Back when we published our goals for 2022 (you can read it here), Tangerine Tea wrote one of her goals was to go to the gym regularly. Winter Bee stopped making that a resolution since she knows she’ll never keep it. (hence the ish of the title!).
So how are we doing at our goals, and in body health in general?
Winter Bee:
I’ll say it outloud- I am not a fan of going to a gym and exercizing with other people.
I was born with two left feet, and stumbling and flailing about in a jazzercize/aerobics/zoomba class does nothing for my ego. You know that one person in the back with no rhythm, lifting her feet barely two inches from the floor, bumping into everyone around her, until she gives up (five minutes into the class) and lays gasping for breath on her yoga mat until the blessed end of the 45 minute torture? That would be me.
The only place I is like to get sweaty is in the garden.
I do like walking though. One of the things I’m looking forward to in retirement is the chance to join my other retired friends in weekly walks. I started riding my bike 10 years and enjoyed it, but with nowhere local to ride I’ve stopped. Another retirement goal is to start going to my local Airline Trails and ride again.
Over the years I used the Walk at Home videos, which I liked playing my own music to and just follow along with the steps.
I got pretty couch potato-ish after two surgeries last summer and fall, and now my exercize routine consists of walking in place while I watch my favorite YouTube videos. DON’T JUDGE ME.
I got out in the yard this past weekend and after only an hour my thighs were burning. So I do have to get the muscles in better shape for working in Winter Bee Garden.
Along with age has come some wisdom about my body and body-acceptance. I’ve learned I can’t build Rome in a day and to stop pushing myself beyond my limits. When I do physical activity too hard- even when it’s something I like, like gardening- I end up exhausted, discouraged, and less likely to go back the next day.
I’ve also been overweight my entire life, and I’m thinking at 63 it’s pretty unlikely I will suddenly be thin and wrinkle free and all that. Honestly, I like ice-cream and going out to dinner and I’m unwilling to give them up.
What I do want, as I age, is the keep my body in the healthy state I need to work in the garden, play with the grands (although the 5yo gently suggested I ride the quad if we’re racing to make the competition even), and go up and down stairs with out huffing and puffing. Managable goals!
Tangerine Tea:
I am the complete opposite of Winter Bee. I LOVE working out! Don’t get me wrong, there was a long time where I hated it. I would force myself to go to the gym and sometimes just sit in my care for a while trying to convince myself that I’ll feel good afterwards. I have gone through waves of working out for awhile and long stretches of not working out at all.
Making regular gym time a new years resolution was to encourage myself to make working out a life long habit instead of six months on, six months off.
I restarted my exercise journey last May. I was going right before the pandemic, and by this time I was ready to go back. I also thought maybe I could get a little more in shape before my wedding. That didn’t really happen, but was did happen was taking time to take care of my physical self and start making it a routine.
Back in November, I decided I wanted to lose some weight. This is always a weird thing for me to say out loud because usually people see me as skinny. My weight is distributed in such a way that I look kinda fit. However, I have learned what my healthy weight threshold is and I was towards the top of it. That is when I decided to get serious about going to the gym on a schedule and eating healthier. (I still go out to dinner and eat ice cream.)
Now-a-days, I go 2-3 times a week. It helps that as soon as I come home from work, I immediately put on my work out clothes and then leave again for the gym. I’m usually there for over an hour and by the end, I am so proud of myself for going. I start with cardio for 25 minutes, then move on to weights. I separate out my excersizes. One day is abs, one day is back and arms, and one day is legs.
In the past couple weeks, I have started yoga! This is something I have wanted to try for awhile, but was always nervous to go. See, as much as I love working out, I don’t love working out with a trainer or in a class. I’m happy to say that the yoga class I have found it amazing! The instructor is kind, encouraging, and fun. Everyone in the class are at different levels, so there is no need to worry if you lose your balance, because some else is probably right there with you.
I also love hiking in the summer. Last year I got a bike, so I’m excited to break it in this year! Maybe this year I can encourage Winter Bee to do some hikes with me. (Pam says maybe.)
Do you like to exercise? Or do you totally despise it? How do you get your exercise in? Let us know in the comments!
