Tag: goals

Summer Goals (and some are not)
ADHD · fun · goals · season transitions

Summer Goals (and some are not)

Christine Hennebury

Yes, I know the joke in the title is ridiculous but I couldn’t resist.

Let’s just roll with it, shall we?

I find goal setting a tricky business overall. 

The process of breaking things down into small steps and prioritizing is valuable but my brain does NOT want to do it. In fact, that type of thinking is my brain’s least favourite thing. 

It likes to generate all kinds of extra factors and complications and ideas and it wants me to account for EVERY SINGLE ONE so I can PROVE that this goal/plan is the ONE RIGHT WAY to get where I want to go.

Is this helpful?

It is not. 

Can I stop my brain from going into that loop?

No, I cannot.

Can I try to find a workaround?

I can try!

In order to work with my brain and ensure that it won’t fight me every step of the way, I have to find a healthy combination of specificity and flexibility – specific enough so that my brain registers the idea as an actual thing that is happening and flexible enough that my brain won’t revolt at the idea of being trapped in a plan that past me made. 

a screencap of a tweet by Marly (@VerbsRProudest) from Oct 3, 2014 that reads 'I hate to cancel. I know we made plans to get together tonight but that was two hours ago. I was younger then, and full of hope.
This kind of sums up my brain’s feelings on a lot of my plans. image description: a screencap of a tweet by Marly (@VerbsRProudest) from Oct 3, 2014 that reads ‘I hate to cancel. I know we made plans to get together tonight but that was two hours ago. I was younger then, and full of hope.

And while I bristle at the idea of ‘making the most’ of summer (or of any season or event, really – the pressure! Ugh!) I do like the idea of making each season feel a little different by doing things that feel like they belong in that time of year. 

So, to summarize (summer-ize? ha!) I want to do some seasonal things to kind of anchor myself in the moment, I want to have loose plans that help me actually do those things, but I want enough flexibility in those plans so my brain doesn’t get cranky and stubborn. 

Here are a few categories of fun/ideas/goals/plans that I am playing with at the moment.

Cycling – I’m looking into buying an ebike but it’s not in the budget quite yet and I also want to make sure that I will actually use it so I am trying to use my regular bike more (and yes, I see the conundrum here – an ebike would increase my likelihood of riding more but…yeah) But the vague goal of ‘use my bike more’ is not helpful so I need to get specific – two 20 minute rides per week for the next three weeks and then reevaluate?

Patio Yoga – I love doing yoga on my patio either in the sunshine or in the evening with the little patio lights on. I want to say that I will start or end each day with yoga on the patio but I also know that I will get thrown off from this plan.  So I think I will aim for daily outdoor yoga but with the idea that 3-5 times per week is more likely.

Hiking – I’m not inclined to do long hikes at the moment but perhaps that will change. For right now, I plan to do two short hikes (2 hours or less) in July and 2 in August. At least one of these hikes will involve a picnic and some reading in the middle.

Swimming in a pond – Last summer, I only managed to swim in a pond 2 or 3 times. This year, I am conspiring with a friend to ensure that I am going to *at least* double that.  

Hula Hooping – I really *want* to be good at hula hooping but I never practice consistently enough to get the knack. I’m committing to bringing my hoop outdoors with me every time I hang out in my yard to write and I will practice for at least 5 minutes per writing session. Will this help me improve? Maybe, maybe not, but I definitely won’t improve if my hoop stays propped against the wall downstairs.

a blue, green, and gold hula hoop rests against a long table covered in a blue table cloth with an ipad and some art supplies on top. The table itself is on some long-ish grass under some trees and there is a mix of sun and shade.
This photo is from a few years ago but it’s the mental image that arose when I thought about bringing my hoop outside to use when I take a break from writing. Image description: a blue, green, and gold hula hoop rests against a long table covered in a blue table cloth with an ipad and some art supplies on top. The table itself is on some long-ish grass under some trees and there is a mix of sun and shade.

