2026 health and fitness - forging ahead!

[StraightForward]

We've made it to February with no H&F thread, so I thought I'd get one going.

2025 was not kind to me, and I did gain some weight when I was trying to lose. I got back on the gym train in December and it has been going fairly well, so now I'm trying to add a 4th day of exercise. Ideally, three days in the gym of mixed cardio, strength and balance, and then one day running outside, with three miles to start. I'm also trying to get a mile walk in at lunch on work days.

I'd love to get on a trajectory of losing about 2# per month going into summer. My secret weapon right now is starting the day with green soup. https://www.splendidtable.org/story/201 ... green-soup (I made a big batch last weekend with broccoli, spinach and chard). When it gets warmer I'll swap for green juice. It seems to make it easier to stay on track the rest of the day.

Current challenge is that I seem to have bruised my heel a couple weeks ago and it's taking some time to resolve since, you know, I have to walk on it and all.

[heddylamar]

I need to stay on track too ... not running as much makes it all very hard. Outside of riding and hiking, running is definitely my happy place. I am very much a happiness motivation required exerciser. Anything indoors doesn't give me that spark. I'm trying to bribe myself into rowing every morning. So far, I've had more biscotti than I've earned

Anyway, I'm ramping up my weight lifting program in prep for a backpacking trip in July with a bunch of 60-70 yos. We're doing a loop in an area they hunt regularly, but have never seen without heavy snow cover. I don't want to fall behind! Must beat those old farts I need to convince my cousin to join us, so if I lose, it's to someone a decade younger! And, yes, yes, hiking endurance and max mileage is a sport in this family.

And I could stand to lose a few pounds /sigh