At the moment I'm not getting up as early as I would like yet (early days, early days) as I just don't seem able to go to bed much before 1 or 2 a.m. so I'm getting up around 9 a.m. - I'll have to get that sorted soon as I don't want to be getting up so late as a general rule, even if I am a night owl by nature! On a normal weekend I get up and have breakfast while sitting and reading the news but I know I'm going to have to make sure I don't start blog-hopping immediately after as that is death to any possibility of being productive. So this morning I determined that at least one trip to the tip/recycling centre was in order if I'm going to get a handle on this decluttering malarkey. With that in mind, I loaded up the garden clippings from yesterday's foray into trying to put my garden to bed then, in a fit of inspiration, dashed downstairs and dragged two very old suitcases up and threw them in the car to take to the tip also. There was nothing wrong with them but they are at least 30 years old and have seen better days. I hate throwing things away but I hate them cluttering up my home even more. The good thing, though, is that I always see people going round the tip looking to see what they can take so if anything is even halfway decent I leave it next to the bin rather than throw it in. For the first time in all the years I have lived here I noticed they also had a clothes recycling bin there, which is good because when I took a bag down to our local clothes bin a couple of days ago it was so full I couldn't get my bag into it. I suspect the bin at the recycling centre will be emptied more frequently. One of my foibles is that when I decide something has to go, it has to go now, so that I have no chance of changing my mind, so if I can get stuff down to the tip the same day it will be very positive! I also have a bag of 5-6 winter coats to get rid of but I will be taking them down to the food bank when it opens in a few days' time. They are only open to clients on a Tuesday evening and, unfortunately, this year, both Christmas and New Year's day fall on a Tuesday so I'm not sure they will be open before the week of 7 January. It's a strange feeling getting rid of even just one bag don't you think, as there is an immediate feeling of "lightness" just to get one thing out of the door. Well there is for me at least. It doesn't last that long but a good feeling nonetheless.
After my trip to the tip and the post office I tootled off to my little local market for a few things then headed back home. It was about noon when I got home and I suddenly had this flash of inspiration. Why wait until 1 January to start exercising again. Why not just start now! I know, inspired right! But these past couple of months I haven't been exercising at all, whether it be walking or going to the gym, and I have really missed it. Well my body has! I guess the excuses were pretty good - too busy with meetings, too much to do with getting ready to retire, too many parties to go to, and so on, but in the end they were all still excuses weren't they!
So I decided that as it was dry and still light, now would be as good a time as any to go for a walk. It's cold of course (a couple of degrees above freezing) but actually mild for the time of year. And for me at least, cold is the best time to go out walking as I hate walking in the heat. So I put my fitbit on and headed off up hill round the back of our housing plan. It turned into a 45 minute walk and clocked up 3,500 steps. I don't listen to music or anything like that as I like to just daydream and, exactly as I knew I would, I felt sooooo good when I got back. It really is great therapy isn't it!
But the whole point of this post is that I already know that if I sit down and start blog-hopping early on I won't get anything done that day. So I will have to limit myself to reading just the news first thing in the morning, get some work/exercise in during the day and only start reading/watching TV later in the day. The scary thing though is that even with adding the 3,500 steps on my walk, I only got in 6,000 steps today! That is really sedentary! On a routine day at work I would get in 6,000-7,000 steps without any additional exerice, I guess with getting to the bus, maybe walking from the bridge and then just walking back and forth to the photocopier, but to have a "normal" retired day tally of only 2,000-3,000 steps is scary. I'm going to have to do some re-thinking of this whole set up I can see! If not, given that I love to cook and now have the time, I hate to think what kind of nightmare it will be looking for something to wear to the wedding!
I now I do not get near enough steps in, and I don't need the fit bit to tell me that )though that would be good inspiration and something I might use some gift card funds to purchase.) I know the momentum is easily disrupted. Good on you for trying to add discipline ot your day early.
ReplyDeleteI only bought a fitbit because I had some Amazon credit so I picked out the cheapest one possible as the only thing I'm interested in is the pedometer. Unless you have a job where you are on your feet all day it is VERY eye-opening to see how little you actually move. When I was at work getting my 10,000 steps a day in meant adding an hour's exercise to my routine. Now, goodness only knows how I'm going to manage that but you have to start somewhere don't you!
DeleteThat is our dilemma exactly. When you work and live in your home you only tend to do max 4000 steps a day. The only way I get more in is walking the dog, grocery shopping (I drag mom around every aisle to get her more exercise too) or treadmill. My tendonitis is back so I have limited myself to about 3000 steps the last 3 days, feel terribly sedentary. I might have to weight lift or something instead of walking but I find walking so much easier!
ReplyDeleteYou're bang on with the 4,000 steps when you are at home all day. I thought about getting a dog when I retired as I like them but in reality (for the moment anyway) I like my freedom even more. I don't want a treadmill (although like you we get a lot of snow so walking outside is difficult too in the winter) as I don't want "something else" in front of my TV (I have my sewing table all set up in the TV room). But tendonitis must be hell too. I was very impressed with your 10,000 steps a day earlier in the year. Oh and I have bought myself some weights (still in the box at the moment!) and a book on weight lifting but I think I will start by hitting the gym at work off peak. It is well equipped and only costs me SF 150 a year (that's around $180 so it is a real bargain). We'll see what transpires though won't we!
DeleteI don't remember via which blogger I found yours, but I have been 'lurking' for several months and am really glad I found it! I've put a Fitbit on my wishlist as my iPod Touch is basically dead and I don't like carrying my mobile with me everywhere I go. Both have the Pacer app on them so I can keep track of my steps. I work as as office administrator, so pretty much the ultimate sedentary job, but have no real excuse not to get out for even half an hour on my one-hour lunch break. It would be a start until it starts getting lighter in the evenings. For Christmas, I bought myself a 'new-to-me' car, which is safer, more reliable and a decade newer than my current little car, which has reached its motoring life end after 22 years. Having this safer mode of transport will, I hope, get me a bit further afield for walks in the New Forest. Good luck with your walking goals - you'll be doing 10,000 steps a day in no time! xx
ReplyDeleteHi there and thank you for stopping by my blog. It's odd that you found me because I was reading your blog for quite some time (read "lurking") and then when my old computer died I lost all my "favourites" (this time around too actually so I'm glad you commented here). Living near the New Forest is absolutely the best excuse to get out and walk. It's beautiful there. I always think "oh I wish I could stop for a while" when I drive past it on the way from Gatwick to my sister's (Poole, Dorset). Good luck with the walking. And blimey - a 22 year old car! I guess it doesn't owe you anything does it. Cheers. Anna
DeleteI'm currently living in Highcliffe! Give me a little wave next time you're driving past ;D I didn't realise you had been reading my blog before, I'm really happy to hear that! I'm looking forward to exploring the New Forest - it's inexcusable that I've not been out on it every opportunity I have. xx
ReplyDeleteIf I remember right you moved over from Canada right? I might be wrong as I hadn't seen your blog for ages so will have some catching up to do. Elizabeth George set one of her books in the New Forest and when I realized that (a) she is American and (b) she had never lived there I was just amazed at how she really got under the skin of the place. I'll give you a wave next time I pass through then (hopefully while you're out walking right!!)!
DeleteI know I don’t get enough steps in. And being post-menopaused, my stomach is huge. For most of my adult life, I’ve been the same size. Until about 12 months ago.
ReplyDeleteTime to start stepping out.
Ha, tell me about the menopause! I was always slim but managed to put on 16 kg in just a few years when I hit the menopause. All belly and boobs! That's going to take some getting off!
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