Every Day in April (Take on the CHALLENGE!) - All welcome, as always. :D

[Helen]

THEME: Take on the challenge - get ON with it!

Welcome to the Every Day Checkin!
We are a small group who aim to do some form of physical activity every day, whatever that means for YOU (but don't kid yourself about it either)

Quite often we take on challenges (hey, committing to a rotation is a challenge!) so this month I'm inviting others to join OUR CONTINUOUS CHALLENGE to do something significantly physical EVERY DAY - in April.

NEWCOMERS, RETURNERS, LURKERS,... might as well say:
EVERYONE
is WELCOME!

Daily posts - not mandatory, nor even "sternly preferred" - but we love it if you do.
Weekly posts, drive-by notes, daily essays all about you.... any of those are perfectly fine - no pressure, EXCEPT to diligently try to add serious movement to your day - every day.

Lexicon:
WERD = Well Earned Rest Day, but even rest days can include movement
TERD = Totally Expected Rest Day, though not especially well-earned, like a planned happy event
TURD = Totally Unexpected Rest Day, hopefully also a happy event
HERD = of TURDS - usually declared after the THIRD TURD in a row. Try to avoid these at all costs, as they can move in & get comfortable, getting OUT of your comfort zone is the way to make change happen

[Cleda]

Helen: Thank you for getting us started! I like it! I really like it:

• No Whining
• No Excuses
• No Junk
• No Quitting

I really Like it .... May just have to stick to all of that!

April will be my month. April will be my new January!!!!
It's ONLY a month! I got this.

I will be back later to post my April goals and workout.
Let the month begin.
Cleda

[LiliMagill]

Great intro, Helen! Let's just DO IT!

This is my birthday month and I plan on making it a strong one! I get my 2nd vaccination tomorrow, and since the 2nd jab gives the most side effects, I'm planning on an easy day, just in case. Other than that, I'm all in this month!

[susan p]

Helen, you are SO INSPIRING!! YES ma'am!! I am IN IT TO WIN IT.

Lili, happy birthday in advance!!

The honey and I will be vacationing in May and I would love to be in my best shape (and lose a few pounds?) to prepare for all the hiking in the Smoky Mountains that I want to do.

I will edit in, later today, my workout for today but your intro got me so enthused I just had to post right now!

[Helen]

I'm so pleased you all like the idea for this month!

I didn't RUN the mile yesterday but DID walk with Alice to map out several directions from home for where 0.8km ends for the 1.6km round trip, which is the mile - but running on the hills concerned me a bit, so went to Google Earth to measure on the flat around the harbour/beach - have my landmarks noted.

Also, for the first - the usual Adriene:
21min, Adriene - Dedicate - Day 12 Curate and...... drum roll.....
71min, Cathe - Maximum Intensity Cardio - the next off the list of my whittling away chronologically. Next up on that front is Maximum Intensity Strength.

I'm now on holidays for 2 weeks, AND DH was able to nab an appointment with that Sydney 'over 50s' knee specialist my local guy wanted a second opinion with - and it's not in June like they said, but APRIL! (28th), and late enough in the afternoon that I can drive down that morning - no sleepover needed.

SUSAN
How wonderful that you're ABLE to go away for a holiday - that's been a while. Looked up the Smoky Mountains - Tennessee. Kay lives on the other side of the road from a national park, and she's in Tennessee, but not sure if she's next to the Smokies or not.

LILI
Yeah - birthdays are a great motivator! The news that the vaccination DOES actually stop you getting Covid entirely, rather than just a mild case was SO good to see on the news. Woo Hoo for your second shot!

CLEDA
You DO have this!! I'm feeling all motivated like it was January as well.

Buddy should get into her new garage this month and THAT will change things for us as well - bigger space, can use the big ball, the step, things that take space... it's been so limiting having her in the strip at the end of the bed - the rain put the date back a few weeks.


ONTO MY DAY! 10am (on the DOT), Friday - Daylight Savings ends on Sunday.

[Cleda]

How fortunate are we that we have made exercise a lifelong commitment? I think about that a lot. We don't even think about it. We just do it. yes. We may miss a day or get bored or think we're slacking, but honestly? We are so far ahead of most people because it's just second nature. Just like brushing our teeth. It's not, "Gee I should start an exercise plan". . .it's more of "what rotation should I do THIS month?" or "what should be my focus for the month?" or "I don't feel like working out today, but I will anyway!!!" So yes! I am grateful, I am blessed and I am sooooooooooo happy I've made this a lifelong journey. Thick or thin. Happy or sad. Just do it.

Ok, off my soap box. Good to see everyone. Goals are in place. Using the "Streaks" app. Have several listed. April IS my January ... I will get through a magic weight # I've been eyeing for quite some time. I got this. I'm doing it and I will achieve my April goals.

Some (but not all) are:

• Exercise 45 minutes a day
• Row 4 evenings a week in addition to my morning workout
• Run (or walk) a mile a day**
• Core: (a core program from Peloton) and daily
• Positive Self-talk
• Daily Affirmations

**So the run/walk a mile a day. I don't want to give it up if I am tired or sore (not unusual as running really knocks the snot out of me. I can do it, I do it, it does wonders for my body, but it tires me out.) So, I'm giving myself grace and if I'm too tired/sore, I CAN walk. But I must do some form of a mile a day. That can also be incorporated with a bootcamp, a treadmill session (where I go way over a mile), at the park outside, wherever, whenever!!!! ... but minimum a mile a day. I am not sure (although I've set out to do this many times) that I have ever been successful doing this. I know with step bets, I got my steps, but never a "designated" mile a day. So this should be interesting. And do wonders. I will pay attention to the really tired times.