Deep relaxation – I’m going to follow daily, deliberate relaxation practices and hopefully get some of this lingering stress out of my brain and my muscles. (I know this one isn’t summer-specific but summer is supposed to be relaxing, isn’t it? Let’s say deep relaxation is thematically appropriate )

Sounds like some fun stuff, right?

Specific but not super-detailed?

Now as long as I keep below my brain’s ‘Oh hell, no!’ radar, I’ll have a great time this summer.

The photo below is largely unrelated but it made me laugh all over again a few minutes ago so I thought you might like it, too.

a drawing on an index card shows a brown bear in a Hawaiian shirt and a yellow bear in a green and white jersey standing on either side of a round container filled with ice with glass bottles of drinks sticking out of it. It's a summer day and there are puffy white clouds in the blue sky.
Yes, the joke in my title is kind of recycled. I made this card during my first year doing the Index Card A Day challenge. I’m not sure what the prompt was bears? summer? summer bears? Hawaiian shirts? It could have been anything. All I know is that in brainstorming the prompt, my sons and I ended up saying ‘Summer bears (and summer not)’ which kept us laughing for ages. That should tell you a lot about our sense of humour, right there. Image description: a drawing on an index card shows a brown bear in a Hawaiian shirt and a yellow bear in a green and white jersey standing on either side of a round container filled with ice with glass bottles of drinks sticking out of it. It’s a summer day and there are puffy white clouds in the blue sky.

fitness

24 Things in 2024: a Semi-Annual Check-in

Diane Harper1 Comment

I am really good at making lists and plans, and really bad at following through. Case in point: this post started out as a quarterly check-in on my list published back in January.

I was certain that I would do way better than I have, especially now that I’m on vacation (and will officially retire in just a couple of weeks).

However, the weather has conspired against me for getting some of these things done in the first half of the year. So, no camping or kayaking, and minimal outdoor swimming. The cold is also playing havoc with the garden, or at least my willingness to be outside weeding and pruning.

And an unexciting Stratford season combined with everyone (including my son) being very busy is making my visits to Toronto and southern Ontario seem unlikely, though I’m still hoping for at least one trip.

The yoga practice completely collapsed, but I have taken up jazz class. I’m making some time to read, and visiting my parents fairly regularly. Lots of room for improvement here, but at least something is happening. Mom is threatening to make me learn how to use her serger, so that unstarted pile of sewing projects may start to get tackled, too.

What has gone really well? I did finish off all my lifeguard and swim instructor qualifications, and I applied for a job (though I still need to pass one more set of tests before being hired). My activist voice has been very loud and I have been incredibly busy volunteering for various bike/environment events. I even rode all the way across town for an event last Sunday. That was my longest ride ever, at 76 km. Now I’m dreaming about a 100 km ride by the fall; maybe that will be my 24th thing, the space I had left open for an adventure.

Clockwise from top left: the Ottawa Bike Social gang out for a ride at the Experimental Farm; Diane’s swim instructor badge; Diane and her friend Renee after a rare open water swim; Diane pulls the Bike Ottawa trailer to an event, using her e-bike.
ADHD · fitness · goals

Marching into April

Christine Hennebury

Ok, truth be told, I am not marching.

I am ambling.

Maybe loping.

Perhaps even strolling.

My point here is that I am not moving with any particular speed.

However, since it is still March and will continue to be until we reach April, I guess I *am* technically Marching for now and I will be Aprilling as of Monday.

Yes, I do find myself funny.

A gif of a seated baby who (safely) tips to one side and falls over while laughing
An accurate depiction of my inner self when considering my own jokes. Image description: A gif of a seated baby who (safely) tips to one side and falls over while laughing.

So, my point here is that despite labelling this month ‘Move More March’ I realized that I didn’t actually set myself up to do a lot of extra work.

Basically, when I made my plans for Move More March – to exercise for 20 hours – I didn’t actually consider how many hours of exercise I already get in an average month.

Between TKD, walking Khalee, and my mobility exercises, I already automatically get around 18 hours of exercise per month.*

Basically, by setting a 20 hour goal, I was asking myself to do 4 extra minutes of exercise a day.

