I like the idea of a ‘wellness journey’

[MuddyWalk5007]

I think I need one. I’m going a bit loopy.
Comfort eating has brought me discomfort. My clothes, when I get changed into them from my ‘loungewear’ feel rather tight.
All the doom and gloom all over the internet has made me feel gloomy.

I want to feel well again.
What do I need to do? I think I could do with more yoga and soup in my life. I can start off with that. That sounds like it belongs in a ‘wellness journey’
What else can I do?

Great thread with some useful ideas. I contributed earlier - still walking, drinking more water and doing something creative. This week I added some vitamins (recommended on here).
What are we doing if not a 'journey'? I don't mind what it is called as long as I start to feel a bit better.

@DenisetheMenace

Perfectly sound idea but please, please don’t call it “a journey” 🥴

Why not call it a journey? What a strange and pointless thing to contribute to a thread - do you object to the common phrase 'journey through life' too?

The best things I have done for my well-being lately have been to cut out sugar; carbs at only one meal per day; daily yoga; at least 12,500 steps per day, gave up social media; and I've given up caffeine and have bone broth and spatone iron shots each day. I also try to do a Headspace meditation session before bed.

I'm knackered. Been at work on Zoom calls for three days straight. My neck is stiff and I have a headache, and all that screen time makes it so hard to sleep at night. Want Dry Jan to be over...

Well done on the yoga, reading and fresh fruit and veg @MuddyWalk5007. Great start! Home made soup here for lunches. I definitely feel better in the afternoon after a bowl of soup and a slice of wholemeal bread than I did with my standard white bread sandwich :-)
I'm listening to lots of music and drawing. I'm no artist but have been looking at zentangle and mandala videos on YouTube and filling my journal with pretty pictures and positive affirmations. It's strangely relaxing! X

Yoga, walking, self care, self awareness, being in nature, nourishing food and plenty of water, good sleep. And whatever else makes you feel happy and fulfilled.

Just a quick post because I really need to do something to help myself out of the slump and weight gain and to be frank depression that I'm in at the moment!
I know what I need to do, so maybe a thread for accountability will help!

Today I have:

1. Listened to soothing music whilst glossing picture rails
2. WS- sonnet 2. It is much easier understanding the meaning reading it out loud.
3. 20 minute meditation and an extra one on mindful eating
4. Found a new Karaoke song - I only ever belt it out at home but it’s very relaxing
5. On a 4 day streak for vitamins and drinking plenty of water/tonic water

Oh sorry - I posted my whinging on the wrong thread. I am knackered. But I have also done a bootcamp today, had a soak in lovely Neal's Yard geranium foam bath, and DS2 has just cooked a lovely three course vegetarian dinner and organised a brilliant family treasure hunt which we've just finished, so feeling much more revived now.

What a lovely thread. So many terrific ideas!

I would love to join in. I've gained 2 stone in a year and just found out that I have some potentially serious issues show up after some testing. So I've got two weeks to try and improve before my next round of testing. I want to lose a bit of weight but also really need to stay positive.

I'm aiming for 8-12 hours of good sleep a day. I won't be drinking alcohol at all. As a treat if I want to get takeaway I'm going to either get a chicken and veg kebab with masses of salad or a subway salad with all the extras, got to be better than maccies! Loving the idea of daily affirmations. I've not bought any of the usual treats with the shop.

I'm going to get some seedling trays as I bought a led grow light for salad seeds last week so that's a nice little project . Also when I'm feeling negative either dance it out or do a craft. May also try journaling again.

Also need to add that I have quit smoking a few days ago. Not terribly addicted but I smoked when I was drinking and recently that had shook up on me too. It's going to be harder not to drink but I'm aiming for a full month to help weight loss.

I also got a huge set of acrylic paint for Christmas so may get a canvas or two and have a bag at a tutorial.

I had a cheat day on Friday and it carried on the whole weekend. Before this I would have definitely thought ‘fuck it, I’ve messed it up now anyway what’s the point in carrying on’. But (although it’s hard) I have been telling myself to think realistically. There is no way that 3 days is going to undo an entire months worth of hard work. It just isn’t possible. So I absolutely will be back on track tomorrow without feeling bad or guilty.

It is amazing how being kind to yourself can change the way you think and feel about things so drastically. I am trying to give myself advice the same way I would if I was talking to a friend/family member. I absolutely would not be hard on them and say nasty things. So why have I been doing it to myself all these years?

I have managed to quit smoking and drinking. I have also deleted social media (for now, I do want to go back but I will be going through my following and deleting accounts that don’t make me feel good) so any names of accounts you find positive and inspiring please let me know.

