Suzaqu

Ditto!

Yes, thank you! I love it too! I need to get better at eating my frog first thing in the morning, but I find the concept so useful and inspiring. And I feel so good once my daily frog is eaten!

I've loved reading this whole conversation, but this struck me more really hard. I work with so many brilliant, beautiful, talented women and multiple times a week the conversation turns to weight loss and diets and I just want to shake them out of it. I agree it's so much better ot be excited about what your body can do. I worked hard on a mindset shift being strong and moving well in my body is much more fun and feels so much better. I just want to figure out how to share it, but reading this convo has definitely helped. Sorry to hear about your shoulder/neck, I hope it heals fast!

So in love with your magic school bus gif choice! Growing up that episode was the most played on my PBS station, and that moment was simultaneously terrifying and confusing because i had no idea why his eyes turned into that shape when he froze. I feel like it's something pretty obvious that I never got, but it's driven me nuts since I was a kid Sounds like you had a great weekend with the great practice and good gym session post hangover, idk how you do it!

Week 4 plan: Because I have much more time this week than last week, I'm doubling up on mobility goals. I still want to do the 2 runs I'm missing from last week and also take on a new goal. My old kettlebell trainer has put out a 7 day mobility program, which seems too ideal for this challenge to be true, so I'm going for it. It's approx 15 min a day of mobility work, plus a few mobility flows. I figure it's a great match for the training I'm doing, because of her kettlebell expertise. So I'm doing both this week. Again I'l be doing S&S three times this week, and I want to do 40 sets with the higher weight each round. I am traveling this weekend, so my plan is to do S&S MWF and run TTh. As long as I do the mobility program 5 times this week, I'm calling it a win, though ideally I'm going to aim for more. Monday: I have done my S&S with the higher weight for 40 swings already, so I'm on track for my plan so far. Today's mobility focus was head and neck and wow, my crunchy, sticky neck feels so much better! These are some stretches I definitely want to keep up. My goal for tomorrow is an am run, wish me luck!

Week 3 update: I gotta work on updating more! The running goal was kinda a fail. Between weather and a series of unusually morning commitments I only got in the one run that already reported on. I succeeded in meditating the rest of the week and I think that helped keep me on track. I also did my S&S 3 times, including the weight increase and it felt good. I can really feel that I'm driving with my hips like I should.

Cool, I will check her out! Glad to hear you like GMB, I don't think I have the upper body strength for rings (or the workout space) but paraleletts is tempting! (Along with all their other programs!) I'm trying, I at least kept up the meditation for the rest of the week. I'm also trying to prioritize other forms of productive self care as well (including exercise), and I think it's kept me on track ok. So true, and it's something I'm working on. I figure being aware is at least the first step.

Checking in: Goal 1: I created my 4 collections this weekend with this coming week in mind. They did a good job of keeping me on track today. My favorite one is my "If I do nothing else today" ie "eat that frog" spread. It has one thing at work and one thing at home that I just have to do that day (usually something that I don't want to do) but if I do it, I can feel that the full day was successful. This next week I want to work on using the pomodoro technique. Specifically I will do at least 2 pomodoros a day. I did my 2 for today already, and it was really helpful to get me going on stuff I didn't want to do. Goal 2: I didnt' do any photo sorting, so I'm carrying that goal forward to next week.

I'm glad to hear your MIL is doing well! That's awesome that your habits kept you on track during a crazy time.

I was inspired by you and did a pizza weight loss this weekend I ate pizza and then lost 2 pounds the next day, I think it's basically the solution to all fitness issues.

Sounds like you've been busy, but like you've done a good job keeping some balance! Are you using anything to work on your hand lettering? That's something I want to get into, but I don't know where to start.

No need to worry about us EG, sending best wishes to you mother in law!

I hope your MIL has a good and swift recovery and sending good wishes to you and your family!

Tuesday update: Not my best day. I got home, the plan was to do S&S, but I felt super lazy as soon as I walked in the door, and made the choice to order pizza instead of cooking. I was then too full to exercise. I figured I'd call this my rest day, and get back on track with a run tomorrow. But then I realized that I have an early morning training for work, and can't go on a run tomorrow (with my work schedule and how early sunset is still I don't get home before it's dark). So S&S it is tomorrow. I'm also feeling super sore from the run, so an extra day off might be good for me. I did manage to find some energy and got chicken marinating for tomorrow to get meals back on track and made a chocolate pudding with tofu that my lactose-intolerant husband loved! He's picky about pudding and milk substitutes, so I call that a win. It was Mexican chocolate flavored and I was slightly heavy handed on the cayenne, so it's basically spicy chocolate pudding, but still tasty. I also meditated already this evening, so the day at least ended well. Work is stressful and chaotic right now, so I need to make sure I take the time to meditate instead of freaking out and stopping a lot of self-care like I usually do.

