2024 Healthy Lifestyle Discussion

[ners]

Here is the 2024 Healthy Lifestyle Discussion.

















Please use this thread as a place to discuss your physical health, your goals for your physical health, your struggles with your physical health, and to encourage each other and positively hold each other accountable















Focus could be on food or exercise and the myriad modes for addressing our choices and growth.

[Lizard Queen]

Happy New Year! I'm starting the year in a not so great place, weight-wise. I've indulged a little too much over the holidays, and I don't think I'll qualify for the weight maintenance health challenge at work. I've gotten back to the gym, though, and ran a very slow hour on Saturday. Watching my food, too, but I'm afraid it's probably too little too late. Bummer. Still going to plug along, just to try to stay healthy.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I have the flu, so I'll report back later. 

[caroca]

Happy New Year, everyone!
Long time lurker here. I’ve slacked off lately and my weight is way up. Time to get serious. My plan is to start by cutting down on the extra snacking. Also, need to get back on my treadmill. Was doing it religiously, then caught Covid and never got back to it.

[ners]

Last year was not a good year for my weight.  


01/01/19 177.2
01/01/20 165.2
01/01/21 169.0
01/01/22 167.2
01/01/23 172.2
01/01/24 187.2

Really need to work on reversing the weight gain.  

I have been struggling to get in exercise and have been enjoying too much food and adult beverages.

Hoping to get to 2,250,000 steps this year.  Missed my goal and adjusted goal for last year.

[greenthumb59]

Hello Everyone!  I'm another long time lurker coming in from the cold!

I am 64, retired, and have a few health issues.  Nothing too serious as of yet, and I would like to keep it that way!

DH and I are currently visiting our oldest DS and his lovely wife.  I will catch up with everyone once we get home.

[Rukh O'Rorke]

need to think about this. thanks for starting the thread ners!

item one is to continue working on my insomnia problems. Everything is just an off shoot of that right now....eating better, exercise, reducing screen time, etc. Nothing matters but sleep right now and it's pointless to focus on aspects of health outside of that. Luckily! So many things to help sleep also help a whole lot of general health, so it is not a myopic view at all.

More later! with specific plans.....

[msventoux]

I probably should participate this year.  I had some health challenges in 2022 and managed to lose 25 pounds or so.  Then after personal upheaval in 2023 I managed to gain back 10 pounds.  Not great at all, but I’m glad I recognized things were heading in the wrong direction and took steps to halt the downward spiral, if not actively improve things.  Plus, I have a sibling that appears to be serious about weight loss and I just can’t let them win a competition they don’t even know exists. 

The main thing I need to focus on is consistency. I do okay losing weight as long as I meal plan and follow a schedule for exercise.  If I get lazy and don’t follow those plans I just go into a downward spiral and lose all progress.  I also need to find easy meals that incorporate healthier ingredients. I tried a Mediterranean diet plan and it was very filling for not having too many calories, but I just can’t face raw zucchini and quinoa for breakfast. 

[momof3]

I've been a lurker also for awhile but 2024 is the year I hold myself accountable.    
I need to find the time for self care this year  which will include walking, planning meals, SLEEPING, etc.  
I have an appointment with a dietician this week due to some health issues in 2023 so hopefully that will kickstart me and my journey. 
Good luck everyone!

[jerseygirl]

Lost 20 pounds due to health reason but want to keep 15 pounds off
So I’ve been walking on treadmill daily. Stated at 15” now up to 40”. Feeling stronger and while not exactly enjoying it’s ok. I do walk outside in nice weather. Think I’ll try to go to mall weekly have lunch with friend. Short Hills mall is a great place to walk and people watch

[busymom]

The holidays were NOT kind to the scale, so I got in an hour of exercise on the first day of the new year.  Whether my body will let me keep it up, I don't know, but I need to at least try.  I cannot believe how stubborn my weight has been since I "lost" that month with no exercise this past Summer due to knee pain.  Who knew that not exercising for about 4 weeks could do so much damage?     

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Jan 1, 2024 12:25:48 GMT -5 caroca said:

Happy New Year, everyone!
Long time lurker here. I’ve slacked off lately and my weight is way up. Time to get serious. My plan is to start by cutting down on the extra snacking. Also, need to get back on my treadmill. Was doing it religiously, then caught Covid and never got back to it. [img src="https://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff155/JiminiChristmas/ymamsmiles/think.gif" alt="" class="smile" src="//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/undecided.png"]

Jan 1, 2024 15:55:07 GMT -5 greenthumb59 said:

Hello Everyone!  I'm another long time lurker coming in from the cold!

