Another week of healing, health and fitness has passed and I’m still committed to the program. 💪
This past week I did my morning Zumba workout every day, did strength training almost every night (missed one night), and got outside for some fresh air. Molly and I went walking a couple of times – once with Dan and once with Jen and her daughter Prim. The walk with Jen and Prim was a long one on Saturday – around Wascana Lake.
Wascana Park – photo from my archives.
Wascana Park is in the heart of Regina. With the warmer weather that we have been experiencing, it was a good day for the park. The pathways were busy with people, strollers, and DOGS. Fortunately, Jen and Prim walked Molly and she was pretty happy just to truck along with them and stay out of trouble.
Molly did manage to come home dirty and tired.
I also spent a bit of time outside putzing around our yard yesterday. I put out some peanuts for our neighbourhood squirrel(s) and swept some of Molly’s destruction off the back patio.
It is too early to start planting outside but our cactus bloomed and Jen brought me a new ivy and spider plant to nurture.
This week will be business as usual with my fitness plan. My biggest push is to get my evening strength training back on track. My plan is for six exercises – ten sets of ten reps with three pound weights plus 10 sets of ten reps for wall pushups Monday thru Saturday. If all goes well, I will be moving back up to five pound weights next week. Yay!
That’s all I have for this week. Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞
Before I jump into this week’s ‘Health and Fitness’ update, I wanted to explain why my blog writing – and READING has been so sporadic over the past few months.
With weeks of being down with the flu before Christmas, and then with a broken arm in January/February, one would think I would have had all kinds of time on my hands. Which I did… but I also had a big bored dog on my hands who took offence every time I sat down to do anything. She has been getting better these past couple of weeks. Hopefully, she will only improve going forward. And hopefully, I will have more opportunity to read and write on WordPress.
As for this week’s update…
My health and fitness journey has been a bit rocky these past few weeks. My fractured arm has healed, but there is still random pain or discomfort when I move or stretch. I understand it will take a while for any tears or tweaks to muscles, tendons, and nerves to heal completely. But… It does get rather frustrating.
That being said, there has been a lot of positive movement – and more than I had anticipated a few weeks ago. 😁
I am back to doing full on, two armed, Zumba most days. I am not as comfortable or capable as I was last fall, but I am excited to be back at it. There are days that I just dance, but even the dance workouts are more intense as time goes on.
I have been getting out and about with Molly as often as possible. I am still going only when Dan or Jen are free to handle Molly’s leash. That is due to treacherous walking conditions, which are quickly improving thanks to our double digit (Celsius) temperatures this week.
At the dog park on Saturday where Molly had a bit of a run with Rocko.
I have also taken on a 21 Day Stretching and Balance Challenge, starting this past Saturday.
Molly makes any horizontal workout a challenge.
Finally, and best of all, I have been doing my strength training six nights a week and I am crushing it! I am going to stick to three pound weights for the next couple of weeks, increasing the reps and sets each week. Then, I will switch back up to five pounders. Yay!!!
That is it for this week’s update. I am anxious and excited about getting back on track and enjoying all the benefits of health and fitness, going forward.
“There are nights when the wolves are silent, and only the moon howls.” – George Carlin
It is that time of month again. Full Moon madness, yea!
People are emotional, computers are crashing, and chaos reigns – once again.
We should have called her ‘Chaos’...And people (granddaughter Genie) are just standing out on a pile of snow howling back at the moon. 💞
Whatever you are doing to deal with this month’s offering of moon madness, just know that tomorrow it peaks and we gradually slide back to a place of peaceful sanity. 👍
Year One of my healthier, fitter lifestyle ended with back to back to back setbacks. (Flu/brutal winter season/broken arm). Year Two brought healing and an eminent improvement to our weather. April brings a new fridge sign to our kitchen….
I am ready to Move Forward – and moving forward I am.
My big news, this week and moving forward, is that am working in partnership with my daughter. We haven’t been on the same path for a few years but here we are – Moving Forward together.
Health and fitness wise, we are coming from the same place and heading in the same direction.
We both have chronic health conditions that neither of us have been managing well. I have my respiratory issues (asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis) plus genetic collagen issues. My daughter Jen shares my collagen issues, plus having IBS, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and multiple severe allergies. We share an ongoing battle with weight issues.
We are both tired of television commercials offering a magic bullet for anything and everything that ails us. They do not work unless we do – and their side effects are often as bad or worse than the conditions they supposedly ‘cure’.
