What small changes have you made to improve your physical and emotional wellbeing?

[MatildaTheGreat]

I'm overweight, drink too much and don't eat properly during the day so end up snacking at night.

I work full time, but erratic hours and being a very routine person I find it difficult to achieve things regularly. I also waste a lot of my free time through procrastination and lack of motivation.

So I'm looking to make small changes to improve my physical and emotional wellbeing.

I plan to start walking more, and looking forward to the weather improving. I'm also trying to get more organised with healthy food to take to work. I am also going to buy myself a bunch of flowers each week and try to read more.

What little changes have you made?

Dressing really well. Makes me look good, so I feel good. No brainer tbh

Another one, being me. Yes I'm sarcastic, self depreciating and am fairly ambitious. I will not apologise. I'm also kind, empathic and hate unfairness. I'm not afraid to voice this.

......

Well, I’ve definately got better at saying no, and try not to be a people pleaser as much. I was rarely praised as a child so it’s hard to shake.

I’m still in bed, so trying to motivate myself to get up and go for a walk as planned.

For those of you doing yoga, do you go to a class or do it at home. I find it so hard to commit to classes.

Deleted Facebook. I can still use Messenger to talk to family.
Getting my nails done every 3 weeks. Relaxing and makes me feel better about my grim hands .
I've got my first hair appointment in over 2 years at Easter, which is exciting. Hoping to make that a regular thing.
Planning to restart C25K as I only got halfway last time.

I can't delete Facebook because I am on a work group. I might just look at it once a week instead.

I just remembered that I have yoga on the Wii. Perhaps I will dust that off this weekend. I know it's not proper exercise but at least it's better than nothing.

For emotional health, I am finding the Youper app good. It asks you how you are every day and then suggests something based on your responses (usually a mindfulness thing). You can log different things and see how they affect you, e.g comfort eating before period, due to stress etc.

I was amazed how a 10 min mindfulness (with dc playing in the room, I didn't even get alone time) did actually relax and revive me.

And regular walks in fresh air are great too. Dc have been sick all week, I've feeling the effects of not getting out

Thank you, I will have a look at that.

Well, I have been for a walk and am now having a very healthy lunch of chickpeas and veg in tomato sauce and swigging water. Have also taken a multivitamin and some iron.

Okay, I’ve just signed up for Youper, so far so good.

Moved house.

Ok, so that's a massive change, but I am now living somewhere where everything is within walking distance, with some amazing seaside walks nearby. I can walk everywhere, it's just easy. I'm also living with a vegetarian, and preparing most meals from scratch, as it's so nice to cook for someone else, not just myself.

I’ve done lots of small things over a long time, which together have made quite a difference.

I’ve cut down carbs and eat lots more veg. I take food to work or with me on a long journey , to avoid being tempted by carby snacks.

I only drink water and herbal tea.

I’ve cut down on alcohol from a few glasses every night to one at the weekend or if I’m out for a meal or on holiday. . TBH I’m out of the habit of drinking at home now.

I watch much less tv, about 2 hours a week. And read more .

I’ve cut some toxic people out my life. Two I had to go N.C. with, the others I just let drift . Once I got over the FOG, this has made the biggest difference to my well being. A lot of my drinking etc was self medicating to deal with how crap they made me feel.

I’ve stopped reading newspapers or watching the news, because it just made me anxious and depressed about things I can’t change . I still listen to the radio so I still know enough about current events to vote or write to my MP.

I don’t talk about Brexit.

I don’t do Facebook. Like you OP I’m on a group , so I set up a whole new profile for that and deleted my old one. I just read the notifications for that group and check in if I need to.

I’ve stopped shopping as a leisure activity, I only go to buy things I need. Because it just depressed me - I hate 90% of clothes I see, I feel like a freak and old as nothing suits me. I have cut my clothes bill in half, I have more ££ to spend without guilt when I do find something I like. And I still have a wardrobe full of perfectly nice clothes.

With all this free time I have joined two choirs, done an evening class, started volunteering and spending more time gardening ( which is my favourite hobby not a chore) .

I’ve also done C25K, then parkrun and done a few 10ks and half marathons, although I’ve let it slip a bit over the winter.

Great ideas here!

Read more, take Vitamin D3, and don't rush around unless I absolutely have to. I also now walk to & from station to work instead of taking bus. It's only around 25 minutes brisk walking daily but I feel so much better.

Next thing will be going low carb. Fish, chicken & veg only. I've done it before, lost weight better hair and skin but I fall off the wagon so now going to make it a life habit. But not beat myself up if I slip sometimes.

taking a moment!
trying to take that extra minute or even seconds to do things properly
like putting specs back in the case
putting cup in dishwasher not just on the side
zipping up handbag
putting phone on charge
pausing before leaving house.
basically not "rushing"

Read Atomic Habits book - it's about making small changes.

Off to check Youper

Re yoga. I do one 90 min yoga class a week in a village hall, love it! But the rest of the time I do online. Look at yoga with Adriene on YouTube. There are so many different videos you can choose from and she has a lovely soothing voice.

I do her yoga for bedtime and it's so relaxing and de stresses me after my generally tough days with work and kids! I would recommend getting a decent mat if you can

Knitting in evenings rather than faffing on phone and reading in bed before sleep
Both allow me to switch off better and get better quality sleep - otherwise my brain doesn't seem to switch off.
I tend to only drink with others now days and then limit it to one. Drink drinks you really like rather than having a drink for the alcohol so now I drink better wine and gin but I get more from it so I don't need as much. It takes a while to change the habit but it can be done over time.

I stopped eating my daughters sweets! And started walking to work.

Lost 18lbs so far!!

I’ve started plugging my phone in to charge downstairs overnight. And not drinking during week.

30 day shred. Its only 20 mins a day but makes a big difference. I think its better than one hour a week at the gym.

I bought a second hand cross trainer and it has been the best purchase yet. No need to go outside, it works on muscles and it is a cardio exercise, even if you don't go mad at it, just half an hour with an easy stride will make you feel like you did something. I try to limit my drinks and big treat to the weekends which makes you look forward to it and if I fail, I forgive myself (even if it takes a whole day to do so). And before I go to bed, I read a little. Little stupid things but in my troubled life, these little routines have helped me a bunch. And when things get too much, when I go to bed I take a deep breath and say to myself: 'one day at the time, save tomorrow for tomorrow' !

A new pillow was the change that had the greatest effect. Larger so I only need one.

Lovely thread.

Just booked a series of massages, which I really hope will help.

Also, buying nice fruit like berries and mangoes, because I'm more likely to eat them than apples and oranges!

A bath pretty much every day - one of my very favourite things.

I use a yoga app first thing in the morning - shower, yoga, make-up is my routine. It takes 15 mins, and resets my head.

I buy flowers for my desk each week.

Biggest change for me, though, was a decent vitamin D tablet.

Placemarking for ideas!