working out for Disney

[HouCuseChickie]

Today marks 3 weeks of gym membership and I'm on week 8 of getting back to more healthful eating. We've been trying to stick to 5 days a week in the gym...75-90 minutes each visit. The kids really seem to enjoy it and help get me motivated when I hit 5:30pm and really just want to veg out on the couch. I'm doing more cardio than anyone else, but I really feel like that 30 minutes (plus cool down) of more intense cardio gets my adrenaline where it needs to be for any kind of lifting related exercises. I'm still using the elliptical as my main cardio source, but I did have a day earlier this week where my tummy wasn't happy, so I biked instead. Beyond that, we're doing the typical alternating days between upper and lower body. I try and hit a minimum of 6 circuit machines, but I'm pushing myself to vary up my machines so I'm not just always sitting down to an old favorite. The scale is definitely not going down as quickly as it did back in 2018/2019, but it is what it is. I'm building muscle and have lost inches in various places, so that's something and I also know that the mild lymphedema I now have is going to always impact this as well.

On a funny note, after the conversations on here, I found myself playing a game of "count the tank tops." I lost count, but I noticed they are even allowing people to go around in sports bras. Granted, these girls all looked like they were 15-18. I know I used to do the same at their age.

Beyond fitness...just trying to manage the summer. The older one has THREE volunteer "jobs"...one of which where I'm required to volunteer with her (age matter). We start our journey at an animal shelter this weekend. The younger one is a big question mark. She injured her achilles towards the end of school soccer season. She was supposed to see the pediatric sports med orthopedist this week (earliest appointment I could get) and they canceled on us. I get that the dr is sick, but instead of trying to work us in next week or find us a spot with another dr, they wanted to bump us all the way to July 13th! After a lot of complaining and my husband getting on the phone, they magically found a spot for her next week. Kiddo has got a lot of softball coming up and we need to know soon if she can play, since travel is involved. We've been having her work out, but just super careful with the impacted area. Beyond that, just hoping all goes well with cruise and Universal stuff later this summer.

 

[MinnieM123]

Today marks 3 weeks of gym membership and I'm on week 8 of getting back to more healthful eating. We've been trying to stick to 5 days a week in the gym...75-90 minutes each visit. The kids really seem to enjoy it and help get me motivated when I hit 5:30pm and really just want to veg out on the couch. I'm doing more cardio than anyone else, but I really feel like that 30 minutes (plus cool down) of more intense cardio gets my adrenaline where it needs to be for any kind of lifting related exercises. I'm still using the elliptical as my main cardio source, but I did have a day earlier this week where my tummy wasn't happy, so I biked instead. Beyond that, we're doing the typical alternating days between upper and lower body. I try and hit a minimum of 6 circuit machines, but I'm pushing myself to vary up my machines so I'm not just always sitting down to an old favorite. The scale is definitely not going down as quickly as it did back in 2018/2019, but it is what it is. I'm building muscle and have lost inches in various places, so that's something and I also know that the mild lymphedema I now have is going to always impact this as well.

On a funny note, after the conversations on here, I found myself playing a game of "count the tank tops." I lost count, but I noticed they are even allowing people to go around in sports bras. Granted, these girls all looked like they were 15-18. I know I used to do the same at their age.

Beyond fitness...just trying to manage the summer. The older one has THREE volunteer "jobs"...one of which where I'm required to volunteer with her (age matter). We start our journey at an animal shelter this weekend. The younger one is a big question mark. She injured her achilles towards the end of school soccer season. She was supposed to see the pediatric sports med orthopedist this week (earliest appointment I could get) and they canceled on us. I get that the dr is sick, but instead of trying to work us in next week or find us a spot with another dr, they wanted to bump us all the way to July 13th! After a lot of complaining and my husband getting on the phone, they magically found a spot for her next week. Kiddo has got a lot of softball coming up and we need to know soon if she can play, since travel is involved. We've been having her work out, but just super careful with the impacted area. Beyond that, just hoping all goes well with cruise and Universal stuff later this summer.

Glad to hear that your workouts are on track, and good for you for your dedication. (Oh, I laughed about the tank top counts in the gym. ) I can also see that you're very busy in general, this summer.

