Month: March 2023

keep calm and don't shop Catherine’s no-buying-until-July plan: how’s it really going?
fitness · new year's resolutions

Catherine’s no-buying-until-July plan: how’s it really going?

catherine w3 Comments

Like a number of the FIFI bloggers (and of course inspired by Mina, who did it first and showed us all how it’s done), I have been on a no-buying-clothes plan. I started July 1 (after a flurry of late-June orders of jeans). It went very well, and even felt relaxing. I could look all I wanted and not have to stress about did I really need this or that? That question was already answered– no, I didn’t need it, and I wasn’t going to buy it. I found my online browsing drop as well. All this was to the good.

Come January 1, I decided to re-up: no clothes buying (with some exceptions: underwear, bras, replacement of much-needed items, etc.) I mean, why not? My closet and chests of drawers were still pretty full. Cleaning out my closet revealed some clothes I had ordered but never worn, which was kind of like delayed shopping (or something). So I was good to go for the next six months, right?

Koala saying um... I... well... uhhh...
Koala doesn’t know what to say exactly. Neither do I.

Honestly, it’s not that bad. But I did buy some things. Two pairs of shoes. Here they are:

Chaco's slides in teal
Chaco’s slides in teal
Dansko clogs in navy blue
Dansko clogs in navy blue

The first purchase was because my sister and niece have these (in different colors), which I borrowed and wore over the Christmas holidays. I didn’t even hesitate– I ordered those suckers right away! The blue Dansko clogs were a different matter. I was, well, bored and unsatisfied with my work footwear. I wanted a pick-me-up for my feet. After several instances of abandoning online shopping carts, I finally did the deed. And honestly, I’m super happy with both of these purchases, despite the double transgression.

What does all of this mean– for my no-buying plan, for me as a person?

For my plan, I’ve resumed it. Yes, I admit, once I breached the online credit-card-use barrier, there was an initial “oh, what the hell” response. But I’m not an all-or-nothing person. By that, I mean that I know that adhering to the nothing-part of buy-nothing is pretty hard for me. But, buy-almost-nothing has been much easier than I thought. Yes, I have been doing more online browsing lately. I think that’s a function of late-winter doldrums rather than actual desire for more clothing. So I’m letting myself do that. The nice thing is, I haven’t bought anything. That feels good to me, and it feels like the right thing for me– resticking to the no-clothes-buying plan until July 1.

I’m thinking about how this pattern relates to my physical activity and other self-care resolutions. Two things come to mind, First, since all-or-nothing plans don’t suit me (maybe they don’t suit most of us), a some-of-something plan might be better. Second, I’ve been having trouble sticking to my exercise plans during February and March (except during spring break visiting family). Doing a little activity has been the most I’ve been doing. Well, okay then. Noticing what’s easier to do and when it’s easier is helping.

Hey readers, how are your all-some-none resolutions and plans going? I’d love to hear from you.

Book Reviews · fitness · movies · music

To listen, read, and watch on the weekend before spring begins, #ListenReadWatch

Sam B

To listen

Episode 259 of Forever 35 on body liberation with Chrissy King

Forever 35

“Kate attempts to dip her toe into a deeper reading pool and Doree’s heart sings for a mystery. Then, writer and powerlifter Chrissy King joins them (for the second time!) to discuss her new book The Body Liberation Project: How Understanding Racism and Diet Culture Helps Cultivate Joy and Build Collective Freedom, how to stop giving diet culture time and space in our brains, and food’s place in our lives beyond fuel.”

To read

Read an extract – ‘Hierophany’ – from the Sunday Times bestseller Enchantment: Reawakening Wonder in an Exhausted Age, by Katherine May.

Enchantment by Katherine May

To watch

“”Follow along as PEARL iZUMi athlete, Marley Blonsky takes on her first century ride in the Gravel Graceland of Emporia Kansas.

I always felt like an imposter, having never actually ridden a century in my entire cycling career. I set the goal of completing the Unbound Gravel 100 and wasn’t entirely certain I could do it. While maintaining a 10mph doesn’t sound that hard, I really like to take breaks while riding – Marley.”