Not hard exercise. Not specific exercise. Just four minutes of anything at all – stretches, walking, patterns practice, anything.

A gif of a cartoon character strolling along
Image description: a gif of Disney character Chip (or Dale?) a brown chipmunk wearing a purple hat and strolling along in a cheery way. He’s using a cane for casual effect rather than for support.

I mean, I’m all for making small changes but since there was nothing incremental about those extra minutes, no specific level of effort, I hadn’t created much of a challenge for myself.

And that’s fine, really.

I’m not being hard on myself here.

Sometimes, you are really trying to push forward and sometimes it’s enough to just maintain your current position.

I just found it funny when I realized that my challenge wasn’t a challenge at all.

So, with all of that said, I do want to work a bit harder in April.

I haven’t decided what I’ll focus on but I do know that I want to get away from just thinking in terms of time spent.

Instead, I want to choose a focus that relates to increasing my effort.

I’ll update you once we are Aprilling.

*My exercise intensity varies considerably from day to day. I don’t mean to give you the impression that I am putting in 18 gruelling hours every single month.

ADHD · fitness · goals · habits · mobility · motivation · self care

Christine Promises Herself That She Will Move More in March

Christine Hennebury

February is not quite finished so I will save my final Feb 5 update until later but suffice it to say that the knot in my shoulder created some complications and I had to shift my plans a little.

Speaking of shifting, for March I am moving away from the specificity I used for my February plans and trying a really general approach.

Instead of listing specific types of exercise/wellness activities, I am rolling with the fact that I have a busy schedule this month. So, I am just seeking more movement overall instead of specific types and I am aiming for at least 20 hours throughout the month.

By choosing a time-based goal this month, I make it even easier for literally any movement to “count” – 5 minutes of stretching before my meeting, adding 10 minutes to my walk, a dance break while my tea steeps – am free from other constraints of specific times, places, or equipment.

(After all, to do a specific amount of rowing I have to be where my machine is. Stretching or walking or dancing doesn’t have that limitation.)

A small painting of the words March and Move More in bright comic book colours.
A small painting I made as a goal reminder. Image description: a painting of the words March and Move More against a blue and yellow background. The word March is large and in pink letters, the words Move More are in green and they are overlapping the bottom quarter of the the most of the word March. The bottom half of the background is yellow with green vertical pinstripes and the top half is blue with small green dots.

Adding up my hours will be pretty easy because my watch will keep track of my daily exercise minutes. I’ll just have to add up the hours every week or so in my exercise journal.

Right now, my body feels a bit cranky and tight on a day-to-day basis but I know from previous experience that more daily movement will change that.

Updates as events warrant. 😉

fitness

Diane’s 24 Things for 2024

Diane Harper

Recently Sam posted her list of 24 things she wants to do in 2024, inspired by Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project and asked what others planned to do. Here is my list:

Pick a word of the year. Mine is explore.

Commit to writing for 2, 4, or 24 minutes a day – not sure at all I want to do this one. I write regularly (I have a personal blog plus whatever goes into FIFI, and I do my best to write a little something in a journal. But it feels forced and what I really want to do is catch up on reading and crafting.

Choose 24 things I want to do in 2024:

1.       Camp more at the cottage property

2.       Start work on getting a cottage built there. I need everything from a building permit to a well to electricity and a septic system, and I have never done any of those things before

3.       Get the canoe into the water and explore the lake

4.       Hike some of the trails around the cottage area

5.       Bike to Gatineau Park for a swim

6.       Read one book a month

7.       Read one magazine a week

8.       Cook one new recipe a week

9.       Weed and care for my gardens and hopefully harvest more food

10.   Swim outdoors more

11.   Make some gifts I have offered but not started (and there is a February deadline)

12.   Sew at least five outfits that have been lurking in my fabric stash and “to do” list for 4 years or more

13. Get back to crafting – I have too much stuff in my stash and don’t believe that the person with the most stuff when they die wins

An image of Julie Andrews spinning in a circle with her arms spread out (from The Sound of Music), with the words Look at all these unfinished projects”.

