A drawing of the word November 11 Things For November
ADHD · fitness · goals · habits · self care · walking · yoga

11 Things For November

Christine Hennebury2 Comments

Do I still have a bunch of updates, some posts I promised, and a handful of drafts that I *should* be posting? 

Well, yes. 

But you know how I feel about the word should…(I hate it)

So, here I am on Monday, November 2 writing about my ideas for the month ahead instead of catching up on the various posts that I haven’t gotten to. 

Luckily, catching up on those posts is one item on my list so it all works out. Or, at least, it CAN work out. 🙂

Now, let’s roll with my fitness & well-being ideas for November 2026.

  1. Finish the 4 posts/updates I have partially drafted for Fit is a Feminist Issue

These posts are open loops and my brain would like to close them. Meanwhile, my brain is not keen to actually work on them, it just wants them to be done. Soooo, I am breaking them down into teeny steps and working on them bit by bit – which is always a good thing for me to practice and will be beneficial for my mental health.

  1. Do at least 11 ten minute yoga practices for my upper back.

My shoulders, upper back, and neck are pretty cranky these days and a daily practice feels out of reach but 11 is an odd number (in both senses of the word) of practices to do and that feels appealing to me.

  1. Have cake with at least one person per week in November

This is less about the cake than the conversation but I am kind of cheating with this one. My birthday is next week and at least 6 other people close to me have birthdays this month so it will not really be a challenge to pull this one off. It will definitely be good for my mental health though.

A drawing of a small robot holding a heart and a cupcake.
I don’t know why I drew this little robot on a slant but I like it. Image description: a drawing of a small smiling green robot holding a pink heart in one hand and a plate holding a cupcake with a lit candle in it in the other.
  1. Restart my strength training

If you recall, I was doing the Hybrid Calisthenics program for over 6 weeks this summer. Then I did something to my back (unrelated to the program) and had to take a break. I got back into it but then it fell by the wayside as my busy fall made exercise math too complicated to solve.* 

I’m starting the program again on Wednesday (November 4) because I know I have time that morning.

  1. Schedule time for reading and writing

This one covers a lot of different activities but I have scheduled myself some weekly time for reading and understanding some important non-fiction books I have set aside, I have signed up for my friend Trudy’s ‘Finish That Book’ course (I have a draft written but I need guidance for turning it into something I could publish), and I am doing some short daily writing exercises.

A drawing of a stack of books on a table.
I know these books don’t have titles but I didn’t want to commit at this point – ha! Image description: a drawing of a stack of books on a table. The bottom book is purple, the next one is yellow, next is green, and the top one is pink. The table cloth is decorated in small yellow, green, and pink polka dots.
  1. Yard work and a fire in the firepit

In general, I do a half-assed job in prepping my yard for the winter but this year I am consciously making time to tidy things up and ensure that I have less work to do in the spring when I want to enjoy my outdoor space even more. 

The fire in the firepit is a bonus for the outdoor work. I really like being a bit chilly while sitting by the fire with a cup of tea and some time to think.

  1. Go for one longer walk each week in November

I walk with Khalee almost every day but it’s more of a stroll than a walk and she’s not so keen on longer walks these days (she’s thirteen so that’s to be expected.) 

I sometimes find myself wanting to go a bit further, a bit faster, and do a bit more hard work on my walks but I don’t always fit that into my week so I am starting with one longer walk a week to see how that feels. (I’m trying to reduce my all-or-nothing thinking in all areas of my life.)

  1. Do 11 hours of decluttering/rearranging/tidying in my house

Again, the odd number has a certain appeal for me here. 

I don’t want to set myself a project of ‘declutter the house’ because there is no clear end to that project. 

And trying to do a little bit each day doesn’t feel very useful (I know it IS objectively useful but my brain refuses to believe it) so I needed another solution that would have a definite conclusion. 

So, 11 hours it is and I can do those 11 hours in whatever size chunks I like. 

  1. Have another art day with my friends

Through a series of coincidences, I ended up spending a few hours on the weekend collaging with some dear friends of mine and it was a wonderfully relaxing couple of hours.

I want to do that again this month but on purpose. Maybe as part of my birthday celebration.

10. Plan at least one thing to bake each week

I used to bake a lot more often than I do now and I think the issue is that I am waiting for the magical combination of free time and motivation. 

Of course, we all know that those things don’t just appear together regularly, we have to create the conditions for them to show up. 

So, this week I am going to make a cinnamon coffee cake.

But I will defy its very name and eat it while I have tea. 

11. Plan my December fun

I have learned my lesson from my October plans! I didn’t finish everything that I had on my October list but making the plan kept my ideas top of mind and it helped me choose to have more fun throughout the month instead of putting it off until the end.

