Romani–look for mindful meditation groups/classes. It can help you cope with pain. I do lots of volunteer work at a cancer support center (provides resources to assist patients get through cancer treatment). Our clients say the mindfulness-based meditation class Is extremely helpful for them. There is research to support this–check out info on the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body at Mass General Hospital.
Aren’t you in Ann Arbor?? I would bet money that you can find meditation classes/groups there. Wishing you pain-free days as you go forward. Good luck!
@bromfield2 Thank you! I will definitely look into that. Not quite in Ann Arbor but close enough! This is all very new to me because I’m someone who (until recently) hadn’t considered much other than “conventional” (biomedical) therapy. Now that biomed has failed me in a lot of ways (meaning it hasn’t relieved my pain), I am becoming much more open-minded. Better late than never
I am also trying acupuncture shortly… as soon as I get around to making an appointment!
I do feel a weight off my shoulders right now. I was very worried about this hematology appointment because the thought of something wrong with my blood scares me in ways that the other issues haven’t. If it’s just the bad anemia, I will be so relieved because that is actually treatable
@Bromfield2 I looked up mindfullness in Ann Arbor and found a course for $400
I have now found free drop-in sessions actually at U of M lol. I choose free… unfortunately they’re at times that conflict with other things for a few weeks but I have put them on my calendar!!
I actually do not know how old I was at menopause because I was on the pill until I turned 50 and never had a period after I went off the pill. So who knows? Had some night sweats for a few years but was very lucky not to have daytime hot flashes or anything else.
Very nasty cold,windy rainy day here so 4 miles on the treadmill. Will do weights shortly.
hey romani – there’s an app called headspace that DD (who is in her 20s) said she uses (vs my offer to pay for her to do Transcendental Meditation with me). I tried not to take it personally lol. She has a lot of anxiety (prefers not to medicate) and she said it was helpful – maybe check it out (it’s free).
Got some good news tonight – the half I ran DOES count as a qualifier (the reason it wasn’t on the list for qualifying half marathons for 2016 was because it was canceled due to our enormous Jan snowstorm in Central Park). So I have guaranteed entry to run NY in 2018!!
Now just have to work on entry for the NYC 2017. It’s either the lottery or I raise $ for a charity (again) which was kind of its own full time job.
Thanks MOWC!! I have to confess – my “K2” (really high mountain you want to climb) is qualifying for Boston. Tough, I know, but I am more motivated with specific goals. For those of you on this thread who have done it (Bunsen for sure) my hat is off to you. But one thing at a time.
Bah. Such a crummy day here, and a crummy day at work too…I came home and had my jammies on by 6:30. Now it’s 10:15 and I’m beating myself up for not working out today. Tomorrow, I guess…
6 miles this morning. Cold wet and windy. Very windy last night. I think we’re getting some weather soon. It’s about time they named storm systems after astrological signs. “Leo” - love it. What’s next? Pets? “Hurricane Fluffy descends on the Eastern seaboard.”
That happens @JustaMom5465 ! Crummy days can turn into crummy, unproductive evenings!
I really find I transition much better from work to home (and leave work behind) when I come home and do something active. It helps me to feel tired at night and eventually ready to sleep. It helps me to get “home” focused instead of work focused.
I’ve been enjoying some purposeful walks with a podcast. Running 3 days a week is enough for me. I’ve also added purposeful walks (Sabaray’s words I think!) to my goal for the year - I’ve always done them but not been committed to them. I now have a 2017 mile goal for walking too. Yesterday it was the grayest of gray days (and today is too!) and even a tad drizzly. But after work I put on walking gear, covered my head, loaded up a podcast and off I went for a 3.5 mile walk. A podcast helps those steps and time just fly by!
I need music when I run but like the “talk” when I walk. Poet and didn’t know it.
A 4:30 exercise class is a good bridge from work to home for me. I don’t like to exercise in the evenings, but late afternoon seems to be a good time. I try and schedule those for Wednesdays - the pups don’t like it as it delays their dinner and walk, but it’s only one day a week.
We had a brisk wind this morning - we had a lot of rain and wintry mix yesterday which wasn’t a lot of fun. 6.4 this morning at a good pace and HR.
