30 minutes though. Not sure what I'll do later. I have today, tomorrow and Monday off. Yay!

Sherry, I know it's tough, but try not to worry. A friend of mine's DIL works in a bakery at a grocery store and a co-worker thought she had COVID and the same thing happened where her DIL stayed home and was being paid. The co-worker tested negative, so that was a relief. It turned out the co-worker just had a cold. So maybe that is how it will turn out for you and your DD. My older nephew works in a convenience store and I worry about him all the time.

Donna, It's tough to know what to do about your DD working at the mall. Are masks mandatory at the mall? They are at the malls here, which just reopened on Monday.

Time to get some cleaning done around here...

Hi Everyone,

Today was:

Leslie - 1 Mile ("Blue" mile from one of her DVDs - I can't remember the name, but the miles were color-coded!)

Jessica WS 3.0 - Pilates & Yoga

I have enjoyed the WS 3.0 workouts i have done in this rotation. I had been a little scared of them.

Sherry- Oh my - I hope your daughter's test comes back negative. Hopefully w/ the mask wearing, etc. she will have been protected from it. Yes, I was reading an article yesterday about the spread and how people are getting it from going back to work in retail, food service, etc, basically any work place where you have a lot of public interaction and can't work from home. I'm sort of hoping DD doesn't get the job at the mall given that situation - she did apply for a data entry job that her friend told her about - I feel a bit better about that, b/c while it would be in an office, it would just be the people who worked there and not the public coming in and out and I'm sure they have to wear masks, etc. etc. We shall see. Working at the barn worries me, too, b/c she is w/ a lot of little kids and it is hard for them to social distance. The saving grace of the barn job is it is outside.

Anyway- prayers for a negative test! :heart:

waves, wishiwasinhawaii.

Donna

wishiwasinhawaii - we posted at the same time! Yes, masks are "mandatory" here for anything that is indoors. And, fortunately, from what I have seen, people follow that. So that is good. Maryland's case count and positivity rate is down - but for who knows how long.

Agreed, it is hot and humid. Monday I walked outdoors and it wasn't bad, but Tuesday was pretty hot and humid. Even going early, it is humid.....I think tomorrow we're supposed to be in the upper 90s

I rode my bike this morning around 6:30 a.m. It's still in the 70's at that time, so not too bad. That's unusual, usually 80's are the low by the beginning of July. I remember walking the dogs at 6:00 a.m. and it was 85 degrees. I miss my dogs, but not walking them in the summer. Later in the morning I did Jessica Smith's Yoga for Belly, Buns and Thighs.

Masks are not state mandated here, but so many counties and cities have mandated them, along with individual stores in non-mask cities, that there are few places where you can go without one.

wishiwasinhawaii, thanks for the encouragement. I lean towards her not having it, so trying to be positive. She does have a strong immune system and rarely gets sick. She has a test tomorrow. I'm hoping we know by Monday.

Donna, the data entry job sounds good for your dd, with less contact. With dd and dh exposed to the public, I expected this at some point. I think this is the new reality until we have a vaccine. On a positive note, I watched Dr. Mike's video on you tube, and he said they are having more success with drugs and treatments in the hospitals, so the death rate is lower.

Hi Everyone,

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Today was:

Jessica Smith - Barre Fitness - Cardio & Floor Barre sections. I haven't done this DVD is ages, it was nice to re-visit. I enjoyed the Cardio section and even did some of the jumping.

Sherry - I hope DD's test comes back negative!

waves, wishiwasinhawaii

I am giving some thought about what to do next. I think it may be a combo of Leslie for steps and maybe some Pilates-Yoga-Ellen...you know, the usual, LOL!

I may jump into another Jessica rotation at some point, I did enjoy Calm & Strong.

Waves, everyone -

Donna

Today was You Tube 40 Minute Band Fusion workout. About six inches tore off the end of my band. There was a small rip, and I guess today it just completely ripped. Time for a new one! I enjoyed the workout, I love band workouts. And there was some cardio too.

I'm finding that Jessica's rotations hit my sweet spot. Although, I have to modify to low impact and lower weights. But it's the right intensity for me to keep the weight off.

DD had her test this morning. It was the swab test, she said it wasn't too bad. We know in two days. I hope that's not two business days, but I guess they might be closed this weekend, especially with the holiday. She was exposed a week or two ago, and she has no symptoms, so the doctor said she probably is fine. But she should know by Monday, which is when we get the test results. But he said it's good to test and know for sure.