I am 64, retired, and have a few health issues.  Nothing too serious as of yet, and I would like to keep it that way!

DH and I are currently visiting our oldest DS and his lovely wife.  I will catch up with everyone once we get home.

Jan 1, 2024 18:12:29 GMT -5 momof3 said:

I've been a lurker also for awhile but 2024 is the year I hold myself accountable.    
I need to find the time for self care this year  which will include walking, planning meals, SLEEPING, etc.  
I have an appointment with a dietician this week due to some health issues in 2023 so hopefully that will kickstart me and my journey. 
Good luck everyone!

[tcu2003]

Another (sometimes) lurker here - I've joined in before, and always drop the thread partway through the year, so we'll see what happens this year. Loosely, I want to make sure I'm moving/doing something positive for my health at least 2-3 times per week. Whether that is the treadmill in our basement, walking or biking outside, a yoga class or golf when the weather is nicer, I don't care, but I do need to be more active. 

I would also like to make better food choices, and make small steps to cut down on the number of unplanned times we eat out each month. 

I did get on the treadmill yesterday after the kids went to bed, and signed up for a yoga class on Sunday with the mom of one of my daughter's friends, so at least off to a positive start. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Alrighty, here goes!

data points: 

July 2011 ………. 137.0
January 2012 … 135.0
January 2013 … 138.5
January 2014 … 134.0
January 2015 … 138.2
January 2016 … 137.9
February 2017… 145.5
January 2018 … 146.2
January 2019 … 150.4
January 2020 … 143.4
March 2020 … 130.6
January 2021 … 145.8
January 2022 … 153.0
January 2023 … 153.0
March 30............158.0
June 19...............160.4
July 3..................162.0
August 9 ............164.0
Sept 4.................167.0
December 1........166.5
December 28.......171.0

had food poisoning (not the flu that I self-diagnosed!)

January 2,  2024...166.5

My preference would be to lose 40 pounds this year. 

Need to control calories, sleep well, and exercise!
Weekly January goals: 
average 1700/day, lose 1 pound per week, exercise 4x per week

[Minnesotagirl7]

I plan to be around for the long haul this year, and able to share some real results! 

[greenthumb59]

Okay I'm back home now!  I am 64 years old and retired.  I have diabetes, which I have been able to control with diet.  I also have hypertension, osteoarthritis (hands especially), and was diagnosed this past year with microscopic colitis.  My goals are to NOT have any flares with the microscopic colitis and to stay off medications for the diabetes.

Microscopic colitis is not well researched or understood by the medical community.  Both my regular doc and my GI doc tell me it is becoming more common, especially in older women.  I believe it is auto-immune and caused by years of reacting to food sensitivities.  I am cutting gluten out of my life and I am feeling better.  I hope this also improves my arthritis symptoms.

I'm 5'3" and this morning I weighed 160.8. I would obviously like to weigh less.  I feel like a little barrel sometimes!

So the goals are:  Continue to weed out gluten.  Lose weight.  Exercise more. 

Sounds so simple, doesn't it!

[busymom]

My Skinnify pants arrived today, and I am so happy!  I've put a pair on, to "break them in" before I go on the treadmill.  I got the 6-band type, and I feel like I'm in a tight hug from my waist to my ankles.  I'll let you know if they do any good.  

[busymom]

Just so you know, I break up my daily exercise routine into 3 parts, so I don't overdo it & quit.  I don't know what it is about the leg bands in these pants, but they really make my leg muscles work when exercising.  I'm actually exhausted after 20 minutes.  I have some stomach issues that I won't go into here, and the pants are bothering my stomach somewhat.  I was going to wear them until dinner, but I'm taking them off to give my body a rest, and I'll try wearing them again after dinner.  Maybe the break-in period is like when you first start exercising, like start slow?  

[flamingo]

Last year, I really just tried to focus on moving in ways that didn't bore me/feel like a chore. I was so burned out on running after training for a marathon in the summer heat that is Texas in 2022, so last year, I was more kind to myself and just worked out however I felt like it in the moment.

This was both good and bad. Good in that mentally I was happier. Bad in that it wasn't very intense and while my weight stay relatively constant, I'm just not near as toned/fit at the end of 2023.

