Category: Health and Fitness

Year Two – Week Ten

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

It is one year and ten weeks since I decided to get healthier and more active. I am still committed as ever despite the setbacks I have encountered. It’s definitely the lifestyle I embrace these days.

Since I was deemed healed from my broken arm, I have been working my way back up in my workout intensity. I am doing full-on two armed Zumba. (Which is way easier, graceful, and less confusing than trying to do Zumba with one arm).

I have been out walking with Molly as much as possible – which is when Dan or daughter Jen are available to hold her leash. I would love to walk her more but I can’t trust her if I am holding her leash. She was doing well last fall, until I was down with the flu followed by the broken arm. Now, not so much.

A few days ago, Dan and I were taking Molly somewhere in the Jeep. Dan went out to get ready, while I leashed her up and walked her out. She was fine. We got to the sidewalk and Dan opened the back hatch of the Jeep. We were ten feet away from it. Molly got so excited she jumped right in. The leash I was holding her by was six feet long. 🤦

She looks so innocent!
At least our streets and sidewalks are finally free of snow and ice. Still unsightly, but nice for walking…

The good news is that I am crushing my evening workouts. This week I am back to using my five pound weights. Yay! I am not struggling with the heavier dumbbells. I have cut back on reps and sets, and I have switched things up to doing arm and back exercise one night, hips and legs the next, so I am not doing the same muscles on consecutive nights. 💪🌟🦵

We are also still working on improving our diet by consistently planning ahead. Dan is really helping out with that. He seems to find it easier to come up with one weekly meal plan on Sunday night, than he does offering up a suggestion for one meal that can be prepared and served in half an hour – five or six consecutive nights of the week. Go figure!

That’s my health and fitness update for this week. Take care and have a great sunny rest of the day! 💞🌞

Can’t wait to see some green grass and flowers. 😊

Year Two – Week Nine

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

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! 💞🌞

Year Two – Week Eight

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

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.

Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞

Year Two – Week Seven

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness

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! 🪻😊

Year Two – Week Six

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness

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
  • Thursday – Chef Salad
  • Friday – Home made Pizza with Caesar Salad
  • Saturday – Barbecued pork ribs, baked potatoes, and Ramen/shredded cabbage 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!

Take care and have a great week! 🌞💞

Year Two – Week Five

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness

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.

Keep safe and have a great day! 🌞💞

Empowerment

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness

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.”

Have yourself a good day.  You deserve it!

Year Two – Week Four

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness

I am already four weeks into Year Two of my journey to health and fitness.  This is a journey that I am enjoying far more than I thought I would – and that has taken me to places that I never imagined possible. 

Molly – my fitness companion (Never saw that coming) 😂

This is a journey that requires commitment, motivation, determination, and focus.  Fortunately, between my husband Dan, my Volley friends Dwight and Jackie, and all of my friends here on WordPress, I have the support and encouragement that I require to push on with this journey, even on those days when my commitment, motivation, determination, and focus is a bit lacking.

This week, I am determined to focus on ‘living my best life‘.  My best life is one where my priority is my health, happiness, and peace of mind – because I deserve it and because I cannot give to others what I do not myself possess. That means working out, eating well, getting adequate rest, meditating, enjoying the company of family and friends, appreciating the blessings in my life, and overlooking (or trivializing) the blips and bleeps.

Our blippin’ bleepin’ weather. 🙄

My fractured arm is coming along, although my shoulder continues to be bothersome. But I am feeling better, which is helping my workouts and my sleep. I managed a fairly good Zumba class this morning. If Molly had given me a bit more space, I would have crushed it! I have been meditating on a regular basis, which has obviously been good for my peace of mind. And I have been doing a pretty good job of keeping up with cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I have even been doing up my hair every day. That’s probably the biggest challenge for my achy shoulder but well worth it. “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you do good.” As my mother used to say. 😉

That’s it for this week’s health and fitness update.