Donna, I enjoyed Calm and Strong too.

Hi Everyone,

This morning was:

Jessica - 5 Mix & Match Miles - Premix # 3
Jessica - Gentle Yoga - For Balance, Flexibility & Mobility - Hips and Knees

Yesterday after "work" I did Jessica's Gentle Yoga - Neck & Shoulder and Chest & Back practices.

I actually completed the calm & strong rotation!

I'm not sure what I want to do next - maybe a Leslie walk rotation plus Pilates? Or I may look into Summer of Strength or maybe doing one of Jessica's Walk On Rotation (she has a few listed on her DVD covers...) The walks/steady state cardio is relaxing to me, so that is why I'm sort of drawn to it.

Hope everyone has a good day.

DD is riding today and then going to a friend's house. I'm a bit worried about her going to her friend's house but it is only her and two other friends gathering, so hopefully it will be ok. They will be outside...so that is better than inside. I personally wouldn't go if it were me, but I feel that keeping her confined is potentially more harmful at this point. This past week when she was working, she was much happier - going to bed at a normal time, being more talkative, etc. etc. Of course, I'm nervous about her driving herself, too, I told her she had to be home by dark. I'm not ready for her to drive at night by herself - she's only had her license for two weeks...and it is a holiday weekend....

Sherry - I hope you hear good news about your DD's test sooner rather than later.

waves, wishiwasinhawaii!

Donna

A rest day today. I will probably stretch and foam roll tonight. I'm planning on a workout tomorrow.

A very lazy day. I went to The Habit and picked up take out hamburgers for dinner. We have a few sparklers, I guess we will wave them around in the back yard.

Donna, I'm sure your dd will be fine, and seeing her friends will cheer her up. I'm sure being outdoors will help keep them safe.

Happy 4th of July!

Hi Everyone,

This morning was:

Trifecta Pilates - Dynamic Pilates Routine - Even though this one was an hour long, I enjoyed it - she used a bunch of different equipment, ring, small ball, looped resistance band and resistance band. I enjoyed the different variations of the exercises in this one.

Sherry - I think today will be my "lazy" day- except for the never ending housework and chores....hope you enjoyed your take out and that your DD is feeling well.

waves, wishiwasinhawaii!

Donna

Today I did a Body Project You Tube Workout: Low impact, beginner, fat burning, home cardio workout. ALL standing. I enjoyed it. The instructor Daniel did the intermediate moves and he had two exercisers do beginner and advanced with weights. It was more of an athletic type workout, and I prefer Jessica's more flowing fusion style, but it was a nice change. It did get my heart rate up. I'm going to try some of the more advanced ones.

Our neighbors did fireworks, and they were pretty impressive actually. So, I was able to watch a little of it.

Thanks, Donna. My dd is still doing fine. I thought of our dd's when I read an article on NPR. It said that young people are concerned about the virus, but they are more concerned about social isolation. They really depend on their socialization to stay mentally healthy, and it stated that their brain development also depends on connection. It's a tough situation.

Hi Everyone,

I decided to give Leslie's Walk-Run-Lift a try and sub'd to her Daily Walk service for this month -and I somehow ended up w/ a free week, so I can cancel it and not be charged anything...which I may do, b/c I have plenty of Leslie on DVD to create countless Leslie rotations.

Anyway today was:

Leslie - Run-Walk-Lift 20 min workout. This is a circuit where you do 3 min walk, 2 min "run" (higher impact aerobics) and then some "lifting" w/ a resistance band. Nick lead this one and I think he may lead them all - he is ok - I don't love him. The strength training was just biceps and triceps. And the workout outfits are really unattractive - neon colors and odd designs. But, it got me moving, I got some steps in and I worked my triceps...so, it wasn't a total loss. The 30 and 40 minute programs are scheduled for this week so I will probably do them as well.

Trifecta Pilates - Standing Pilates Class - just about how it sounds, LOL! a chair was used for support and as a prop for exercises.

Jessica Valent - Pilates for Scoliosis - 12 min routine - this was a good rebalance type routine.

Sherry - I hope you get good news about your DD's test soon! My neighbors do a pretty impressive fireworks display, too.


Waves, everyone.