We are both concerned about our healthcare system which is struggling to survive an aging population and an epidemic of unhealthy life choices.
We both want to do better. We know that nutrition and activity are key to improving our health, our fitness, and our lives. We bring complimentary tools to the table. I am strong in sourcing out motivation and a variety of suitable workouts. Jen is strong in cooking, baking, and sourcing out healthy recipes, nutritional information, and dietary needs and restrictions.
We are both ‘dog people’. Since Jen is dogless at the moment, I gladly share Molly. Since I am still dealing with some arm recovery issues, Jen takes the lead with Molly on our walks. We have managed several lengthy and relatively challenging walks in the past couple of weeks.
Moving Forward !
All in all, we have made a promising start. Our frequent walks are augmenting my morning Zumba and evening strength training. Jen works a physically demanding job but has also started her own at home workouts – which typically include and enhance sweeping, dusting, and laundry 😂.
That is my (our) health and fitness update this week.
Take care, have a great week, and let’s welcome back some serious SPRING weather this week! 🪻😊
“Spring has sprung, the grass is riz. I wonder where the flowers iz?”. If our grass has done any rising, I haven’t seen it. 🙄
Woke this morning to freshfalling snow. Molly doesn’t mind our lingering winter season. A good day to start the Calla Lily bulbs that I picked up from Dollarama. The packages say they can be started indoors. Memories of April 2021And more April 2021 memories.
Since the fresh snow is covering up the areas of treacherous ice and water, it looks like our daily walk is on pause for today. I should get going around here and get some laundry and housekeeping caught up. And… start a few seeds and bulbs, just because it is APRIL. 💐💐🪻
It was one year ago today since we lost our precious Kat to congenital heart failure. It has been an eventful year, but she is always in our hearts and often in our thoughts. RIP little girl. 💞
Spring has sprung (so they say), my broken arm is healed, and I am off to the races! Finally! This week I am going full on Goggins to get back to where I left off mid-January.
Since I received the good news on Thursday, I have been stepping up my workout plan. Nothing heroic yet, but steps in the right direction. Speaking of steps, I was out walking on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – over 24,000 steps (Nine Miles). That is about 24,000 more steps that I have taken outside since November when I came down with my brutal winter flu, which lasted until I ventured out and broke my arm. 24,000 steps is pretty impressive. 😏
I also, started the week out well nutritionally wise. I have our menu penciled in for the entire week – one nutritious meal after the other (at least supper wise).
Monday – Taco Salad
Tuesday – Stir Fry with rice
Wednesday – Chicken Alfredo, steamed broccoli, and Side Salad
All home made! All include fresh vegetables! All delicious and nutritious! 🌞
Taco Salad…
This morning, I kicked off the day with a full two armed Zumba routine and a series of physiotherapy exercises to improve my range of motion for my left shoulder. This afternoon, I am heading outside with Molly for some sunshine and fresh (very fresh as in feels like -22C) air. And.. tonight I am getting strength training back in my schedule. That is my plan for this week – plus, with warmer temperatures expected Wednesday and my walking partner available Wednesday thru Sunday – there is a fair amount of Molly walking on the calendar for later in the week.
The rest of my days are filled with brushing Molly, cleaning house , laundry, dishes, and the like – all which is easier with two functional arms.
She was so little last summer!
That is my plan for this week. I am focused, locked in, healed, and ready to go!
Whoo Hoo!!! It is nine weeks since I fractured my proximal humurus and humurus head. I saw my orthopedic specialist today for an update on my latest x-rays and ultrasound and the news was amazing! I am healed – ALL healed.
I had natural healing, my bones stayed in place and healed perfectly and I am off of ANY restrictions. I can do Zumba, lift weights, wave my arms in the air like I just don’t care! I have to work on my range of motion for a bit but the doctor said I was a very good healer. 😁
I know it may partly be genetics but personally I think that it has helped considerably that I was in good shape before the ‘incident’ and that I have taken care of myself since.
I have been following doctor’s instructions and maintaining the limitations he had me on. I have been drinking my beet juice, taking my vitamins D and B12, and taking calcium and zinc. I have been doing aerobics virtually every day. And I have been meditating and keeping a positive attitude. 🤗🤗🤗
I am so excited. I never asked about a prognosis but at my age (almost 68), I kind of wondered whether I would ever be healed well enough to full on Zumba again or lift weights. I just didn’t know how strong a bone could be once it broke right through like that. Who knew?