14.   Couch surfing vacation to southern Ontario as part of Stratford Theatre trip with friends

15.   Volunteer more. I’m currently active with three groups but don’t spend as much time working with them as I would like

16.   Visit my son in Toronto

17.   Spend more time with my parents

18. Adventures on my new-to-me Brompton. More cycling generally, actually.

19.   Qualify as a lifeguard and swim instructor and look for a part-time post-retirement job

20.   Maintain some sort of yoga practice, still to be defined. Right now it’s a short video every night before bed

21.   Empty my closets. I don’t buy much, but neither am I very good at getting rid of things I never wear

22.   Be loud. This year I have discovered my activist voice and I like it.

23.   Relax. Deliberately spend time staring at trees, or lounging in the sun, meditating, or whatever

24. I have no idea! This is a placeholder for whatever adventures might come my way, or new things I want to explore.

Image of Bilbo Baggins walking while holding a map, from the movie The Hobbit, and the words l’m Going on an Adventure.
fitness

224 Workouts in 2024

Diane Harper

I love the Facebook group where we track our workouts, training to smash the patriarchy.

I joined the group in 2020, when the goal was to hit 220 workouts. By November that year I had hit 276, and was confident I would hit 300, but then forgot to record the final number anywhere.

In 2021, I hit an astonishing 461 workouts of purposeful movement of at least 20-30 minutes, largely thanks to lunchtime and after work walks since I was working from home. I wrote at the time that 221 workouts “is a body positive and friendly gang, where there is no talk about diets or weight loss, and people define what a workout means to them each day. Some are amazing and some days we count things like ‘I left my house and walked to the store because that is what I could manage today’. Every single one is appreciated for what it is, and celebrated”.

Late 2021 was also when this grumpy eagle going on a stupid little walk for his stupid physical and mental health (#SLWFMMPH) first showed up.

Image: a grumpy-looking eagle stomps through water with the words “Me going on a stupid little daily walk for my stupid physical and mental health” below.

Last year, I was back to the office four days a week so my workouts changed – more cycling, less walking and workout videos. I also stopped meeting up as often to swim with friends. My gang has scattered somewhat and I miss meeting up with them all. Even so, I managed 372.

This year I’m at 392 so far. I’ll make it to 395 for sure, and I am aiming to put in a bit of extra effort so I’ll hit 400.

Image: fireworks with the word 400!

What does all this tell me about my fitness habits?

  • Being active every single day, on average, is now my norm. Retiring is unlikely to change that, except in possibly in the direction of even more movement.
  • Being part of a group is vital for keeping me accountable to myself. I have known this for a long time, which is why I prefer swimming with a master’s club to lane swims on my own. I need a social component for motivation, even when tracking my workouts.
  • Flexibility matters a lot. Allowing myself to count both an amazing long bike ride and a short walk to the store keeps this from being an all-or-nothing proposition that sets me up for failure. As Christine would say, I am allowing myself some grace, so I get a gold star for my efforts no matter how big or small.

My goal for 2024 will be to continue on as I began, finding joy and ease in movement, and maybe getting to meet some lovely people along the way. And stretching!

Image: A four panel cartoon with two black cats talking about the future is and the punchline “please start stretching”. Cartoon is by Luis Coelho of purrin.ink.

What are your fitness goals for 2024? What will you do to maximize your chances of success? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

fitness

I did it!

Diane Harper1 Comment
Two blue, white and yellow cloth patches side-by-side on a dark background. One says Lifesaving Society Bronze Medallion and the other says Lifesaving Society Bronze Cross.

I successfully completed two more courses towards my certification so I can work as a swim instructor after I retire next summer.

I have already registered for my instructor’s and airway management courses in December, and the lifeguard course in January-March. I’m pleased that they will be at my regular pool so I won’t have to fight rush hour traffic each week. My friends were teasing me that the ability to bike to lessons would be the deciding factor, even before I had found a class. Apparently I am predicable.