Donna

Today was Jessica's you tube 30 Minute Total Body Strength Training for Sparks People. The schedule was this and a 15 minute cardio strength workout, or both upper and lower body from WS1 (70 minutes). I didn't think I could do all that in one day! I toyed with doing the 15 minute one tonight, but don't think I'll get it in. I really like this workout, it moves slow for beginners, so you can use heavier weights. Also, Jessica uses light weights for overhead moves, which is different from her usual strength workouts. I don't go higher than 5 pounds overhead, so this works well for me.

Donna, we haven't heard anything yet. But dd told me notification is 2-5 days. I thought just 2 days. Oh well! But the doctor told her she could stop quarantining today, if she had no symptoms, and she doesn't have any symptoms. Donna, I think I'm going to order Paula's Choice sunscreen SPF 50 for the body. Some people like it as a face sunscreen and it's $17 for 5 ounces, which is cheaper than most.

I've been busy with the holiday and some family stuff so that's why I haven't been posting. I took a few days off from work and from working out, but I'm back at it today. I've decided to do Jessica's Get Strong rotation. I like that one and haven't done it lately, so it seems like a good choice. I plan to do it for this month and then I'll see what I feel like doing.

Sherry, I'm glad to hear your DD is doing well. I totally agree with that NPR article about young people. My niece was upset the other day about being stuck inside so I took her shopping and that really boosted her mood.

Donna, Did your DD visit with her friend?

Hi Everyone,

This morning was:

Trifecta Pilates - Freedom Flow Pilates
Your Daily Walk - 1 Mile Bonus Burn
Jessica Valent Pilates - Seated Arm workout

Sherry - I'm glad your DD still feels well - hopefully that means her test is negative!

wishiwasinhawaii - my DD did got to her friend's house and, I agree, I think the kids need to get out - possibly more than the adults.

Supposedly our schools will be 2 days on - 3 days at home, at least that is the plan for now. I hope my work schedule will be similar, I don't ever want to go back to full time in the office and, honestly, w/ everything going w/ COVID and possibly other viruses (apparently there is a pig virus and plague in China now! EEK!) why risk having people all together when stuff can be done remotely? Especially when they told us to continue using Zoom, Teams, Skype, etc. for meetings, even when in the office.

hope everyone has a good day,

Donna

Donna, I've heard rumors that they are going to do the same thing with the schools around here. At least your DD is going to be a senior so she'll only have to deal with it for that year, but my niece will only be a sophomore and she will not be having a normal HS experience at all if this continues.

The CEO of my company is going to make an announcement a week from now about what's happening with the office, so we'll see, but I totally agree with you that there is no reason for anyone who works in an office to go back. I believe it should be up to the individual to decide what is best for them, so I'm hoping that's what the CEO says. If not, I'm still not going back. Like you said, even when I was in the office, ALL of my meetings were on Zoom or Webex anyway, so there is NO reason to go back.

I hadn't heard about a pig virus and plague. This year is just horrible.

Hi Everyone,

This morning was:

"Leslie" - Walk-Run-Lift 30 Min Workout - this was better in terms of outfits and a bit more variety in the "lifting" sections.

Trifecta Pilates - 20 Min Bosu Flow - I enjoyed using my very much under-used BOSU in this workout. I think Beth/Trifecta's niche may be her workouts w/ "toys"

Oh - for "steps" last night I walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes listening to the audio from Pahla B's 31 Day Challenge, Day 1 - I think I will try that program at some point...her messages are very encouraging and down to earth.

wishiwasinhawaii - Agreed, this year has been terrible....and yes, I'm glad my DD is going to be a senior and honestly, I think that schedule will suit her - she really hated HS and I think going in part time will be best for her. She has said that if things are not better by the time she is ready for college that she would rather take a gap year than have to deal with the "weirdness" of college - I mean, how are they going to social distance in dorms? She could take some classes locally and maybe work PT. She doesn't know what she wants to do anyway, so this maybe a good chance to figure it out. I'm also not sure that she is ready to go away - on the one hand, yes, but on the other hand, no. I think the transition to dorm life will be hard for her and it may not be a bad thing to postpone it a year or two.

waves, Sherry!!

Hope everyone has a good day -

Donna

Yesterday was a rest day. I was so tired from the workout on Monday. I also watched a friend's little 4 year old girl on Monday, so that kept me on my toes too. I did do some errands yesterday, so was out of the house in the middle of the afternoon. It was 109 yesterday, I think the heat also wore me out.