I meant to thank @deb922 for the cooking review. Of everything I’ve tried, I have to say I prefer Chef’d. Free delivery over $40, high quality product, fairly clear cooking instructions. I have to say a few of the recipes would be challenging to understand for a less experienced cook and I have made a few modifications to preparations along the way. All in all though it’s a good value and easy to put together.
Beach walk yesterday afternoon. Actually, being blown along the beach would be a more accurate description! H found a spectacular shell for my collection, but for the most part, not too many finds. I guess the better beachcombing is after the waves die down some.
Long pup walk this morning. Waves are still pounding in, but at least the wind has died down. H and I are having lunch and then playing golf with friends this afternoon. I’m delighted to get out on the links; H not as much. But, I’m sure it will be fun.
3.3 miles this morning. It sure doesn’t seem much lighter in the mornings yet! It’s SO hard for me to get out there. Glad to be outside, though. 39 and no wind, but gloom, gloom, gloom.
I gained some weight on the Florida trip, of course. I decided one big difference between my eating at home and the way my sister and her household eats is that we don’t have many food items at each meal. We have maybe 2 or 3 items. If we make Asian salad (slaw based), that is our meal. For my sister, it is a side dish and there are about 5 others. One night in FL we ordered in from a really good barbeque place. The family style meal came with 3 sides and 2 meats. That would have been more than enough for my husband and me. My sister got shrimp (big ones) for appetizer, also had cheese and crackers and made a big salad. It’s just too much food for me! This is not to mention the multiple desserts! She worked really hard at WW about 5 years ago and lost about 25 pounds. She’s done pretty well keeping it off, but now a bunch has come back. My brother in law has also put on some weight. I worry about them, because they have a lot of stress and they really don’t exercise effectively. I don’t expect them to be me, by any means, but walking the 4 Greyhounds 1/2 mile and stopping every 10 feet for someone to pee is NOT exercising. I keep my mouth shut, but my sister really struggles with sweets. She knows this- and is getting back on her eating plan, but with company there she throws it out the window.
I agree that any movement is better than nothing, but I am a firm believer that a few times a week it is important to get your HR up and break a sweat. Pedaling a cruiser bike 3 miles in flat Florida doesn’t meet that criteria.
So true. At our house too - unless it’s a special meal or the kids are coming for dinner or something - there are only a couple of components to the meal. Less calories to choose from and less dishes to clean up!
H has been doing a lot of walking since he has been retired. I’m proud of him for that - he tries for a good hour walk most days. BUT, his pace isn’t too fast - I don’t know that he breaks a sweat. And, he seems to have really curtailed his visits to the gym - where he CAN break a sweat and get other crosstraining options.
Our dog is a corgi-beagle with short legs. And a sniffer. The pace of our walks is probably not even on the charts it’s so slow! Sometimes he gets a good pace but all that sniffing…however my “purposeful walks” - I can usually average about a 14 minute mile which I don’t think is too bad - especially when it is neighborhood miles while means sometimes slowing down crossing blocks, etc. - that said, I find myself jogging here and there - across the street, at the end of a block, etc. to keep my pace down - and yes, to actually sweat a little - even when its winter!
Our meals are pretty simple too, usually a protein and a big salad. Multiple dessert days are over.
The majority of my running and walking are neighborhood miles - I’m jealous of the folks who have a big park or running path. Morning walks with the pups are pretty slow - have to smell everything that happened overnight - but they like to get some exercise in the afternoon so the pace is definitely a bit brisker then!
Now that H has been back to work he’s not exercising, not walking and definitely not watching his diet. His choice and I can’t fix that.
If it wasn’t for neighborhood miles I would not have many miles on my docket! While I will get in the car occasionally to go to a park/trail, it is because I can do this fitness activity by walking out my door that it gets done.
That said, our park system is putting in a new bike/walk trail (paved) that will be one block from home and hopefully ready this May - I can’t tell you how excited I am to have another option! This perk literally has stalled me from considering a move. With this portion of the expansion the trail will only be 1.4 miles long but that means close to 3 out and back - I can’t wait to break it in!
Abasket - that is fantastic about the trail coming to your neck of the woods! The house we looked at last weekend… hope we will get it. There is a great trail not too far from it… And Mr. will have his fix of yardwork, too - the property needs major TLC. I really hope that the easy access to the trail will energize our evenings a bit - it will be hard to find excuses not to get out of the house on a day when it is not raining cats and dogs. So fingers crossed!!!
