Tag: weekend with Womack

A pile of brightly wrapped gifts. Pic by Val Vesa for Unsplash. Catherine’s favorite gifts from 2025, for 2026
celebration · fitness · holidays

Catherine’s favorite gifts from 2025, for 2026

catherine wLeave a comment

Yesterday we shared with you, dear readers, some of our plans for holiday giving and receiving this year. Most of us are reporting downscaling or transforming the practice into acts of love and kindness (shout out to Elan in particular), regifting with purpose (yeah, that’s me) supporting loved ones (anyone know of deals on snow tires, tell Sam) and also those who weren’t expecting much from Christmas this year (Christine, what a lovely idea you’re carrying out!). Also, I’m totally buying The Imaginary Alphabet for some littles I know and love. Thanks for the tip, Tracy!

In my blurb, I talked about what I was giving, but not what I wanted to receive, or gifts I had bestowed on myself. So here are a few of my favorite gifts (from me or others), and my plans for them in 2026.

  1. Two pairs Levi’s blue jeans, midrise boot cut, ordered from JC Penneys (yes, they still exist) on sale, about $35 each

I used to order fancier jeans (why? I honestly can’t tell you), but I got the idea that maybe I should revisit Levi’s. And I’m so glad I did! I’ve already gotten some nice wear out of them this fall, but I am hoping/planning on donning them for some horseback riding in 2026. Yes, that’s the plan.

Two models wearing bootcut Levis, from the JC Penney site.
Two models wearing bootcut Levis, from the JC Penney site.

2. Color markers and a notebook for drawing and writing

My friend Gillian gave me a beautiful Italian-paper-covered journal for writing, to which I’ve added drawings of flowers, trees, and whatever strikes my fancy. I never in a million years would have guessed that I would take up drawing. I have no training at all and never saw myself in an artistic light. I’m all words all the time, right? Well, no. Turns out I take great pleasure in creating little color compositions of objects in nature and imaginary geometric scenes. Who knew… All made possible by some markers and a book. I plan to keep it up in 2026, setting aside more intentional time for this happy pastime.

A 24-pack of colored markers and my precious journal.
A 24-pack of colored markers and my precious journal.

3. New purses for no reason other than I love them (one on left free from Yankee swap, one on right bought at church fair, $10.)

Anyone who knows me knows I love me some purses. Yes, it may seem like a hassle to change them out all the time, but when you want a little pop of color or a way to finish off an outfit, nothing does it for me like a cute purse. I tend to buy them used at my favorite consignment shop Wearovers, in Bedford MA (I know the owner and my friend Pata used to work there). But these two I scored in more felicitous and unexpected ways. Yes, they’re small. But, for me, that is a feature, not a bug. I use them when I am on the go and want to travel light. And in 2026, I’d really like to travel lighter– in body and spirit. Here’s to that.

Two cute purses with handy cross-body straps, all for me...
Two cute purses with handy cross-body straps, all for me…

4. Not going to a conference in India but instead one in Vermont, in June 2026.

My university is co-sponsoring a conference on innovation in higher education in June 2026 and soliciting abstracts. They will cover some (most? dunno) of the travel expenses and also offer tours afterwards. When I first saw this, I thought, “oh yeah, India! Gotta go!” But then I saw that there was a conference in Burlington VT at the same time, on food studies. This is a conference I have been to many times (including last year in Oregon). Also, I can drive there in four hours, instead of flying and traveling for more than 27 hours. And, the VT conference is on topics related to my research, unlike the India conference. So, I didn’t submit an abstract for the India conference, and am instead submitting one for the VT one. This makes so much sense, and is the perfect gift from present-me to future-me.

Google maps route from my house to the conference in VT.
Google maps route from my house to the conference in VT.
Call for abstracts and view of VT agriculture
Call for abstracts and view of VT agriculture

These gifts from myself or others to present-me and future-me reflect my hopes and plans for 2026 and beyond, namely that I want outfit myself physically and mentally for movement, creation, ease and connection. What about you, friends? What do you need to get yourself physically and psychically kitted out for 2026? I’d love to hear from you.

