I got the fitbit and have been doing very well with the walking. My dog holds me accountable for that part! My vacations so far have included lots of walking, A nice change from my usual sedentary desk job.
For the other part- which was just planking and stretching - I'm thinking I need to join a class or even get a personal trainer. I have a hard time making myself do it! Sometimes I just forget.

I've managed to exercise 6 out of 7 days, but I find I'm doing more walking, less weight lifting and pilates, which isn't the balance I want. Still not planking and squatting.....somehow I've lost the incentive...not good.

But playing with and chasing kitties has added other activity to my life...bend and stretch to retrieve the ball from under the buffet...maybe I should squat while I'm cleaning the kitty boxes!

Still not at the gym! Life is giving me some workouts...hoping for an August 1 re-start at the new gym

Legomom, yay about your dog! RE: forgetting, I think if you have something set (as in, an appointment with yourself) it will be easier. For me, I have to do it in the am or I won't do it. Won't! I have heard very good things about the fitbit. That is great you're using it!

Annie, if you've lost the incentive, is there something you can do to get similar results but in a different way? Maybe you are bored? I am finding that just upping my weights and doing new workouts is helping a lot. For one, I am seeing more progress faster, and also it is helping me keep from being bored. Also, give yourself a hand for walking! As they say, the only bad workout is the one you didn't do! Can you put a kitty pic up for us?

Beth, that's OK! I will still be here in Aug. Not planning on going anywhere!

We just got back from another trip. Though we did find a good gym and got a thorough workout once, still too much sitting in a car or plane. And too much food. So...back to work to recover fitness. Hope to get a bike ride in after errands & bill paying today. Our travel schedule slows down over the next two months, thank goodness.

Anele, how are you feeling after all this work you've put in? Do you feel stronger or more agile? More stable on your feet? Are your girls interested in your exercises? What a good role model you are for them -- I hope as they get older this is an activity & interest you all can share.

Checking in finally. Had a busy, but mostly relaxing holiday weekend and managed to get in some good long runs 3 of the 4 days (Thurs-Sun) I was off (Yay!). The weather here was perfect and we actually had low humidity and cool mornings which is very unusual. It is now back to hot and humid and we've had thunderstorms in the late afternoon which has really put a damper on running after work for me. Tonight we are going to a Beach Boys concert and have VIP tickets so we have to be there early. Got DH the tickets for our aniversary last month as he loves the Beach Boys. No Pilates class tonight as a result but will have fun instead!

outsideplaying, just reading your description of your running regimen makes my blood pressure drop :) I can sense your getting into the zone. Wonderful!

My son is running in the Utica Boilermaker this weekend, his favorite running event. It turns into a big beer fest after the race -- or sometimes during!

Thanks for the encouragement, anele. It's a journey not a destination for sure.

I hate to post more pics of my kitties as I've posted quite a few already...don't want to get the rep of being a crazy cat lady! Or worse yet, peddling kitty porn! ;)

But here are my girls...

And I make sure they get plenty of exercise...they love running up and down their new kitty condo.

I'm thinking of running a 5k in the morning. It's called 'Running with the Goats', kind of a spoof of Running with the Bulls which has been this past week in Pamplona. There is a local goat cheese creamery about 30 miles from here that is sponsoring it on a local Rails-to-Trails (mostly). I think I can still sign up this afternoon. Hadn't really planned to do it but a friend asked me about it yesterday so I might do it. The next race I plan to do isn't until Labor Day weekend. There is also a 1-mile obstacle course that involves goats. Should be a hoot to watch.

BTW, their goat cheese is to die for - called Belle Chevre. The owner has a cookbook out too that is a winner. She has competed nationwide and won some awards for her cheeses in the past several years.

Awm, where have you been going on your travels? I hope it has been relaxing and interesting! How was your son's run? How did he get started running? Did you inspire him?

Thanks for asking about how I've been doing! My girls don't say anything (I exercise before anyone is up) and no one comments on changes in my appearance. (Maybe don't notice? Don't care? Don't see it?) I don't feel stronger-- I think because I was only using 5 lbs weights for too long, so no real change in my functional strength. I am hoping that as I progress and up my weights, I will. I do feel (as in, when I feel my arms/legs) stronger, though. Also,my knees are a lot better. I can do exercises I wasn't able to w/o pain before. Part of it could be better form now.

OUtside, that is great about the weather! It has been so humid here, so I can understand appreciating a little respite from it! What a fun night to look forward to, too. How was the concert? Did you decide to run the 5K? I'd love to try that cheese!

Annie, I always welcome more animal pics! Your kitties are such beauties! That kitty condo looks just perfect for them. They can be our exercise inspiration! And yes, you are so right, this is definitely a journey. Sort of takes the pressure off to see it that way!

I'll post the new week now!

" Also,my knees are a lot better. I can do exercises I wasn't able to w/o pain before. Part of it could be better form now."

That's great to hear, Anele. Could be, too, that you are strengthening all the support systems for the knees: ligament & tendon attachments, peripheral muscles...

I had a shoulder problem, don't know if it's bursitis or torn rotater cuff, that I lived with for a couple of years. Starting kettlebells aggravated it. My throbbing shoulder would wake me up at night, and I couldn't pull a blanket across my body without pain. I was contemplating possible surgery. Ironically, the shoulder troubles diminished when I increased kettlebells from one to three days a week. I have more range of motion now and the shoulder rarely bothers me, though I can tell the initial problem is still there. I figure I've strengthened all the support muscles in my back, upper arms, and all the ligaments & tendons have strengthened/thickened too. So whatever stressers that were on whatever was inflamed, they have been reduced thanks to a wider system of support. Er, I guess what I'm trying to say, according to an internet article, is that kettlebells "strengthened the stabilizers in the shoulder girdle." Maybe it's the same for knees.

On to week 6!

Awm, yes, I do believe that the bigger reason my knee is feeling better is due to the better support all around. In fact, that is a big reason as to why I started to exercise. I am not overweight, so I figured that there was nothing I could really do about my knee (usually extra weight is the culprit; lose the weight, lose the pain), but when I read about lack of strength, a light bulb went off, as I had so little muscle.

That is really amazing about your shoulder. Wow! Like you said, I know my knee problem is still there (one is far worse than the other), but it helps. However, the last few days I have started doing deep stretching that feels good at the time . . .but yesterday I started hearing my knee make a really loud noise. I have always had clicky knees (since I was a child), but this was something new. It's only supposed to be an issue if there is pain, and the pain isn't worse per se, so I guess it's OK but may be a signal of problems to come?

I am really shocked that INCREASING the KB to 3 times a week actually helped. That is very motivating. I know there are specific KB exercises for knee issues, so I will work on those.

I feel like my muscle development is decreasing! I was doing everything with 5 lb weights and it was getting too easy, so I went to 10. 10 lbs is hard for some exercises . . .and now when I go back down to 5 lbs, some exercises are harder than they were before. (Even when I have only used 5 lb the whole time.) I am wondering if I am not allowing enough recovery time, though these are very light weights in the big scheme of things . . .

Kitties favorite exercise is batting around a ping pong ball as it is so resilient. My new exercise, fetching ping pong ball out from under the sofa...buffet...credenza...!