2022 Healthy Living Weekly Review (March 13 – 19)

[DahliaDoll]

Here's my review (March 13-19):

Exercise:

• Sunday ~ Classical Stretch; 2 mi. walk
• Monday ~ Body Tech
• Tuesday ~ 2 mi. walk video; 3 sets of PT matrix exercises; 2000-step dance video
• Wednesday ~ Ski; Windsor Pilates
• Thursday ~ The Last Step Express Workout 1 plus Cool Down
• Friday ~ Cardio Fusion (Warm up; Low Impact Circuit Bonus Combo; Warm Up (again); Stretch – total 37 min.) Note: I tried the Body Max 2 Finished Combos, but they were too fast for me to follow. Will need some practice on these.
• Saturday ~ Angles, Lines & Curves

Healthy eating: Needs improvement.

Week’s weight: up/down/maintain: -.83 (BMI=22.9)

Mental/Emotional: What did you do for yourself this week? Another upbeat week for me. I'm good at this! The switch to daylight savings time is a good thing for us although it’s dark when we get up right now. Tuesday was PI Day and we went to The Pie Company with some friends for PIe which was lots of fun. DH and I went skiing on Wednesday. Thursday was my play date with a friend. She came here for a Zoom meeting with our sewing group. Then we sat around here and stitched together. On St. Patrick’s Day (Thursday) we had a great dinner at home, complete with fresh apple cake with ice cream and Bailey’s Irish Cream. On Saturday we went to a Studebaker club lunch which was fun. Lots of play time!

 

[AnnieClaus]

My week last week:

Exercise: Been focusing on walking since I am doing a walking challenge for the month of March.
Did the same challenge last year. Last year I did 50 miles, this year I wanted to do 60 but have settled on 55.
Did 5 walks last week and will do the same this week. Will have to add some distance if I want to reach my goal.

Food: Not the best. Got some not-so-great snacks and fast food one day last week.
Really need to be better.
But then there were times I did well: Made a real nice Asisan Chicken salad one night and one day out at lunch I ordered a grilled chicken salad. It's like 1 foot in, 1 foot out.

Mental/Emotional: Good. Struggling a bit with work and the overload there and just how to organize my time and the requests that come in.
And then when I have a chunk of time, I get constant interruptions. I think this is just work in the 21st century!

Side Note: I started high blood pressure medicine last week. This was a long time coming and I feel relief that it is being addressed.

Annie

 

[Lori K]

It's been awhile since I've updated (I think), and I have not weighed myself in several weeks. However, I DO know that my jeans are significantly less snug. With last week being what seemed to be a week-long St. Pat's celebration, I am surprised at the fit when I pull a fresh pair out of the closet. So, at the very least, things are shifting somewhere. I've been trying to get out and do longer walks, now that the white stuff has quit flying (shhh ... I didn't say that). And tonite I opened up the grill, which is where I tend to cook the healthiest.

From the water standpoint, I've been doing much better. With all the sodium in all the corned beef I ate last week, it's no wonder! But, between water and iced tea with lemon, it's been much easier. Now, to add in more fresh fruits and fresh veg, and cut back on some of the carbs, and I'll be in an even better place.

From a health perspective, my cast came off last Friday, one month to the day that if was "officially" declared broken by the orthopedic surgeon. Just have exercises to do at home -- palm up/palm down; handshake, twist wrist in opposite directions; palm flexes up and down; and tight fists and release. No official therapy, unless I call them with a problem in regaining flexibility and/or strength. My 6-month bloodwork script has been called in to Quest and I can simply walk in at any time, with a 12=hour fast, no appointment needed. Will get to that this week, for sure. Also need to reschedule my dental cleaning, which was cancelled when I broke my wrist. Tomorrow I start with my Medicare navigator to get things lined up by the end of June. @AnnieClaus, my weight loss and fitness goals are in an effort to get off my BP and cholesterol meds. Hate being tied to a pill box.

Mental health is a work in progress. Today's reflection is that "when life gives you waves, learn to surf." I've been surfing for almost 8 years, but my mind is at peace and calm most days (in terms of grief struggles). I just need to define my retirement purpose and find a place that meets my needs. There are a couple of things in the cooker that should help me sort it out over the coming months.

Let the healthy efforts continue and (hopefully) bear fruit.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Lori- So happy to see you!
I tried so hard with the bp. Meditation, way more physical movement, changing diet.

I've been keeping track of it for over 2 years and it just never went down. I kept thinking how it's the "silent killer." Feel relieved that the "hoping it would go down" but also scared to go to the Dr. for anything because I knew it would be high is over.

Annie

 

[Lori K]

Lori- So happy to see you!
I tried so hard with the bp. Meditation, way more physical movement, changing diet.

I've been keeping track of it for over 2 years and it just never went down. I kept thinking how it's the "silent killer." Feel relieved that the "hoping it would go down" but also scared to go to the Dr. for anything because I knew it would be high is over.

Annie

I'm on 2 for BP and one for cholesterol. I can't tolerate statins, so have limited options for the cholesterol. It's a pain, and I've not been able to correct it with diet and exercise alone, so far, and know I need to drop lbs. I think that will be the only way. Heart disease on my dad's side (though appears more environmental than genetic -- he grew up on a dairy farm; only one cousin has shown heart issues), and a sudden heart attack is what took my husband in 2014. The time is now ... there's still too much that I want to accomplish. So, I'm making my health a priority this year.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I'm on 2 for BP and one for cholesterol. I can't tolerate statins, so have limited options for the cholesterol. It's a pain, and I've not been able to correct it with diet and exercise alone, so far, and know I need to drop lbs. I think that will be the only way.

Questran is an option for lowering cholesterol. It is a powder to mix in liquid to drink. It absorbs the cholesterol out of the bile in the intestine. This way it does not go into your blood stream. It does involve a little more effort on my part but well worth it in my mind since it is not absorbed into my blood stream. Side effect can be constipation so I keep on eye on that.

 

[Lori K]

Questran is an option for lowering cholesterol. It is a powder to mix in liquid to drink. It absorbs the cholesterol out of the bile in the intestine. This way it does not go into your blood stream. It does involve a little more effort on my part but well worth it in my mind since it is not absorbed into my blood stream. Side effect can be constipation so I keep on eye on that.

Was on something like that (maybe the generic?), but in the pill format. Following last April's blood work, I was immediately pulled off it due to high liver enzymes. Switched to Zetia and seems to be working.

 

[DahliaDoll]

It's been quiet here. I hope everyone is doing well. I'm keeping up my exercise, but eating still needs to improve.

 

[AnnieClaus]

I posted in the chit chat thread to remind others that this thread is over here.

I know a lot of us start out strong in the New Year and then fade out.
That's my usual M.O. but with my word "Consistent," I am working at hanging in
and reporting here helps me stay accountable to my goals and my word.

Annie

 

[jampss]

I always start out strong and then, like @AnnieClaus said ... "fade out". LOL