Anyway, this is the best news I could hope for. I came home and did a full You Tube Zumba lesson. Our weather is mild today so I will go spend some time outside soaking in the sunshine and enjoying the fresh air.
Tonight, we are going to celebrate with KFC. Dan did buy steak and shrimp to barbecue for me but since I asked for chicken, we will do the steak supper tomorrow night.
Molly will score a few treats herself, even if she was responsible for breaking my arm in the first place. 😂
That is all for today. I am so excited to be back to my full fitness routine. In a few weeks, I can look forward to garden planting and getting some much needed outdoor maintenance and painting done.
My family is French Canadian three hundred and sixty four days a year, but on March seventeenth we turn Irish for the day to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day – and my father’s birthday! 🍀🎂
A celebration with my Dad.
My father and I were close. I still feel that closeness, even twenty-nine years since his passing, especially on days like this – his birthday/St. Patrick’s Day. This morning, his presence was felt more than ever.
My father enjoyed any number of simple pleasures, none moreso than relaxing and watching good entertaining television programs. His favourite ever was “The Littlest Hobo”. My Dad loved that show. With his love for dogs, “The Littlest Hobo” was an obvious hit for him and the best part of his week as long as the series ran.
This morning while having my morning coffee and vaguely aware of the television running in the background, I heard this familiar tune….
Yes, one of our channels has resurrected Dad’s show and my husband Dan (😍) had flipped to it in honor of my Dad’s birthday.
Molly, who is not typically the least bit interested in television, was mesmerized. Like my Dad, she has found her all time favourite show. 💓
Anyway, that just made a brilliant start to my day so I had to share.
Now to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to share an old Irish blessing…
May love and laughter light you days And warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours Wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world With joy that long endures. May all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours.
NB.. I woke up at three A.M. this morning with my mind swirling and my heart pounding. I was awake for a couple of hours, thinking and working through my angst. I feel better, so I thought I would share for anyone who has ever been there or who is there now. 💞
There is nothing worse than feeling trapped in a situation that causes overwhelming fear, grief, anger, resentment, and anxiety. I know because many years ago that was my reality.
Bizarrely, I thought that I was coping. I thought that despite everything that was wrong with my life, and the way that I was reacting to it, I was relatively functional. I had to be firing on all, or at least most of, my cylinders. I was a wife, a mother, a full-time homemaker, a responsible reliable employee. I was good! Except that I wasn’t – and the stress of doing it all in the confines of a volatile, dysfunctional marriage was too much for too long.
One day I reached my breaking point. I hit my knees, looked up to the heavens, and said “I can’t do this anymore”.
The heavens did not open up and make all of my problems go away. My life did not instantly change. But, I did. (And for that I do give total credit to the heavens above).
It was like a huge weight was lifted off of me. I was determined, fearless, confident, pro-active, and happy. As my state of mind changed, my life changed. It wasn’t anyone’s idea of easy, but somehow it was easy for me. I left my husband, created a new and peaceful home for my family, built a career and worked countless hours to support us. I didn’t have time for doubts or fears or grief to set in. As time went on, my life got better and easier. I met and married a good man. 💞
My life did not become the proverbial rose garden. There have been challenges along the way. Lots of challenges!
But, way back from that day that I hit rock bottom, I began to learn how important the right mindset was to living a good life.
Over the years, I have learned…
That once I hit ‘rock bottom’ and climbed back up, I never fell that far again. The climb gets easier, taking me higher every time – stronger, happier, and calmer.
That coping mechanisms are endless. By searching them out, I have discovered self-help books, social media accounts, podcasts, and You Tube channels that have been invaluable in creating the life I wanted and always knew I deserved.
The importance of making my physical, mental, and emotional health and well being my top priority.
That I cannot control everything and everybody in my life – and they cannot control me. The more I focus on improving my mental, physical, and emotional well-being, the less judgemental and stressed I am by outside influences.
That the healthier I get – mentally, physically, and emotionally – the more I am drawn to like minded people and the more they are drawn to me. 😁
That all of the power in MY life is within ME. As my favourite Rumi quote goes (with a bit of tweaking) …”It’s my road, and mine alone, others may walk it with me, but no one can walk it for me.”
Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie 