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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What a healthy habit you started which improved your life?

418 replies

C1239 · 29/04/2022 19:51

Looking for some inspiration - what is a good/healthy habit you started and noticed and improvement in how you felt from it?

OP posts:
Thejoyfulstar · 30/04/2022 04:50

I quit drinking alcohol and smoking in 2018. Absolutely life changing. Alcohol was such a false friend to me for so many years. My life has improved drastically since I got rid!

Billandben444 · 30/04/2022 06:34

A daily joint-care supplement. 3 months in and my leg and hip pains are distant memories.
Drinking more water.

mjf981 · 30/04/2022 06:53

Naps. If I fall asleep on the sofa in the afternoon after lunch, its fine. I wake up energized. Listen to your body. If you need to nap - have one. Don't fight it.

Mamabananananana · 30/04/2022 07:33

@WhatTheFlap just the holland and barratt breastfeeding ones. But ill deffo change to their woman ones after

faw2009 · 30/04/2022 07:38

Took up the violin, practise every day. Can still be squeaky but love playing it, learning new tunes, trying to sound lovely, learning new genres. Whole new world!

Quit alcohol, fizzy drinks etc.

Halved my meat and dairy intake. More vegan options in diet. I wonder if it has had effect on hay-fever- suffered a lot less last year .

Great thread!

Sprite0 · 30/04/2022 08:13

Mamanyt · 30/04/2022 00:12

Quit drinking sweetened drinks of all sorts. I do occasionally drink one...we're talking about 5-6 a year. Making NO change but that, I've dropped 45 pounds in two years.

So what do you drink?

milkysmum · 30/04/2022 08:14

I game up alcohol at new year. Initially I was doing dry January but have just kept going. I was pretty much a nightly drinker prior to that.
I've upped my water to 3 litre a day.
Joined a gym and do regular bodypump and yoga.

TabithaHazel · 30/04/2022 08:38

Swimming 3 x per week
Meditation (I use the headspace app) for 10 mins a day
Aim for 12,500 steps per day
At least 10 different fruit/veggies per day, focussing on 'eating a rainbow'
Spending as much time in woods/forests as possible.

Ricepops · 30/04/2022 08:42

Flossing my teeth every day after brushing my teeth at bedtime.

Running at lunchtime once a week with people from work. I am trying to extend this now so that I'm doing some exercise every lunchtime. I wouldn't say it is ingrained as a habit yet but that's what I'm heading towards. I recently took up swimming (having lessons) so am loving a lunchtime swim.

Goatinthegarden · 30/04/2022 09:25

I’m 35 and have picked up quite a few good habits since I turned 30.

Exercise - I used to reluctantly ‘go to the gym’ on and off throughout my twenties for a token workout and hated it. After forcing myself to join some friends in a ‘run 5k a day for a month challenge’ about 5 years ago, I’ve since discovered a love for physically pushing myself in the outdoors. I either run, cycle or hike almost every single day. I’ve recently started doing strength workouts at home too. The more I push myself, the more energy and enthusiasm I have for doing even more.

Diet - calorie counting, I don’t ever deny myself food, but I eat much more intuitively now and stop when full. I pay attention to nutrition and macros and fuel my body well (most of the time).

Work/life balance - making a proper effort to work efficiently and leave work promptly. I’m a teacher and I go in early (about 7am) and leave as close to 4pm as possible (and leave all my work at school). In the past, I would often still be in school until 6/7pm each night and working on weekends.

Skin - I’ve started a proper skincare regime with an aesthetician. My skin looks amazing, much younger, no spots and I hardly ever wear make up any more.

Piano - never had any musical input as a child. Recently taken up piano lessons and I’m discovering a whole new, interesting world. It’s a good challenge for me too.

June628 · 30/04/2022 09:32

Not snacking. Used to be awful for having a couple of packets of crisps after dinner in an evening. Can’t have any crisps in the house though otherwise I’ll eat them. No self control!

Llamasally · 30/04/2022 13:51

These are all brilliant ideas. I’ve been making a big effort to be nicer to myself lately and to talk to myself as if I were a good friend. It feels liberating.

ChrisReasBathEggs · 30/04/2022 14:49

I still have young kids and FT job, so do find it really hard to look after myself.

What helps is:

Staying off midweek alcohol and not having more than a couple of drinks on weekend days.

Gym twice a week (all I can manage time-wise) run 5k twice a week. I'm still the same weight, but I feel better for being more toned and my mood is better. I am 40 this year, but feel utterly down about how I look, but I'm still better off continuing to exercise for the MH benefits.

Try to remember to take vitamins, but also take 5htp every evening.

My diet isn't too processed and I do lots of home cooking, but it is my weakness. The exercise makes me hungry unfortunately!

Trying not to give a fuck about things and not ruminate, which is hard. To be honest I don't always think MN is that great for my MH, due to the arseholes and hysteria, but here I am on it. 😂

ChrisReasBathEggs · 30/04/2022 14:52

Oh and I have a blast from a cold shower in the morning. I started thanks to that Wim Hoff programme and now I don't feel like I've woken up without it. I'm planning to do lots of sea swimming come the summer and keep it up during the winter, as I love swimming in the sea.

DrBrennerFan · 30/04/2022 14:54

My face creams always done but exfoliating now love and love my bigger brush for shower. Also more porridge.

Loopytiles · 30/04/2022 14:55

Exercise: mental health game changer.

TheVolturi · 30/04/2022 14:56

Running. Every other day I run and I can't be without it now, keeps me fit and sane, and has massively improved my whole body.

CozmicBee · 30/04/2022 17:31

Starting PE with Joe during lock down... which built my fitness a bit... then did the 90 day plan... moved onto grad plan... and now 2 years on fitness is part of my life. Not all consuming, but something that makes me feel better on an every day basis

DrBrennerFan · 30/04/2022 17:33

More water as well.

hopeishere · 30/04/2022 17:37

Got a dog. Makes me go out for walks, fresh air and a mental health break.

OzBoy · 30/04/2022 17:46

Cut out The Three Whites, you'll easily and very soon never miss them. I did so in my early 20s (70 now) and am utterly convinced it's done me the world of good in return for very little effort.

White bread/pasta/rice/etc - I sometimes have the brown "whole" versions.
Sugar (not adding to tea/coffe/cereal/etc) ALL sugar.
Salt (not adding to my food/meals) ALL salt.

Hesma · 30/04/2022 18:06

Strength training
Drinking more water
Going to bed at a decent time

LydiaGwilt · 30/04/2022 18:25

You don't have to drink water to keep hydrated.The NHS recommends "that the average adult consume 6-8 glasses or cups of hydrating fluid each day. This includes lower fat milks, and low sugar or sugar-free drinks, tea and coffee."
This programme with Michael Mosely: 'debunks the many myths about how much water we should drink': * *www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0010wl7

OrangeBananaFish · 30/04/2022 18:26

I've been running 10 years now and love it.

I love these threads and think I must start doing more healthy stuff, but I never manage to stick to any of them.

I try to add in daily squats or planks or both, but it never lasts.

I want to add some mental health stuff in like meditation or something, but I don't know when I'd do it. Not on a daily basis anyway.

I already don't really drink much alcohol anyway. Drink plenty of water during the day but I do have a can of Pepsi Max on a night

I like the idea of getting up early, but DH would only get up with me.

ineedsun · 30/04/2022 18:27

Meditation, yoga and walking 10000 steps a day. Most days anyway unless life gets in the way.