I took stock of my year in self-care and realized that I did a lot of good things: Started with a great therapist and made progress with EMDR for PTSD Recognized that I was not functioning well when I went off my meds and have stayed on them since then Read Intuitive Eating and started working on not hating my body Exercised occasionally (probably averaged 2-3 times per week) Read books (mostly fiction)
My goals for 2020: Reduce boredom eating - this is my biggest struggle on my days I work from home because my job is boring Exercise more regularly, including regular yoga practice Pursue some creative endeavors Be kinder to myself Take more naps! My goal is to take a nap every Sunday
@@@ I have really been trying to follow the Intuitive Eating principles with how we present food to our toddler. We don’t call foods good or bad. We offer her unlimited of pretty much everything but just try to limit the amount of treats in the house generally. I’ve found that she is more obsessed with applesauce than sweets. She’s occasionally asked for a cookie at breakfast. She almost always takes a few bites and then asks for cheese or applesauce. Tonight my H made delicious cookies. She ate half of one for snack and then said she wanted the other half with dinner. We just put it on the table with her dinner. She ate all of her pasta plus an applesauce pouch before even touching her cookie. It’s pretty awesome to see.
Thanks so much for posting these threads. I know i don’t always participate, but it means a lot to me to have a community of people who approach wellness the same way that I want to. Diet/deprivation culture is so prevalent around me, and I don’t know anyone in real life with whom to have the kind of conversations that we’re having here.
My goal is to continue on my journey toward intuitive eating. Movement has become more of a challenge while I’ve been overcoming some orthopedic issues, so I may need to make some changes to the type of movement I do. I’m still feeling that one out. Overall, I’m trying to let go of the guilt, and just be thankful for what I can do.
I know I haven't been participating much in these threads. I have been on a different journey and am trying to get my body back to where it was before a couple of injuries. This has included weight loss, because my inactivity due to injury led to a lot of changes that made me less comfortable in my body. But honestly, I've mostly been trying to get back to how I used to eat, in terms of portion and speed, before my ex-husband. I used to be a slow eater and to way very small portions. It's how I've always been, until him. And now I'm getting back to that and it feels great. I get full more quickly and eat less at once. This is helping me do things like eat salad more often.
In terms of wellness, I'm working on incorporating more fruits and vegetables into my diet. I'm also going to keep doing 5 dance classes per week and am considering adding another here and there. I also am thinking about going back to water fitness classes. I want my body to be as healthy as possible, which especially means working on my core and my alignment.
A specific goal I have is to be able to start consistently doing doubles (double turns). My injuries have made this harder and I need to work on some fine details of body mechanics to make myself more successful.
Post by Velar Fricative on Jan 2, 2020 8:41:40 GMT -5
I'm trying to take some baby steps to start.
First, ever since our upstairs bathroom had a leak in early November and was undergoing renovations in December, my skincare routine went to shit. Everything in the old bathroom was in bags and boxes all over the damn house so I couldn't always find anything easily when I needed them. We now have two new bathrooms upstairs that we made out of the old bathroom, and we're almost done putting shelves and cabinets up so that we can actually store stuff away. It is amazing how such things really throw me off, but my face is been breaking out more than usual (which was already a lot) so I'm excited to get back into my routines. I really want to feel like I have my glow back, which is great for me mentally.
Also, I need to make some doctor appointments that I've been putting off. I needed to reschedule my annual skin check (and talk to the derm about this stupid acne problem too), and I've had some joint pain lately that I want to get checked out that I just keep putting off too. But I really do need to prioritize my health, so by tomorrow I'll have all my appointments set up for the near future. This has impacted my ability to do any kind of exercise or movement, so the sooner I get this checked out and treated, the sooner I can resume activity.
Finally, I've noticed my phone screen time getting out of control lately (with negative consequences I've been suspecting, like not being able to remember shit) so I've decided to stop using my phone for browsing at 9:00 pm and read at least one chapter of a book right before bed each night. Baby steps. It felt nice reading a book under the covers in my bedroom last night while drinking some tea.
Happy new year! Lots of good goals in this thread. I'm glad this conversation is continuing in the new year.
My main goals around wellness are with the purpose of feeling better. I feel like my health has declined this year - I'm getting upset stomachs a lot more frequently, I'm tired a lot, and it's just not unusual for me to feel kind of crappy. I don't think there is any diagnosis for this, other than that I'm not taking great care of myself. I don't exercise regularly, I haven't been watching what I eat, and while most of what I eat isn't "junk food" per se, a lot of it is processed and I'm sure all the sugar and other crap in it isn't helping. I've also slipped on eating fruits/veggies enough. So I really need to overhaul my diet. I do not want to "diet" or track or focus on weight, but I do need to start paying more attention so I can eat healthfully.
