After Xmas

Had a good Christmas. My family gets together on Christmas Eve. This year, about 23 people (adults and kids). It was hosted this year by my brother Tom and his wife Joy. Way too much food as usual. It must be genetic, we all want to make sure there's enough. My mom got me the Appalachian Trail guide book and map for the New Hampshire section of the trail. I'll have a nice sit down soon and read it through. Christmas Day I hosted my Mom and Dad and my brother Tom and Joy and Nancey. Again, way too much food. We all ate too much and yesterday we only "nuked' some leftovers. We still have a lot to go thru. Thank goodness I sent a good bit of dressing and cheesecake home with Tom and Joy. I'm going to get the leftover goose to my dad so he can have sandwiches.

I was going to go to the YMCA this morning to exercise but we received 3 inches of snow overnight so my exercise today was shoveling. Spent about an hour on shoveling decks, walks and a path to the bird feeder. I had sweat thru my tee shirt by the time I came in. Even so, I feel a little twitchy and may just go down anyway for a short workout and a sit in the sauna.

December Exercising

Well then, I joined the Gloversville YMCA. A good investment. It being December and holiday time, I've only been able to go 3 times each week but even so, it's worth it. I've tried just about everything now except the racquetball court. I went today and worked out on the CYBEX equipment. I managed two circuits. Then 24 minutes on an exercise bike. I need to up the level again on that. I'm not working hard enough. I feel so good when I exercise, I wonder why I keep stopping. No weight loss yet but again, it being the holiday season, I think just maintaining is a success.

Getting Fit

Well, laziness set in after my last therapy session and I've regained 7 pounds of the 11 I lost during the summer. I also only do my foot exercises on an infrequent basis. Naturally that means my feet have begun to hurt again. Therefore, I've resolved to get myself a more structured exercise and fitness program. I checked out 2 options in my area, the FitHappens commercial fitness company and the local (Gloversville) YMCA. The Y has more options; pool, sauna, free weights, weight machines and a few exercise machines mainly bikes and treadmills. The FitHappens has the free weights, weight machines and lots of exercise machines like the treadmills, exercise bikes but also the eliptical stuff. It does not have a pool or sauna. Both have some classes, yoga, etc. The Y has water aerobics too. Since I need to work out but stay off of my feet, I'm thinking swimming would be best. Since I'm barely able to stay afloat, the water aerobics may be good but I think I could struggle through laps without drowning myself. My brother Don is also thinking of the Y and swimming. We may both join up and meet up to encourage each other thru some laps. I have a 4H meeting tonight at 7pm. I may just take my free trip to the YMCA they gave me to give the place a try and go down there before my 4H meeting. I am encouraged to get moving on this not only by my ever increasing girth but cause I know I'll feel so much better. I saw a recent CNN special on dieting. It boils down to having enought discipline to eat reasonably and get an hour of exercise per day. If I ever want to do more backpacking, I need to be lighter, more flexible and stronger. The YMCA sounds like just the prescription I need.