Bard

Oops, I'm late again! 10am and it's still dark! Sheepish sun pops up! Still staying simple: Last time, lots of good walking, Sun through dappled leaves This time, even more, 10k E-VE-RY day, yeah! penguin marches on. Need to get in gym, But need to clean it out first. Beaver's messy dam! Plus back to pushups! 10 / day - Eye doc said ok! Oak tree grows slowly. Bonus, read bible And meditate on it too! Still pond, like mirror!

Deer startles awake! But where did the challenge go? Deer runs to catch herd! Did ok mostly: Sleep just under 2/3 goal Snoozy sun peeks up. 60k steps / week Woot! Still want more fitbit friends Onward glacier move! Pushups not so much. Shouldn't do with glaucoma Bird flies into hill. But wait! Saw eye doc: That's for different glaucoma! Go you fit lion! So guess what for next? More pushups and weights baby! Volcano puffs up

Hi everyone, I've been lifting on and off for a couple of years now (since I found this great site!) I'm now trying to get back into it but I've hit an unexpected roadblock - medically apparently I'm not supposed to! I have had glaucoma since I was 14 (a by product of the surgery for my congenital cataracts). Essentailly glaucoma is too much pressure in the eye because the fluid in the eye doesn't drain properly. The primary way of controlling it is with eye drops and they've been working for me for about 25 years (I'm now 40). I came across an article the other day saying that lifting heavy weights, pushups and head down yoga poses are all bad. The further reading I did on the subject indicated that one of the big issues with lifting is holding your breath although one site did word it in such a way that it indicated lifting itself was bad for eye pressure and the fact that you hold your breath just makes it worse. On the positive side running (which I also love) actually decreases eye pressure so that's something but I'm wondering if anyone has any knowledge / experience or perhaps knows a doctor with experience in both glaucoma and fitness, who might be able to advise what else I can do aside from run to get fit which won't also hurt my eyes? If anyone is interested, the research I've done has turned up the following studies: This Japanese study indicates that exercise such as walking, jogging or running decrease intra-ocular pressure so are quite beneficial for glaucoma: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jjphysiol/45/4/45_4_561/_article This British study indicates the same thing but goes on to say that "Exercises in which you stand on your head or shoulders or invert your body - as in upside-down yoga positions, scuba diving and bungee jumping - should be avoided as they can raise IOP. Exercises in which you inhale and then hold your breath - as in weightlifting - appear to have a negative impact on IOP as well.": https://www.glaucomafoundation.org/news_detail.php?id=154 That at least explains some of the reasoning behind cutting out lifting weights. And this one comes up with the same conclusions: http://www.fmshk.org/database/articles/03mb4_13.pdf Kind regards Bard

flower between rocks: Some good news re glaucoma I had meant to say: Running is good for it: lowers pressure in the eyes! The gazelle flies on!

Doing well of late! Sleep on time just under goal. Light rain on flowers. 50k steps / week: Two weeks: 130k steps fast creek at sunrise! Problem with push ups: Found out I shouldn't do them! Unexpected bear! I have glaucoma: push ups (and weights) make it worse Sand dunes in wind storm. Looking for info, Need view from tall tree in wood Options not researched Forgot to mention: Life goal: brush teeth! So far: daily! Sunlight shining bright

How am I doing? First weekend, so far, so good. seedling starts to sprout! Pushups: 4 of 5 60k steps so far, woot! elephant plods on! Sleep mostly on track: by 10:30 all bar once Bee snores quietly. brush teeth every day! goals mostly on track so far! mountain stream trickles

Wow, so exhausted! Fitbit challenge with friends day! speedy monkey speeds! Today walked to town, Watered yard - with great gusto! (mighty flood ensues) Neck and neck all day! Now 100 steps behind! The sleepwalking sheep! Any fitbit friends? I'm quentin.christensen at gmail.com

Yay it worked this time, Site crashed on me yesterday, bird just gets more twigs

Bard is back baby! Albeit belatedly. Sunrise is not rushed. Bear hibernates: Lost job, new job, last year full! Calm river then flood. Clear sky, eagle soars! Keen to get in shape again. New Fitbit even! Goals for this challenge: Basics: sleep, move and workout Oak has solid roots! Bed by 10:30 Simple, but need to do it! Sun's night rest can't wait. Move: Use new fitbit! 50k steps min per week, sunlight doesn't stop.. Wolves hunt best in packs: Any Fitbit users here? Want friendly challenge? Workout for four weeks: Start with 10 pushups per day Don't fly yet lil bird! Here we go my friends, Hello to 2016! Sunrise: a new dawn!

Gah! Inconsistent! I fall, again I get up, I can do this, soon First week was good but, next two weeks were a write off, I won't fail again! Counting from this week again Quickly writing this as I go to bed Still working on that particularly, and everything... Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

I'll try, I will, hoo hooo! To stick to my goals here with you! This first week is fun, One gym and two runs! But the study is messy, boo hoo! Bedtime, I have, not stuck, This up late trend I must now buck! Be in bed by ten, I will try again! But being good is as hard as.....titanium (you thought I was going to write something else there didn't you!) Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

No Bard Seems you can't upload photos from phone at the moment... Oh well, here's me - Got the well worn NF hat and even had to drag out the NF hoodie as it my phone advised it felt like 4c outside (and I'm a wuss

Bard before the run! After the run Bard was a gibbering mess, lacking the coordination and fine motor skills to actually use the camera function of the phone... Bard is very unfit... Probably 4km (gps unfit too it seems) and had to slow to a walk three, maybe for times... This is a starting point. Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk

I was worried about appearance; Same goals every time looked slack Then I realised, 'twas silly, No need to feel guilty, Just push on from where I am at! Bed by, well 11 last night, up this morning for a run though and some work on my office to start the work week and the challenge! Thanks for the sub Terinatum! Fantastic to have support! Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk

And so I return, As usual, I've been consistently inconsistent of late - although changing jobs (starting my own business!) has been largely to blame that's still no excuse and indeed working from home I need more than ever to get regular exercise in as otherwise I can go days and days at a time without ever leaving the house (my wife would say without ever leaving the computer, which I protest, but in truth probably isn't far off!). So without further ado: Main goal: Exercise 30 times between now and the end of June. That's 11 weeks away so it's not even three workouts a week, but what I really want to work on is the consistency. I know I can do 5 workouts a week, and I'd like to work back up to that! Mini goals: 1) Bed by ten 5 nights a week. I'm good at this when I set my mind to it, so... time to set my mind to it again! This will allow me to get up early in the morning to workout. 2) Go no more than one day in a row without leaving the house - whether it's a walk to the shops or a run, anything which gets me out of the house and ideally exercising is to be embraced! (This also gets me off the computer) 3) Lift weights at least six times over the course of the challenge. I got into the habit of bodyweight workouts, which I enjoy, but which are easier to slack off on. Lifting weights involves numbers which are harder to fudge Plus it will mean I have to keep the garage neat so I can actually GET to the weights and use them. Side quest: Ensure my office is clean (to my wife's standard!) for at least 21 days of the challenge. How I will achieve all these goals: Actually mostly using the habit streak app on my phone - most of these goals aren't things which are hard to do as such, more just that I need to make a conscious effort to do them and I find that writing them down, or at least having to mark off when I've done or not done things really helps keep me on track. Also since I've started keeping a bit of a journal this year, I'm going to keep up with that and keep notes in that on how I'm doing as well! Good luck to everyone in your challenges too! All the best Bard (who will get back to poetry in due course