I’m not too worried about the December classes, but I will need to be much more diligent about my physio exercises and make some time to get to the pool to work on my speed before January. My shoulder is improving but it’s still sore and I’m certain my overall swim fitness isn’t where it should be.

I have really enjoyed connecting with other older people who are still teaching or lifeguarding, or are now thinking about getting back to it. Some are part of the Facebook Group “Did You Swim Today”. Others were perfect strangers who saw me in class, and one was a former boss who I still keep in touch with. It’s fun to inspire and be inspired by all these active swimmers.

It has been fascinating to discover just how many seniors are still teaching and lifeguarding, long after most media would have you believe they are just doing aquafit or something similar (don’t get me wrong, aquafit can be a really good workout). People like Mary Gallagher, shown below, who has been teaching swimming in California since 1975.

Mary Gallagher was 80 when this photo was taken in 2000. Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh shows an older woman with white hair in a swimming pool. She is supporting a young child wearing swim goggles.
An (Ever) New Challenge: Protein
blogging · fitness · nutrition

An (Ever) New Challenge: Protein

elan.paulson1 Comment

This post revisits a FIFI blog post from November 4, 2013.

Ten years ago

On November 4, 2013, Sam blogged about what she described as My New Challenge. At the time, she was doing the Precision Nutrition Lean Eating program to gain muscle strength while maintaining a vegetarian diet. Sam reported that to achieve her goals she needed to build a habit of increasing her daily protein intake.

Taking cues from a Nutrition News post, Sam calculated that she should consume about 144 grams of protein daily, twice the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for her weight. Sam also referenced a post by Tracy about getting enough protein on a vegan diet, who noted that while she eats plenty of protein, tracking intake isn’t great for her.

Image from Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada. Did you know protein can come from plants? Where do vegans get their protein? Pie chart with two sections. Dark green section: Plants. Light green section: Plants, but in light green

Today

Ten years later, it looks like the Precision Nutrition Lean Eating program is still around. Tracy is still writing about veganism on her blog, Vegan Practically. Sam still enjoys tracking stuff, such as monitoring her regular sleep schedule.

I’ve been vegetarian (with minimal dairy) for about 8 years now, and I am sometimes asked, “do you get enough protein?” On one hand, this line of questioning seems more about justifying animal-based diets than supporting my health and nutrition. Plenty of research published since 2013 suggests that a) there are many protein-rich plant-based foods, b) there are benefits and drawbacks to both plant and animal proteins, and c) plant and animal proteins are about equally effective in developing muscle strength (Meng et al., 2021).

On the other hand…do I get enough protein? Looking at Sam calculated ratios and Tracy’s intake tracking, I suspect my protein intake does not meet the DRA, even without strength goals. Never have I tracked my protein intake since becoming vegetarian, as I struggle with maintaining habits of any kind. This includes the habit of learning about food, as I am reluctant to wade through complex nutrition research, salesy fads, and sometimes contradictory advice.

In reading Sam’s post from 2013, I realized that the habits of building muscle strength, eating enough protein, and taking the time to learn about nutrition are all distinct but perhaps important challenge goals for me.

Rather than see upping my protein as a means to and end, I could focus on forming one habit at a time. For example, after forcing myself to read around online for this post it appears that some foods I like (like peas, sundried tomatoes, guava, and nutritional yeast) are “surprising” high-protein plant-based foods I didn’t know about. They don’t exactly sound delicious together…but maybe I can try them in a smoothie sometime.

FIFI readers: How important is protein intake for achieving your nutrition and fitness goals? How do you approach this challenge?

fitness

Summer, by the Numbers

Diane Harper1 Comment

Back in the spring, I joined up with an app to track my cycling efforts for Bike Month. I decided it was sufficiently fun that I kept going even after the count ended. Since June 1st, which is technically late spring, but a convenient place to start, and leaning slightly into fall by counting up to September 26 when I drafted this post, here’s how I have done:

Km ridden on my bike: 1,059

Greenhouse gases averted: 270 kg. A round-trip flight to Ottawa to Berlin creates 2 metric tons of GHG, so I’ll need to cycle at this rate for at least 2 1/2 years in order to offset a single trip to Europe. I am assuming I’ll cycle less in winter and use my car a bit more. This is the calculator I used.