 

[Sans Souci]

Today marks 3 weeks of gym membership and I'm on week 8 of getting back to more healthful eating. We've been trying to stick to 5 days a week in the gym...75-90 minutes each visit. The kids really seem to enjoy it and help get me motivated when I hit 5:30pm and really just want to veg out on the couch. I'm doing more cardio than anyone else, but I really feel like that 30 minutes (plus cool down) of more intense cardio gets my adrenaline where it needs to be for any kind of lifting related exercises. I'm still using the elliptical as my main cardio source, but I did have a day earlier this week where my tummy wasn't happy, so I biked instead. Beyond that, we're doing the typical alternating days between upper and lower body. I try and hit a minimum of 6 circuit machines, but I'm pushing myself to vary up my machines so I'm not just always sitting down to an old favorite. The scale is definitely not going down as quickly as it did back in 2018/2019, but it is what it is. I'm building muscle and have lost inches in various places, so that's something and I also know that the mild lymphedema I now have is going to always impact this as well.

On a funny note, after the conversations on here, I found myself playing a game of "count the tank tops." I lost count, but I noticed they are even allowing people to go around in sports bras. Granted, these girls all looked like they were 15-18. I know I used to do the same at their age.

Beyond fitness...just trying to manage the summer. The older one has THREE volunteer "jobs"...one of which where I'm required to volunteer with her (age matter). We start our journey at an animal shelter this weekend. The younger one is a big question mark. She injured her achilles towards the end of school soccer season. She was supposed to see the pediatric sports med orthopedist this week (earliest appointment I could get) and they canceled on us. I get that the dr is sick, but instead of trying to work us in next week or find us a spot with another dr, they wanted to bump us all the way to July 13th! After a lot of complaining and my husband getting on the phone, they magically found a spot for her next week. Kiddo has got a lot of softball coming up and we need to know soon if she can play, since travel is involved. We've been having her work out, but just super careful with the impacted area. Beyond that, just hoping all goes well with cruise and Universal stuff later this summer.

It sounds like you're getting a lot out of your membership. I watched a video about PF yesterday. Are you doing that 30 min circuit they have or are you doing your own thing? I am trying to put on a bit more muscle, too. I keep reading how it's vital to keep strength training as you get older. I do struggle with seeing the scale creep up slightly, but everything fits the same. I just take photos so I can see my progress.

That is good about the tank tops. Maybe they eased up about it after they were in the news for telling women to cover up. I don't even have a problem with sports bras, esp in the summer. I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing one in public, but I know others have different comfort levels.

Wow, I remember when your daughter injured her hand. How is that, btw? Hopefully, her achilles can heal quickly. That sounds painful.

Where is your cruise going?

 

[Figgy1]

I remember seeing in the news women wearing tank tops were asked to leave or change. The women were fully covered (e.g.no midriff showing). Are tank tops intimidating? I need to workout in a tank top, too, all year round. I feel like my movement is less restricted when I am doing upper body work.

That would be a no go for me as well, just not comfy

 

[Figgy1]

Hello! Same old same old but today was a bit different as dh has to go to the dentist this morning. I got my steps in, made waffles then did my practice. Now all the guys have to do is pop breakfast in the toaster oven. I'm also almost at the end of week one of my annual summer gut flush. It probably doesn't do much but it's a nice way to kick off summer fruit and veggie season

 

[MinnieM123]

Hello! Same old same old but today was a bit different as dh has to go to the dentist this morning. I got my steps in, made waffles then did my practice. Now all the guys have to do is pop breakfast in the toaster oven. I'm also almost at the end of week one of my annual summer gut flush. It probably doesn't do much but it's a nice way to kick off summer fruit and veggie season

Gut flush?

 

[Figgy1]

Gut flush?

View attachment 644792

2 weeks low carb mostly raw, no grains, nothing processed and no beans except soy because my body does very well on those. I was thinking about going completely raw again but decided against it as I have enough trouble staying warm

 

[MinnieM123]

2 weeks low carb mostly raw, no grains, nothing processed and no beans except soy because my body does very well on those. I was thinking about going completely raw again but decided against it as I have enough trouble staying warm

 

[Lilofan]

We joined Planet fitness. Nothing on bagels, coffee or pizza Not that I should be eating any of that right now Although, my older teen is free all summer.