A daily planner, pen and spring of rosemary, I think. By Renata Adrienn for Unsplash. Is a daily habit really a daily habit if you sometimes miss a day?
fitness · habits

Is a daily habit really a daily habit if you sometimes miss a day?

catherine wLeave a comment

I’ve been meditating just about every day since August 2020. Yes, it started during the pandemic, as so many of our well-intentioned plans did; my friend Andrew introduced me to the 10 percent Happier app (now just called Happier– I guess you get to choose how much happier you want to be…) and I downloaded it and got going.

5.33 years later, here’s where I am according to the app (which, like all apps, is all-seeing and all-tracking):

My meditation stats: 2819 total sessions, 281 weeks in a row.
My meditation stats: 2819 total sessions, 281 weeks in a row.

I asked Google how many days it’s been since I downloaded the app in August 2020, and it answered 1958 days. So, it would seem I’ve meditated at least once everyday since then.

Nope! Wrong!

Uh-uh-- nope. Not the case. Courtesy of Thomas Park for Unsplash.
Uh-uh– nope. Not the case. Courtesy of Thomas Park for Unsplash.

Since the app also tracks how many days in a row I’ve meditated, it tells me that the most days in a row I’ve gone is 162 days. Then I missed a day, or rather the app thought so because I was at a friend’s cabin in the mountains of North Carolina with no wifi. Hmphf.

But of course I miss days. I missed a day last Sunday because I was up early to take my sister to the airport for her flight to Charlotte, only to pick her up 4 hours later (flight canceled) and take her back for a rescheduled flight (which was also 4 hours late but eventually left; sigh…). I missed a day in October when I was flying back from a conference in Oregon to Boston. Sometimes when I’m under the weather I miss a day.

I think you get the point here– missing days of otherwise-daily habits happens. But does that mean that my meditation doesn’t count as a daily habit?

I looked for “Oh, no, silly rabbit!” but all they had was bunny. It’ll do.

I’m still trying to make my peace with the idea of sticking to a a habit that I intend to do daily, knowing (as I do now, armed with 5 years’ worth of data) that I won’t do it absolutely every day. How many days in a row counts as daily? How many times can I miss doing my habitual thing and still count as doing it daily?

This reminds me of my students, worrying and fretting over their class attendance (I’m in finals week, so student worrying is a prominent part of my work life at the moment). I don’t penalize my students for missing classes, but if they miss more than three weeks of the course, they just don’t get credit for taking it (unless there are special circumstances, which happens sometimes).

Why am I bringing all this up now? Because in one of the substacks I read (by Suleika Jaouad, who writes The Isolation Journals), she posted “On the Art of Showing Up”, with an essay by Michael Bierut, who does something called the 100 Day Project. It’s about picking some activity– for him it’s drawing, but it can be anything– for 100 days in a row.

I both love this and fear this.

I love it because I want (or want to want, hard to tell which) to do something– either writing or drawing– every day. Why? Because setting aside a little time for creativity always feels great when I do it. It doesn’t have to be a lot– ten minutes? five?– but I’d like it to be a more regular part of my life.

I fear it because I fear missing days, and then feeling bad because of it.

But hey, I miss meditation days occasionally, and I’ve figured out how to handle it. I feel annoyed or chagrined or surprised that it happened. Maybe there’s some fretting. But then I do it the following day. And some days later, I notice that those days have passed with daily meditation, and I’m happy about that.

Can I approach this new thing with similar level-headedness and grace?

I hope so. I think this is something I want for myself. So, I’m starting after I get back home from visiting family in South Carolina for Christmas (note to self: don’t start a new habit while traveling during holidays).

What about you, dear readers: what happens to do when you decide– really decide– that you want to enact some new daily activity? I’d love to hear from you.

A snowy path in the woods. By Kaja Reichardt for unsplash. Holiday strolls, past and present
walking

Holiday strolls, past and present

catherine w1 Comment

Today, December 14, is our first real cover-the-ground-looking-like-winter snowfall here in Boston. I have such a soft spot for snow– it’s the fact that, as a southerner, I grew up with snow as a mysterious, rare and fleeting treat. Whenever we got enough to cover the ground, make snowmen, do snow angels or (oh joy!) go sledding, it never lasted more than a day or so. So we all pulled on our improvised snow gear and raced to the nearest hill with baking pans and whatever we could scrounge, so excited for that first snowy slushy slide.

