Wellness journey... anyone want to join me?

[AlexaShutUp]

I need to take better care of myself. I was doing well until recently - had lost a lot of weight, started exercising regularly etc, but then I got really stressed at work and everything went awry. I've had a few health problems recently and I know that some of them are stress related, so I need to look after myself properly.

I'm planning to:

• try and get at least 7 hours sleep every night (actual sleep, not just time in bed)
• exercise regularly (5 × week at gym)
• eat well (more fruit & veg, more protein, less sugar and refined carbs)
• drink more water (at least 6 glasses a day)
• meditate daily for 15-20 mins

Does anyone want to join me? And is there anything else that I should be doing that I could add in without too much extra effort?

Meant to add, I'm taking some supplements too. Iron (I'm anaemic) and vitamins B12, C and D.

I need to join you!!!

I was thinking yes when I saw the title but that list sounds like it would add stress for me tbh. Is there anything you can do to reduce your sources of stress? Your list at the moment looks like its quite a lot of things to counteract stress rather than reduce it at source iyswim - your mileage may vary but for me it would be another stick to beat myself with when I failed.

I’m eating well atm, exercising about 3x/wk. Could do with drinking more water instead of sometimes only remembering once I have a headache 🙈 none of that reduces stress for me though, for that my goal is looking for a more secure job.

Hi @R0tational. Please do join me if you can!

@WashableVelvet, I hear you. I'm a past master at beating myself up about stuff like this, so I totally get where you're coming from. Unfortunately, there is no real way in which I can tackle the stress at source right now. I know that sounds defeatist but, honestly, it's just how it is for the time being. So I need to find ways of managing it better. My default response to stress is to eat junk, sleep less and move less, and frankly, those responses are exacerbating the problem and leaving me so exhausted that I don't have the energy to tackle the source of the stress effectively. So I have decided that I need to focus on health first and hope that the other stuff will fall into place around it. I'm not going to beat myself up if I let things slide, though. This is about feeling better, not just another thing on my to do list.

I really like this idea.

I’ll join you.
My list looks like this -
Go to bed by 11 every night
Read then breathing meditation before sleep.
Exercise 3x a week and daily walk
Drink 8 glasses of water
Eat 5x fruit and veg a day
Do 16.8 fasting

Better start getting ready for bed then!

i'd like to join you.

I already work out 5 times a week most weeks.
But my sleep is bad, I forget to drink water or meditate and I definitely need to cut back on sugar and refined carbs.

Great thread.

It’s a great idea count me in!

I just tend to work and stress right now, I need ideas on structure and fitting everything in though

I need to
Join you!

I have made a similar list to you recently!

Mine also includes eating only in a 12 hour window to eliminate evening snacking.
Cutting out alcohol.

Oh good, I'm glad that a few people want to join in. Hopefully we can keep each other motivated.

Structure and fitting things in could be a challenge, @Myrrfect. I'm not totally sure how that's going to work. I'm planning to get up a bit earlier tomorrow to meditate, so need to get to bed very soon. Have also realised that it's only realistic for me to get to the gym 4 times this week due to other commitments, but that's OK. Maybe I'll try and do a short walk on the other day or something!

I think it's the sugar that I'm going to find hardest. I'm addicted!! But I'm sure it's making me feel worse so I need to get on top of it.

Joining you

My list:

Build up exercise v slowly - start off with twice a week
Continue with 5:2 (recently rejoined)
Take makeup off at night
Continue with supplements
Read before bed instead of tv

I barely drink these days @ButNotTonight20, bizarrely alcohol is the one thing I find very easy to go without. I wish I could say the same for sugar!!!

I'd like to do the 12 hour eating window and had been wondering about that, but I will probably struggle to fit everything in tbh. I did 16:8 for a lot of last year and loved it, but had to stop due to gallstones.

Good luck to everyone. It would be great if everyone could report back on how they're doing and whether they're feeling any benefits! I could use as much encouragement as I can get!

I’m in! I need to look after myself better both mentally and physically!