Enjoy!

What are you listening to 🎧, reading📚, or watching 📺 this weekend?

Let us know in the comments.

fitness

Working from home? I need your advice

amandalynnstubley6 Comments

What a month it has been for me! I have had some changes in my personal life, and my post this month is seeking some advice about staying active. Here’s the story.

About 6 months ago I started a new job as a university administrator. I had been teaching post-secondary courses by contract for some time and wanted more work stability. My new role was also contract, but promised to open up permanent opportunities within the institution. By February I had identified a couple of potential job options, but in the midst of this new job search, I rather unexpectedly came upon an option in insurance, a field I used to work in.

It’s not what I thought I was looking for, but as of two weeks ago, I am happily an insurance adjuster again. I’m also working from home full time, and that is totally throwing me for a loop. Gone is my morning climb up five flights of stairs at the university. Also gone is a lot of my human interaction, and the approximately 5,000 steps that were a part of my experience across campus.

For the first 2.5 years of the COVID pandemic I taught from home, but working a fulltime desk job from home is an entirely different experience. I am realizing that unless I consciously plan for activity, I may be very sedentary, not something my hips or any other part of me needs.

Image of a middle aged white woman and younger white young man standing in front of the CN tower, lit up green at night.
After a long and tiring day – a very comfortable one because I was loosened up from yoga!

Happily, I am able to keep attending the weekly yoga class at my former workplace, because I am maintaining a very part-time role with them (read about it here: This month’s newness – yoga). I have been back to yoga every week since I started my new job and OHMYGOSH after being stiff from too little movement, the yoga has been a dream!  I have found that a single weekly class is making me so much more comfortable. I’m also thrilled that I made it back to the pool for deep water aquafit and even though it has been 6 months I felt great.

This is making it clear to me that I need to develop an activity schedule, something I don’t really love. As I write this I’m in Toronto watching the Toronto Maple Leafs trounce my Carolina Hurricanes. I spent the day walking the city with my teenage son, and although tired I feel great. I am already walking my dog every day, but I clearly need something more defined.

I am curious – if you work from home, or otherwise have a very inactive job, how do you deal with it? I have tried a little morning yoga, but as a newbie it’s daunting. I would love suggestions on keeping limber and healthy!

fitness

It’s #worldsleepday

fieldpoppy

Let’s revisit a post I wrote 7 years ago about sleep. Fitting, since I was awake for no good reason between 230 and 400 this morning, wondering why I didn’t recognize today’s worldle country.

Sleep, no sleep, why, why? (guest post)

How’s your sleep hygiene?

Cane storage while bike riding
cycling · disability · fitness

Cane storage while bike riding

Sam B

This knee issue has me googling odd things. The latest? Where to store your cane while riding your bike.

The days are getting brighter and just a little bit warmer. I’m hoping to get a few bikes ride in outdoors before my next knee surgery.

But the thing is I can ride a bike. I just can’t walk anywhere without my cane. Don’t worry. It’s not my left knee that’s the issue. It’s happily replaced and rehabbed. Mostly, some stiffness aside, it’s working fine. But my right knee is in tough shape. It’s painful, not particularly stable and not happy bearing weight while walking.

Now if I were only going bike riding it would be fine. If I stop somewhere I can even use the bike as an assistive device while walking. The issue is if I’m going somewhere with my bike where I need to walk around indoors, say my office. I guess I could leave a cane there. But what about shopping inside?

I think I need to carry the cane with me. I might get a collapsible one for my backpack but I like the idea of being a cyclist who is visibly in need of walking assistance. See ‘A rolling walking stick’ to find out more about cycling as a way of getting about for people with disabilties.

“In the context of an ageing global population, mobility experts are increasingly seeing cycling as a way to help people with disabilities move around cities independently. A bike can act as a “rolling walking stick”; yet looking at its owner you wouldn’t know they had a disability: around 40% of disabled cyclists simply use a regular two-wheeled bike. For two out of three disabled cyclists, riding a bike is easier than walking, easing joint strain, aiding balance and relieving breathing difficulties. According to recent research by Transport for London, 78% of disabled people are able to cycle, while 15% sometimes use a bike to get around.”