So my goals around that are to cook at least 2 actual recipes a week. We eat a lot of tacos, pasta with sauce from a jar, turkey burgers and tater tots, etc, and I want to cut back on that kind of stuff. I also want to make sure at least 1 dinner per week is vegetarian, both for health and for environmental reasons. My hope is that starting with 1 meal a week will eventually make 2 meals a week manageable, and then 3, etc. I don't really intend to ever cut out meat completely, but we certainly can eat a lot less of it.
I also want to work out at least 3x a week. I'm probably going to start with something basic like YouTube videos, yoga at home, etc. H and I really should get back into the habit of going to the gym regularly, but part of why I've fallen out of the habit is that there is just not a great time for us to go. He leaves for work so early and by the time I get home in the evening, we're both tired and I don't want to have to shower again so we don't go then either. We don't HAVE TO go together, but I do not feel safe walking to our gym by myself in the dark and with where we live, there are not really any alternatives convenient that doesn't require hunting down and paying for parking and/or driving 20 minutes each way. So I think doing something basic at home will be the only way I'll actually consistently be able to get a workout in. I don't even want to do anything too intense, but I do know I need to move more and I worry about my long term health if I don't start doing something.
Other than food/exercise, I'm really working on getting my ADHD under control. I've been seeing a counselor to work on strategies to get things done, and I just started another new psychiatrist who I hope can help me find a medication that actually does something. I'm going back to grad school and I want to actually excel at my job, so I really need to figure out how to focus and stay off the internet and do work. I'm hoping that grad school will kick start me a little, just because I'll be too busy to slack off as much and also because my studies are so directly related to my job and I'm hoping it will inspire me a bit.
I recently reached out to my insurance to start seeing a therapist about my disordered eating. I start on the 14th so hopefully that is helpful in achieving my goal to use food to nourish my body not hide from my emotions.
I started OTF in August and while I love it, I’ve had to late cancel classes and I hate seeing that money go to waste. My goal is to go twice a week and have no late cancels.
I need to add in a third day of movement (maybe couch to 5k?) to help me feel better in between my OTF workouts and prep for my next 5k.
This is my first go at participating in this thread after following it for months. I am happy with my weight and I’m the strongest and fittest I’ve ever been thanks to a gym I joined two years ago that has basically become a second family. But I need to improve upon other aspects of self care that I tend to neglect: sleep, some eating habits, and making time for myself. I’d also like to vary my movement a bit (my gym is only boot camp style HIIT classes). I would like to stop snacking out of boredom, mainly at work and at night after my kids go to bed. I also would like to make more of an effort to eat whole foods and try some new recipes. I am a pretty good cook but have gotten very lazy recently and started cutting a lot of corners. No one in my house is complaining, but I would like to limit processed foods at dinner if I can. I also want to get back into meal prepping for work, which definitely helps with the mindless eating since I can bring in chopped veggies or fruit to snack on instead of the junk I tend to go for. I also want to limit my mindless phone time. I do this mostly at night before bed, but I’d like to try and read instead or watch a show, both things I enjoy doing but never make time for. Seems silly to have watching TV as a goal, but I’d rather get into a TV series that causes me to think versus endless Facebook scrolling. I have a goal to read 6 books this year, which seems like nothing but it would double last year’s books read. I used to be in a book club and read at least one book a month, so baby steps, I guess. Finally, H and I used to plan dates that involved some sort of activity, usually a nice bike ride or hike, but we have not used our bikes in at least a year. We do both play in platform tennis leagues in the winter (new this year) and love it. I’d love to play more but work gets in the way.
Post by heliocentric on Jan 2, 2020 10:08:42 GMT -5
I've been fairly consistent the last 2 years with spinning & Pilates, so I'd like to continue that and incorporate some weight lifting and yoga, when possible. I'm grateful that I enjoy these types of exercise, but sometimes I struggle with thinking Pilates isn't the most efficient form of exercise and I should be doing something harder, so I need to work on that.
I had reduced my drinking for several weeks, but with the holidays it's crept back up, so I need to reduce that. My blood pressure is borderline and I don't sleep well when I drink, so my hope is that limiting to 2 days a week will improve those.