So, throughout November, I will be making deliberate choices about what to include in my December plans so I can do what needs doing while increasing my capacity and my opportunities to have fun.  

*****

So, there it is, my November list.

Will I get all of this done? Who knows?

Does it matter? Definitely not!

Having this list will help me shape my days and my weeks and my month and I am determined to keep checking in with myself about the items on here. 

Maybe I will change my mind about some of them. Maybe I will reshape what some of them mean for me. Maybe I will do some of them exactly as I have written them.

Either way, having this guideline will make it easier to choose what to do with my time and it will give me some interesting information about what I want in my life and what feels good to include in my days. 

What kinds of things are you including in your November plans?

*Exercise math refers, in my case, to the challenges of trying to time my exercise sessions around a haphazard schedule, family, volunteer, and work obligations, the timing of showers and errands, all of which is complicated by my ADHD-related difficulty with prioritization, sense of time, and perception of effort required. I know everyone has to balance a lot of things to fit exercise into their days but the scheduling math seems to overwhelm me more often than it does for other people.

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Twelve reasons why Sam loves biking in the wind, the rain, and the cold #reblog

Sam B1 Comment

Fall is here. It’s grey, it’s windy, it’s rainy, and it’s cold. But still I love riding my bike. Here are some reasons why. 1. It’s hard to start but I always feel better after. I sometimes have to remind myself but it’s true. Studies show that people who work out because of the way […]

Twelve reasons why Sam loves biking in the wind, the rain, and the cold
fitness

The case for cold, dark walks #November #reblog

Sam BLeave a comment

So I am a resiliently cheerful person. I’ve often thought I could live almost anywhere for a period of time because I am good at finding things to love about even the most unlovable of places. I’ve also in the past thought the same thing about seasons and weather. Yes, the summer months are best–because […]

The case for cold, dark walks #November
Nap or workout?
fitness · sleep

Nap or workout?

Sam BLeave a comment

What I read: Nap or quick workout? A doctor explains the cognitive benefits after sleep deprivation

“Thirty minutes of evening cycling helped protect memory after a short night of sleep.

In this trial, 88 healthy young adults either cycled moderately for 30 minutes at 7 p.m. or remained seated. They later learned 80 face-name pairs before receiving either an 8.5-hour or 4.5-hour sleep opportunity.

After the shortened night, participants who had cycled recalled more than those who had rested. Their performance was comparable to the groups given 8.5 hours in bed.”

My two cents: I’ve often wondered whether to work out on the days that follow nights with less sleep.  I like the idea that short workouts,  say 30 minutes,  actually help us in terms of memory when we get less sleep. I’ve been thinking lately about the ways that sleep and exercise are connected.  Going to bed earlier helps you move more, for example. But also moving helps you get a better night’s rest.

fallen leaves in autumn colors Pumpkins, Plunges, and Picking Up Heavy Things: October 2026 on the Blog
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Pumpkins, Plunges, and Picking Up Heavy Things: October 2026 on the Blog

Sam BLeave a comment

How many posts? Fifty-two posts this month, counting yesterday’s Top Ten.

Who did the writing? Sam, Catherine, Diane, Nat, Christine, Nicole, Martha, Mina, Tracy, and Elan, with Laura joining in on a group post.

Taking stock. October is when the year’s goals start looking back at you. Diane opened the month checking in on her 26 Things in 2026, and Sam followed with her own #26in2026 check-up: some plans cancelled, some workouts counted, a few outings still possible. Sam also did some math and adjusted her cycling distance goals, trading 3,000 km for a more realistic 2,000. There were milestones too. Martha is leaping into her 60s with her hands full of joy, with twenty lessons on friendship, balance, and staying open to change. Nat celebrated her Birthday-Thanksgiving-Anniversary extravaganza (52 years old, 30 years married) and reported that she’s still married after the 30th anniversary hike, locked gate, missed trail markers and all. Later in the month she wrote honestly about weight changes since retiring (no goal weight, thanks) and confessed she’s been avoiding stretching for all the wrong reasons.

Older and stronger. The media discovered the Superfit Sixties and Sam, who knows a thing or two about fittest-by-fifty projects, had thoughts. She also responded to a headline about cycling after 60, made the case for why you need to lift and ride (road cycling alone isn’t great for bone density), sang the praises of farmer’s carries and big strength, and noted creatine is in the news again, this time for adults 45 to 65. Her favourite new label? Leisure athlete: all of the identity, none of the competing. Our group post asked what five simple exercises you can do at home, and Sam reminded us to never stop being a beginner. Curling, anyone?

