Little changes that improve your life/wellbeing

[checkmaid]

I have a few medical issues which mean I need to make some changes to my lifestyle, get fitter, lose weight etc.

What things have you done that have made the most difference/had the most impact?

Get a pedometer and watch how many steps you do a day. Try to increase that gradually without expecting too much too
quickly.

Take a proper lunch break and go outside in the fresh air at some point during it.

Having more music in my life.

They sound like good suggestions for my mental wellbeing too, which is much needed. Thanks

Join a gym and get a personal trainer

Not watching the news which means avoiding seeing Boris johnson

Yoga with Adrienne! I had done yoga before for years and stopped. Started up again just using her 11 min. morning video to start the day and another one before bed. Such a difference!

Cutting down on white bread/carbs has made me feel more awake and less sluggish and using a calorie counting app has made me see just how bad cakes are! I'd been pretty oblivious before. I eat much more carefully now and actually respect the food I do eat now a lot more.

Eat your meals using small plates because it is very effective at making you keenly aware of your portion sizes. It's a natural instinct to fill up a plate, and with large one's you can take in much more than you realise. Also, drink lots of water. No soda, no juice or squash, just plain water.

Recently started using a very straightforward technique for prioritising and organising home/work/exercise/social stuff (it’s called ‘personal kanplan’ and I tried it after seeing it recommended in an article in the guardian - a google search leads to a really short video that explains it). It means I don’t feel overwhelmed by to-do lists that never seem to get done.

Yoga, reflexology and regular walks have also been really useful. For health reasons, I’m about to start on a low carbs. It’ll be the first attempt at following a diet so will be interested to see how it pans out (and how long before potato withdrawal symptoms kick-in.)

Buying a bicycle and starting cycling to work. I wouldn’t say I am super fit but I’m not bad and over the eight years or so I have done this I must have burned hundreds of thousands of calories, saved loads on bus fares and helped curb emissions. All good! It really does help your head space a bit too!

Do you have any major financial or housing restraints OP?
Getting a dog has really improved life for me. I think if you choose a breed that needs about the same amount of exercise as you and has a temperament you like it can really motivate you too. Not to mention the benefits of caring for another being and the companionship, all of which are well known to be beneficial.

I did this recently too, OP. The ones that worked for me were -

Short term

• getting 9 hours sleep each night, and going to bed made waking at the same time (even on weekends)
• walking at a good pace (heart rate up) for an hour a day. Helps a lot with getting good quality sleep and bothe together give me more energy.
• Bonus if the walk is outside in nature (beach or trees or greenery) or if the walk is with friends as it’s a nice social catch up (both good in their own way as they add a connection with nature or with people)
• more vegetables and simple foods, less processed foods or refined grains etc (again more energy). I strayed small, just having different varieties of vegetable soups for lunch, and as I felt better, I re-examined all my meals and made changes.

Things that I found took longer to feel the benefits of, but were worth sticking with:

• Meditation (I use the Calm app, I just liked it)
• yoga/stretching (hate doing it, love how I feel afterwards)
• Apple Watch (closing the three rings is a good reminder for me to move all day)
• meal planning (for healthier meals, and to know what goes in them eg extra salt, preservatives and calories)
• doing the above brought on slow weight loss, which was itself a motivating factor to keep going. I felt better health-wise, had more energy, felt better in clothes and at social occasions, and wanted to keep feeling this way, so it made it easier to continue as well.

Overall, I am so much happier on just a day to day level. Nothing big in my life has changed, apart from me doing the above things, but doing the above things consistently, makes the same life a better one to be living. (Does that make sense?)

Good luck!

Oh! I’ve just realised some others.....these are pleasant, but they were also very effective:

I cut out wine, coffee and (obvious) sugar too, and after a rotten first week, I had a lot more energy. Now I will occasionally have each of these, but usually after have them my body reacts so sluggishly I don’t want them again! The reaction from my body makes me realise my body must have been operating in a constant fog of these and how much happier it is without them in my system.

Also, I cut out time on my iPad/iPhone to one hour a day (unless reading a book or watching a film. But that one hour is for social media, online banking, buying anything, personal emails etc). It can be used in one hit or throughout the day. It’s much nicer to live a life offline.

And I would get a pet if I could. At the moment I can’t, but I get a lot of joy from other people’s animals and think they would help anyone.

NOT pleasant!

Agree with what others are saying about eating, walking fresh air. I found it really hard to switch off as life is busy. I got myself some headphones and now listen to a lot more music and podcast to and from work.

ok so nutrition is essential to loose weight- this should be your focus. keep a food diary and make smarter small changes and review weekly.

track track track- my fitness pal is great for this

pedometer and then find a sport you enjoy. it doesn't have to be crossfit (although i thoroughly recommend) but even walking or yoga. Just find your sport.

do this your way to make it consistent