We opted for PF because we never used the pool, hot tub or sauna at our previous gyms and have never been into classes. We got black memberships, so we also get things like hydromassage and massage chairs, although I don't know how much we'll use that. We definitely won't be using the tanning. It was more because of the guest privileges and using other locations. We've had some ugly gym contract issues with past gyms, and supposedly PF is pretty easy to quit if we decide we don't like it...which is not the case with the other three in our area we were considering.

Something I only saw once at Planet Fitness when I was a member was a gym member with mgt permission brought her dog into the gym. The member wanted to expose the dog in a more social atmosphere. It ended being a number of members working out saw the cutie and the dog got a lot of petting , and snuggles from the smiling gym members.

 

[Sans Souci]

Something I only saw once at Planet Fitness when I was a member was a gym member with mgt permission brought her dog into the gym. The member wanted to expose the dog in a more social atmosphere. It ended being a number of members working out saw the cutie and the dog got a lot of petting , and snuggles from the smiling gym members.

This reminds me of the dogs I saw at Boo Bash last year. I saw a group of people walking around MK with golden retrievers in training. Then I saw them again while I was waiting to get on iasw. These dogs were loaded onto the boat in front of us. One of them was looking around, taking everything in. Then their boat was dispatched and when it started "bouncing" over the rollers in the conveyor belt, he was like, "Wut? What the...?!?!" and laid down so fast. It was so funny and so cute. There were seven of them in the boat, since they had it to themselves.

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning.

I did a lower body workout this AM. I'm trying to motivate myself to get ready to drive up to Jersey City to look at apartments with my husband. We're staying overnight because he wants to avoid having to do this more than once. Today is looking at NJ apartments and tomorrow is going into NYC, I think. I don't know, I just go with the flow.

Our cat friend visited us for dinner last night. She was acting strange though. My son put her dish out in the usual spot, but she wouldn't approach it. She seemed somewhat skittish. So he put out further away from the door and she came over to eat. She usually eats a bit, naps on the deck, eats more, naps again and then one last round of eating/napping. It takes about 2 hours. Anyway, she left after she ate. She came back later, so my son put her dish out again, but she only ate a bit before she left again. I am wondering if she had a run in with some unfriendly humans. We've never attempted to approach her. We just let her do her thing when she comes over.

 

[Figgy1]

Good morning.

I did a lower body workout this AM. I'm trying to motivate myself to get ready to drive up to Jersey City to look at apartments with my husband. We're staying overnight because he wants to avoid having to do this more than once. Today is looking at NJ apartments and tomorrow is going into NYC, I think. I don't know, I just go with the flow.

Our cat friend visited us for dinner last night. She was acting strange though. My son put her dish out in the usual spot, but she wouldn't approach it. She seemed somewhat skittish. So he put out further away from the door and she came over to eat. She usually eats a bit, naps on the deck, eats more, naps again and then one last round of eating/napping. It takes about 2 hours. Anyway, she left after she ate. She came back later, so my son put her dish out again, but she only ate a bit before she left again. I am wondering if she had a run in with some unfriendly humans. We've never attempted to approach her. We just let her do her thing when she comes over.

Good luck! Are you planning on taking the PATH into the city or are you going to drive?

 

[Songbird76]

I have very rarely seen a cat roaming around either here or back in IL. I know some places have laws against feeding feral colonies. This is just my opinion, but I think it's dangerous to let a cat roam around. I'd be stressed out wondering if my cat was ok. I've seen cat bodies that have been run over by cars. There are foxes in my neighborhood--why risk it? Plus, there are very sick people out there who poison cats for fun.

I wonder if you can buy something to repel cats to spray on E's flowers? I feel her frustration, I have deer that eat flowers in my yard as soon as they bloom. I have this spray repellent that is supposed to smell like wolf urine, but it smells like rotten eggs. It's gross, but it works.

