Category: 226 in 2026

Woman standing on wall in bedroom. By Taurean Hill for Unsplash. Catherine adds yoga before bed to her evening, and her hips are thanking her
226 in 2026 · fitness · Physiotherapy · self care · yoga

Catherine adds yoga before bed to her evening, and her hips are thanking her

catherine wLeave a comment

Last summer I spent a lot of time dealing with sciatica, which had me limping and having trouble with climbing stairs. Thanks to many months of physical therapy, I got better. My gait became steady and strong, and I could climb stairs without pain or favoring one side. Yay!

A lamb leaping for joy-- my inner lamb is doing the same. By Jonathan Mabey for Unsplash.
A lamb leaping for joy– my inner lamb is doing the same. By Jonathan Mabey for Unsplash.

Maintaining my hard-won stability and strength takes effort, and I’ve done my hip exercises regularly. But I noticed that if I read in bed before sleeping, I would be creaky or have some hip pain– not enough to wake me up, but noticeable.

Reenter yoga before bed. I used to do some rotation of gentle yoga exercises before bed most nights, but for no particular reason stopped.In the past few weeks, I restarted, and noticed happy changes:

  • no joint pain in bed during the night or in the morning
  • easier walking around in the morning
  • a little more stability and flexibility in general

What I do varies– sometimes it’s mini sun salutations with warrior poses and twists and forward folds, other times I’m on my mat in the living room doing twists and hamstring stretches with my yoga strap. I sometimes do tree pose as well, although I’m less balanced in the evening. So far I haven’t fallen over, which I’m taking as a win.

I’m not sure it matters exactly what yoga poses I do. But I’m thinking it does matter that I do it. So I’m doing it. Having restarted my posts for the 226 workouts in 2026 is helping motivate me to do it (almost) every night. Yay again!

Yeah, yay to that. By Fausto Garcia for Unsplash.
Yeah, yay to that. By Fausto Garcia for Unsplash.

Readers, are you doing or re-doing something that’s making you feel good or better? I’d love to hear from you.

People dancing in workout wear in purple/blue light up in the club. by Frankie Cordoba for Unsplash. What’s wrong with showing up late to the (workout) party? Nothing, really.
226 in 2026 · challenge · fitness · motivation

What’s wrong with showing up late to the (workout) party? Nothing, really.

catherine w2 Comments

Since 2017 I’ve been a member of the 2XX workouts in 20XX Facebook group. I’ve always made it– most years screaming in on the last day of the year, sometimes doing two or more workouts to squeak through. But hey, a win’s a win.

Until 2025. I was chugging along until the beginning of fall. Then, for no particular reason, I trailed off. Stopped posting. I felt like I should resume, but I didn’t.

Then in 2026, I restarted, only to stop again after recording 6 or 7 workouts. Hmmm.

I’ve never had an easy relationship with challenges– they bring out my inner belligerent teenager, ready to flip off anyone (including my non-teenaged self) who’s trying to put me on a schedule of (Heaven forbid) self-improvement. But my non-teenaged self knows it’s not really self-improvement I’m aiming at; rather, it’s self-care. Huh.

I’ve been a close-to-daily meditator since the pandemic. Before 2020, I meditated off and on for decades. But the combination of extreme necessity and a handy app (I’ve boosted the Happier app a lot here, but there are loads of them to try) has helped me set up and maintain a practice that works for me. As they say, the numbers don’t lie…

I've meditated 308 weeks in a row. Yes, missing a few days here and there, but I'm pretty proud of this.
I’ve meditated 308 weeks in a row. Yes, missing a few days here and there, but I’m pretty proud of this.

The co-most important lesson I’ve learned from 308 weeks of close-to-daily meditation (along with “just breathe”) is that the streak that matters is the streak of one. Being and doing at the time is the thing. Not for what it will yield down the road, but for what it does now, in that moment.

Yes, that sounds cheesy. But a) something can be both cheesy and true at the same time; and b) I’m trying to be sincere here, so don’t pick on me… 🙂

Back to the 226 workouts in 2026: It’s June 28, so we’re almost at the six-month mark. I’m restarting a focus on doing and recording workouts as of yesterday. My plan is 113 workouts by the end of the year. I started last night with yoga before bed. That’s one. I can continue with streaks of one at a time.

