Health and Fitness May, 2023

[Harriet]

Welcome!

In this thread we chat about keeping ourselves strong and capable as we pursue our calling as homemakers. Our family members may need to lean on us, and we may need to lean on them. Proactive medical answers, sensible consumption of healthy food and water, getting enough rest, and getting enough activity, too - these are all part of our plans! Helping each member of our households work in all their healthy habits is priceless! *

Check out the April thread for tips and concepts LadyM shared from her recent reading and planning.

Hoping May brings some relief from some obstacles such as Ramblin's migraines.

* several (many?) of us actively brainstorming and working with family members like our dhs these days, toward the daily routines and healthy habits that will bring well-being to our households!

[Nancy]

I walked today.
Doing my own chores inside and outside helps me be in better shape.
Unlike friends & neighbors that hire some one to come in and do floors & chores.
It is part of the way I keep blood sugar lower.

[Harriet]

Yesterday I managed 23 of 24 checkmarks on my healthy habits chart. Almost there, but missed a serving of beans. It's the closest I've gotten in a while. It's been more difficult this year, of course. And it's again true that trying to get all the checks is not something that benefits weight, lol. That only works if you also have absolutely NOTHING you are NOT supposed to eat. That, in itself, is a challenge.

Lately, exercise is t-tapp, including youtube ones, which are so quick to access. Still have done absolutely nothing with the new floor mat dd43 insisted I buy. There's just no floor space anywhere near tech/media. I'd have to use my phone and could hear direction, but certainly not see it. So, not happening.

Very pleased with the outdoor chaise lounge HRH bought me. It's a color that blends outdoors (kind of Wedgewood blue). I still don't quite get how it helps to have an open place for your face for lying on your front. Hmmm .... .. Maybe I need more time with it. Anyhow, it encourages me to get sun on purpose, with a plan.

[Ramblinrose]

trying a new to me way of eating...

No Sugar, No Grain, better known as NSNG

Plus I've changed my eating window to from 18-4 meaning finish eating at 6 pm and resume eating at 12 noon

Some days I do 20-4 or even OMAD, One meal a day depending on my appetite. Some days I'm really hungry around 12 and other days not so much. just trying to listen to what my body is telling me.

I eliminated all my sugar once, except for natural plant sugar like Stevia to see if it would help with my headaches. Didn't notice much difference, but now I'm eliminating all grains as well. I'm also cutting down on dairy produces... all of this to see if it will help with my migraines and sinuses which have really been bothering me.

I'm making sure my eating portions are in check and trying to really be conscious of my water intake, which for some reason has become a challenge for me. I am sitting 4, 16 ozs of water on my kitchen counter to remind myself to drink, drink, drink.

[Nancy]

I just saw a vid. that said magnesium helps with migraines.
Family members get em, other swear it is hormone related.
I have been walking daily still not posting in here as much.

[Harriet]

About dairy, Ramblin', I'm definitely thinking of going cheese-less soon for the sake of losing some pounds and looking more "like myself" - I think helia also mentioned wanting to look more like herself. Enforced inactivity took a toll on me in late winter/spring and I see it becoming permanent if I don't whittle away at it.

I'm not that far from vegan, actually, but probably have an egg every few weeks and some milk in a recipe or dessert about the same. It's cheese that c-r-e-e-p-s in more often than that, because HRH loves Italian so much and the rest of the family love Mexican so much. They assume I'll find plenty to eat in those types, but that's not always easy, especially restaurants. I think I could get serious and avoid cheese and really be fine, though. At home, I used to sprinkle nutritional yeast, which is a pretty good substitute for parmesan, and I could go back to that.

And, as far as dairy and me, it's cheese that puts on the pounds, I think. Also, it's cheese that seems to "call" for carbonated drinks, and find breads to sit on, making matters worse.

I don't want to quit ALL kinds of recipes with dairy or egg, because there's some creativity and celebration that you lose without them. Not that I ever make many cakes in this little kitchen, but I want to make celebratory desserts when it's fun for me. Thinking.

I hope you learn about how dairy may affect you, Ramblin', plus anything else that will help. You deserve to be a migraine-less person.

HRH's kidney doctor wanted to talk about having more beans in general - something he's learning about and recommending. He didn't have to convince HRH, who immediately went into an ode to pintos and navy beans, lol. I wish he liked more variety but I'm not complaining - at least he really loves his preferences. I put green peas on my salad and he thinks it ruins my salad - put chickpeas in recipes and he is appalled, lol. But I love 'em all.

[Twins' Mom]

I love chickpeas!

I was updating my weight spread sheet. I'm down almost ten pounds since my first weigh on 2 January 2023.

[Harriet]

Twins', that's TERRIFIC. So happy for you and others who are on a downward trajectory!

I popped up in weight with recuperation mode, strangely. Maybe not so strange - maybe that's to be expected? But there comes a time (smile) when you need to arrest even that possibly positive type of gain and become vigilant.

Had a discussion with dd23 at grocery about whether I would be making my "famous" (in the family only) lasagna one last time before giving up cheese. Ultimately, we didn't buy the ingredients. I'll likely quit cheese on my 7-year anniversary of going meat-and-fish-less and start June differently. I know the family will be, on the one hand, happy for me to do something I want to do, but on the other, wondering how long it will last. I think they don't believe I know how hard it will be, and I may not. If you're not a little nervous, you're not alive!

Exercise was given a shot in the arm here when I stumbled upon a new youtube video series of t-tapp 30-minute workouts by Renee, a trainer. Right away (yesterday evening), I did the one that was only a few weeks old and enjoyed it, even though not as polished as DVDs are, and it emphasized slow form. Youtube is SOOOOOO convenient. There's something nice (valid, reinforcing) about feeling "current" or "immediate", I think - knowing that lots of folks are doing what you're doing. It had 1.1 thousand views in less than a month when I found it. Of course, some of those views may have been people doing it every day, don't know, but that's not usually how t-tapp works. Most alternate on purpose.

Awakened this morning after a good night's sleep feeling rather energetic and have gotten a lot done this morning. I can't think when I've been able to say all that! So maybe evening exercise like I used to always do is a good choice for me now. (honestly, I think I used to even admit here that sometimes I exercised in the evening only because I was so busy all day and if I didn't, I would lose a streak I was on, or whatever)