AIBU to ask you if a daily habit has transformed your life?

[quote IncorrigibleTitmouse]**@Smallsteps88* @TheMumblesofMumbledom* Jumping in with my opinion! I eat between noon and 8pm and work outside the house. You can set whatever window works for you![/quote]
Ahh ok. So you don’t have to stick to breakfast-lunch-dinner times. I got it now.

Yoga and Pilates stretches before I even leave the room. A programmable coffee maker. Prepping my breakfast, and as much as possible, the night before.

Wake up and chug a glass of water down then breathing exercises and then I head for the coffee and drink it in complete silence.

[quote tinkerbellvspredator]@MattBerrysHair have you been tested for coeliac - the IBS, brain fog and anxiety are symptoms and you'll have been cutting out gluten if low carbing. www.isitcoeliacdisease.org[/quote]
I haven't actually, perhaps I should! I've got autism and gut problems are very prevalent in the autistic community.

@Allyg1185

Which probiotic do you recommend?
All those with good Skin care routines. I would be interested to know what you use. I stopped toning in my teens!

Used to be a tea drinker.Since I've changed to black coffee first thing in the morning I feel less tired throughout the day.Seems an obvious one but to me it's a new found revelation

@Smallsteps88 @TheMumblesofMumbledom Jumping in with my opinion! I eat between noon and 8pm and work outside the house. You can set whatever window works for you!

That's really interesting, I've never seen them before, thanks!

Thanks @TheMumblesofMumbledom- how do you manage that if working out of the house?

Bugger I've quoted the wrong person 🙄I'll try again.

[quote Pollypocket89]@IncorrigibleTitmouse what's guided journalling?[/quote]
You quite literally eat all your daily intake of calories in an 8 hour period and then eat nothing for the other 16. It really does work and I find it more achievable than the 5:2 diet.

@Pollypocket89 Mine is actually a 5 year one, where you can see what you wrote in answer to the same question in previous years. I really love it.

@Pollypocket89 I have a journal that asks me a different question every day. Examples like ‘what’s the best thing that happened today?’, ‘what was the most interesting thing you learned in the news today?’, ‘who do you admire and why?’ You can get those journals in book shops etc or just get a list of prompts online to use.

What is the 16:8 fasting that people are taking about?

@IncorrigibleTitmouse what's guided journalling?

Drinking water. As soon as I get up I drink a pint of water. I drink a pint before each meal and a pint before bed. Stops me eating so much, my skin looks much better and I’m sleeping so much better.

I've developed new habits and my life has definitely changed for the better.

When I wake up on a workday I do my morning skin care routine immediately now rather than going downstairs to make a cup of tea, my hour before the work commute is definitely calmer.

When I come home from work I shower and do my evening skincare routine as soon as I'm home, no just having a glass of wine and sofa sobbing.

I make my lunch for the following day and put it in the fridge, lunch bag is loaded with cutlery and napkins so I'm good to go without faff in the morning.

I go to bed at exactly the same time every night, even at the weekend I'm within half an hour of my weekday time.

And the big one was starting the intermittent fasting, 16:8. I've lost all the weight I gained in lockdown and my gut is so much happier. If I stray from this then my stomach will tell me and I feel sluggish.

Taking a power walk at least three times a week for an hour plus, I'm fitter and stronger.

Early dog walk. Always get the best weather of the day and some much needed exercise - if I get the old Covid I don't want fat to work against me.

Started taking antidepressants a few weeks ago and my horrendous anxiety has gone.

Some great ideas here, has got me thinking that I need to adopt some of them.

I started intermittent fasting (16:8) about 8 weeks ago and have lost 10lbs, so I'll keep going with that. I've just started going for a walk through the forest with a friend one night a week; we've been twice and it's done me the world of good. I also usually paint my nails on a Sunday night ready for the week ahead.

My mental health has been pretty crap recently so I need to do things to lift my mood and stop me being so emotional and stressed all the time. Keeping busy and having stuff to look forward to is a big help!

@CarlyWarly1980 I'm up for picking 3 things to do and starting this week. I'm going for:

1. Drinking at least 6 glasses of water a day.
2. 20 minutes of cleaning/tidying/de-cluttering a day.
3. Getting into a habit of cleanse, tone, moisturise morning and night (I tone and moisturise in the mornings but that's it).

I also want to get into the habit of getting up early again, I'm much more productive if I get up and get on with things, I might save that for one of next week's three things though

Another vote for 16:8 intermittent fasting. It’s hard for the first couple of days but so worth it.
Guided journaling once day. Helps me switch my brain off at night.
Going to bed with a clean kitchen!

I’ve never ever managed to stick to any sort of habit for longer than 6-8 weeks.

Some of these are amazing and I wish I could be more like you all.

Thought I nailed it in lockdown with a daily workout, a daily walk AND 2l of water per day but early July it all went to pot and I’ve probably regained all the weight.