<p>Used to love Grape Nuts, cold or hot. :)</p>
<p>I kind of admire those of you who are enjoying yoga. I may have to try again one day. The slow pace just D-R-A-G-S for me. I’m not a good class person. </p>
<p>abasket, I could have typed your post! 
Used to love grape nuts (did not add anything except milk), and I can’t tolerate yoga. So yes, my hat is off to Pizzagirl, MOfWC, Bromfield and everyone else doing classes! </p>
<p>I think my relationship with hot yoga is sort of love/hate. The slowness of the class is offset by my fear that I might actually die in it! The instructor dialogue is very good- and is pretty much scripted with some variations between instructors. It is very challenging and we are encouraged to keep ourselves “on our mats”- in other words, not to worry about what everyone around us is doing or what we need to do later that day. It’s a good mental exercise. And- what I keep saying- I feel like I get cardio (from the heat), strength, balance and flexibility all at once. </p>
<p>My workout yesterday was cutting the grass. As I noted to DH, I didn’t have to pay anyone, I didn’t have to join a gym, and I got to drink coconut water afterwards. :)</p>
<p>I have a new obsession and am trying to track it down. In the 4th of July parade we saw a 3-wheel scooter ridden by an adult. No motor–you evidently power it by a cross-country-ski style motion of your legs! I found it online (a Trikke) but want to try before I buy. One store in town evidently carries them. When DH is in town we are going to check this out! It looks like so much fun and good exercise.</p>
<p>That sounds interesting Momannoyed! </p>
<p>I’m waiting for the “cold” yoga trend. I don’t think I could ever do the hot yoga - I seriously get claustrophobic in hot places/closed places/lots of people places. Guess that would be one way to get my heart rate up - a panic attack! </p>
<p>abasket- before I went to my first hot yoga class, I would have never thought I could stand it. The studios I’m going to now are very light and spacious and you aren’t shoulder to shoulder. I feel like I have plenty of personal space. I have been to crowded classes in the past, though. The true Bikram studios do not have windows and can get very smelly and crowded. It really is a pretty good vibe in most of the knock-off studios. I DID like Bikram, but I’m just not willing to do ONLY 90 minute classes and I like these knock-off studios better with the windows and brightness.</p>
<p>Worked out with a new trainer yesterday (I’m at our vacation place). Since it was the first time I worked with her, I had to do a fitness assessment. I could tell she was surprised that I accomplished everything she asked–there were only two things that were difficult for me: getting up from the floor while in a seated position and a balance exercise (especially with the right leg–which was the one I broke ages ago and still has one screw in it.) I’m going to work on balance and my goal for the summer–bench press 120 pounds–which the trainer says I could do. </p>
<p>My folks (who were immigrants from Croatia) never let us have sugar cereal–we had oatmeal all the time. I hated oatmeal and loved it when I went over to a friend’s house and could have sugar cereal. We also couldn’t have soda (or as they say in the Midwest–“pop”). My mother (who was clearly ahead of her time) always thought sugar was “the devil”. </p>
<p>Got a “legit spam” email from Net a Porter touting the launch of their exercise and fitness fashion site Net-a-Sporter:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.net-a-porter.com/us/en/m/sport”>http://www.net-a-porter.com/us/en/m/sport</a></p>
<p>I was hoping that they would be selling Gucci running shorts B-) or something cool like that, but all they have is Nike! Lol. Lululemon marketing can breathe a sigh of relief - their stuff is way cuter. </p>
<p>Bunsen- have you worn Oiselle stuff? (I’ve been pronouncing it wrong all along according to this article) I like some of their stuff and my son’s GF loves it. This is an interesting article about some of their marketing tactics which have been controversial.<br>
<a href=“Oiselle Wants to Be a Different Kind of Apparel Brand | Runner's World”>Oiselle Wants to Be a Different Kind of Apparel Brand | Runner's World;
<p>I remember once when we were living in Somalia the Commissary ran out of cold cereal and we ate Vanilla Wafers with milk. It’s a wonder we survived our childhoods! I haven’t had cereal in years except for sprinkling a tablespoon or so of granola on yogurt. I have to keep it in the fridge or it grows moths.</p>