Making fun on purpose. Christine announced she was determined to have more fun in October, and by mid-month she could report a clear increase in October fun. Planning for joy works! She also celebrated Train Your Brain Day (which is also International Day for Failure) and rounded up a few Halloween workouts to try. Sam, meanwhile, continues to say no thanks to the Halloween candy workout. Catherine made a case for pumpkin boat racing and for the return of night garden walking season. Nat showed off her new boots on her rainy walks, and Nicole looked ahead to the dark months with her Winter Well-being Toolkit.

Rest, sleep, and winding down. Sam asked readers about their favourite de-stressing exercises and, after her Garmin kept nagging her, about demanding days and winding down. Then she shared research suggesting that if you want to move more, you should go to bed earlier, and night owl Catherine responded to lark Samantha in defence of the evening swim. Nicole says let sleeping dogs lie (next to me), and there’s research on her side. Mina wrote movingly about straining toward ease and her frustration with advice that treats well-being as a matter of mindset. Catherine warned us to avoid the grey zone in training and in life, and Sam declared that October is not locking it in, not even a little bit.

The internet should not be your nutritionist (or your coach, or your mirror). Catherine went looking for the study behind a viral claim and found that, in chicken and rice vs. a DQ Oreo Blizzard, there’s no study at all. She also learned about looksmaxxing and was reminded of misogyny, and noticed that women’s-only gyms are back and the pink vs. not-pink debate continues. Sam looked at apps that make you do pushups before you can open social media in Workouts and Earning Your Access to Instagram. Diane turned the critical eye inward: sitting with uncomfortable biases in jazz class, taking her ballet teacher’s advice to do your best, and trying to let go of self-imposed patriarchal norms about housekeeping in retirement.

Women’s sport and women’s health. Sam previewed Canada vs. England in women’s rugby with Same Rivalry, Smaller Ball and then reported back on a big crowd and a great win for Canada: 18,621 fans at BMO Field, a North American record for women’s rugby. Nat’s Financing Friday looked at Canadian Tire putting half its sports partnerships toward women’s sport. And Diane took the plunge for menopause health, raising money for research at Sinai Health, then told us We Did It!: a 400-metre cold-water swim on World Menopause Day.

Brave firsts and new trails. Elan shared her impressions of her first 5K race. Tracy, fresh off September’s 5K, is already decking the halls for the Holly Jolly 5K. Martha faced her fears of heights and small spaces on a canopy tour, running towards the danger in midlife. Sam and Sarah found a new favourite bike trail for fall riding in Algonquin, Sam reminded cyclists to do the wave, and she shared one of the things she looks forward to about retirement: weekday rides (if she can find people to ride with).

What kept us writing? Partly it was the season. Shorter days and colder mornings had us planning for fun, for rest, and for getting outside in the dark. But it was also a month of posts talking to each other: Sam’s early-bedtime post got a reply from a proud night owl, Diane announced her cold plunge and then came back to tell us she’d done it, Christine set out to have more fun and then reported that she had, and Nat’s anniversary got two posts of its own. Running through it all was the idea that you can be a beginner at any age, and that doing your best looks different every day.

Want to know what readers liked best? Here are the Top Ten October 2026 posts.

Month-in-review posts are assembled by Claude with prompts from Sam and edited by Sam.

orange pumpkins on the field
Photo by Graham Hayward on Pexels.com
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November is Gratitude Month: What are you grateful for? #NationalGratitudeMonth

Sam BLeave a comment

I hate November, generally speaking. We all know that around here. It’s old news. More recently, like last year. I decided to bring out the big guns in mood improvement. For me, that’s time outside, indoor bright lights, cozy things, staying connected to friends and family, and gratitude. November is Gratitude Month. I blogged about […]

November is Gratitude Month: What are you grateful for? #NationalGratitudeMonth
vibrant fall pumpkins at outdoor market stall 🎃Top Ten October 2026 Posts 🎃
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🎃Top Ten October 2026 Posts 🎃

Sam BLeave a comment

🎃 Chicken and rice vs. DQ Oreo Blizzard shake: the internet should not be your nutritionist (Catherine)

🎃 From Fittest by Fifty to the Superfit Sixties? (Sam)

🎃 Nat’s Birthday-Thanksgiving-Anniversary extravaganza! Aka on being 52 and married for 30 years (Nat)

🎃 Women’s only gyms are back (did they ever leave?) and the PINK vs. NOT-PINK debate continues (Catherine)

🎃 Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (next to me) (Nicole)

🎃 Nat’s still married after the 30th Anniversary hike. (Nat)

🎃 Leaping into my 60s with my hands full of joy (Martha)

🎃 At the office, Catherine learns about looksmaxxing and thinks about misogyny (Catherine)

🎃 ‘Running towards the danger’ in midlife (Martha)

🎃 Straining Toward Ease (Mina)

🎃 Taking the Plunge for Menopause Health (Diane)

plants in halloween flowerpots
Photo by Nathan J Hilton on Pexels.com
Nat talks about weight changes
fitness · Sat with Nat

Nat talks about weight changes

natalieh (she/her)Leave a comment

Safety assurance, I’m not talking about calorie restriction, diets or weight loss as a goal. I am talking about my weight changing, up and down, over the past year.