I'd like to stop picking my cuticles & there happens to be a therapy practice near me that specializes in body focused repetitive behaviors like that. Unfortunately it's expensive & doesn't take my insurance so I'd have to lay out thousands of dollars before my insurance would cover anything. With DH's unpredictable income this might need to wait until next year (at least for professional help).
I also want to explore my relationship with money. We're fortunate that we can pay our bills & have money in savings, but I still have some anxiety around it. When I'm stressed I noticed I tend to check our balances because I think it gives me a sense a security or control. At the same time, I feel like it's not enough even though we're doing fine. I had a ED years ago, so I wonder if I've transferred some of those behaviors from food to money?
Finally, I want to try and foster some local friendships since my close friends live far away. I was able to see 3 of those friends over the last 2 months and it became apparent how much I miss that connection on a regular basis. I joined a new meetup group. I haven't had success with them in the past, but maybe this one will be different.
I feel like I did really with intuitive eating and portion control (my two big things) for years, but then just gave up on it in the last couple months. As a result, I feel lethargic and my clothes that have fit for years are getting tight. I don't care about a number on the scale but I was a bit shocked by it when I weighed myself a couple days ago. I really need to get back to treating myself "appropriately" (I hate that phrasing) so that I don't find myself binging on chocolate or eating a large dessert after every meal. I also need to get back to walking. I had to take some time off from running earlier this year because of knee pain and I feel like that combined with the eating was just a disaster for me. But walking is doable.
I also pick at blemishes on my face and that causes them to be there for longer/scar. I really need to stop it. I am 35 years old and break out regularly (mostly hormonal) but I am sure if I left them alone they'd heal much faster. That's a big resolution for me this year.
I also pick at blemishes on my face and that causes them to be there for longer/scar. I really need to stop it. I am 35 years old and break out regularly (mostly hormonal) but I am sure if I left them alone they'd heal much faster. That's a big resolution for me this year.
If you find a way to successfully do this, please keep me posted. I'm so bad about this, but I think it's moreso due to the overall frustration I feel knowing that I've battled acne since my teen years (I'm 37) and they've somehow gotten WORSE over the last few years. If you said to 15yo me that I'd still be battling acne at age 37 I would have never ever believed you. And they HURT!! That is why I can't help but pick at them. Maybe everyone who says take up knitting to keep your hands busy is onto something lol.
I also pick at blemishes on my face and that causes them to be there for longer/scar. I really need to stop it. I am 35 years old and break out regularly (mostly hormonal) but I am sure if I left them alone they'd heal much faster. That's a big resolution for me this year.
If you find a way to successfully do this, please keep me posted. I'm so bad about this, but I think it's moreso due to the overall frustration I feel knowing that I've battled acne since my teen years (I'm 37) and they've somehow gotten WORSE over the last few years. If you said to 15yo me that I'd still be battling acne at age 37 I would have never ever believed you. And they HURT!! That is why I can't help but pick at them. Maybe everyone who says take up knitting to keep your hands busy is onto something lol.
Add me to the picker group. Ugh. Embarrassingly I iust started getting good at washing my face every night in my 30s and it has helped a lot but my acne is out of control and I’m really bad at leaving it alone.
I also pick at blemishes on my face and that causes them to be there for longer/scar. I really need to stop it. I am 35 years old and break out regularly (mostly hormonal) but I am sure if I left them alone they'd heal much faster. That's a big resolution for me this year.
If you find a way to successfully do this, please keep me posted. I'm so bad about this, but I think it's moreso due to the overall frustration I feel knowing that I've battled acne since my teen years (I'm 37) and they've somehow gotten WORSE over the last few years. If you said to 15yo me that I'd still be battling acne at age 37 I would have never ever believed you. And they HURT!! That is why I can't help but pick at them. Maybe everyone who says take up knitting to keep your hands busy is onto something lol.
I pick at my lips, so I'm no help there. I guess these are all anxiety behaviors, which makes me feel better. I've done this since I was a kid and always felt like I was just some weirdo so it's a little comforting to know that it's not uncommon and there is a reason for it, at least.
My actual advice isn't about the picking, but the acne. I recently started using prescription products that include Glycolic acid and they've been a total game changer for my skin. I use pads in the evening that are 8% glycolic acid and 2% sacrylic acid, and a face wash that also includes glycolic acid (10%, I think?). I get them from my derm and she gets them from a local company, so I can't recommend specific products, but I think you can get similar things OTC or talk to your dermatologist about them.