There was a thing a year or two ago in the news here about some guy who was trapping cats in his yard and then taking them out into the middle of nowhere to release them. A whole bunch of people's cats went missing, and this guy said he didn't want cats in his yard. If people didn't want to lose their cats, they should keep them at home, and if they went into his yard, he felt he had a right to dispose of them. I don't know whether or not the law agrees with him, but I do get not wanting to find cat feces in your yard, or mangled birds, etc. I was thinking that in the States, people keep their cats in the house....I never knew cats to just roam around freely until I moved here, but that seems to be the norm here....free range cats, I guess? People think it's cruel to keep them inside when their natural habitat would be outside. But if you think it's cruel, why do you keep one as a pet at all?

 

[Figgy1]

There was a thing a year or two ago in the news here about some guy who was trapping cats in his yard and then taking them out into the middle of nowhere to release them. A whole bunch of people's cats went missing, and this guy said he didn't want cats in his yard. If people didn't want to lose their cats, they should keep them at home, and if they went into his yard, he felt he had a right to dispose of them. I don't know whether or not the law agrees with him, but I do get not wanting to find cat feces in your yard, or mangled birds, etc. I was thinking that in the States, people keep their cats in the house....I never knew cats to just roam around freely until I moved here, but that seems to be the norm here....free range cats, I guess? People think it's cruel to keep them inside when their natural habitat would be outside. But if you think it's cruel, why do you keep one as a pet at all?

Most cats around here are inside cats but one neighbor has an indoor outdoor cat we call mooch. Pretty sure he's an adopted stray

 

[Songbird76]

Sometimes menus are hiding in strange places. I sometimes have to look for them on the restaurant's facebook page, or sometimes they're tied to review apps like Yelp.

I don't know if you've been monitoring the in-park dining, but it looks like they will be updating this page a bit more as the month goes on.

Dining at Yellowstone National Park Lodges

From dining in a log cabin near Old Faithful to cowboy cuisine at Roosevelt Lodge, there's many delicious dining options throughout Yellowstone National Park.

www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com

The Mammoth Hotel Dining room, which is only serving dinner this summer...is one of our favorites. It also looks like they are maintaining their policy of not requiring/taking reservations, so this would work well with your scheduling concerns. This is a very easy drive when you're staying in Gardiner. We are big fans of the Lake Yellowstone Hotel dining room, but looks like they are breakfast and dinner only. While we're not fans of the Old Faithful dining room, their cafeteria has been good for us and previously had a number of decent options. My parents recently got back from a trip where they spent a few nights at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. They said the Obsidian Dining Room was just meh and shared our sentiments on the food in the Old Faithful Dining room (not exactly great). YNP has a number of general stores with grocery store type options, but you can probably stock up on some things at stores outside of the park and save some $. I just get really cautious with this since I don't like having much in the way of tasty snacks open in the vehicle while in bear country.

There's a lot that can be seen without having to hike way off into the wilderness. While we hiked a bit to get to the Grand Prismatic overlook last year (my issue was more the elevation gain vs the distance), most of the thermal features (including Grand Prismatic) can be accessed by boardwalks and walkways leading directly from parking lots. Of course, some of these involve long walks on these manmade paths (like from Old Faithful to Morning Glory), while others incorporate a lot of stair climbing (around Mud Volcano and the Mammoth Terraces). Some short hikes (Tower Falls coming to mind) are well worn dirt paths with some overlook structures, but are extremely steep grades...so just check out for things like that too. The same can be said for spots like Mammoth Hot Springs, all of the popular geyser basin spots, hot spots around Canyon, etc. The biggest issue is finding parking and how far you may be walking from where you park. Old Faithful/Upper Geyser Basin has TONS of parking, but it can be quite a walk depending on where you find parking. Other areas may be hit or miss if you don't hit them first thing in the morning...and even then, it could be tough. You may find yourself looping several times or if it's allowed in that area, parking along the side of the road/Grand Loop. Grand Prismatic and Norris Geyser Basin are two of the areas I recall where you'll see parking spilling out onto the road...sometimes for quite a distance. Rangers will actually put up signage and cones to signify where along the road overflow parking is allowed for Norris. Our favorite place in Yellowstone is Lamar Valley. While the drive can get pretty congested in the afternoon and there can be a lot of bison jams, we've found there to be lots of open pullouts along the way. You just have to be very aware of animal locations when you do this. In fact, the only area along this stretch that can get congested is near the cliffs around the northeastern entrance...people camped out trying to spot mountain goats in the cliffs.

