I did 10 minutes of spot exercises this morning then 10 more on the elliptical before work. :thud:

I am going grocery shopping today. that will be exercise enough for me. :p

Spin class last night...1:03 at avg HR 78% of max, max HR 91% of max...882 calories burned. Still a bit stiff in the legs this morning...but that is kind of normal after doing strength profiles with heavy resistance.

TXB, you make us all look like slackers...seriously, great job!!

Did 26 min. on the elliptical before I just couldn't go on any further...I get overheated, I think, because I suddenly feel kind of sick...so I listen to the ole' bod and stop.
Then I did 20 min on the weight machines again and 20 min of stretching. I am so tight today...actually lately...that I'm going to go and stretch again.

I'll tell you...it has been a real interesting ride over the last year or so. I started these spin classes last January, and the first few classes damn near killed me. Just spinning that long even without big increases in resistance was really tough. I was used to pedaling for a while and then coasting when i needed to.

I was never the prototypical "endurance athlete". I have a very stocky build, short legs, and I grew up hating running as a sport with a passion. But over the last year or so, something has changed.

As I have gone through these spin classes and stuck with them, I have been getting faster on the bike outdoors. Feeling stronger on the bike has made me enjoy it more, and enjoying it more has made it easier to do longer distances. So it has created a kind of feedback loop...instead of dreading going to workout on weeknights, I crave it, because I know it is making me stronger. Because I feel stronger, I enjoy the riding more. Because I enjoy it more, it makes me want to ride more.

I have had family and work obligations that have interrupted my schedule a bit over the last month or so, and for the first time that I can remember, I have actually had physical cravings to get on my bike or get into a spin class and just ride. Its been a really cool feeling to be like this and know that I am getting stronger because of it.

So I guess what I am saying is don't feel like a slacker if you aren't doing what I am doing...just get out and do what you can do, and revel in the fact that you are making yourself stronger by doing it. You might be surprised at what you find yourself capable of a year from now.

The swimming has nearly gotten rid of my asthma! It is rare now that I ever need a puffer since starting my swimming in 2004. I learned it from reading a biography of Teddy Roosevelt. He was severely asthmatic as a kid. He treated it by swimming!

that was very well said, TxBatman, and good encouragement for all of us.

Nice going ewiz. Great job Debbie. At least you got out Dejibo: I know your flare has been kicking your butt.

I swam a mile today, cold, cold cold: Water 78 and air temp low 50s. Brrrrrr.

Visual migraine followed by a real one. Didnt get much done today. :(

My dad gets those physical cravings for exercise. He's got a heart problem and was told to exercise. He's told me that the heart problem causes him some anxiety and the exercise not only helps his heart, it helps the anxiety a LOT!

I think he's feeling the anxiety the past couple of days because he hasnt been able to get to work out. My mother has been a bit....needy. (she had a head injury about 50+yrs ago and she's showing a lot of signs of cognitive problems) She has no empathy to speak of and has been yelling at the poor guy to entertain her (by taking her out) as soon as he walks in the door.

He's tired, but wants to go exercise because it helps him so much, and she wont let him do it.

Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to be dressed and ready to go to the gym when he gets home from work, so he'll have the good excuse to go. For some reason, sometimes if I go with him, she doesnt whine...but, sometimes that backfires and she gets mad because she doesnt go with us. ("there's no where to sit!". It's an exercise place...you're supposed to exercise there, not sit)

Hopefully we can get past my mom and get to the gym. I'm going to try to see if I can get up to forty minutes on the treadmill. I want to eventually get up to an hour on the thing within the next month.

My DH and I have several medical appointments at the medical center. I scheduled them so we can just zip from one to the next. I will spend my day on my feet and going from one end of the building to the other. Thats enough exercise for me.