Yes, I got to I think week 4 in the zombies c25k program a few years ago. I might start that up again this spring, I forgot about that program! It's silly, but I feel so self conscious about walking on my run/walk intervals. I feel like the cars driving by are judging me, even though I know it's not true at all. I'm in the US In New Jersey, so the weather isn't awful right now, 30-40F and no snow, and I'm from Minnesota, so I don't mind the cold generally and actually like working out in it. As long as the air doesn't hurt to breathe, I'm good. Thanks! I have nowhere near the stamina for kettlebell sport, so I'm jealous of you S&S is getting kinda boring, so I do want to do some other kb work next challenge, I never thought of juggling though! I have no hand eye coordination at all, and I'd be worried for my fragile furniture. But would definitely be out of my comfort zone! What GMB programs have you done? Any particular favorites? I'm still not sure where on earth that running idea came from. Thanks! I'm all moved in and assessing what I lost. I now get the fun job of totaling up all my personal stuff that was ruined and claiming it through my employer. Somehow it's over $400 of stuff if I calculate the cost to repurchase it (a lot of it was on sale and/or gifts and was collected over a number of years so I never quite added it up myself before).

I definitely agree. In the US, because there are a bunch of different certifications, it's hard to know what you are getting if you randomly pick a trainer. And there's so much to know, anatomy, exercise science, and other stuff I don't even know enough about to name. But they are so valuable if you find a good one! I found my kettlebell trainer because she also taught barre classes, but that was a random bit of luck. I think it's so cool that you care about this and the people you train so much and that you work with people in school for this; there's nothing like actual real world experience.

Monday I did the running thing! I woke up and put on my exercise clothes so I'd have no excuse. My husband's reaction was "wow, you're actually going to go for a run" (he knows how much I dislike it.) I only did a mile, but that was a longer run than the 0 miles I usually do I even had an ok pace. I didn't die, but I didn't feel great. Mentally my mantra was "I hate running, why am I doing this" which could use some improvement. I think I might try to slow it down next time, not sure if that will help, or just prolong the agony. I did miss meditation yesterday, I still need to work on making it a habit. Today I'm planning on S&S, with one round of higher swings. But only one! I'm not allowed to get excited and do extra. I also need to remember I'm allowed to slow down the pace so I can make sure my technique is good.

"I've spent half an hour on the mat, and only did 5 poses" is exactly what I was thinking, especially during my first restorative session. Being wrapped in blankets was cozy, but felt like a waste of time (not saying it is, that was just my headspace going into it.) My apple watch also kept asking me if I was done with my workout because I wasn't moving, which wasn't good mentally either. But I agree, I need to do it more as well, because it was so uncomfortable (and it made me feel good for the next few days). This one was actually my favorite, but it seems that she only has one yin yoga video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjdlq5rNLag I also liked Yoga with Kassandra and she had a bunch of video options. I think I'm going to do hers going forward https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithkassandra

I've never heard of this sciatic nerve issue impacting flexibility, I'm going to have to do some underpants gathering of my own! I'm also working on my forward fold and always have had trouble (though I know part of it is from tightness in my shins that stems from my messed up arches). MadHatter dropping knowledge!

I hope your weekend was awesome! I love the idea of writing options, it seems like a great way to break the mental block around just doing things, which I suffer from a lot.

How did the tempo change on the bear crawls work? Your video looked great! I'm also working on my forward fold, so I'm in the same boat. I agree with everyone else, that people don't really know what strong women look like. You definitely are working hard and kicking booty and your work and dedication is inspiring! Rock those guns! At least when it stops with the crazy snow/ice, though shoveling helps with gun development

Happy belated birthday! Glad to hear you're on the mend and feeling better! That's awesome that there is that training for people who want to go into sports and movement! I haven't heard of FMS, or honestly the 5 major movement patterns, but they makes a lot of sense and I can see how the tests would be good way to catch issues early on. Thanks for answering my complicated question

It's hard when people are jerks, but you got this! You know all the awesome things your body can do, good job keeping it positive Glad to hear the challenge is going well! What book series are you reading?

Glad to hear nineteen is on the mend! I hope his recovery continues to go well! Congratulations on the pr; Pizza bulk for the win!

Week 2 update! I really need to be better about updating here! Goal 1: I did S&S on Tuesday and Friday, and I have to do one more session today. As I was saying above to EG, I think I got my swings back, so next week I think I'm goign to try 1 set with the higher weight. Next week I'd like to do S&S Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, I'm not sure why, but I always seem to take Thursday off, and I'd rather take Friday off. Goal 2: I accidentally skipped Friday meditation, my husband was sick and it completely slipped my mind. But the rest of the week was good, I even managed to do it in the morning a lot of the time! Goal 3: I settled on doing yin yoga as my new movement thing. I've done yoga before, but always hatha or vinyasa style, so this was a big change. I did it 3 times this week and tried out 3 different youtube instructors videos. The first was super restorative, the second focused on the hips, and the third was focused on the shoulders and chest, so it was a good balance. I enjoyed it, but it definitely was a practice in being uncomfortable. Sitting in a pose for 2-3 min with nothing to do but live in your sensations and accept them was good practice, not only for this movement goal, but also for my mediation goal. As an added bonus, my joins feel a lot more open now, especially my shoulders, so I think I want to incorporate this more going forward, especially on rest days. For next week, I've decided that my new movement for goal 3 is running. I've tried running before, but have never liked it. My plan is to do it 3 times this week, as it's finally going to be warm enough. I'm going to do some research on form and try to make this go well. I think this will be mostly a mental exercise, getting myself to see that I can do it and I'll be fine, even if it doesn't feel great. In exciting life news, the office repairs are finally done at work and we'll be moving back in on Monday! We got new carpet and new wall color, so my walls are nice and clean and ready for me to move in and decorate, without any of the holes that were left by the previous person. Now I just have to figure out how to file a claim through my work for the stuff that was damaged.