Thanks! Yeah, I tried to look up menus, but it just says for current menu, go to the restaurant. I have to look things up in advance. We can't be caught in a situation where A is starving and they don't serve anything he'll eat. I HAVE to research up front. Food is a huge issue. A just had a palatial expander put in on Wednesday because his upper jaw is too small, so his upper teeth don't meet his bottom teeth....his bottom teeth stick out. It's causing some breathing issues as well, because he can't comfortably close his mouth, so he always breathes through his mouth rather than his nose. So they need to expand the upper jaw and then put braces on to put the teeth where they are supposed to be. So they put in spacer bands to make room around his molars for the palatial expander. He said they hurt his teeth and he ate nothing but 2 vanilla muffins per day because he didn't have to chew them really. He had those for a week, then they took them out and put the expander in, but he couldn't figure out how to swallow with that in, so he didn't eat anything or drink anything for 2 days straight. He was getting dehydrated, so my husband had to take him in today and have them remove it so he can eat, and we'll have to figure out what to do next. He's supposed to have that expander for several months, but that won't work if he can't eat. And he's already so picky. We've decided to wait with any treatment until after vacation so at least we won't have extra food issues while we're traveling. We went to Yellowstone a few times when I was growing up and we always brought our own food. We always camped in a tent and cooked our own food, so I'm not too worried about that. When we were there last, the rangers told us they've been able to keep the bears mostly in more back areas where they aren't coming into contact with park visitors. It happens, but not like it used to, where they'd be waiting on the road as people drove past and people purposely brought food for them. They are more likely to go to campsites where food is improperly stored. Where we'll just be driving through and parking in lots to see things, we shouldn't have as much of an issue.

 

[Lilofan]

2 weeks low carb mostly raw, no grains, nothing processed and no beans except soy because my body does very well on those. I was thinking about going completely raw again but decided against it as I have enough trouble staying warm

2 weeks low carb mostly raw, no grains, nothing processed and no beans except soy because my body does very well on those. I was thinking about going completely raw again but decided against it as I have enough trouble staying warm

Definitely a way to improve digestion , energy , heart healthy , weight loss and lower risks of diabetes. Way to go!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

There was a thing a year or two ago in the news here about some guy who was trapping cats in his yard and then taking them out into the middle of nowhere to release them. A whole bunch of people's cats went missing, and this guy said he didn't want cats in his yard. If people didn't want to lose their cats, they should keep them at home, and if they went into his yard, he felt he had a right to dispose of them. I don't know whether or not the law agrees with him, but I do get not wanting to find cat feces in your yard, or mangled birds, etc. I was thinking that in the States, people keep their cats in the house....I never knew cats to just roam around freely until I moved here, but that seems to be the norm here....free range cats, I guess? People think it's cruel to keep them inside when their natural habitat would be outside. But if you think it's cruel, why do you keep one as a pet at all?

Which is flawed thinking IMO. Cats can have very rich lives indoors if given enough to do by their humans. Ours have plenty of toys, plus windows to look out of, and Ella is harness trained, so she goes outside with supervision (Jasmine does not have any desire to be outside). It keeps them safe and they live much longer lives.

Ella in her perch by my desk.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

It sounds like you're getting a lot out of your membership. I watched a video about PF yesterday. Are you doing that 30 min circuit they have or are you doing your own thing? I am trying to put on a bit more muscle, too. I keep reading how it's vital to keep strength training as you get older. I do struggle with seeing the scale creep up slightly, but everything fits the same. I just take photos so I can see my progress.

That is good about the tank tops. Maybe they eased up about it after they were in the news for telling women to cover up. I don't even have a problem with sports bras, esp in the summer. I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing one in public, but I know others have different comfort levels.

Wow, I remember when your daughter injured her hand. How is that, btw? Hopefully, her achilles can heal quickly. That sounds painful.

Where is your cruise going?

