What a healthy habit you started which improved your life?

[C1239]

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

Consistent time for going to bed and fairly consistent time getting up, seven days a week. Came about when IPlayer and other catch up tv started, so not delaying going to bed for any tv programme.

@saveforthat I have just given the online series 1 2021 class a go … wow! Couldn’t believe that 30 mins went by so quickly! My thighs ached and it was hard to keep up with the finer movements but it was fun and I’m going to try and do these a few days a week and hope they will help me build up strength and become a but less of an old stiffy! Thanks for posting the link!

Paying for a personal trainer has been the best investment in myself ever. The motivation to improve has led to more energy, better sleep, focusing on nutrition, weight loss (15kg so far), and best of all led to me starting to exercise daily, which has improved muscle tone and much less back and knee pain.

@Nametoname. You are welcome. There are live classes twice a month. They are great fun. Hope to see you at one soon!

Following for inspiration.

I really need some.

Daily yoga!

Half hour intense pilates everyday. Balance and strength so much better (I'm clumsy and used to fall over a lot)

If I don't do it, the body gets aches and pains, MH suffers

Love this thread - thank you OP!

These two for me....

1. Intermittent fasting - the easiest way to lose weight I've ever experienced, enjoyable, healthy, not feeling deprived- I've lost over 2 stone and only a few pounds to go... and have enjoyed focussing on "healthy gut" stuff like real cheese and nuts and olive oil alongside more traditionally slimming foods

1. Going to bed early - 9pm - with my husband two or three nights a week "to read".... yes we often do read, and it feels hugely companionable ... other times the books get put aside and it's great to enjoy being in bed together both awake! Before one or other of us went to bed much later and the other would be asleep....

Large glass of berocca first thing every morning. More energy during the day

I stopped going to the gym and started exercising at home. Not being tied to class times means I can do a lot more - 20 mins of weights, or 10 mins of Pilates or spinning that I can fit in when I want to. I did a 30min spin this morning, kids weren’t really up yet, no way I could have gone out.

I use Apple Fitness, it’s a lot cheaper than a gym subscription ( I don’t use with the watch, couldn’t bear to be monitored all the time).

Another vote for walking- I do that more for me-time than exercise, and listen to a podcast at the same time, so feel like I’m learning something.

Stopping drinking alcohol. 4 months in, my skin, my anxiety, my temper, all improved. More hours in the day, especially on a weekend. Can't beleive I didn't do it sooner

Drink at least 2.5 litres of water a day.. not including tea or coffee.. low carb .. dropped my latte habits for black decaff

This! I think I need to put more effort into this one.

Daily yoga.

Giving up booze

A walk most days, usually around a mile.
Swapped wine(I drank a lot of wine) for low alcohol (0.5%-1%) beer or cider. Lots of long-term niggly health issues have vanished.

I went vegan 4.5 years ago.
I had been on prescription tablets for anaemia all my adult life, 6 months after going vegan I was able to come up them and my iron levels have remained high since. My body feels better being fuelled with love and energy, not death

Mentally, lining my actions up with my morals has been a huge boost too

Stopped drinking wine. 8 months and counting and I've lost 2 stone 7 pounds and saved a lot of money.

Started road cycling regularly during lockdown. Have got seriously hooked and now cycle about 300km a week.

I drink a pint of water as soon as I wake up in the morning. Just means that even if I have a rubbish day with regards to staying hydrated at least I’ve drunk that one pint!

Pilates - I only do it once a week for an hour, but over the years it has made a real difference to my body and I am sure it is why I have less aches and pains as I enter my 60s.

Not drinking in the week - I do make an exception if I'm asked out in the week, but getting out of the habit of a daily drink has probably saved my liver not to mention reducing the number of calories I consume.
Home made soup for lunch. I started wfh about 5 years ago, and getting into the habit of making batches of soup with leftover veg or cheap veg from the market most weekends, has not only saved me a fortune but also means I get a healthy veg-filled lunch.
Vitamin D - started taking it during Covid and realised it made my mood improve during the winter. I now get tablets with calcium & magnesium, which hopefully will help my bones as well.
I'm not sure if my latest purchase is going to help me towards a new healthy habit, but I've just bought an e-bike. I live in a very hilly town and area, and its already helping me to get out and take more regular exercise.

Gosh there is so much on here I need to do.

I really need to drink more water. I'm dreadful for just not drinking anything other than a glass or two of squash a day. Or lemonade.

I did quit caffeine after midday a while ago and have managed to stick to it. Before that I'd drink only 6-7 coffees a day, nothing else. No wonder I had heart palpitations!

Thank you all for the inspiration.

Housework 😂 I probably manage 45% efficiency on a good week but for me it is massive. I am the first person in my family to ever really do it for myself which is why it is a really steep learning curve. I have literally no memories of my mother or grandmother ever doing anything remotely resembling housework. Not even tidying up. Well, maybe taking out the bins once a year or so.

For the past 6 months I've suffered with chronic back pain which came out of nowhere and x-rays/mri couldn't find a cause. Physio therapy did nothing and I could barely walk to the top of the street. After lots of googling I found an exercise programme called Foundation Training on youtube. Within 4 weeks I went from only walking 100m to spending a day in London and walking 15km. I now do some of the stretches every day and I wish I'd known about it before because I think it's something to do even before you start feeling pain.

I also take a shot of liquid turmeric every day to help with inflammation in the body.

Couch to 5 k (at the age of 60!)