Nat stands in her stairwell wearing a cute cropped sweater and some comfy jeans.

A year ago I was in New Brunswick unexpectedly. My dad was ill. I was really stressed out. I was not exercising. I was driving a minimum of 4 hours a day. I was eating on the run. I rapidly gained 20 pounds over a few weeks. I was surprised how much the circumstances affected me and my weight stayed at that level until May of this year.

In May I retired and refocused on my strength training and walking. I’ve sustained 20% more daily steps, up from 9,500 to 12,000. Yay! I’ve been more consistent with my strength training and I’m feeling jacked. Yay!

I do track my weight, as well as my pulse and blood pressure, and I started noticing a slight downward trend since I retired. Interesting! I wondered what was going on as unexplained weight loss means I need to talk to my doctor.

Daytime activity

I’m surprised how much movement is in my day now that I’m not in meetings from 9-5. It’s small things but I’m almost always on the move. I suspect that I’m using more energy each day than I did before I retired.

Lunch

When I was in the office I had lunch at the cafeteria. I always picked from the grill. Now that I’m home, I’m making lunch. It could be a salad with protein, soup and a sandwich or a big bowl of pasta. It’s never fried foods though and I think even the same foods prepared at home are less calorically dense.

Clean hands for crafting

My daily activities, like knitting and writing, mean my hands are busy and need to stay clean. It’s meant less snacking. It feels good. I am also very likely to get into flow and not snack as the hours fly by as I do things.

Intuitive eating?

The morning smoothie has stayed the same over the past year. What has changed is when I feel hungry I grab a quick snack right away. A cliff bar, banana or sardines seem to be what I reach for. I don’t wait until I’m ravenous.

I continue to go out for nice dinners and regularly have pastries. I’m feeling good. It’s also been a month of birthday cakes and my favourite flavour of cake is cake!

Slowly trending

My weight has slowly trended downward at a steady rate. It’s not dramatic. I don’t look smaller and my clothes fit the same. That small change over 5 months means the “sad about my dad” uptick in my weight is gone.

Slow changes

This week during our strength training I pointed out to Michel I no longer use a chair to assist me getting up off the floor. I’m feeling more balanced and flexible. These are not instagramworthy moments but they are small victories in my flexibility, balance and mobility.

Homeostasis

I’m curious to see where my body settles out with my new routines. I’m grateful that leaving paid work behind is helping me be more active.I don’t have a goal weight, I’m working on how much I can lift and how far I can hike. Those are my meaningful goals as they help me in my life. I do trust that my body craves homeostasis.

fitness

Financing Friday: Canadian Tire funding women’s sports

natalieh (she/her)Leave a comment

The headlines rippled through Canada earlier this week with this bump up from The Female Quotient:

The photo features Hayley Wickenheiser (Hockey), Kia Nurse (Basketball), Vicky Mboko (Tennis), Christine Sinclair (Soccer), and Marie-Philip Poulin (Hockey) in front of a Canadian Tire logo. The tagline reads “Canadian Tire” announces 50% of its sports partnerships will be dedicated to women’s sports.

This didn’t happen by accident. It was a target set in 2023. Now that this sponsor has achieved the first goal they are now looking to boost access to watching women’s sports.

There persists a gender gap in funding and pay for professional athletes. Funders use excuses like women’s sports aren’t profitable or entertaining.

Canadian Tire points to how starved sports fans are to be able to watch women in sport with

“75% of Canadians say they are fans of women’s sport, however 62% of fans say they do not know where to find the sport they want to watch.”

Canadian Tire Achieves 50 50

This focus on broadcasting and promotion will create a flywheel effect. Greater viewership means more ad revenue for broadcasters and more value for league and team sponsors. This makes more funds available to recruit and train athletes and pay them well. This increases the competition and pace of games, which feeds the excitement about watching them. That makes getting the broadcasting rights more valuable. And on and on it goes, a positive feedback loop of awesomeness.

I’m excited to see where we are this time next year in being able to watch more professional women’s sports.

fitness

Halloween candy workout? Sam says, no thanks

Sam BLeave a comment

Oh, Halloween. In addition to ghosts and ghouls at Halloween, there’s an awful lot of anxiety about candy, about having candy in our houses, about eating candy, and mostly about gaining weight. Scary. For me, given the number of fitness communities I run in, it means my social media newsfeed is full of a lot […]

Halloween candy workout? Sam says, no thanks