Money saved by riding my bike instead of driving: $643. Honestly, this seems a bit low to me as most estimates have car costs per month in Canada at nearly $1,000, when you include financing, fuel, maintenance and insurance. I’m guessing this amount is just fuel and maintenance.

Critical mass rides to advocate for climate change and safer streets (including Kidical Mass and Fancy Women rides): 5

Organized social bike rides: 11

Km swum: 19.743. This is way lower than past years, but between shoulder issues and general busyness it was all I could manage. Next year!

Activities for a cause: 5 – apple picking for the food bank; helping on various rides; census of transit at various locations around the city for the annual Pedal Poll; swim Angel for Bring on the Bay, which is itself a fundraiser for Easter Seals; 15 km swim fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society

Personal cycling goals set and achieved: 4 (18 km each way for a bike swim bike at Britannia Beach, feeding my friend’s cat 20 km away, visiting my parents 25 km away, and visiting my horse 24 km away).

Walks: I didn’t add them up but there were lots, mostly as a way to catch up with a friend, but sometimes for a history tour or to go to the grocery store with my rolly cart.

What did I get out of all this? I discovered that I can do a lot more than I imagined. I have gone from being a steady short-distance commuter to the office to being the person who thinks nothing about using the bike for all kinds of errands – from medical appointments to picking up groceries, going to shows and concerts, to checking on my community garden plots or joining others for a swim, drink or to check new cycling infrastructure. And that I love being social for a good cause.

Kidical Mass Ride, with a range of bikes and people of all ages in a park
My bike loaded with purchases
Me in the river, wearing a white swim cap and goggles
Friends checking out the new pedestrian/cycling bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau, folks at a social bike ride, and a group of people packing up boxes of freshly harvested apples in an orchard

Diane Harper lives and swims and bikes in Ottawa.

fitness

Do the thing!

Diane Harper1 Comment

Do the thing is an expression my friends and I often use when egging each other (and ourselves) to push boundaries. Like them (and many of the contributors to this blog) I overthink things to the point I chicken out.

This year, I had four cycling goals. One was to bike out to visit my parents, 25 km away. That would be a significant distance increase for me, and there are some scary 80 km/hour roads where everyone speeds – I was not convinced that Google was telling the truth about their rideability. It was mid-September. Time was running out.

On Saturday I had plans to join the Critical Mass Ride in downtown Ottawa, followed by a potluck for Bike Ottawa members in a park. The park is almost half-way to my parents’ house, and going home so I could drive there would take as long as biking directly. Getting home was an entirely different matter and I chose not to think too much about it.

I packed some extra snacks, water and my cycling shorts just in case I decided to do the thing. And my bus pass in case I decided that I couldn’t bike all the way home. When the potluck broke up, folks started planning to go on a 15 km ride that would largely follow my route home. I knew I could easily do that ride. Google told me that it was exactly the same distance as to my parents’ house. Time to stop thinking about it and just do the thing.

I did the thing!

Diane in a blue shirt and wearing her blue and white bike helmet stands beneath a sign for the street where her parents live.

I even did the thing going back home. It took an hour and 25 minutes on the return ride. That’s triple the fastest car ride, but way more fun. How often do you have complete strangers chat with you at a crosswalk when you’re in a car? How often do you notice an entire flock of turkeys on someone’s lawn (and can safely stop for a photo)?

A large brick house with five wild turkeys on the front lawn

I have written before about how riding a bike has made the world both bigger and smaller. I have new experiences, but also learn that things aren’t nearly as far away as they had seemed.

I rode 65 km, something I haven’t done in over 40 years. The roads I was afraid of turned out to have nice wide shoulders most of the way. I feel pretty darned good and I am confident about doing that ride again whenever the weather is nice.

Whatever your big fitness, health or life goal may be, do the thing! You might be pleasantly surprised at how great it feels.