5.0 – A Syncretic Storyteller's World

Will You Be Remembered?

There is a certain conceit as a writer around hoping you’ll be remembered in the future.

But my reality is I’ll disappear after a single generation or perhaps two.

The transient nature of electronic media is unlike the black and white photographs of my parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents that survive multiple generations. And an ebook isn’t even close in staying power when compared to the century-old books on my shelves.

A faulty hard drive and disintegrating electrons consign my children’s, children’s memories to electronic chaff.

So while I have excellent black and white picture of my great grandparents, there will be none of me or mine to live in dusty boxes and framed hallways to back bedrooms.

My writing? Half a dozen print books live in national libraries. The other thirty-ish are electrons and when my heirs stop paying the storage, these too will disappear. The electronic books will – I’m told – degrade even with good storage.

If nothing else, this thought reminds me of the fragility of life and memory and how important it is to live in this moment, on this day.

To take the time – in the moment – to love.

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5.0 Exercise Update Jan 2022

It’s hard to know where to begin with an exercise update as it seems there have been a flood of “new” decisions and events in all our lives. (Thanks Covid!)

My objective is to exchange old behaviours for new, healthier ones.

So far:

The Weigh Scale Adventure

I’ve lost 10 pounds (I think). Our scale is on its last legs (Yes, we fed it new batteries) and it gives some wonky readings. Our weighing system now is to stand on it, wake its tiny electronic mind – and get a reading.

We ignore Reading #1 and step off.
Step on again and accept Reading #2.

The difference between the two is roughly a bag of cement and we assume the second reading is a much closer measurement.

I’m now flirting with almost sub-200 pound measurements from mid 200-teens.

A new scale is on our someday list.

Meditations

I have reestablished a 20 minute meditation into my daily routine and am considering a second one.

Note: I subscribed to Apple + Fitness and am using their meditations and exercise routines.

Walking As Exercise

My walking habit is now active again and I’m doing a minimum of 2 miles a day (most days just over 2.5)

Important Point

My main objective in this slow and steady adoption of new behaviours is to cement the behaviours into my daily routine.

I’m not looking for a wild burst of enthusiastic beginnings and burned out endings a short time later.

Diet

I had begun dieting with a low-carb diet but read this note comparing low carb to restricted calories.

I”m now tracking the food I eat using a subscription to the app Lose It. I’ll report back on how this is going in a while.

The Next Step In My Exercise Routine

My next step is to add some strength and cardio exercises into my day. (They’re scheduled for Wed, 23^rd.

I’ll start with 5-minute sessions even though I understand cardio requires an 8-minute period for optimum benefit (that may be old data however.) I’m adding one cardio and one strength session to begin.

Remember – my objective is to cement these behaviours into my daily schedule. The benefits will be low at the beginning but will – once I’m satisfied with the daily routine – be increased in repetitions and time.

Establish the habit.
Then do the serious work.
Celebrate each step and disappeared pound

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Don’t Start Your Seniors Fitness Program Like This

I started my Doug 5.0 seniors fitness programme off with a bang, setting the goals, starting the workouts, and learning (thanks to some introductory yoga videos), my body really wasn’t flexible.

At this point, I would have shared my goals with you. Indicated how many pushups, situps etc I was doing and inviting, encouraging you to join me at your own level.

Well….

My leg injury put me out of the picture for any kind of exercise – the pain was significant with just walking – never mind knee bends or supporting myself in pushup position.

The numbers of all those things are now zero or close enough to it that I’ve put that on my daily notes. I can do zero pushups, zero situps, zero squats, and …. You get the picture.

My fitness is so bad (and my leg still hurts a bit) that I hesitated to write this post, never mind share my embarrassing numbers. Seriously, I put off writing this post for as long as I could but then decided wtf, this is part of life so get over yourself and get on with it. In for a penny, in for a pound – as my grandmother used to say.

It’s Easy To Forget You’re A Senior

I forgot for a brief moment I was a senior and had to be kinder to myself (the little voice in my head has been unrelenting this past few weeks) when it came to limitations.

For example, here’s a link to my post on deconditioning or what happens when a senior loses fitness for any reason. I can confirm to you this process is very fast. Sigh…

A simple thing like my muscle sprain led me to lose a significant amount of muscle mass.

It’s humbling. Very humbling.

How’s The Leg?

It’s not 100% yet but I did start walking yesterday – it was sore afterwards and again this morning as I write – so I’m still taking it easy and not going for a fast walk (more like an amble) 🙂 But at least I rebooted the fitness project albeit at an extremely basic level.

In the coming weeks, I will (slowly, very slowly) expand the health and seniors fitness work and I’ll report on both the fitness and emotional impact of injuries “soon.”

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