I have found 3 YouTube videos for stretching, yoga and mediation that I don’t find annoying so I plan on doing them 3 nights a week. And I will be looking for a new notebook and fancy pen because after lots of googling and youtubers explaining, I have a bit of an idea of how to do a daily affirmation and gratitude journal

Just checking in. Have been for a walk and we spent time looking for birds in the garden. I've eaten badly but going to have tea in a bit and then brush my teeth. IF is the best thing for me - not eating for all my waking hours, so want to get back to that this week!

How is everyone else getting on?

Great thread I love some of the ideas here.

My contribution: I read last year about 'shadow comforts' - the things we do to numb our feelings but aren't really what we need. I realised mine were mindlessly scrolling on phone, stuffing myself with rubbish and online shopping so whenever I feel the urge to do one of those i'm trying to make myself excercise, read proper books and connect with family and friends instead. I don't always manage it but feel so much better when I do.

afternoon all,

1.Have just had a lovely walk in a local park, I could feel my shoulders drop from my ears! It's very easy to think of things to be grateful for when you are walking in nature: people maintaining SD quietly and without fuss so we can all enjoy the park; the busy-ness of the robins darting around and the ability to stride out easily and just move.

1. I have completed my January reset by doing vegan and dry January. I feel less bloated and chunky for doing it, so all good, but I am so looking forward to cheese and eggs tomorrow!
2. a bath, a meditation and a new sonnet for me will complete my day and I will be ready to face a hectic week.

@TheMildManneredMilitant - that's a useful concept - shadow comforts. So much better to replace them with genuine comforts.

Went for a long walk in the woods with an old friend today. Felt so

That really resonates @TheMildManneredMilitant

I've done some yoga and had a cup of herbal tea.

I am slowly trying to improve my diet. I'm reducing the junk and increasing the good. Today I had left over special fried rice for lunch with tons of veg , then a ham salad wrap for tea. Managed to stop at 4 chocolate digestive too .

I made fruit loaf today and had a slice of it for supper. Delicious!

I also tidied up in the garden which doesn't sound much but I've got 4 dogs ! So the boys cleaned the grass and I tidied and swept the patio to make it feel a bit nicer going to the hot tub of an evening. Has a tidy in the bedroom as I've got a man coming to quote me for flooring tomorrow.

Now tucked up in bed and had my vitamins. I feel like I've achieved something today instead of just slobbing on the sofa. And I am quite proud that I'm taking small steps to improve my health and out look.

I was intrigued by the shadow comforts reference - so found some reading. womenforone.com/shadow-comforts-and-time-monsters-by-jennifer-louden/

I also have a lot of time monsters!

Have a good day

Argh shadow comforts and time monsters. Seems like they are my issues too. Thanks for the link. I’ll have a read.

Today is the start of February so it seems like a good place to kick start myself. I’ve made a few good habits and I’m intending to make a few more.

Dh and I have decided to ‘fast’ on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays which really means lots of fluids and one small meal for dinner.

I’m reading daily and aiming to walk daily. I’m not doing the daily yoga anymore as it seems to have hurt my back. I’ll still do a bit but less often.

I’ve got more work from this week and signed up for a free online course to help me use my time better.
Futurelearn, coursera and open university all have free online courses if anyone is interested.

Quite a lot for me today:

1. Sonnet 5 for me today.
2. An hour of hard exercise this morning
3. A bath in the middle of the afternoon with some nice pink grapefruit body wash. Felt decadent - the joys of working from home
4. I'd like a walk in a bit, but it is getting dark and rainy, and doesn't feel like it will be a pleasant activity.
5. Some new gym kit turned up today so I chucked out the raggedy leggings I had been wearing, new ones are very comfy.
6. I have been consistent in getting in 2l of water every day.
7. Vegan January is done, so am back into my 'old' routine of fasting; first meal at lunchtime and final at 8. I was successful at losing weight with this last year - combined with exercise.

Sounds like you're doing well @MuddyWalk5007 Hope your back improves.

I'm on day 3 of IF (again) @EastofEdna - lost 10kg on it before. Do you find it easy to stick to?

Found today very stressful and had a binge this afternoon, but 3 days of sticking to my 8hr window, 2 days of yoga and today a meditation with a nice candle...

@yetanotherwalk - I do find it easy to stick to. I do need to be exercising along side it though but I lost 10lb before xmas doing it, so am hoping to replicate that success.

That's excellent Edna I maintained my loss for about a year and when the Christmas holidays hit and both children got stuck in for differing periods of isolation, it just tipped me over the edge. I'm struggling with the exercise part too. Have really lost flexibility by not doing yoga already!

Hoe you all have a good day.

Amazing thread, just what I needed, thank you OP!