I rationalize (cuz I can rationalize anything) that the rowing and cycling is all sitting down!!!!

Helen: Wow! Think of all the workouts you can do now that buddy will have space!!! Whole new world opens up. Maximum Intensity Strength used to be my ultimate favorite strength workout EVER!!! Enjoy!!! (I should probably revisit it).

Lili: Birthday month. That always cracks me up. My birthdays aren't a huge deal to me. My kids? Now that's another story!!!

Susan: you can do a lot in a month. You will be ready for hiking. Just the talk and thought of vacations make me happy. (even when it's someone else's). Something we haven't talked about in over a year. Or if we did it was the "lack of" travel and vacations. Warms my heart!

Pam: I know you'll pop in soon with your steady yoga check ins!

I think it was here (Helen Maybe?) Did the Cleda/yoga Helen/Pilates? is that right? (too lazy to go back and look). Ironically? I don't mind Pilates. Not all of it (mostly cuz I can't do a lot of it, but I can do with modifications), but many core moves are based on pilates and after doing Noelle's Power House years ago, I learned to enjoy it (sort of) and I do like the way it makes me feel muscular, yet long. If that makes any sense. So I like: Pilates disguised as core work and Yoga disguised as stretch. Ha! There's a way to trick my brain.

Ok, on to the check in:

4/1/2021: Morning: 20 Mins. country Run w/Matt**, Afternoon: 30 mins. Low Intensity ride w/Matt (for the challenge) worked on technique and drills. 5 mins. Post Ride Stretch, 5 mins. Emma core (Crush Your Core program), 10 mins. Glutes and Legs w/Adrian, 15 mins. P!NK Row w/Michelle Sosa

** Lili - you might like this one. Music was good. it was 20 minutes. 4 Blocks. 2 flats, 2 inclines (3 incline & 5 incline). Nothing too long, go at your own pace, kinda fun. From Tues. 3/30/21 @ 7:35 a.m. Just a nice run.

Ok, off to exercise!!! My Mile awaits me.
Make it a great day!
Cleda

[LiliMagill]

I'm still working on my April rotation, but I am trying to include Cathe's LITE rotation (started this, but never made it past the first week) and one of GHU's monthly rotations. After doing Tom Holland's w/o last week, I want to add 1 older weight workout per week. If I can walk or run 1 mile a day, I'm in! Our dog walks are usually 1.25 miles, and if it's raining, I can definitely do something on the treadmill.

Since posting about Jenny Ford, I've read more about her son's suicide. How brave of her to talk about it so that others may not have to go through it. I ordered her Walk Across America set to help support her and because I liked the one I tried.

4/1 - dog walk and gardening
tried to do a Peloton ride, but Peloton would not load on my TV? I kept getting a blank screen.
Jenny Ford Step Across America, Salem. The background was awesome, but this was a real beginner step workout. At one point I was going to stop and pick another, but decided that an easy day is not a bad thing.

[firmiewannabe]

Hello everyone!
I would like to join you all for an Every Day in April challenge! This year has had a few too many TURDs that turned into HERDs. LOL. I just love those, they cracked me up when I read them.

Since the weather has been really nice for Spring, I've been outside walking more which is great for my mental health however I've been skipping on strength and stretching. My goal is 3 strength each week and 4 stretching/yoga each week combined with my outside walking. My body has been feeling wonky lately from all this staying at home working at a desk so my body could really benefit from more stretching and yoga. I did splurge on some new dvds that fit into each category so this will be a good goal to try out the new and maybe dust off some old dvds too.

Here's to a great month!

4/1 - Jessica Smith 1 mile of motivation, Nadia Narain stretching 22 mins.

I'll be back later to post my workout for today.
Sarah

[susan p]

Posting on phone from work so this'll be short.

April 1 -Jessica Smith L&S upper body, circuit 1 only , 25 minutes
April 2 -lower body with a jug of citric acid (27.2lb, I weighed it) at work. Pt was sleeping during treatment so I did 20 squats unweighted to warm up, then 20DLs with the jug, 16 rear lunges, knee to ground, on each leg, 20 side leg lifts standing, 20 squats with the jug, 20 more DLs with the jug, and unweighted pulsing plie squats for inner thighs to exhaustion (about 40). It took about 20m.

[LiliMagill]

Sarah - Welcome! We are always happy to have people join us! Stay as long as you like, we will hopefully encourage you to meet your goals. Knowing I need to post here helps keep me going. Outdoor walks are good for the body and the mind.
Susan - that was very inventive of you to sneak in a workout like that! I'm impressed!


4/2 - dog walk
30 Min. Low Impact Ride w/ Alex T (Peloton)
20 Min. Upper Body Strength w/ Jess Sims (Peloton)

Peloton is still not loading on my Smart TV's internet, so I went through Chromecast. That worked, but I was missing some features, like the countdown clock. Then I couldn't get the stretch to play, it wanted to play the Strength workout again. Aaarghh! I need to contact Peloton and see what's going on.