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.
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.”
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.
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 […]
Retirement feels busier than when I worked full time. I have been putting in a lot of long hours at my part-time lifeguarding/swim instructor job and I have also been focusing on getting my fitness activities in. Plus there is elder care across town. Despite the huge portion of the burden my sister takes on, it somehow feels more demanding than single parenting ever did.
These are all responsibilities I mostly took on joyfully, just as I did full time work after university. I had been raised in the 1960s and 70s with the idea that women can do everything. But in the 1980s, that morphed into superwoman syndrome, where women worked outside the home and still took on the burden of all the unpaid work inside the home.
I think back to those early days in the 1980s and I am struck by how much I still feel bound to externally-imposed housekeeping norms, and therefore a failure.
This image of an Octopus Woman managing housekeeping, parenting, cooking, scheduling, and working outside the home. Source: The Wandering Writer.
My mother and my ex mother in-law were mostly stay-at-home parents. In Mom’s case, at least, it was largely because we moved often. By the time she found a job as a nurse, my dad got posted to a new location.
Both of them maintained perfectly tidy houses. Mom used to say she came to visit me, not my house, when things weren’t perfect. My mother-in-law was less kind. She obsessed about sweeping floors three times a day, and washed her kitchen floor daily. She was not shy about doing the same at my house when she came to visit, even though my house was clean.
In retirement, I am finally trying to let go of those expectations.
I live alone, shower at work and after swim practice, so my shower and tub rarely get used. Do I need to scrub them weekly when they may not have been used for weeks? No, I do not.
Could I hire a cleaning service? Probably, once I get over my obsession with cleaning before they get here.
Realistically, I don’t need to dust everywhere in my house at least weekly. I’m pretty observant and have a good sense of when there is actual dust to remove (and then I usually get it done fairly quickly).
Some rules are good: I do change the sheets and do my laundry weekly. I make a serious effort to clear kitchen counters before bedtime because I like to wake up to a clean kitchen. But I am letting go of Mom’s maxim that a clean sink is a sign of a clean house (desiring a gleaming sink does not make me any more inclined to reorganize the bicycle storage room).
I use an app to help me track the jobs I truly loathe, like cleaning bathrooms and washing floors regularly, and remind me to do certain seasonal things.
The biggest thing I need to let go of is the belief that I can be superwoman, decades after the concept was debunked.
“Superwomen only exist in comic books”. A woman in Wonder Woman costume is clearly racing to solve a crisis somewhere. Source: The Wandering Writer,
I have never thought about it as a toolkit, but as we head into the shorter, darker, colder months in the Northern Hemisphere, I’m thinking about ways in which I can try to build protection from the seasonal blahs.
Since I’m not handy, maybe I should think about it less as a toolkit, and more as ingredients for a nourishing soup.
Here are some thoughts:
Continue lifting heavy (occasionally, using that time to picture conquering demons).
Run when I can (when the sidewalk is not icy) and work on leaving worries on the pavement.
Limit time on soul suckers such as online debates about topics such as “going grey or dyed hair”, “Pilates or strength training”, “HRT/MHT – yay or nay”. I find that the more people are certain of their stance on these pressing issues, the more it seems best to ignore their opinions. Especially if their opinions are screamed in ALL CAPS on Threads or similar. It is a truth as old as time that you should do what work for you and not care about what others are doing.
Remember that what people are screaming about at each other, online, does not match how they would talk to each other in person. Look for open and calm conversations, in real life.
Look for ways to help people in real life, whether in my local community or in the bigger world.
Re-learn some hobbies (crochet? drawing? mah-jong?)
I am actually in the middle of two other posts for our blog here but I am not going to have either of them ready in time to post for tomorrow (I’m typing this on Monday night).
One of those posts has been in progress for a while but the other one was a fun idea that I came up with late on Monday afternoon and I won’t have time to finish it this evening. I was busy being low-key annoyed with myself for my semi-regular habit of coming up with fun ideas when it is pretty much too late to pull them off when I realized that I have often thought of event-themed posts for Fit is a Feminist Issue on the day of the actual event and it is probably too late for our readers to give them a try.
And THAT made me realize that Tuesday the 27th would actually be a useful time to post Halloween-themed workouts because we would all have time to actually try some.
So, here we are!
I’ll post my too-late-to-pull-off-today idea a little later in the week and, in the meantime, I’m actually doing a Halloween-themed post in plenty of time.
I’m calling that a victory!
Now, these workouts vary in length but please remember that you can do just part of the video if you are pressed for time or energy or you could do the shorter ones more than once, I guess. 🙂
Have fun!
A Spooky Halloween Workout from Kate Carmela. Image description: still image shows the instructor standing with her arms extended out to the sides. She is wearing all black and her shirt says ‘if you got it, haunt it’ with three ghosts in between the two phrases. In the background, there is a replica of the Seymour plant from Little Shop of Horrors.
This video from Yoga with Adriene is called Yoga for Inner Space travel. Image description: the still image shows Adriene wearing an alien costume – a pair of antennae and shiny green bodysuit that extends to her wrists and ankle. She is standing with her legs apart and her hands on her hips and the background is of thousands of stars in Outer space so it kind of looks like she’s floating in the stars. The word ‘inner’ is in capital letters on the left side of the image and the word ‘space’ is in capital letters on the right side of the image with Adriene in the middle..
This video from ZT’s Fitness Studio is called Chair Halloween Edition/ Chair Dance/Chair Fitness/Chair Zumba. Image Description: the steel image shows about a dozen adults exercising in their chairs in a fitness studio that has been decorated for Halloween with various wall, hanging purple decorations, and witches’-brooms hanging on the back wall. The instructor is wearing a purple and black witches, hat and purple and black striped leggings with yellow and black socks. Everyone in the class has their right arm raised in the air and they are lifting their right knee upwards..
This video from yoga with Kate Amber is called Spooky Halloween Yoga for a Scary Stretch. The still image shows the instructor wearing a skeleton costume (on her body) mid-yoga pose. She is crouched near the floor with her right arm and leg extended to the right, her left knee is bent with her foot flat on the floor and her left hand is rest on the floor near her left foot. There are pumpkins on the floor near her.
This video is called Fun Halloween Fitness Challenge: Just 7 Minutes from Lucy Wyndham-Read. The still image shows the instructor standing side-on with her left side facing us and she has her face toward the camera. She’s wearing a black outfit (long sleeved shirt and capris) with white sneakers and wearing cat ears. She is holding the a broom aloft but we can only see a straw handle. The rest of the image is a digital background of storm clouds, black birds, bare tree limbs, and a wooden boardwalk. Text reading 7 Minute Fun Halloween Workout is in the centre of the image.
This video from DanceFitWithNic is called Halloween Dance Workout for Beginners/Fun & Low Impact. The still image is mostly in red and black with some text in white. The instructor is pictured on the right wearing a red jacket with black trim and she has her hands raised towards the camera like extended claws. Her black hair is pulled loosely back from her face, she has dark circles of makeup around her eyes and dark lines on her cheekbones and her mouth is open so we can see her top teeth – she looks like she is growling at the viewer. Text on the screen reads “Halloween Edition 15 Minute Dance Workout. Home Workout. No Equipment – Full Body.” The words “Min” and “No Equipment” are in red and the rest is in white. There’s a red frame around “15 Min” and around “Home Workout. No Equipment – Full Body.”
I was at a party the other day and a friend started to talk about the great October lock in he’s doing. Then at dinner a few days later another friend mentioned that they were starting the 75 Hard for a second time. It’s not a fitness challenge per se, rather a mental toughness challenge.
I do like that this friend has modified it in various ways. Like no daily photo and if they miss a day they don’t think they need to start over.
Here’s the usual rules:
Daily Rules
• Two Workouts: Complete two 45-minute workouts per day, with at least one session performed strictly outdoors. • Strict Diet: Follow a designated nutrition plan of your choice with zero cheat meals and zero alcohol. • Water Intake: Drink one gallon (about 3.8 liters) of water daily. • Reading: Read 10 pages of a physical, non-fiction or self-improvement book each day. • Progress Photo: Take a daily full-body progress picture.
But there’s also the 75 Soft which we’ve blogged about here.
Here’s the rules for that:
Core Rules of the 75 Soft Challenge
• Daily Movement: Complete one 45-minute workout per day, with built-in active recovery or rest days allowed. • Hydration: Drink about 3 liters of water daily. • Nutrition: Eat well, incorporate more nutrient-dense whole foods, and reserve alcohol for social occasions. • Mindset & Learning: Read 10 pages of any book each day. • No Restart Penalty: Unlike 75 Hard, missing a target doesn’t force you back to Day 1; you simply reset and keep going with self-compassion.
Me, I’m just trying to eat well, get enough sleep, lift weights and ride my bike, as well as doing some mobility exercises.
Here’s last year’s post about the challenge and October lock in.
What is the “great lock in” fitness trend and OMG is October now the new January? – FIT IS A FEMINIST ISSUE
Last week, the New York Times, the paper of record, known for taking on the hard-hitting issues of our day, put a crack team of reporters to work on a riveting investigative story:
The return of the women-only gym. As more women lift, some are seeking out weight rooms of their own.
Honestly, I’m not sure women-only gyms ever went away. I used to go to a women-only gym in Boston called Healthworks, which has been in business since 1977. I started going there as a grad student on a very-cheapo membership. Since then, I bounced around various gyms and now spend my money for a monthly membership to my yoga studio, Artemis in Watertown.
But while I wasn’t paying much attention, the NY Times tells us the following happened to women’s gyms.
But by the 2010s, the 20th century model faltered, thanks in part to a younger generation who associated it with their moms or grandmothers. For many millennial gym-goers, boutique studios that attracted mostly women, like barre and Pilates studios, largely took the place of the women-only gym, said Shay Kostabi, co-founder of Fitcarma, an exercise industry consulting firm.
And yet, several members of the new women-only gyms said the difference between working out among mostly women and all women felt significant.
But recently, some women opened women-only gyms, complete with Barbie pink decor, and (in one case) pack-and-plays near the weight benches (not sure if baby is optional or included in gym experience).
A very pink montage of gym photos from the NY TImes,
Sadly, my expectations for searing revelations in this allegedly-news article were disappointed. The article ended with this cogent comment: “I think there’s a recognition that everyone that walks into that gym, they’re walking in with their stuff.”
Uh, okay. Agreed.
But lest you think that’s the whole story, fear not: the good folks in the NYT comments section picked up on the controversy bubbling just beneath the surface. Yes, I’m talking about PINK vs. NOT-PINK. I thought Team NOT-PINK would completely dominate. Here is a sample of some of their responses:
for heaven’s sake, why do they have to be PINK?! I’m soooo sick of all-things-female having to be pink. It’s infantilizing. Knock if off, corporate America.
I don’t need to work out in the Barbie mansion.
Women only, yes. Pink equipment? Absolutely not.
I don’t want to work out in a gym designed for a newborn baby girl.
I despise pink! I have this beef with athletic apparel and shoe manufacturers, too: Not every woman wants to wear pale shades and pastels, people!
Yes to everything, except pink.
Fine concept. Did it really have to be pink?
only gym I go to isn’t pink or purple. Just soothing greys.
That Pepto Bismal pink which signifies “women” is ugh. I am all for women gyms, but surely it can be women-centered without being pinkified.
Why does Barbie pink have to be the default color?
However, there was non-trivial pushback from Team PINK. And honestly, a few of the comments were somewhat persuasive:
I would love to work out in the Barbie mansion!
I think pink works because men typically hate it. So it serves to repel men who otherwise might try to join.
I like pink.
Did you know in the Victorian era, that pink was considered masculine for boys and blue was considered feminine for girls?
What’s wrong with pink? It’s literally just a color.
I would love a pink gym.
What’s wrong with pink, anyway? These gyms look so much better than the scuffed white walls and fluorescent lights seen at most other gyms.
So readers, where do you stand on the PINK vs. NOT-PINK debate for women-only gyms? I thought I knew, but I must admit that perhaps women’s gyms do contain multitudes (of shades).
One of the (perhaps few) advantages of the calendar sliding into late fall and winter is the opening of night garden walking season. What do I mean here?
For some years now, I’ve been enjoying the evening lights and programming that local gardens (and even one cemetery!) orchestrate to attract visitors and offer alternative experiences for the months that the plants are on vacation.
Now it seems like this is going on everywhere. Zoos, botanical gardens, historic estates, outdoor shopping areas (and at least one cemetery near my house) are lighting up the darkness and luring us out of the warmth of our homes to venture out into the fall and winter nights. I wonder if the stringed lights companies are experiencing a surge in profits because of the trend.
Honestly, I think this is a good trend.
It provides an excuse to go out and move around in a well-maintained space.
It’s an opportunity for group friend outings and enjoying conversation while strolling and seeing pretty light exhibits.
It offers evening novelty in a space that we might know well in the daytime (this is one of my favorite features of night garden walking).
Like night bike riding, I find night garden walking to pack an extra little thrill– I’m out and about at an unusual time. Because it’s dark, the environment looks different, which makes the experience of moving through it feel new in a way. Yes, it’s a low-key thrill, but a thrill nonetheless.
Here’s a post I wrote about the Garden in the Woods Night of Illumination a couple of years ago. The pictures are fun, and maybe they will inspire you to head out to find of light-strewn bushes in your area of the woods.