I cleaned house this morning, then did Burn Fat and Have Fun-Ready Steady Go. That is one of my favorite low impact cardios. I was going to do a strength workout today, but I seemed to have strained my left forearm. I iced it, so it's feeling better now, but will wait until tomorrow for another strength workout. I think I strained it doing some wrist stretching exercises recommended on Instagram. Last time I do that!

I read someone posting that Pahla recommends waiting 72 hours between strength workouts? I'm beginning to think I'm going to have to do that, and limit my Jessica strength workouts to twice a week, perhaps adding in something lighter in between.

Nothing yet on dd. They called her yesterday, but she missed the call. She's trying to get in touch today, but can't get through. There is no way to leave a message, and she just stays on hold. Kind of annoying!

Donna, I read about the bubonic plague in China. On a positive note, I read that it can be treated by antibiotics, so that was a relief. The pig virus is alarming, but China is watching it closely. So far, it's confined to the pig farms. We've had those viruses here. I read that one year they had to kill thousands of chickens because of the bird flu. It seems that most of these viruses come through our meat production.

Hi Everyone,

This morning was - back to 'basics' for me-

Ellen - Skinny Sculpt

I will walk later and maybe stretch.

Last night I got on the TM for 30 minutes at a moderate/easy pace and listened to one of Pahla B's Fitness Matters (formerly Let's Run) podcasts. I find listening to her to be very motivating - not even just about fitness stuff but about life stuff as well. I listened to one about goal setting yesterday. It is all stuff we know, but need to be reminded of and to put into practice.

I have been mentally tired lately, I'm learning a lot of new things in my new job which is good - I had wanted to get broader experience. But, it is tiring and also somewhat frustrating b/c I like to know the answers and be the go-to person and I have to accept that right now, I'm not there - hopefully going through the full year cycle will help and by next year I'll be feeling more comfortable with things. Some things are outside of my comfort zone, but that is what I wanted....

And, my workplace is not good with training, it really is learn as you go and figure things out on your own. It really is something that is lacking there as I think it would pay to invest in training or mentoring among employees, it ends up being frustrating for everyone by not having these resources. Oh well. The good news is, the leadership in my new area is much more forgiving of mistakes and lack of knowledge than my last area - which expected perfection from day one with no training. Ugh.

Sherry - I'm not sure what Pahla recommends about resting between strength sessions, but it does make sense. From what I understand from her "talks" - after meno we don't recover as fast - so having more recovery time is necessary. You had a busy day - I can't imagine having a 4 year old running around, lol! Although my DD is getting a good dose of what it is like to deal w/ little kids at camp! I think the plague surfaces from time to time, even in the U.S.

wishiwasinhawaii - our board of ed is having a "town hall" next week, I may listen in to find out more about plans...my DD would be fine w/ going in 2X a week, I think she'd be just as happy. The only thing she would like to do at school is the play - this year she was going to be props manager. I hope they can have something of a theater program. Maybe even if they don't do anything "live" and just zoom it or something...

Hope everyone has a good day,

Donna

Well, good news, dd finally got through to the testing site and it was negative! We thought it was, but nice to have it confirmed. Her co-worker did get the virus from her roommate. She was in the hospital for a couple of hours, but is okay now. I was surprised since she's young, but dd said she was immune compromised plus she's a smoker. A double whammy, I guess.

Today was nothing. I was going to do a strength workout, but I texted my friend that the test was negative, and ten minutes later my doorbell rang, lol. She was in the area and rushed right over, so we could go to Goodwill. We missed it on Tuesday. So, I never got my workout in, although we walked around a couple of Goodwills.

Donna, I have to admit I've been really tired this week. I think subconsciously the situation with dd stressed me out, even though I didn't realize it. I'm glad you have more forgiving bosses. Sending good wishes your way for learning the ropes quickly. On the skincare front, I tried Good Molecules Niacinimide serum. It's more moisturizing than The Ordinary Niacinimide, so I thought it would work better. Well, it's breaking me out. I guess my skin is still on the oily side. I decided to stop using Curology and go back to the tretinoin from India. It is cheaper, and I didn't see any difference with Curology.