I've used topical prescriptions in the past that had only limited results, so I am pretty confident that the glycolic acid is what changed things. I wish I had tried it sooner. I've seriously gone from having several to many blemishes at any time, to having none. I still get one here and there but today - nothing. It's crazy.
I've made a decision to cut out soda. I drink a lot of Diet Pepsi--two or three a day, sometimes four on the weekends. I only drink that and water, but I've seen so many articles about the long-term health effects of soda, particularly diet soda, that I think I really need to stop. The next few weeks are going to be rough, I think.
I also want to eat healthier in general, and spend less time on screens (and just sitting on the couch doing nothing productive).
If you find a way to successfully do this, please keep me posted. I'm so bad about this, but I think it's moreso due to the overall frustration I feel knowing that I've battled acne since my teen years (I'm 37) and they've somehow gotten WORSE over the last few years. If you said to 15yo me that I'd still be battling acne at age 37 I would have never ever believed you. And they HURT!! That is why I can't help but pick at them. Maybe everyone who says take up knitting to keep your hands busy is onto something lol.
Add me to the picker group. Ugh. Embarrassingly I iust started getting good at washing my face every night in my 30s and it has helped a lot but my acne is out of control and I’m really bad at leaving it alone.
Same. I have tried thousands in products over the years but they all make things worse. The best thing I found is the Kirklands face wash wipes. I hate that it's single use, so I am still trying to come up with something else, but I know myself and I won't stick to a 5 step process at night.
I also pick at blemishes on my face and that causes them to be there for longer/scar. I really need to stop it. I am 35 years old and break out regularly (mostly hormonal) but I am sure if I left them alone they'd heal much faster. That's a big resolution for me this year.
If you find a way to successfully do this, please keep me posted. I'm so bad about this, but I think it's moreso due to the overall frustration I feel knowing that I've battled acne since my teen years (I'm 37) and they've somehow gotten WORSE over the last few years. If you said to 15yo me that I'd still be battling acne at age 37 I would have never ever believed you. And they HURT!! That is why I can't help but pick at them. Maybe everyone who says take up knitting to keep your hands busy is onto something lol.
Way back when H and I started dating (2005 ) I told him to hit my hand if he saw me picking. Or tell me to stop.
He still does it all these years later, and it doesn't help. It's going to be a process for sure.
Post by Velar Fricative on Jan 2, 2020 12:42:32 GMT -5
Thanks wildrice. First I'll try to get back to using my Dermologica products with consistency, because they did make a difference. I also think the benefits were more psychological too because I *felt* like I was making a difference by using the products regularly. But I still feel like anything I use on my face is not helping with the actual problem since my acne is definitely hormonal. I can't use birth control pills for medical reasons, or else that would have been option #1.
for acne the thing that helped me the most was taking spironolactone (technically a blood pressure medication). My acne was hormonal.
This stuff is amazing. Just add it to the list of things that I haven't been able to do for years of my freaking life while everything has been in a holding pattern. Sob. There is basically nothing good I can take for acne that isn't contraindicated for me so here I sit, zitty AF and also angry.
Happy new year everyone! I'm going to share my biggest 2019 wellness breakthrough.
Part of what prompted my effort to start intuitive eating was when I packed up my house to move, I had piles of clothing in four different sizes all over the house, and all of it I hated because nearly all of it was bought off the clearance rack to serve the temporary purpose of keeping me dressed on my way to my real, future, thinner me, when I'd be able to buy nice, real clothing that I loved. Some even still had the tags on them, because I reasoned they would look great after I lost about 10 pounds. It was such a depressing experience sorting through all these clothes that I vowed never to do it again.
After our move, in October and November, I bought a bunch of new clothes that I actually liked that actually fit. And because I am starting to have some control over my food, these clothes all continue to fit, even after all the holiday treats.
This turned out to be a lifesaver because my December was batshit. I had a rough few weeks of deadline after deadline at work, plus dealing with an increasing amount of bullshit from people here. I am working on getting a new job, and had some interviews, and in the middle of all that, my grandmother died. And then I had theater tickets and holiday parties and other wintery activities. Through all this, I didn't get to the gym enough, drank too much, generally slept horribly, and spent most of the month feeling like I was going to crack.
But what I didn't have to deal with was clothing. For the first time in years and years, I could open my closet and more than one outfit that would work for any given event. I did not have to go online the night my grandmother died to try to find the least expensive, not hideous funeral-wear that I could have shipped to me overnight, and I could actually enjoy the Nutcracker because I had a cute outfit and was not in a bad mood after an hour long effort to empty out my closet looking for the least terrible option to wear.