There are some great photos here on the Cycle Chic blog of people riding while carrying various assistive devices.

Photo from Scopio. A bike’s rear wheel in front of bright leaves.
fitness · Guest Post · swimming

My fitness journal, Part 1: Swimming

savita1

I want to focus on some swimming goals. My past performances are going to help me shape my swimming goals for 2023. 

I track my workouts and activities on an online fitness app. I’ve been doing this for a while, and it’s interesting to see the trends, especially in my swimming activities from year to year. Here are the data for total number of swims from 2012-2016:

  • 2012: 79
  • 2013: 80
  • 2014: 75
  • 2015: 78
  • 2016: 85 (wow!)

From 2012-2016, it was a pretty steady routine, averaging 80 swims per year. I included practices and competitions. Then it dramatically dropped from 2017-2019. I’m trying to remember why. Perhaps I was taking a break; I had been swimming with our Masters team, the London Silver Dolphins, since 2002 and started to ramp up my swimming once I started to go to meets. Maybe I wanted to try other fitness activities. And then it was March 2020, and our swimming seasons got disrupted until September 2022.

So what about my swimming goals for 2023? 

I want to get back to what I did from 2012-16. I was averaging 80 swims per year (rounding up). What about the distance? The average mileage was 140.8 km/year. That’s 1760 m per swim.

Ok, so now I have my goal for 2023: 80 swims, 141 km.

So far? 19 swims, 37.8 km: 1989 m per swim. Awesome! 

BUT: are numbers all that matter?? 

Of course not. They’re an easy benchmark, and provide a concrete goal. And, as a scientist by training, it’s easy for me to compile and analysis numerical data. But there’s other types of data that can be collected and analysed. Emotional data. Because that’s the primary driver of going to the pool. 

The smell of chlorine is familiar and comforting. It tells me that I’m in a good place and that I’m about to get into the pool. There are times where my motivation wanes; it’s late at night and maybe I’m really NOT in the mood. But lately, that has not been an issue, likely because this is the first full season since the beginning of the pandemic. On the pool deck, I do some warm-up exercises and look at the workout to plan my gear (pull buoys, fins, etc). 

That initial dive is exhilarating. I go into autopilot as I find my pace, and focus on my technique. I love an endurance workout because it allows for getting into a rhythm. The sound of my deep breathing, the rush of the water. I love a speed workout because of the feel of slicing through the water. My body feels powerful and coordinated and I love the feel of the water wash over me. I’m always thinking about technique: the alignment of my body; the reach, catch and pull of my arms and upper body; rotation around the long axis; the 3-beat kick of my legs. 

After getting out of the pool and changing back into my clothes, I feel pleasantly relaxed. My skin smells like chlorine. I’m thirsty (even though I’ve been drinking water throughout the workout)! I swim late at night, so after I get home, I have a shower and a snack and then relax by playing word games before going to bed. And I SLEEP. 

The physical feelings extend into the next day. I feel light and loose and my breathing is relaxed. My brain feels activated. And I’m still thirsty (can’t drink too much at night, because I’ll need to get up to pee)!

How does your favourite exercise make YOU feel? Do you keep a journal? It’s a new experience for me, so any advice is welcome!

A beautiful blue outdoor swimming pool on a sunny day
fitness · racing · triathalon

Kincardine Women’s Triathlon Is Kind of Back (new name, new location)

Tracy I
Image description: logo with three black horizontal lines sloping upward, getting progressively shorter, over top of the words “lakeshore women’s TRIATHLON”

Ah! The memories! If you’ve been with us from the very beginning, you might remember that my “fittest by 50 challenge” was to do an Olympic distance triathlon (and I did two of them). That goal arose out of my first triathlon experiences at a very friendly women’s event, welcoming to beginners: The Kincardine Women’s Triathlon.

I signed up at Sam’s urging, during the annual sign-up frenzy (spots always used to fill within 2-3 hours of registration opening) on January 1st, never having done a triathlon before. It gave me a training goal the very prospect of which filled me with fear and awe. It got me training. And even though the swim was cancelled, turning it into a run-bike-run event (First Triathlon Try: The Tri That Wasn’t).

The following year I was more prepared, after a winter and spring of training with a club. I had a better sense of my ability and a much stronger run. The swim wasn’t cancelled and I had a nicer bike. The bike was still my weakest event, but I had a good day nevertheless. My race report for 2014 is here. A year later we went back as a group again: Road Trip! Sam, Tracy, and their badass friends and relatives head off to the Kincardine Women’s Triathlon.

Well the triathlon has now moved from Kincardine to Saugeen Shores. It has changed its name and is no longer in July. But it promises the same welcoming, friendly, encouraging vibe. If you are interested, sign-ups for the Lakeshore Women’s Triathlon in Saugeen Shores on August 12 are coming up: registration opens on March 18, 2023. If it is anything like before, registration will also close on March 18, a few hours after it opens. They haven’t posted details yet beyond saying registration is limited to 300 people and that it opens at 10 a.m. on March 18th. You can keep an eye on their webpage here.

My triathlon days are behind me, but I can’t deny that triathlon is great fun, especially when it’s new and exciting. Back then, heading into our Fittest by 50 Challenge, it really mobilized my motivation for training and my enthusiasm for challenging goals that were new and a bit scary. If you’ve been tinkering with the idea of giving it a go, I can’t recommend this event enough.

A log on the ground, surrounded by green plants. Wetland walks, with family and without
fitness · season transitions

Wetland walks, with family and without

catherine w

Last week I spent my spring break in South Carolina (where I’m from) with family (where they live). In New England (where I live), it’s been a strange and yucky winter, weather-wise. Too little snow, too much rain, and an ample supply of slush all made for a paucity of winter outdoor fun. Hence my excitement to spend a little time in warmer sunnier climes. I wasn’t disappointed.

The day after I rolled into town, my sister and two of her kids and all of their dogs (one big, one little) headed out to Sesquicentennial State Park in Columbia, SC. It’s a lovely low-key place, with hiking trails, biking trails, walking trails, paddleboat and canoe rentals, and lots of areas to set up picnics and parties for big or small groups.

We opted for the standard walking trail, which winds around the small lake. We encountered loads of families, runners, walkers, dogs, and babies in strollers. My nephew Gray and I agreed that we felt an inexplicable but warm sense of civic pride whenever we’d go to a well-attended municipal or state park. This was but one of the many topics under discussion during our leisurely walk, made more leisurely by the presence of Bailey, a 10-year-old large Golden Retriever. We made several stops for water and rest, along with petting by other folks.

My sister Elizabeth and me, with early spring wetlands in the background.
My sister Elizabeth and me, with early spring wetlands in the background.
The kids with two dogs-- Bailey the Golden and Kiwi the Yorkie-- on leash.
The kids with two dogs– Bailey the Golden and Kiwi the Yorkie– on leash.
Family photo of my sister, Gray and Gracie, all in their respective natural states.
Family photo of my sister, Gray and Gracie, all in their respective natural states.

The next day, on my way to visit my mother, I dropped by Lee State Park, another low-key wetlands-y place with hardwood forest. They have a kids’ playground (in use at the time)., visitor’s center (closed on that day), and loads of information about their hiking trails, boardwalk, 6-mile bike loop, equestrian trails, and historical buildings built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

First things first: Ranger Catherine photo.
First things first: Ranger Catherine photo.
Boardwalk for exploring swamping bottomland.
Boardwalk for exploring swamping bottomland.
Brush, some green and some not yet green.
Brush, some green and some not yet green.
Pollen pattern on the tannin-colored water.
Pollen pattern on the tannin-colored water.
I said it was swampy, didn't I?
I said it was swampy, didn’t I?
The way back in the late afternoon sun.
The way back in the late afternoon sun.

Midweek I stole away from my chores with my mother to take a walk in Williamson Park in Darlington, a lovingly maintained walking area consisting of dirt and chipped paths and boardwalks through a cypress swampland. It’s a place I know like the back of my hand, and is a pleasure to visit at any time of the year. I often run into town folks I haven’t seen in ages, and catch up on local news.