Sherry - that is great news about your DD being negative! :heart:

On the skincare front - I'm having some good results w/ the "acne regimen" recommended by Cerave - I have been using the acne cleanser, the retinol, the PM lotion and the AM lotion. And my skin is clearing up. The acne cleanser can be a little drying, so I'm also sometimes using the hydrating cleanser from Cerave if my skin feels dry. Overall, though, this is really clearing up my skin. I think the AM lotion is ok for me in this routine b/c the cleanser is a little drying for me. It is a nice and simple routine. I'm contemplating Vitamin C, but not sure if it is worth it or not.

Be back w/ a workout report!

Donna

Hi Everyone,

Today was:

Pahla B - Day 16 of the 31 Day Program - it was a straight up strength training workout

Jessica Valent - Lift those Buns Pilates & 5 Min Shoulders. The shoulder workout was very hand/wrist intensive, being all floor work, so not a great one if you have hand/wrist issues. Jessica does mention this in the beginning. The buns workout was some standing work and then some floor work - lots of bridges. I notice Jessica does lots and lots of bridge work - I guess not surprising since she is a PT and PTs tend to like that work for glutes and hips.

Yesterday I did Pahla's new 25 min indoor walk for some extra steps and Jessica's Pilates for PMS/Cramps - which was just basically a relaxing Pilates type stretching routine.

Glad it is Friday!

Hope eveyone has a good day.

Donna

Been very busy the past few days. My nephew finally graduated from HS. They had the outdoor ceremony, but we had to watch a livestream since no one was allowed in the stadium. Today he found out a girl he knows and was around at the ceremony has tested positive for COVID so he went to get tested. They were all wearing masks so I would think the risk is low, but who knows. I guess it takes a week to get the results. We live in stressful times!

Before I knew about this, I did a random weight workout this morning. I'm going to wait a couple of days and then get back to a rotation. This whole COVID thing kind of threw me off and I need to get my bearings.

Donna, my niece said she's ok with staying home for school if that is what happens in the fall, and has accepted she's not going to have a normal HS experience. I agree with your DD about college. If it's going to be so weird, then might as well earn some money and take some time to figure out what she wants to do. My older nephew said some of his friends have decided not to go back since they don't want to pay full tuition to be taking online classes. One is going to work next year and see if things improve and the other is joining the military.

Sherry, Thank goodness your DD tested negative. What a relief! I hope we have the same result here.

Today was you tube, Total Body Strength Back Friendly workout. I wasn't up for the ones on the SOS schedule. I think I'm on the last week, week five. But I've missed a few this week. I used my new 6 pound dumbbells.

I bought 6 pound dumbbells from Target a couple of days ago. With my red card discount, they were $9 each. They were the last in the store, other than 1 and 3 pounds. I checked on Amazon, and it's slim pickings there too. I forgot about the shortage, so was glad I decided to buy them when I did. I was thinking of 7's, since Jessica uses them in some workouts, but the 6's seem to be the right ones. More challenging but not too hard. I was so happy to get new workout equipment! I also ordered some bands from Amazon, mine finally ripped about six inches off one of the ends.

Donna, I'm glad your new regimen is working. I noticed I was breaking out in red bumps around my chin, and thought it was the Good Molecules serum. However, there is nothing allergenic for me in the ingredient list. I think it might be heat rash from the mask. It was 111 today, so not surprising!

wishiwasinhawaii, thanks. I hope your nephew is negative too. It is worrying and draining, I completely understand. It sounds like he most likely doesn't have it, so that's positive.

Hi Everyone,

This morning was:

"Leslie" - Walk-Run-Lift 40 min workout - I decided to try this one out before my free trial ends. It was set up differently than the other two in that the first half was the walk-run part and the second half was the "lift" part. The second half felt a bit disorganized at at one point, I think the vocal audio dropped off - not clear if that was intentional or not as it looked like Rocky was speaking but we couldn't hear her. The outfits in this one were far better than the 20 minute workout and the music was better, too, although not great. So I'm glad I tried these but if there is an option to buy them on DVD in the future I will probably not do that - they are "ok" but I have better options for circuits.

Trifecta Pilates - Foundational Flow - this was a beginner/refresher class, it was ok. A bit boring to be honest. I think Beth does her best when she is working w/ various "toys" in Pilates. I enjoyed the one where she used the BOSU. I may try another one of her longer workouts tomorrow - there is one she has where she uses weights and a foam roller.