So on December 26, I bought some more clothes that I love and fit. I even bought a dress for something a month away that's in my current size instead of buying something a size smaller because I'm counting on some January Atkins purge to make it work.
I still have a lot of stuff to work on as I try to clean my head of diet culture and feel better about myself. But accepting my current size and investing in clothing that fits has been the best thing I've done for myself in years. I don't know if I would have gotten there were it not for this conversation, so thanks for participating and being so supportive.
My skin care tip -- if you aren't paying attention to the pH level of your cleanser, you should start. Most cleansers are too harsh for your skin, and that's what leads to a lot of skincare problems. I thought I had an oily T-zone for years and used to get terrible zits on my chin. That stopped completely once I threw away my Neutrogena (high pH) and switched to a low pH soap like CeraVe.
The makeup board can fill you in with details on the specifics or try googling "acid mantle" or "ph of skincare products" for more info. Or try googling the name of your cleanser + pH level. If it's above a 6 or 6.5, toss it and get something else.
I need to add in a third day of movement (maybe couch to 5k?) to help me feel better in between my OTF workouts and prep for my next 5k.
I used C25k to start running again after my surgery. I highly recommend it. The workouts were never discouraging because they are definitely achievable and really do focus on building an endurance base. I was even doing C210k but the workouts were getting a little too long for my weekday runs so now I just use it for my Saturday "long run."
ESF - Huh. I’ve been dealing with adult acne for 6 years now and this is the first time I’ve ever thought about pH. I ordered something new based on googling acid mantle. 🤞🏻
ESF - Huh. I’ve been dealing with adult acne for 6 years now and this is the first time I’ve ever thought about pH. I ordered something new based on googling acid mantle. 🤞🏻
::whispers:: come to the makeup board my pretty, we have skincare...and glitter.
1. Return to my counselor (have appt Saturday!). 2. Find a lake place--which is my serene happy place--to get away from the minutiae of my life. I find that I really relax in places like these. 3. Continue with exercise--walking/running on the trail at the small lake by my house, either with someone or my dog, or by myself.
I'm repeating a past NY resolution to do a sun salutation yoga sequence every day. Last time I did this I only made it to about February, and then once I fell off the wagon I didn't get back on. But doing it is a good daily reminder to make my body and its needs a priority along with everything else at work and home.
Also, for me, exercise begets more exercise and better food choices, so just keeping a finger on it in some small way, every day, is important. It also helps with sleep (cc: aurora)
And I need to stop rescheduling a dental filling I need to have done but guys I really just don't want it done. I know that's not an option but sometimes I just wanna ghost the dentist.
So better dental health is goal for this year obviously...
I started a 30 day yoga challenge (Yoga With Adrienne if anyone is interested on youtube). I'm doing it in a bid to get more flexible so my body stops hurting all the time. I need to get exercising again in a bid to put off heart valve surgery for as long as possible.
Post by sillygoosegirl on Jan 3, 2020 2:56:37 GMT -5
I really wanted to set a goal to ride my bike to work every (working) day in 2020, but I wasn't sure if that was realistic. Tuesday the 31st was the 6 week mark on my surgery for my broken wrist, and the earliest the surgeon would hear of me getting back on my bike. (He thought it would be too painful for at least 2-3 months.) I've been trying to take it easy since I broke my wrist 7 weeks ago, figuring my body was working hard repairing it, and I was tired enough already. But it has occurred to me recently that lack of exercise is probably contributing to my recent extreme insomnia and poor mood lately.
Anyhow, I rode my bike to and from work today, for a total of 19 miles. It was super hard. My recovering wrist felt weak and stiff and sore, as expected. My other wrist felt sore because it was doing more than it's share to baby the other side. My legs felt like I've lost a bunch of muscle, which I'm sure I have (lost weight during the holidays, but I'm sure it wasn't fat). It was wet, dark, and generally sucked, but I did manage to do it. It feels silly and arbitrary to care, but I'm glad I'm able to be biking again just in time for the start of the calendar year, and can embark on that goal to bike every working day in 2020.
So yay for coming to the end of this particular setback on my fitness goals!
I downloaded a 30 day plank challenge app and started it today. I was conflicted on where to start, because intermediate day 1 seemed a little easy, but advanced day 1 would probably be too hard. I'm going to do my best to stick with this for the full 30 days and see if it helps my posture and balance.