So, I'm making a change for 2024. I'm spending money (way too much money probably) and joining a group fitness type gym. I went to my first class last night and I love it. So I'm planning to go back tomorrow and then Saturday. We leave Sunday for a cruise, so I'll have to figure something out while on vacation, though I'm not super worried. As long as I get some decent walking in, I'll count that as a win. Fingers crossed that I continue to like these classes and they help. I can already feel muscles I haven't felt in a long time after last night, so I figure it's a good start.

[daisylu]

Jan 3, 2024 16:04:09 GMT -5 busymom said:

Just so you know, I break up my daily exercise routine into 3 parts, so I don't overdo it & quit.  I don't know what it is about the leg bands in these pants, but they really make my leg muscles work when exercising.  I'm actually exhausted after 20 minutes.  I have some stomach issues that I won't go into here, and the pants are bothering my stomach somewhat.  I was going to wear them until dinner, but I'm taking them off to give my body a rest, and I'll try wearing them again after dinner.  Maybe the break-in period is like when you first start exercising, like start slow?  

Mine definitely added to the leg workout! I suggest working up to what you normally do for sure 

[Happy prose]

Happy new year all! I'm jumping in. (Again  ) I retired one year ago, and gained 10 lbs.  I was already 10 lbs over weight, so need to lose 20 lbs at least. On Jan 1, I started the Healthi app, which is like a free version of WW. I definitely need to exercise more. Good luck everyone. 

[caroca]

Where do you get these Skinnify pants?

[caroca]

I just found them. Too bad, they don’t ship to Canada. :-(

[busymom]

If Skinnify doesn't ship to you, I believe Amazon also carries the brand.  Good luck caroca!

[caroca]

Jan 3, 2024 18:44:42 GMT -5 busymom said:

If Skinnify doesn't ship to you, I believe Amazon also carries the brand.  Good luck caroca!

Thanks- I just checked and Amazon Canada doesn’t carry them either. Oh, well!

[busymom]

Jan 3, 2024 18:53:47 GMT -5 caroca said:

Jan 3, 2024 18:44:42 GMT -5 busymom said:

If Skinnify doesn't ship to you, I believe Amazon also carries the brand.  Good luck caroca !

Thanks- I just checked and Amazon Canada doesn’t carry them either. Oh, well!

     Nuts!  Sorry.  There's got to be a company somewhere that delivers to Canada.  Doesn't need to be Skinnify, just exercise-style pants with leg bands sewn in.  

[Lizard Queen]

I passed the wellness challenge at work! Woo-hoo! I thought I was going to just eek in, but must have misremembered my prior weight. I had a couple lbs to spare.
I celebrated with McDonald's for breakfast. 😅 (I've had a couple hungry days this week.)

[Rukh O'Rorke]

life is cruel a jokester at times....

Tuesday afternoon/evening I did everything right for sleeping. I was really looking forward to it aftre a long hot epsom salt soak and reading time. Horrible insomnia.

Last night I was naughty and just stayed up later than I should have on internet and TV and said - what does it matter? I never get more than 6 hours of sleep no matter what I do. I was practically in a coma when the alarm went off, and hit snooze and immediately feel back into a deep sleep about 6 times before I got up, not even time to make coffee before my first meeting. If only I didn't have an early meeting - would have been my first good nights sleep in I can't remember how long.

At least I got ~6 good hours! Not nearly enough after weeks of 4-5 and sometimes less of fitful sleep, but I guess will try again tonight!

Should I try to be good or not? That is the question!

[azucena]

I bought myself a sleep mask for xmas. I've noticed that any light I see when I wake up bothers me...didn't use to be that way but definitely doesn't help with insomnia. Like the light from the tv where the remote connects. I thought if nothing else, I could use it in hotels where you can't completely close the blings on the side or block the hall light coming from under the door.

My family is making fun of me, but it does seem to be helping and doesn't bother me to wear.


www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D3M5TTZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Iggy aka IG]

azucena I hope the mask helps!  I'm the same way with even small amounts of light in the room.

Happy New Year, everyone!

I ended 2023 up 6 pounds.  Le sigh.  Oh, well.

I reintroduced myself to the treadmill last month and have slowly increased the duration.  All holiday snack food either went into lunches, with DH to work, or into the back pantry for future use.

We got this!