"In my craft or sullen art. . ."

We're still experiencing Arctic cold here, though tomorrow it's supposed to get up to 38F, a regular heat wave. The consequence of the cold has been deepening Seasonal Affective Disorder for me. Yes, I have a special lamp; no, I haven't been using it. *rolls eyes at self* I am pleased to report that unlike in previous years, this year I've avoided overeating and overspending to counteract my grim mood.

So far, anyway, I've stuck to my exercise and eating plans, and I'm proud of myself for that. Have you had a health- and/or fitness-related experience lately of which you're proud? I've learned over the years that it's important to take joy in even the smallest positive changes, and I hope you'll share one of those little happy moments with us all.

( My Week in Review )

May the week ahead bring sunshine and blue skies, if those are conditions you'd enjoy.

Greetings once again from the snowy north! We had a big storm roll through and drop a bunch of snow on us. It's quite wintery out there! We're expecting Arctic cold this week (literally, it's coming from the Arctic :-), so that ought to be interesting. For all that my region of New York State has been infamous for snow events and bad winter weather, the weather we've been getting for many years now is much less predictable than what we used to experience, and that's probably because Lake Erie gets and stays warmer than it used to, such that we have more wide open water for storms to pick up and dump on us as snow. (Note: The most recent storm was, refreshingly, not a lake effect event at all.) The Arctic cold we've had and will be having should take care of that, at any rate. Silver linings.

At any rate, there has been very little walking outdoors. The good news with proctoring exams (BORING) is that I get to pace up and down the aisles, so I got plenty of steps on proctoring days. The rest of the time, I made sure to use the elliptical, a purchase I am still so grateful I took the chance on a few years ago. I've certainly gotten my money's worth out of it!

So, as usual, please share how your fitness efforts have gone for the past week and any changes you're envisioning to your goals for the week ahead.

( My Week in Review )

I'm sending you lots of chill vibes (ha!) for the week ahead, friends!

Greetings, Fitness Friends!

How has the week been for you--ups, downs, triumphs, struggles? Please do share in the comments how you've done with reaching for and/or achieving your goals. As always, you are welcome to adjust those goals to what best suits you. There is no judgement here.

( My Week in Review )

I'm wishing for all of us a good week of rest, health, and vitality!

Here we are at the start of another year together, friends, and I am excited to welcome you to the Fitness Fellowship 2026.

For those who are unfamiliar with how this very low-key community works, it's pretty simple: You set personal short- and/or long-term fitness goals, defining fitness however you'd like, and then check in each week--or as often or as little as you feel like. Check-in is not compulsory. You may join us and/or leave us whenever you wish.

I promise, in turn, to offer support and encouragement. I do not offer unsolicited advice, and I never judge, and the same has always been true of the good folks who participate here.

Check-ins will be on Mondays, starting on 5 January 2026.

If this seems like something you're interested in trying, please feel free to leave your goals and plans in the comments to this post.

( My Fitness Goals for 2026 )


Please do join us if you're looking for some friendly accountability!

Whew! We're almost there! Time has moved so strangely for me this year. It doesn't feel like any time at all has passed, yet here we are with only a handful of days left.

I'll save the retrospective questions for next week. For now, as usual, please do share how your week has gone, fitness-wise and/or otherwise. We're here to listen, cheerlead, and not judge. :-)

( My Week in Review )

I hope the holidays have been going and/or do go easy on you, friends!

Greetings, fellow travelers on this rocky fitness road!

Now is the time when every media outlet is publishing their "best of" lists and retrospectives of the year, and it makes me feel like I should be doing something similar with our little community, as well, but honestly, I probably won't. So, I do encourage you, if it's your thing, to look back over where you've been in the context of where you are fitness-wise, and, of course, feel free to apply that to where you're going, as well.

Otherwise, please, as always, share how the week has gone for you and what, if any, plans you have for the week ahead in terms of fitness (or in any other aspect of your life, if you're so inclined to share).

( My Week in Review )

As ever, I am sending you all the good vibes I can spare, friends!

Greetings, fellow fitness travelers! I hope the week has been a good one for you, giving you time to find wellness in whatever way works best for you.

As usual, please do share with us how the past week has been and any plans you have for the week ahead.

For US folks, we have a major food-related holiday looming large in the near future. How do you plan for big eating fests? Do you have a strategy, or do you prefer to wing it, let yourself enjoy it, and not worry too much about it? Whatever your approach, if you feel it's worth sharing, please do!

( My Week in Review )

As always, I'm sending you lots of good vibes for the week ahead, friends!

Welcome back to another week's check-in on our fitness journey, friends. I hope the week has been kind to you.

As always, please do tell us how your week has gone. Remember, you're free to adjust your goals at any time. There's never any judgement here.

( My Week in Review )

May your week be a good one, full of only the good kind of surprises!

Hello, Friends, and welcome back to another week of checking in on one another and offering cheers and commiseration where appropriate and/or necessary.

I hope everyone has had a good week!

( My Week in Review )

May the week be a good one for you all!

It's proper autumn hereabouts (finally!), and I'm so pleased that the air is cooler and the sleeping cozier. I do wish it weren't growing dark so much earlier, but that's the trade-off, I suppose. I hope wherever you are, the weather is conducive to giving you energy and making you feel alive. I so love the fall.

How was the past week for you, in terms of your fitness journey or in any other aspect? I hope it's been a good one for you and that you feel good about yourself as well.

( My Week in Review )

Please take care and be well, my friends! Treat yourselves gently. :-)