I moved to New England 42 years ago, but the first snow has never failed to entrance me. There’s not nearly enough for me to pull out my cross country skis, but I’ll take a walk around the Fresh Pond reservoir and ooh and ahh at the frosted trees.

While I’m doing that, feel free to read this post about warmer weather winter walks with y family in South Carolina. I’m headed there next weekend, and will enjoy getting outside in sneakers and a light-ish jacket with family, friends and dogs.

What are you doing to take advantage of or endure the weather where you are? I’d love to hear from you.

Strolling through the holidays
A bunch of brown paper wrapped gifts with peppermint stripe ribbon. BY Juliana Malta for Unsplash. Silly fitness gifts, the 2025 edition
fitness · holidays

Silly fitness gifts, the 2025 edition

catherine wLeave a comment

Weeee’re back! Here are some of the newest (at least to me) silly so-called fitness gifts that you don’t need– either to give or receive– in 2025. All of them made some media outlet’s top fitness gift list this year, so beware.

By the way, here are some of my previous posts about silly fitness gifts, from 2019 and 2023.

Now, to this year’s picks:

A Smart-rope— that is, a jump rope with a smart-phone-app connection.

Overly fancy jump rope with slippery handles, nausea-inducing special effects and obligatory app.
Overly fancy jump rope with slippery handles, nausea-inducing special effects and obligatory app. But you do get a choice of handle colors…

So many complaints:

  • The handles are smooth plastic, which look like they will slip when you start sweating (as I do).
  • It has leaded beads that are LED lights, so you have to recharge it.
  • Why would I willingly buy something that requires me to install yet another single-purpose app? I know, okay boomer, but still. I don’t like app clutter.
  • It displays the number of jumps you’ve made through the LED thingies, so you see flashing lights going on and off in front of you the whole time you’re jumping. Hello, nausea!
  • It relentlessly keeps track of how many jumps, how fast you’re jumping, how long your jumping. And will tell everyone on the internet if you aren’t careful about your settings. No.
  • It’s $79. No. I can buy a regular jump rope for $4.97. It works just fine and doesn’t increase my risk of a seizure.

Magnetic sling bag for your water bottle

Water bottle sling bag. It does come in two colors-- you can buy both for $118.
It does come in two colors– you can buy both for $118.

Honestly, who needs this? Can’t we just put our bottles in our gym bags? Also, my water bottle has its own handle, specifically for carrying. Just sayin’.

Third, a favorite, but at an unbearable price: Peloton bike (retail!) Price $2695

Really? Does some editor think it’s May 2020? You can get a used Peloton bike for $500 on ebay, and less elsewhere. I saw this one for $350 on Facebook Marketplace.

Used peloton bike. $350. Membership extra.
Used peloton bike. $350. Membership extra.

When did Beauty advent calendars become a thing? And a very expensive thing at that! Here’s one a list-maker recommended: the Alo Yoga Advent Calendar.

A bunch of boxes containing "Magnesium Reset Spray, gel shots, supplements, accessories, and so much more". For $280. No thank you.
A bunch of boxes containing “Magnesium Reset Spray, gel shots, supplements, accessories, and so much more”. For $280. No thank you.

Also, it’s for the workout novice? Is it an advanced workout to open all those boxes? Again, just no. By the way, this is among the less expensive of the beauty advent calendars. I’m completely bumfuzzled about this phenomenon. Do you know any more about this? Please let me know in the comments.

Honestly, if you’re looking to give gifts or give hints to your loved ones about gifts you’d like, there are so many other choices, including donations to organizations that are doing good and needed work. Also, books are nice.

Hey readers– have you received any silly or wildly unnecessary fitness-y gifts for the holidays? I’d love to hear about them.

Happy holiday season, folks!

A small drawing of the number 6. Making Space 2025: Day 6
fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · self care

Making Space 2025: Day 6

Christine HenneburyLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Welcome to the first Saturday in December!

I hope that today finds you with at least a little time to yourself, even if it is just taking a little extra time with your cup of tea, a little longer in the shower, or going a little slower when doing some routine tasks.