<p>Nice article, MOfWC! I know they are local, but have not tried any of the apparel. I should! Thanks for posting the link - interesting stuff. It seems like nowadays everyone is trying to get into personal fitness market: selling or making apparel, gadgets, wearables, etc. which is great, because anything that motivates folks to get off their butt, lay off the sugar, and move is fabulous. :)</p>
<p>Quick trip to the gym today for a mile warm-up on the treadmill and an interval workout. Two mile walk this evening. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Way to show the trainer!</p>
<p>Getting up from the floor without hands is hard. I can do it from sitting crosslegged, but it doesn’t feel like something my “middle aged” knees like very much.</p>
<p>I think the ultimate balance exercise is the ol’ single leg deadlift. It is ruthless in uncovering any wobble!</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOmX37QmB5U”>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOmX37QmB5U</a></p>
<p>I’ve been working on it for three years. I’ve mostly stopped wobbling, but I’m got a long way to go on some other stuff.</p>
<p>This is one that everyone should be doing (well, maybe MOWC should wait until her broken bone is healed). It a terrific exercise even with no weight, just reaching to touch the opposite toe. Or the reaching version:</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa2FhCjUhkI”>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa2FhCjUhkI</a></p>
<p>This is all about hip/glute stability. Maybe it’s just me, but I find it really difficult.</p>
<p>We do something very similar to that in hot yoga! We call it balancing stick. We hold it for 10 seconds on each leg- twice. I’m not good at it. </p>
<p>I walked for 30 minutes after work. It was my only exercise today, and I’m not supposed to be “fitness walking” yet, but it seemed to go OK. I was not fast, but did wear my Garmin and running clothes. I sort of pretended to be a runner. Did my push-ups, too. I’m doing them on my knees since I can maintain my form and do more that way. </p>
<p>I also lifted up my 19 pound cat a few times. </p>
<p>Cat curls. Great exercise! I bet it feels great to get out and walk for 30 minutes after the ordeal on crutches.</p>
<hr>
<p>On the single leg deadlift, I’m working on trying to get a long straight line from my foot to my head. And, also to keep the foot in back from rotating out (toes pointing to the side). Ideally, the hips should stay square and the toes pointing down on the back foot. So, even when the balance is OK, there’s plenty of ways to cheat.</p>
<p>“Cat curls. Great exercise!”</p>
<p>Indeed. Here you go:</p>
<p><a href=“Exercising With Cats Is The Best Thing (VIDEO) | HuffPost Entertainment”>HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost;
<p>and this:</p>
<p><a href=“Exercising With Cats - Kitty-robics 8.29.09 - YouTube”>Exercising With Cats - Kitty-robics 8.29.09 - YouTube;
<p>:)</p>
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</p>
<p>Hmmm, I consider any Cheerios other than the classic kind to be too sweet. Same with any kind of shredded wheat other than the plain (non-frosted) kind. Or oatmeal other than the plain kind.</p>
<p>Lol re catercise 
the first one was adorable…the second one made me fear for the cat!</p>
<p>The single leg deadlift is still not my friend either, idad, but I haven’t been at it as long as you have. I do them with the kettlebell. That reach version in the video feels a lot easier, i just tried it. Likely due to my leg-hip-glute muscles from hill-walking, which same does seem to engage. There is, however, a dramatic difference in stability between my dominant (left) side and right side.</p>
<p>I’m a wee bit cranky this week due to two days of thwarting my hill-pool routine due to early morning appointment shenanigans. I am just not as happy with the whole overwork situation if it cuts into this particular segment of my me time. I’ve got to get better at the “No” but there are extenuating circumstances with scheduling right now.</p>
<p>Hang in there, KMC. </p>
<p>I met with my trainer yesterday and thankfully, she listened to me when I told her I didn’t want to do machine work. The only machine we used was whatever you call the contraption that’s used for assisted pull ups. I’m not even sure what all the exercises were called, but I got a good workout in and I have a nice chart to follow when I’m not working with her. Lots of focus on core/glutes and some upper body. Three mile run and some stretching/flexibility followed. Not too terribly sore today. </p>
<p>I have trouble keeping my hips squared with the balancing stick. We have our arms in front of us with hands clasped, basically. There is a lot to work on. I think my body is in one line sometimes and I catch a glimpse in the mirror and- well, not so much.</p>