Soooo....

[blueerica]

As much exercise as anyone can do, there is always some muscle (usually the weird muscle that seems to get out of doing everything else but <insert activity here>) that ends up being used "for the first time."

I say, better than exercising is stretching. It's helped me through my worst times and injuries. My genetics aren't exactly predisposed for feeling great in a musculo-skeletal sort of way. But make sure you're stretching properly. Most people I see don't stretch the right way. Half don't get a good stretch out of it, the rest end up hurting themselves another way.

[RStar]

MouseWife, you've got the idea! Keep up the good work.

That's what I'm doing at this point, just what I can.

Today I was in the yard, working on my pond. I ripped up one side, reshaping it and re-landscaping. I never realy liked the way it turned out, and I re-themed it to beach side rather than the woodsy theme it had before. So I opened it up and made it a little sparcer on the plants.

I'm tired, but not sore. A good sign.

[Prudence]

I was exercising -- until my treadmill made a giant *POP* noise and the motor stopped working. Now I guess I have an expensive clothes rack. Anyone know if treadmills can be fixed?

[MouseWife]

blueerica~ that is why I think of yoga, isn't this done in a way that helps stretch the body? I stretch, but not always. And, I thought I read you should for way longer than I ever have.

RStar~ Your pond sounds lovely! What a relaxing project to have. {I think yardwork/gardening is relaxing unless you forget about your plants and they die and then it is a horrible, horrible feeling}. And, great sign that you aren't sore, that does mean you've been using those muscles before and are making them strong.

Prudence~ I had to laugh {sorry} at your description of your treadmills' popping sound. Oh, we are on our second {third?} one right now and I think that it needs maintenance. When we use the one at hotels it feels different. Ours isn't a middle of the road one, not the cheapest, but definitely not top of the line. I think it needs the belt tightened but I don't know how to do it.

Can they be fixed? Hmm. Depends on what it would cost. How old it is. Might be worth just replacing it. Or, at this point, joining a gym. We bought a lot of equipment because there are six of us in the house and we all can use it, so, cheaper than gym memberships. And, I can do it while the kids are around, etc. But, it does look like a fun time, going to the gym.

Let me know if you find out about equipment repair, we have a climber that is really cool but it needs fixin'. We'd buy another but haven't seen one like it anywhere {my sister gave it to me...}

[blueerica]

From what I remember (and I may be wrong), it takes 10 seconds for your muscles to even relax enough to get a good stretch. That's why bobbing and bouncing to get a good stretch doesn't work well (and makes people prone to injury.) I try to go around 20 seconds or longer (just because when my muscles relax, I can usually go deeper). And trust me, 20 seconds is longer than most people realize.

I looooooved yoga, and that's where I learned the most about stretching. As a side note, when I was doing yoga once or twice weekly, my body hurt less, and somehow I was losing more weight, despite doing "less cardio." Over the summer semester and fall semester, I should be able to take at least one yoga class a week, which has me excited!

[Mousey Girl]

I got my tat yesterday!! It came out even better than I had hoped. I am waiting for the picture to come through (I sent it to my email from my cell) so that I can post a picture of it.

[lindyhop]

I was at the recycling center yesterday and there was a little boy (maybe 4 years old) with his mom. He was throwing glass bottles and jars into the bins and everytime he would throw one and hear it break he'd shriek with absolute joy, "Did you hear that?" It was infectious. I almost gave him my one glass jar but I wanted the pleasure of throwing it myself. When he ran out of jars and bottles a man there gave him his last jar so he could get one more thrill.

It reminded me of when my son was little and the simplest things gave him such joy. One day we rode the bus to the park (we could have driven but the bus was more exciting). While we waited for the bus a train went by and big cement trucks pulled into the business next door. The boy was in heaven.

[katiesue]

I just put together my exercise bike. I have the worst time trying to get into any kind of routine having Maddy evey other week. So hopefully this won't become a clothes rack and I'll get more exercise out of it than just hauling it up here and putting it together.

[MouseWife]

lindyhop~ my husband used to pop himself upside the head with an empty 2-liter bottle and the little ones would laugh until they were almost breathless.

katiesue~ I have a bike that I keep in the living room. I need to get back into the routine of riding it daily. At first, ten minutes was hard. So, I would do ten minutes 3X during the day. Now, I ride for 30-45 minutes at a time.

But, what makes it tolerable is that I have a standup fan in front of me so that I don't sweat as well as keeping a cup with a lid {like a travel mug?} with ice water in it near by. I also keep the remotes right handy. Good during my soap at night.

Don't be discouraged if it seems hard at first, the results are great!

[JWBear]

We went the Scottish Festival at the LA Fairplex today. Male eye candy for days! And, I bought a jar of Vegemite!