I have some chronic illnesses and am quite run down at the moment. Life is hectic and I absolutely suck at self care and self discipline!

I’ll have a think about what to focus on but one thing I absolutely must do is book my repeat bloods tomorrow. While I’m at it I’d better stop procrastinating and book my smear test. 😬

I’m in! I like the idea of wellness journey..

I plan to:
Eat more fruit/less chocolate
Get more sleep
Use my peloton at least 3-4 times a week
Drink more water
Drink less coffee
Read my two new books I got this week (instead of scroll insta and Facebook)
Take my medication of folate and vitamin d deficiency

I'm in! My list -
*5 hours sleep a night minimum (I'm currently running on 1-2 so this is a huge improvement!)
*Check emails am, lunch and 30 mins before logging off instead of running them all day
*Log my hours of overtime
*stop calorie counting - it makes me miserable, guilty and hungry so I then binge eat.
*diarise my study time so it's an appointment/commitment to myself rather an afterthought
*channel my inner Helen Mirren and say "fuck off" more often
*quit the drink
*drink water x 2 glasses a day & build up (again an improvement on my current if it isn't caffeine it isn't coming in approach to fluid!)
*shower more often
*brush my teeth daily
*speak to GP about depression

Yes please, I keep meaning to do this but always have a reason not to!
I’ve actually bought a lot of new skincare products this weekend to help me with motivation and so would love to have others giving me a kick up the bum that I could support too!

Please can I join?

I was doing brilliantly over the spring and summer, I cut out refined sugar (following Why We Eat Too Much which makes it so easy), was running 3 times a week, lost 2 stone and generally felt really good.

Unfortunately I’ve massively fallen off the wagon and with the new school term starting for DS and entering my busiest time at work I am eating badly, sleeping badly and feeling like crap.

My goals are:

• Go back to my previous way of eating (no refined sugar, wheat, processed foods or oils other than EVOO)
• Run 3 times a week
• Make time for at least 2 exercise classes a week (this is something I love so isn’t a chore)
• Make time to stretch every day, even if it’s just 5 minutes at my desk
• Get closer to 8 hours sleep, although this means being in bed for 10pm which is hard as there’s so much to do in the evenings
• Make time to lie on my acupressure mat and meditate

I'm in. I plan to:

• drink more water. Hopeless at this so will start with 4 glasses a day.
• start walking again. Will aim for one 20 minute walk per week.
• go to bed later and read rather than lying in bed for hours looking at screens yet only sleeping for three or four hours.
• will select some potions to use from the many languishing in my bathroom cupboard.
• will tackle a couple of minor financial issues that cause me stress by phoning mortgage company and finding a cheaper energy supplier.

F!

Morning everyone and welcome to the newcomers! I did fairly well on sleep. 6hrs and 46 mins according to my fitbit, which isn't bad given that I woke up before my alarm!

I did a tiny bit of stretching this morning and meditated for 15 minutes. It was difficult to meditate as it's a while since I've done it properly but I felt good for having done it. I have just had a delicious breakfast of fat free Greek yoghurt with walnuts, berries and seeds. It was very tasty! And I've had my first glass of water!

Good luck with today everyone!

Morning. I like the idea of starting with stretches. Forgot today but will do some now and try to remember tomorrow.

I had about 7 hours sleep which is pretty good for me.
Tried to meditate but failed miserably and ended up making a to do list instead! Might try a 5 minute one instead of 15 to ease into it.

Had a herbal tea this morning.

The calm app is great for those wanting more sleep and meditation

I like the calm app too @doadeer.

How did everyone get on today? I did OK, managed to eat fairly healthily and avoid reaching for the junk even though work was horribly stressful. I need to find a way of winding down properly this evening now. Can't exercise as I'm on taxi duty for dd but I do need to switch off.

I Went to bed an hour later than I wanted to, didn’t read and didn’t exercise or drink enough water. It’s a bit hard at work as I don’t want to keep going to the toilet.
So all in all, a bit rubbish.
I did stick to 16.8 and didn’t eat any junk. I also made enquiries and going back to exercise classes on Wednesday.