I know I am not alone in this but I hate, hate, hate to feel rushed so when I am feeling hurried, I always try to figure out small ways to reduce that feeling of pressure. Sometimes, taking my time at the grocery store or choosing a slower way to do something helps my brain to recalibrate and see the difference between feeling rushed and any actual urgency.

I know that isn’t the same as actual rest or actually changing my to do list but when I am in the thick of things, I may not have the time or brain space to do either of those.

And I also know that some of you may not have the freedom or capacity to change the order or nature of your task but I hope that you can be kind to yourself about the facts of your day, that you can eke out a few minutes rest, and that you can recognize that feeling rushed at a busy time is not a personal flaw. You are doing what you can with the resources you have and that’s all anyone can do.

Whether you are rushing, relaxing, or doing something in between today, I wish you ease in your mind and in your body.

May you have a little more space when you need it.

Here’s today’s movement practice:

This video from Yes2Next is called “Easy 5 min Wall Pilates Workout (No Weights): For Ages 60+ and Beginners” and the still image shows the two happy-looking participants in a very light squat with their arms slightly extended behind them. Their photos superimposed over a purple wall and they are standing on a wooden floor. The participants are a mother/daughter pair and the Mom, an elderly woman with short grey hair, is closest to the camera and is wearing a black track suit. The daughter, who is middle aged, is in black leggings and dark peach t-shirt.

And here’s today’s mindfulness practice:

The still image for this Headspace video “Grounding Exercise for Racing Minds” shows a cartoonish yellow circle with googly eyes looking upwards and the the left. There is a white circle and a dark orange circle layered around the yellow circle character and the background of the image is a warm orange. The video title is on the upper left with the first few words in white and the last two in yellow.
no naps graphis with question mark Are they coming for the naps now? No. Not over my sleeping body.
fitness · research · Science · sleep

Are they coming for the naps now? No. Not over my sleeping body.

catherine wLeave a comment

In my view, medical research gets a lot right. We have good evidence that, for instance:

  • ultra-processed foods contribute to health markers that are linked to a variety of serious illnesses (like cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes)
  • physical activity is one of the best things we can do for our health, longevity and well-being, across the lifespan
  • developing and maintaining social connections of all sorts helps us maintain wellness and address issues in our own mental and physical health
  • sleep is a magical elixir that rejuvenates us and prepares us for the daily lives we want to lead (okay, the study didn’t use the words “magical elixir”, but they should have)

Here’s what Unsplash thinks healthy living looks like:

Unsplash endorses huge artichokes and hanging upside down more than the usual experts, but hey...
Unsplash endorses eating huge artichokes and hanging upside down more than experts, but hey…

We also know that some health claims are absolute nonsense, like:

  • sleeping with a bar of lavender soap in your bed will NOT help treat or cure restless leg syndrome ( Dr Mehmet Oz said this)
  • (fill in the blank) vitamin supplement NOT will cure (Alzheimer’s, cancer, Parkinson, COVID, etc.) medical condition (Oz promoted a bunch of these, too)
  • Using coffee as anything other than a delightful morning beverage is a BAD IDEA (the Cleveland clinic explains why, if you must know)
  • Virtually all advertised weight-loss products are BOGUS (trust me on this)
Yeah, no to all these things. Thanks, Markus Spiske for Unsplash.
Yeah, no to all these things. Thanks, Markus Spiske for Unsplash.

Let us now return to that magical elixir, sleep. Sleep feels good, does good, is good for us. Check, check, check. But what about its sweet cousin, the nap? Surely that delicious sleep snack must be a positive contributor to our lives, right?

I have to say that a somewhat recent scientific study came out, saying that daytime napping is associated with adverse health outcomes. In particular, it said:

Longer naps, greater intra-individual variability in daytime nap, and higher percentages of naps around noon and in the early afternoon are associated with greater mortality risks.

What?! Nonononononononononono!

Well, Prevention magazine thinks these scientists may be on to something. In this article, it asks the following scary questions:

Whoa. But don’t worry, Imma answer all these, one by one.

First, do some nap patterns increase our risk of death? No, not really.