Time to do some more yoga now.

Dear readers, how do you feel about streaks? Interrupting them, restarting them? I’m not asking for advice here, but it would be cool to hear how these experiences feel for you. I’ll report back in a while on mine.

Feeling open. That's a good thing. A red flag with the word "open" in white, against a blue sky. By Clemens Van Lay for Unsplash.
Feeling open for business. Open to what’s ahead. By Clemens Van Lay for Unsplash.

200!
226 in 2026 · cycling · fitness

200!

Sam BLeave a comment

Sunday marked my 200th workout in the 226 Workouts in 2026 Facebook group.I’d set my own goal as 400, and I can’t quite believe I’m halfway there just five months into the year.

Now, that’s largely because I count long dog walks and now that my knees are better, Cheddar and I have been doing more of those. See, for example, Sam and Cheddar’s Big day at the beach.

I don’t count every dog walk. Purely utilitarian trips around the block don’t count. My personal rule is that they have to be long enough to trigger my Garmin activity tracker–that’s 15 minutes. But what I like best about the number of workouts in a year group is that you get to decide what counts.

For me, if counting a thing is motivational, I count it. I counted all of my physio sessions before and after knee surgery too for the same reason.

Workout 200 was a morning ride around Lunenburg in which Sarah and I seemed to be recreating our last year’s trip to New Zealand by riding up and down very steep streets,  followed by sketchy single track overlooking the ocean! We walked our bikes both on some hills in the town of Lunenburg and on a rocky stretch on the path on top of the hill beside the sea. Old times!

Happy 100!
226 in 2026 · fitness

Happy 100!

Sam BLeave a comment

So as most of you know,  many of us here on the blog are members of a group that tracks workouts.  The goal is to aim for 226 workouts in 2026.

I’m seeing my sights a bit higher, partly to encourage more dog walking these days. I don’t count all dog walks. The trips around the block don’t get tracked. But for both his health and mind,  I’m aiming for more 20 min + walks that are long enough to activate my Garmin tracker as an activity. 

I’m aiming for 400 workouts in 2026.

There are 283 days left in 2026. And I’m at workout number 104.

In addition to the Facebook groups, I’m keeping my own log here.

But the reason I’m posting is to celebrate my 100th workout of the year. Of course it was a walk with Cheddar.

Saturday morning dog walk
226 in 2026 · fitness

Join us for 226 workouts in 2026!

Sam B1 Comment

A bunch of us here on the blog track our workouts in a Facebook group. Here is the link to our Facebook group, 226 Workouts in 2026, The Fit Feminist Edition. You’re welcome to join us.

It’s an accountability group, yes, but it’s about fun, community, and being supportive of all the different stages of fitness and ways we fit movement into our lives. Personally, I love being in a body-positive, movement-focused fitness group. I often feel inspired by the things people are doing and I just love the wide range of activities represented in the group. I also love that we all track in different ways. You can find what works for you.

Here’s our organizer, Cheryl, explaining what it’s all about,

“Greetings and welcome to the 226 workouts in 2026 (Fit Feminist Edition) group!
For folks who are new and wondering how this all works, it’s basically a place to count and share our workouts over the year in a community of support and encouragement.

What exactly this looks like for each of us is open to individual interpretation and the delightful variety of ways that work for different group members.

A few notes that may be helpful as we start up again this year:

1. Everyone decides for themselves what counts as a workout. There is no wrong way to do this. (My own approach at present is that I count any intentional movement of about 20 minutes or more, as I find this helps me take time to workout even if it’s short, knowing that it will count. And yes I realize that this is a mental trick I’m playing on myself, and I’m 100% down with it!)

2. Some people count number of workouts, some people count number of days they were active, and some count both. (I like to count number of workouts, as that feels the most motivating for me.)

3. You can post each workout one at a time, or do a weekly summary, a monthly summary, or a catch-up any time you think of it. (I tend to post my workouts every day as it helps me keep track of where I’m at and I also enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes with sharing my progress in this supportive space.)

4. Sometimes folks post photos related to their workout. This is very welcome and also totally optional.

That’s all I can think of to explain how our little community works. Questions are welcome, and I look forward to moving with all of you this year!!”

A bright pink tank top with bold black text that reads 'TRAINING TO SMASH THE PATRIARCHY' along with images of weights.