I hope you’re having a good December so far!
Here in my part of the world it has been bitterly cold this month, with a wee bit of reprieve today. The only downside to the reprieve is the 50 km/hr plus winds that come with it. It’s great out of the wind, but BRRRR when one is in it.
Let’s Start with Life
I had so many plans today for getting outside things done, but all I got accomplished was bringing my truck home from my daughter’s. (It was their second vehicle for a few months when her car broke down.) With the high winds I was not impressed driving home, because my truck is a two-wheel drive and doesn’t have its winter weight in the box yet. Some of the snowdrifts weren’t nice at all.
But, I made it home and the truck will now sit in my yard until spring I’m sure. The only challenge I have now is to get if from in front of my garage to the shop in the back; but that’ll be another day’s project. I’m not even going to attempt to move any snow today, because my snowblower trail will be blown in before I get turned around. The joys of living in Alberta. But truth be told, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
The past 2 1/2 years have not been kind to me in terms of my weight and flexibility. And in all honesty, neither was great before, simply due to crazy work hours and me having trouble staying on track.
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Yoga
I have taken it upon myself to start my journey to a thinner, healthier me. And in doing so, I’m documenting my journey on my new blog. Initially I was going to document it here but decided not everyone who follows this blog will be interested in my yoga. Hence the new one.
I’m not an expert in yoga by any means, but I do know that when I have stuck to it I felt better and could move better. And let’s face it, as the years add up I need all the help I can get.
I’ve taken yoga classes that almost killed me (or at least it felt like it), because I wasn’t at the level the instructor taught. We were all beginners, but she was more accustomed to intermediate and advanced levels. I didn’t go to more than a couple because I couldn’t see how it was helping if I hurt so much for days after.
My goal is to not only improve my own health and wellbeing with my new blog, but to also help others as I go. I’m a lot camera shy, but the only way to demonstrate a pose is to do it with the camera rolling. So, once again, I’ll be stepping out of my comfort zone and a) help others who are watching, or b) totally embarrass myself. Either way, I’m sure there’ll be an entertainment factor there somewhere.
Low Impact Workouts
Not all exercise has to hurt the joints. Walking is a great way to get the heart rate up without putting unnecessary stress on the knees and hips.
Mix it up with some punches, kicks, or side-stepping, and you’ve got a workout that gets the steps in plus raises the heart rate. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t tried it myself. After the first 10 minutes I thought I was going to pass out.
The beauty of these workouts is you can do them in 10 minutes. You don’t have to dedicate an hour to a workout, because seriously, who has time for that? I know an hour would probably make it so I couldn’t walk for a week, so why not break it up into smaller segments?
I’ll be talking more about my process over in the new blog as well, and the camera will definitely have to come out for the demos on that one.
Wrapping It Up
When you live in a climate that is cold and snowy, going out to a gym to exercise isn’t always feasible. And when you live in the middle of nowhere, justifying the trip into town isn’t generally going to happen. At least not for me.
Yoga and low impact workouts can be done at home, no matter what the weather is like outside. All it takes is some dedication, upbeat music, and a space to do it. I’m fortunate in some aspects because I don’t have to share my space with anyone. (That’s also a downside to life, but it’s my choice.)
So if you’re interested in following my journey to a healthier me, check out my 50 Something Yoga blog. If not, that’s okay too. I’ll be back again soon with some thoughts and advice about Christmas.
I love posts like this, and I also love the pivot you’ve made. Now I know what you’re talking about, because your new blog looks interesting and right up my alley. Low impact workouts are my jam, as my recent injuries have got me looking into ways to stay active without putting further stress on my body. Swimming is amazing. And I’m getting into walking too. Looking forward to your posts!
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Thank you Stuart. I found high-impact didn’t do anything for me besides aggravate my knees, so I had to find a better way.
As for swimming, I swim like a rock. I’m not a fan of water any deeper than my ankles at the best of times. (Too many scares as a kid.)
I’ve done a couple of 20-minute low-impact workouts, and they definitely get the heart rate going too.
Thanks for the comment, and I hope I can help you find something that works for you. 🙂
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