Getting Re-motivated on My Healthy Journey

Since Thanksgiving of 2013, I have gained weight. That was due to over eating and, especially, eating things I should only eat in moderation, once in awhile. Our weather didn’t help as far as my walking regime is concerned. One day it’s freezing, the next it’s in the 60’s. Then it’s raining cats and dogs. Go figure.

Well, now it is time to get re-motivated. I’m starting off with trying to eat right and drink more water. Next are my kitchen sink exercises. These are exercises that can be done at the kitchen sink, especially good for older folks, like myself, who find it hard to get down on the floor and worse yet, get back up from the floor.

Place your hands on the rim, at each corner of the kitchen sink. Spread your feet to shoulder width apart. Now squat, only as far as you can go comfortably and get back up from comfortably. That may be only an inch or two to begin with. Do 9 squats.

Keeping your hand position maintained. Step back about a foot, keeping your feet shoulder width apart. Do 1 push up (lean in to the sink, bending your elbows, push out, straightening your arms).

Next, do 8 squats and 2 push ups. Then 7 squats and 3 push ups. Continue this way until you are doing 1 squat and 9 push ups.

Doesn’t seem like much, but believe me you will feel it later. This is especially good for older folks like myself, who are losing strength in their arms and legs.

My next goal is to get back up to par with my walking. Of course, here the weather during the winter is unpredictable. But I have no excuse. I do have a treadmill and I need to get on it.

Now that I have put my goals in print, hopefully, I’ll be able to stick to them.

Wishing you all good health.

Keeping Busy During the Cold

Today I thought I would post a couple of knitting projects for any of you who want to keep busy while it is sub-zero outside.

Dippity Dots Mittens and Bucket Hat

Materials:
1 skein of Bernat’s Dippity Dots yarn in color of choice
3 skeins of Yarn Treehouse Merino Classic in contrasting color or color a few shades darker than main color
US 4 double pointed needles for mittens
US 5 circular 16″ long and double pointed needes for hat (switch to dpns when it becomes difficult to continue with circular needles)

Terms:
c/o – cast on
CC – contrast color
MC – main color
K – knit
P – purl
BO or CO – bind off, cast off
M1 – make one
K2tog – knit 2 together
PM – place marker
SM – slip marker

Gauge: 5 stitches, 6 rows to the inch on US 4 needles

Mittens:
With US 4 dpns, cast on 40 stitches using CC. Divide evenly over 4 needles and K2P2 for 2 inches.
K one round in CC. Change to MC (dippity dots) and K 2 rounds.

Begin thumb gusset:
1. M1 and place marker. K to end of round
2. K
3. M1, K1, M1, SM, K to end of round.
4. K
5. M1, K3, M1, SM, K to end of round.
6. K
Continue in this manner until you have 13 stitches before marker.
Then, K13, SM, K remainder of stitches on needles. Slip the first 13 stitches before marker to waste yarn or ribbon. Remove marker. Continue knitting around and join .
Continue knitting around until you have 6 – 6 1/4 inches above cuff. Begin decreases.
K2, K2tog around
K three rounds even
K1, K2tog around
K three rounds even
K2tog around. Slip stitches to 2 needles and kitchner stitches together. This will be difficult as you will be pulling the dippity dots yarn thru the loops and it will stick. You will have to be patient and manipulate the yarn thru the loops.

Thumb:
Slip the 13 stitches to 2 needles. Pick up 3 stitches at join and divide stitches as evenly as possible. Join MC yarn and knit for desired length (about 2″ from join).
K1 K2tog around
K one round
K2tog around, slip yarn thru loops on needles and secure. Again this will be difficult as the dippity dots will tend to “catch” on the loops. Be patient and you will succeed.

Repeat for other mitten.

Dippity Dots Bucket Hat

Using US 5 circular needles, CO 120 stitches in CC. PM every 30 stitches. Join and K one round. Then P one round.
Begin pattern:
K13, P2 around until you have knit 1.5 inches from cast on edge.
Decrease: K2tog, K11, P2 around x 1
K 12, P2 around for 6 inches or desired length from beginning.
Decrease for top of hat:
K2tog, K4, K2tog, K4, P2 around.
K10, P2 around X 3
K2tog, K3, K2tog, K3, P2 around.
K8, P2 around x 3
K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, P2 around
K6, P2 around x 3
K2tog, K1, K2tog, K1, P2 around
K4, P2 around x 3
K2tog, K2tog, P2 around
K2, P2 around x 1
K2tog, P2tog. End by cutting yarn about 10 inches out and run through loops on needles. Secure end. Weave in all loose ends. Block hat as necessary. Add decoration of choice.

I crocheted a flower in the Dippity Dots yarn to match the mittens. You could knit a flower or a band or a strip to tie into a bow or an i-cord. Use your imagination.

Notes: I did not block this hat. I like the curled up edge. If you wish, you can block the hat into a more bell shape.

This is a moebius cowl that I did using US 8 circular needles 47″ long and following Cat Bordhi’s moebius cast on method. Her method can be found on YouTube. I began with a cast on of 100 stitches and followed her instructions for round #1. After that, I knt 4 rounds and then purled 4 rounds and continued in this manner until I was almost out of yarn. Then I did a standard bind off.

The yarn I used was Red Heart Boutique Treasure. It is 70% acrylic and 30% wool. Feels really soft.