The study looked mainly at the timing and variability of naps taken by older adults in the UK. It found oh-so-small increased risk for those who took naps at different times of day, for those who took longer naps, and for those who varied the length of their naps (which averaged 24 minutes daily).

BUT (and it’s a big but)…These results varied by gender (men seem more affected than women), by what time people arose in the morning, what time of day they tended to take their naps, how much they slept in general, and how much physical activity they got during the day. See this study for more details. And they failed to show any clinical association, just a small statistical one.

So napping isn’t really associated with death. Okay, one down.

Second: why would napping be associated with death? It’s not, not really.

Some sleep patterns reveal underlying problems rather than cause them; sleep apnea and chronic insomnia, for instance, tend to be symptoms of a variety of health conditions that carry their own mortality risk factors. But we already knew this. One of the study authors conceded this:

“The napping and mortality relationship is complex and may be influenced by adverse or protective lifestyle factors (e.g., nutrition, physical activity, substance use), nighttime sleep patterns, and underlying sleep disorders, medical comorbidities, age, as well as sex and gender-related factors.”

HAH! Told you. Second one done away with.

I told you so. Such sweet words.
I told you so. Such sweet words.

We are now in the napping-is-not-deadly-blog-post homestretch. Prevention asked, timidly, how can the napping-death connection be broken? Easy. See below.

Just get some exercise. Any kind will do. Walking, jogging, shuffleboard, bike riding (outdoors or in), swimming, dancing, playing with friends and family, yoga, strength training, etc. Why does this help keep napping from killing us? Because the adverse napping pattern (not napping itself) is often a symptom of known risk factors (like drinking or unprescribed drug use) and known medical conditions.

So, once more with feeling: it’s not the napping, folks. I mean, if you want to optimize your napping patterns, feel free– there are lots of articles (like this, this, and this) offering tips, which may or may not be true.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Now you must excuse me– it’s time for my nap…

This dog is napping. Thanks Mittra Ronjoy from Unsplash.

Shhhh… Thanks Mittra Ronjoy for Unsplash.

Images of frosted chocolate and strawberry poptart boxes, By Zoshua Cohen for Unsplash. More evidence is in: ultra-processed food is a global health problem
fitness · nutrition · research · Science

More evidence is in: ultra-processed food is a global health problem

catherine w1 Comment

We are probably all used to getting five-alarm headlines about the perils of some food or other, just to read later on “uh, never mind. It’s all good.” Nutritional research is infamous for big pendulum swings on its pronouncements about the goodness or badness of foods (just search “fit is a feminist issue eggs” for more info).

I’ve written on worries about ultra-processed food a couple of times for the blog:

The newest processed food nutrition studies: more to chew on

New news on ultra-processed food: similar verdict but with more nuance and context

Two reasons why the picture on ultra-processed foods and health hasn’t been so clear:

  • The classification system for level of processing in food is a work in progress, and some foods (like grocery store bread) count as ultra-processed even though they have high nutrition value.
  • Our industrial food system delivers mostly processed and ultra-processed food to most people, leaving them with little access to less processed food; so it’s not reasonable to say “don’t eat these foods” without a new plan in mind.

This very useful (and freely accessible) article in the Conversation by the authors of three new papers on ultra-processed foods lays out a clearer and more dire story.

Here’s the short version:

The food industry’s production of processed foods is changing diets worldwide.

In the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, it’s been consistently high for decades (around 50% of daily energy). Ultra-processed foods are essentially the national diet. The same goes for Australia.

It’s not that the global eating public has become lax or lazy– these products are designed not only to be high in sugar, salt, and fat. Their tastes and textures promote overeating.

Crucially, it’s not just about “too much sugar, salt and fat”. Clinicaltrials show that when adults eat diets heavy in ultra-processed foods, they consume about 500–800 extra calories per day, gain weight and fat mass, and eat more rapidly, when compared with eating a non-ultra-processed diet with the same proportions of macronutrients. This is likely because of higher energy density, tastiness, and soft textures that make overeating ultra-processed foods easy.

Almost a hundred long-term studies show significant health risks associated with a diet high in ultra-processed foods.