Yesterday, for "steps" I did Pahla B's Day 10 of her 31 day program. It was 30 seconds walk, 20 seconds faster walk, 10 seconds jog. I actually did the jogging part - this one may be a good one to do on the TM or outdoors.

wishiwasinhawaii - I hope your nephew's test comes back negative. How worrisome. I agree, times are so stressful. Between virus and the election/politics.... :(

Sherry - congrats on your new equipment. I have 2's, 3's, 5's, 8's, and 10's. I rarely even touch my 8's these days. Back in the day I had 12's, 15's and 20's. I don't touch them at all. It would be nice to have 4-6-7-9 though for ease of working up in weight. I don't know that I will ever go over 8's, though. I prefer the lighter weights/endurance workouts.

Hope everyone has a good day -

Donna

Hi Everyone,


Pahla B - 25 Min Weight Loss Cardio & Weights - I did this one at least once before b/c I remembered her comment about stubbing her toe once on a weight. This one was cardio to start, then weights, then cardio to finish.

Ellen - Quick Tone

Yoga w/ Kassandra - Morning Yoga Challenge Day # 1

I keep thinking about going back to some sort of yoga practice so decided to try Kassandra again. These are quick and may help to get me to be more consistent.

Hope everyone has a good day!

Donna

Yesterday was a rest day. Today was 21 Day Walk and Stretch. About 20 minutes of walking and 10 minutes of stretching (I think). Then I did a 14 Minute LI HIIT Cardio from Jessica's you tube.

I'm pretty sure the rash on my chin is from heat rash and masks. I'm relieved it's not my Good Molecules serum! I bought my masks from Thompson Tees, and they just sent an email on how to deal with "maskne." I thought that was kind of cute. But apparently I'm not the only one struggling with this!

Donna, I rarely go over 8 too. I don't usually go over 5 for over head moves, but the 6 was fine for it. I didn't strain anything. I usually use 8 for leg moves, sometimes a 10. I mostly use a 10 as a single dumbbell, like for tricep moves overhead. That's the one overhead move I can use a heavier weight.

Hi Everyone,

This week is starting out as an "Ellen" week - I like the workouts she posted for her weekly schedule this week....but, of course, we shall see where we end up later in the week!

Today was:

Ellen - Core Cardio - some gentle movement, nothing crazy.

Yoga w/ Kassandra - 30 day morning yoga challenge Day 2

Pilates & Yoga w/ Katja - this is a 'new to me' you tube channel, I did one or two of her practices in the past. She is very calm and seems to cue well. I picked her 7 Day Playlist to start with and did Day # 1 - a good foundational practice. It was 25 minutes.

I will probably walk later to get some steps....

Yesterday DD and I took a walk and I did Ellen's sunset stretch in the evening before bed.

Sherry - I bet you could break out from mask wearing, it is hot under those masks. I haven't had to wear one for any significant amount of time since I still tend to avoid going many places, but this week I'm going in to the office to pick up a new lap top and meet w/ one of my new bosses and the IT guy to set up my laptop. I expect I'll be there for about 2 hours...so we shall see how I feel about masks then.

wishiwasinhawaii - I hope your nephew is feeling ok - and that you get good news soon.

I wonder what is going to happen w/ schools in the fall?

Donna

I've decided to continue with 22 Minute Hard Corps, just for a change of pace, and will return to Jessica after that. This is an 8 week program and I just finished week 2. Today was a cardio workout and tomorrow is a rest day so I'll probably do a Jessica walk. It's too hot to walk outside.

Donna, My nephew still feels fine. Apparently, his exposure to the infected girl was very brief so we're hoping for the best. It doesn't sound like he'll get the results sooner than a week, or maybe longer. Who knows. He is in quarantine now and is staying away from the rest of the family. This happened because the girl's boyfriend went to a party in S. Carolina, where a number of kids were infected and he brought it back with him and infected her. Sigh...

I always wear a mask when I'm around others, indoors or out, and the longest I've worn one is 8 hours. It's really tough to breathe in them after awhile so I don't know how people in the medical field or those who work in stores do it. I have had some "maskne" as well. lol. But very minor.

No idea what will happen with schools, but I'm hearing some smaller colleges around here have decided to open. No idea how that will work.

The CEO of my company is making an announcement tomorrow so we'll see...

Sherry, My masks are also from Thompson Tees. I find the cloth masks to be hot though, so I've been wearing disposable ones lately.