I'm certainly trying. The last time I had a gym membership, it wound up going unused for the most part. It wasn't that I didn't want to go...it's that the gym location was so popular that it was often impossible to find a parking space. Even when you did find a space, the inside was so crowded that there were lines waiting for pretty much everything. Cardio machines had a 20 minute limit and a sign up sheet simply because of crowd control issues. When they opened a second location, machines were always broken. They also made it unreasonably difficult to terminate my membership. My weight has done more than creep, but it is what it is. I've been trying to measure myself to track changes the scale may not reflect.

I really don't care. Honestly, tank tops and sports bras have never really bothered me. It's my kids that thing the whole just a sports bra look is too revealing! The only thing I don't love are the ultra short shorts.

Her thumb is much better. I'd say she was back to 100% by some time in January. Her Achilles isn't as bad as it was, but it's so frustrating trying to get into specialists. I still cannot get over how little common sense the dr's office had when calling to cancel...not to mention how rude the girl was. I think it's probably just something that needs some rest and she may be getting to the tail end of that period, but it's going to be tough for a dr to properly assess when he's going to be seeing her 5 weeks after I called for this appointment.

We are stopping in St. Kitts, St. Thomas, and their private island in the Bahamas...at least that's what currently planned. It's a big family trip to celebrate my parents' 50th anniversary, so it should be fun having the 10 of us together. While my parents and brother's family are avid cruisers, we've never cruised before, so I'm a bit anxious.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I'm certainly trying. The last time I had a gym membership, it wound up going unused for the most part. It wasn't that I didn't want to go...it's that the gym location was so popular that it was often impossible to find a parking space. Even when you did find a space, the inside was so crowded that there were lines waiting for pretty much everything. Cardio machines had a 20 minute limit and a sign up sheet simply because of crowd control issues. When they opened a second location, machines were always broken. They also made it unreasonably difficult to terminate my membership. My weight has done more than creep, but it is what it is. I've been trying to measure myself to track changes the scale may not reflect.

I really don't care. Honestly, tank tops and sports bras have never really bothered me. It's my kids that thing the whole just a sports bra look is too revealing! The only thing I don't love are the ultra short shorts.

Her thumb is much better. I'd say she was back to 100% by some time in January. Her Achilles isn't as bad as it was, but it's so frustrating trying to get into specialists. I still cannot get over how little common sense the dr's office had when calling to cancel...not to mention how rude the girl was. I think it's probably just something that needs some rest and she may be getting to the tail end of that period, but it's going to be tough for a dr to properly assess when he's going to be seeing her 5 weeks after I called for this appointment.

We are stopping in St. Kitts, St. Thomas, and their private island in the Bahamas...at least that's what currently planned. It's a big family trip to celebrate my parents' 50th anniversary, so it should be fun having the 10 of us together. While my parents and brother's family are avid cruisers, we've never cruised before, so I'm a bit anxious.

I had the same frustrations getting my PCL treated. I was supposed to go right after my WDW trip. Then I caught COVID. The the stupid doctor's office wanted a negative PCL test for me to be seen. The thing is that you can get a positive PCL test for MONTHS after having COVID. So mine was positive even though I was over it.

I ended up going to a different group. Which is probably better anyway because the group that I'm going to treats athletes, including the Orioles, Ravens, and Capitals, so I'm probably better off with them anyway since they're used to this kind of injury.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I had the same frustrations getting my PCL treated. I was supposed to go right after my WDW trip. Then I caught COVID. The the stupid doctor's office wanted a negative PCL test for me to be seen. The thing is that you can get a positive PCL test for MONTHS after having COVID. So mine was positive even though I was over it.

I ended up going to a different group. Which is probably better anyway because the group that I'm going to treats athletes, including the Orioles, Ravens, and Capitals, so I'm probably better off with them anyway since they're used to this kind of injury.

Covid tests are just such a mess. I get it, but your issue is a known issue. I remember all of those doctors crying about people missing out on needed medical treatment because of restrictive Covid protocols.

That's part of why I'm in this waiting game for her doctor. There are plenty of orthopedists out there and plenty of doctors with pediatric backgrounds, but I need a pediatric orthopedist that specializes in sports medicine. You are right to work with one that helps pro-athletes. With the amount of $ invested in those players, they want the best doctors who can treat them as effectively and efficiently as possible. I considered that route, but opted for one that also had pediatric certifications so that child development matters would also be considered in her care.