92 [studies] reported greater associated risks of one or more chronic diseases. Meta-analyses of these studies confirmed associations for obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, Crohn’s disease, depression, and early death from all causes.

Addressing this global health problem requires big policy solutions, not individual willpower.

Steps recommended by the authors of three papers on this subject in the Lancet medical journal are:

  • changing the composition of food products
  • fixing food environments
  • curbing corporate power
  • addressing subsidies and supply chains

Yes, these are nutrition policy wonk solutions, with complex details and long-term goals. But we all know that really big changes rarely happen without a lot of people working together, exerting political, scientific and economic influence.

So, what can we do? Keep reading, keep (or start) cooking when we can, keep voting, and keep remembering that change is slow, but change can and does happen. I believe this, and encourage you to believe it, too.

a red and yellow spongy fish, with blue fin trim Whimsical Wednesday: name that fish
fitness · self care

Whimsical Wednesday: name that fish

catherine wLeave a comment

It’s getting to be that time in the semester when the pace of exams starts speeding up. It’s less than a month to go in the term, and my students are looking more tired and anxious. They’re not up for a nice brisk walk in the woods at the east end of campus, and they’re not eating food that makes them feel fortified for the day (at least if my own past college self is any evidence). What is a person to do to help them get at least a temporary break from stress and anxiety on exam day?

Idea: name that fish.

What?

I was in my office before class and noticed this small, spongy, rubbery multicolored fish sitting on my desk. I had picked it up at a school event in September from a swag table. On a whim, I put it in my bag and headed out to give an exam.

A cute little red and yellow spotted spongy fish, definitely worthy of hanging out with me in my office.

When I arrived at class, I greeted the tops of my students heads– all were bent over their notes, hoping that a few more minutes in their vicinity would translate into a better grade.

Then I had a sudden thought: I wrote on the board:

For one point of extra credit on the exam, name this fish.

And I drew an arrow to where the fish was sitting in the eraser tray for the white board at the front of the room.

When I announced the extra credit opportunity, not many people smiled or chuckled– they were too intent on getting the exam over with. But, here is what they came up with:

An ocean of names, all from their imaginations and memories.
An ocean of names, all from their imaginations and memories.

One student came up to turn in her exam, wearily saying, “I’m done”. I asked her if she named the fish and she perked up, saying “I’m not done”, turned around, went back to her desk, composed a name, returned to me, and said with a smile, “Now I’m done”.

For me, a smile, a chuckle, a silly distraction– these moments help provide a break during times of stress and worry, offering a some needed respite and a small infusion of well-being.

Readers, what do you do to lighten your day during this dark month of November? I’d love to hear from you.

A painting of a woman with a lute and a music teacher and one other person. By Europeana fr Unsplash. How a little bit of culture goes a long way towards wellness, according to science
fitness · research · Science

How a little bit of culture goes a long way towards wellness, according to science

catherine wLeave a comment

My sister and I went to the Museum of Fine Arts a couple of weeks ago when she was visiting. We had a great time meandering through the galleries, with no particular goal other than enjoyment. We met that goal easily and effortlessly. Yay!

Now it turns out that science confirms what we experienced… 🙂 A new study out from Kings College, London, found evidence that viewing art in a gallery (it has to be in a gallery, it seems) lowers stress levels. Here’s some more info:

50 volunteers aged 18-40, viewed either original artworks at The Courtauld Gallery in London or reproductions of the same paintings in a matched, non-gallery environment. Participants were monitored for heart rate variability and skin temperature using research-grade digital watches to track levels of interest and arousal.

Cortisol levels — the key stress hormone — fell by an average of 22% in the gallery group, compared to just eight per cent for the reproduction group. Those viewing original art also had more dynamic heart activity – indicating that art engages the body through both emotional arousal and stress regulation.

That’s good news for me, as I love any excuse to go to a museum or gallery. Dr. Tony Woods, one of the researchers, added this:

“Our unique and original study provides compelling evidence that viewing art in a gallery is ‘good for you’ and helps to further our understanding of its fundamental benefits. In essence, art doesn’t just move us emotionally — it calms the body too.”

You don’t have to tell me twice. I’m on it.