Have you ever seen a more inviting path than this one?
Have you ever seen a more inviting path than this?
Signs of spring all around, all in process.
Signs of spring all around, all in process.
One of several boardwalks.
One of several boardwalks.
Cypress swamp.
Cypress swamp.
Green comes in so many shades.
Green comes in so many shades.
Ozzy the Golden Doodle (yes, it's true), with his person Bill, said hi and chatted with me.
Ozzy the Golden Doodle (yes, it’s true), with his person Bill, said hi and chatted with me.

It was so nice to walk around, take pictures, chit chat with my family or other folks, and just settle into being in these places. I highly recommend it (as you all know).

Readers, have you been somewhere outside nice lately? It is local? Far away? A favorite? Someplace new? I’d love to hear from you.

fitness

It’s fun to be a beginner again!

Sam B

I’ve recently written about trying new things as an adult and I thought I’d write just a bit more about how fun it can be. After all the enthusiasm on our Facebook page for trying new things as an adult, I’m feeling a bit evangelical about it all.

I was trying to remember when I first enjoyed being a beginner when it comes to physical activity. I think it first hit me as a grad student. I’m not sure exactly what changed in my attitude towards physical activity but at the start of my PhD I think I realized that philosophy was going to be my thing. Reading, writing, and thinking philosophy was the thing I was good at and it was okay to be not so good at other pursuits. I could go out and be a beginner and learn and it was okay if I didn’t excel.

So in grad school, for me, that was weight lifting and sailing. I took Intro to Sailing and Intro to Weightlifting as academic credits. The only Bs on my PhD transcript! I liked the instructional context and I don’t think I felt any pressure to be top of the class, as much as I enjoyed learning.

Later the joy of being a total beginner hit again when my kids started playing sports. When they started soccer, I thought that looked like fun, and though it never took for any of them as a sport I joined a recreational women’s soccer team in my 40s. Later they all started martial arts lessons and again I got to join in. The dojo made it easy since the adult class was right after the kids’ class and some of the blackbelt older children took turns supervising the little ones. Some days they even did homework. Often they rolled on the mats. But knowing the children were cared for and having fun made it easy to indulge my curiosity about Aikido.

In a bunch of places on the blog and in our book, I describe myself as an “adult onset athlete.” I’ve also embraced my identity as a fitness muppet! I’m here for the enjoyment and the company, for leading an active, outdoorsy life, and I’m not that worried (mostly, there are exceptions) for how good I am at the new things I try.

How about you? Do you enjoy trying new things?

You will never be ready. Just start. Image from Scopio.
fitness

To listen, read, and watch this week, #ListenReadWatch

Sam B

Listen

35 Songs by Powerhouse Divas for a Truly Legendary Workout

Here’s a link to the playlist on Spotify.

Read

The Whale’s Point of View by Kate Manne

The Whale is not a masterpiece – it’s a joyless, harmful fantasy of fat squalor by Lindy West

It’s Past Time to Get Rid of Fat Suits (The Same Way We Did Blackface) by Cate Young

Watch

“Just a normal gal taking on a big adventure. Cycling 3,659 miles over 67 days from San Francisco, CA to Topsail Beach, NC between 22 Aug and 27 Oct, 2022. “Self-supported” but with huge support from my wonderful friends and family and lovely strangers. When I was really tired or exceptionally hungry, scared of being hit by a car (very often, especially in places where there was animosity towards cyclists) or trampled by cows, lost in a dirt track wilderness or shedding a tear or two, capturing the moment on film was not even a consideration…so this video is very much a highlight reel; the result of hundreds of moments of thinking, “this place/sunset/animal is absolutely beautiful, I need to get my phone out”.

Alzheimer’s Association: https://act.alz.org/site/TR;jsessioni…

Cure Parkinson’s: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraisin…

Route planning and navigation

Beeline: https://beeline.co/pages/beeline-cycling

Adventure Cycling: https://www.adventurecycling.org

Komoot: https://www.komoot.com“

ENJOY!