Keep well & keep safe! 💞🌞

So ready for another Saskatchewan summer 🌞

Seven Weeks…

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness

I am only three weeks into Year Two of my health and fitness program, but it has been SEVEN WEEKS since Molly and I collided and I walked away with a broken arm.  (Literally walked away!  We were at the dog park a few blocks from home, so we had to walk home. Ouch, ouch, ouch!)

Molly racing with a little French Bullie at the park last week.  I stayed outside the fence with my broken arm.

I think that I am healing quite well. The fractures in my proximal humurus and humurus head do not bother me at all.  I do feel frequent and considerable pain in my shoulder, elbow, and wrist.  Go figure.  I am pretty sure I pulled or tore something in my shoulder, but I am three weeks from getting my ultrasound report so who knows.  This morning, I had ripping pain down my right side from my shoulder, down my arm, and down my side from my armpit to under my ribs.    Since I did not injure my right side in my fall, I have to assume it was either sympathy for my left side or something I pulled compensating for my left side.  Who knows?

Either way, that brings me to where I am at with my physical health and fitness levels.  I think I am doing okay all things considered.  I work out, try to sleep well, try to eat healthy, take my vitamins and beet juice, and try to get outside for a bit of fresh air every day.   🤗

Mentally and emotionally, I have struggled a bit this past week.  It’s nothing serious – just frustration, sadness, and good old grumpiness.  Nothing debilitating for sure, but something I have had to work on.  

  • I have backed away from checking my online ‘Fractured Humurus Group’.  There is way more bad news than good and it just isn’t helping me.  I do still drop in once or twice a day and send ‘Caring Hugs’ to those who are struggling, but I don’t let myself get too engaged.
  • I have made daily accomplishments a priority.  Yesterday I made breakfast for Dan and I, did dishes, vacuumed, dusted,  cleaned and re-assembled our humidifier, made a dental appointment, AND I did our taxes!!!
  • I have been meditating every day.   I think that is really helping me to feel more grounded and focused.  It also is helping me to sleep better.
  • I have been watching You Tube video clips of comedy sketches – mostly ‘Golden Girls’ and ‘Bob Newhart’.  I wasn’t really a fan of ‘Golden Girls’ when it was on tv, but their clips are funny.  I always loved ‘Bob Newhart’ – especially Larry and his brothers Darryl and Darryl.    🤣🤣🤣

My efforts seem to be helping to get my mental and emotional self in a better place.    And… Our March sunshine isn’t hurting the cause. 🌞

That is my health and well-being update for this week.  

Take care and have a great week! 💞🤗

Our flowers are still seeds, roots, or bulbs buried under feet of snow and ice, but I thought this photo from my archives would make a perky and promising Header Photo for March.  ☺️

Year Two – Week Two

by annemariedemyen, posted in Health and Fitness

Another exciting week in the life of a somewhat invalid.  It has been two weeks since I hit the reset on my health and fitness program and six weeks since Molly took me down at the dog park and fractured my humurus head and surgical neck.

Molly acting out her guilt (or boredom).

Today, we had a family outing.  Dan drove me across the city for an ultrasound on my shoulder.  I thought this was to determine whether my bones were mending. Unfortunately, the tech said she was just checking out tendons and ligaments – not bones.  I was sitting on a chair, holding my arm in awkward poses for a solid hour! And… I still have no idea if I am on the mend. 🤦

Meanwhile Dan and Molly walked around the mall parking lot. They put on a few miles. Tonight I am rather sore and Molly is rather tired.

I have been struggling to sleep soundly for the past couple of weeks and the pain in my arm seems to be getting worse. I’m not sure if that is from the lack of sleep, a natural part of the healing process, because I was overdoing the dancing and/or therapy exercises, or if this situation is just starting to wear on me. I am still working out every day, but trying not to overdo it for now. On Saturday, I did a Zumba class – but I was very careful not to engage my left arm.

That is about it for this week’s update health and fitness update.

Meanwhile, Molly is definitely bored.

Weather wise we are welcoming back some warmer temps at least for a few days. Our snow and ice won’t be going anywhere any time soon, but at least the sun is shining. 🌞

Take care and have a great week! 💞😁⛈️