But maybe museums aren’t your thing. That’s fine– science has other good news for you. In a study published in October, researchers in Australia found that:

People [over 70] who listened to music most days slashed their risk of developing dementia by 39 percent compared with those who did not regularly listen to music, the study found.

Here are a few of their key points:

  • Always listening to music was associated with a 39% reduced dementia risk and better global cognition and memory scores.
  • Playing an instrument was associated with a 35% reduced dementia risk, but no significant association with CIND risk or changes in cognitive test scores over time.
  • Regularly engaging in both music listening and playing was associated with a 33% decreased risk of dementia and 22% decreased risk of cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND).

This was an observational study, so the results are associations, not causal links. But it was large– more than 10,000 participants– so the results are encouraging.

Listening to music was NOT, however, associated with subjective cognitive wellbeing. But hey, that’s what the museums are for.

So, science is giving us official permission get our culture on. Yay!

A physical therapist helping a client. BY Annie Spratt for Unsplash. Graduating from physical therapy: Catherine’s excited and a little worried
fitness · injury · mobility · Physiotherapy

Graduating from physical therapy: Catherine’s excited and a little worried

catherine wLeave a comment

I’ve been in physical therapy for a recurrence of sciatica since late July. I’d had pain and weakness in my right hip since May, causing me problems climbing stairs and pain that would wake me up at night. Blech!

Once I finally acknowledged that yes, I needed some help, and got started with a supervised twice-a-week plan, plus at-home exercises, I felt relieved. Relieved that I had a structured plan for dealing with the pain and getting stronger, and also relieved that I could leave this plan up to the professionals (thanks, Julian and Louis!), who would guide me through a process of healing and rebuilding my muscles and getting needed functionality back. Ahhh…

Starting with stretching exercises and some easy strength-building (e.g. bridge, clamshells), I moved on to a full array of hip machine exercises, leg presses, balance activities, farmer’s carry, and stair climbing with dumbells on one side. It’s been gratifying to see and feel my strength increase and pain decrease. Yay!

My classes are all on the second floor of one of the campus buildings, with extra stairs to get into the building. I’ve really not enjoyed waiting for the super-slow elevator to take me to my floor, but it was necessary. Until the past couple of weeks. I’m now taking all the stairs, and my strength has increased so I don’t need to rely on the stair railing to offset weakness in my hip. Yesss!

I knew it was coming, so I wasn’t surprised when I got a call from the PT practice to say I didn’t need twice-a-week sessions anymore. I’ll go once a week for the next few weeks to transition to discharge. This means they think I’m recovered enough to maintain my newly-regained strength and flexibility on my own. Uh, yay?

I mean, here’s the thing: I know I should be feeling like this:

This lamb is feeling it. Thanks, Jonathan Mabey from Unsplash.
This lamb is feeling it. Thanks, Jonathan Mabey from Unsplash.

And I am. It means I’m pretty recovered and functional. I’ll have 4 more hours back for my week. I won’t be paying $40 in co-pays each week. I’ll be climbing stairs to beat the band!

But I also I feel a little like this:

This woman is also not completely sure about the plan. Thanks Simon Abel for Unsplash.
This woman is also not completely sure about the plan. Thanks Simon Abel for Unsplash.

What am I worried about? I’m worried about the challenge of keeping up my fitness maintenance without the help of the PT bros, who I’ve come to like and respect and depend on. Now I have to depend on, well, me. Hence the worried face.

The good news is that my gym has all the machines I need and is a mile from my house. I also know what to do, and in fact like the experience of the weight work and strength training. And, I can bring a friend to my gym for free on the weekends, so I can enlist help in getting there.

And yet.

I’m almost at that transition point– not yet finished with PT, not yet into a regular gym routine. So that’s my next challenge: get to the the one-mile-away-from-my-house gym to do those exercises without the guidance of physical therapists, but instead with the company of other exercisers, including friends.

Maintaining strength, flexibility and functional fitness is really important to me. And it doesn’t always come easy. It’ll take some adjustment, just like twice-a-week PT and at-home exercises did. I’ll report back in a month to let you know how things are going.

Dear readers, what have your experiences of transition from PT/physio to maintenance exercise been like? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you.

Thanks!