Counts and Reps

Starting to get the count and repititions up on the exercises and weights.

For the first few weeks, the sets were only done once.

Now that the stamina has increased, doing two reps of each set is becoming easier.

I won't be able to add the third reps for another 2-3 weeks though.

I have been keeping it slow and steady over these past weeks, and that has been the secret to not getting overly sore muscles or stressed out joints.

Once I get the third set into the routine, adding weights to the ankles will be the next step.

I know that two pounds on each leg doesn't sound like much - but man they are hard to maneuver around in.

I am actually looking forward to using them though - that's a first!

Navel Oranges

The delicious little navel oranges must be in season now.

The supermarket seems to have an over abundant supply of them and they are quite affordable this week.

A bag of 12 sweet, and I mean really sweet oranges are $2.99.

No seeds in them, and they are the easy kind to peel - the skins come off in big pieces, especially if you let them warm up to room temperature.

I have been peeling a couple each day and putting their separated pieces into a bowl on the table.

They all disappear even though everyone claims to not like them.

Personally, I think they are just lazy - they sit forever with their skins in the refrigerator, but if peeled and ready to eat they go fast.

Whatever the reason - I am glad to see them eating a healthy snack.

An Apple a Day

 It's an old adage to be sure - An apple a day keeps the doctor away. They used to be a part of my diet on a fairly regular basis for many years - especially when they were in season.  The quality of the off-season ones turned me off a few of years back, so making them part of a regular diet was not a top priority. With prices rising these last couple of years, even the in-season ones were only an occasional thing. We have been adding applesauce as an alternative these past couple of weeks, and it has been really good. Finding the apples in the clearance rack is excellent for making applesauce as they usually are not in prime shape for eating as is. And it still makes eating an apple a day a doable thing - just in a different form!  
 

Watch Those Fats

I am pretty sure I had a gallbladder attack a couple of weeks ago. Indigestion has always plagued me, but a couple of weeks before I had it, the heartburn was quite severe. I awoke one morning with an extremely sharp pain under my right rib. Every breath in brought on a round of pain. Moving was no joy either. I thought I pulled a muscle, but it didn't really feel like that. Ibuprofen usually helps with muscles and nothing was touching it. After reading online, it sounded like gallstones to me. From what I read, it can be controlled by diet - especially watching the intake of fats. I will give it a try for a bit before I head to my doctor. So far so good on the diet - the pain has subsided - hopefully for good!  
 

Exercise Feels Good

It is always such a chore to begin them. Even thinking about them sometimes makes one come up with excuses and reasons for not doing them. Sometimes they don't even seem to be working - especially when the scale works against you too. But afterwards, after the routine has been completed - it feels really good. And when you move around during the day - the limbs don't feel quite as "heavy" or "sluggish" as they used to. You find yourself sitting straighter - not slouching. And bending over is even easier. For all these positives, that really make you feel so good, why does is seem like such a chore to begin them?  
 

Stupid Scale

I should have just ignored the need to know. I had been diligently exercising for a week. I had been watching what I eat. But that stupid scale said I put on three pounds. In just one weeks time. It totally ruined my day to see that first thing in the morning. But it made the resolve to get rid of them even stronger. Next week that scale had better give me better results - I am certainly working for it.  
 

Moist Heat for the Bones

The best relief I have found for aching joints and bones is moist heat. It seeps into the muscles, right down to the bones, providing comfort and warmth to those sore joints. And the best thing that offers this relief is a simple homemade bag that gets heated up in the microwave. I make a bag out of fleece - any size you want. Fill it about 3/4 of the way with white rice and completely stitch the whole thing closed to keep the rice in. Heat it up in the microwave and you have an instant heat pack. It will conform to any shape comfortably. And the most amazing thing about this rice bag - no matter how many times it gets warmed up, it never looses it moistness. I'm not sure how it does that, but it works everytime.
It's inexpensive and it works - what more can one ask for!  
 

Keep It Full

Over the last few weeks, we all have watched the prices at the gas pump rising way too quickly. Many of us are combining several errands on our trips into town. But there is still shock at the pump when filling up. What used to take thirty dollars when the gauge read 1/4 of tank, now takes almost fifty dollars. So, we have been trying to get around that shock by keeping our tank full. We don't let it get past the 3/4 mark now on the gauge. Reality:  we are using less as we are traveling less, but we are putting in about forty dollars a week now instead of the thirty. It just feels a little better by putting it in a little at a time. And when I sat at a stop light, and watched one station raise the price .11 cents in that quick time, I was pretty happy to look at my full gauge knowing they didn't get me for this one. 
 

Back to Counting the Steps

Since the beginning of this year, I haven't given too much thought to counting my steps and tracking the mileage they add up to each day. Last year I logged them each day, even if they didn't add up to very many. My emails today contained a newsletter from the website that I usually log the miles on. It was a good reminder for me to get motivating again with the walking and exercising. And for each mile that I log, they donate .10 cents towards the fight against breast cancer. This will be the third year I have done this on the Beewell for Life website. Certainly that is a great motivation in itself!