It’s time to make some changes. Not too many, not too fast.
I live a pretty busy life with a full-time job, and an AuDHD kid. I’m probably not managing the stress as well as I could be due to lifestyle choices. I have extra challenges due to ADHD myself.
I’ve been working with my fitness trainer since October. She’s helping me manage my Achilles tendonitis through resistance training. But I was only doing that once a week. This week I told her I can commit to 15 minute walks every day and a resistance training session at home on Thursdays. (I then work out with her Saturdays.)
At this time I can’t really walk more than 15 minutes without foot pain and limping. I’ve been on my feet A LOT cleaning, organizing and cooking lately.
I’ve committed to donating $5 to a charity of my choice every time I want to order food delivery, and don’t. $5 is a pittance compared to the cost of ordering food. I figure this way I save money, do something values-oriented and consume fewer calories, all in one swoop.
I’m showering first thing in the morning, meditating, and wearing tennis shoes in the house. I’m regularly using a massage gun on my calves to help with the tendonitis.
I’m starting therapy Wednesday night.
I’m not really sure what else to do. Which is to say, the number of things I could do is overwhelming to me, because there is so much I am doing wrong.
You didn’t mention much about your diet or weight. I found that switching to a plant-forward, whole-food, low- to medium-carb diet helped me lose weight, made me feel better, and gave me energy to increase physical activity. Time-restricted eating also keeps me from snacking, but it is a profound lifestyle change that isn’t for everybody. I assume you don’t smoke or drink heavily, but if you do, you should think about cutting back on alcohol and stopping smoking. If you’re not getting eight good hours of sleep at night, that’s something else you can also work on. Finally, if there is a lot of stress in your life, do whatever you can to reduce it by avoiding activities or people that are particularly stressful for you.
My diet is abysmal. Step one is cutting food delivery.
My sleep has been pretty good especially since I got a CPAP for sleep apnea.
I’m not particularly worried about losing weight.
My main motivation is to manage my stress better and have more energy to tackle the challenges on my plate. That’s why therapy is a part of this plan. My kid is going through hell at school and we’re trying to figure out how to help him, and at work I’m under a ton of pressure to fill the gaps felt by massive funding cuts to our organization. Everywhere I look is something to be stressed out about.
What I’m currently doing to get through stress in the present moment is not sustainable.
That’s why therapy is a part of this plan. I need to adjust my cognitive schema.
Physically I’ve got a lot of work to do, too. I want to get to a point where I can walk and hike without worry when I travel. That means continued strengthening of the muscles that support my feet. But I also want a strong core for balance and functional mobility around the house. I also appear to have long COVID which hits me every afternoon and I’m trying to mitigate the effects.
I started keeping a journal last night to review progress and make plans.
It sounds like you are working through your issues as best as you can. Bravo on reaching out to a therapist. After my first divorce, I was a total mess emotionally, and working with a therapist for six months really helped me. I was even able to resolve issues from my childhood. Keep it up and stay focused on getting healthy, whatever that means to you, and if you find things aren’t improving, try using a different approach, but whatever you do, don’t give up.
I’ve never really eaten a lot of sugar but a couple years ago decided to give up my beloved Pop Tarts and peanut butter M & Ms.
And ice cream.
My back has finally deteriorated to the point where walking is excruciating most of the time and there’s nothing that can be done except possibly some epidural shots following an MRI.
I try to get to the grocery store once or twice a week where I can use the carts for leverage.
I am just trying to keep my last years comfortable and enjoyable.
First week of the new exercise regimen has gone well. I’m getting training on Saturdays now, which allows for much more consistency than when it was during the week. Yesterday it was pouring freezing rain so I put on a podcast and did my walking indoors.
I had taken up the habit of eating at a local restaurant while waiting for my son to do his social skills group every Tuesday from 4:30-6:30pm. I would inevitably end up ordering dessert. Last night I just drove all the way home, ate at home and left to pick him up an hour later. It’s about 30 additional minutes of driving but I probably saved a lot of calories/sugar overload.
I’ve also been buying pre-cut vegetables to eat raw.
Nearly all problems with my body and mind can be traced to my inability to get any high-quality sleep. I have severe apnea, which makes sleep quality very bad, and my chronic insomnia means that even if I didn’t have apnea, I’d be getting only 3-4 hours of sleep per night instead of 7-8.
I can even remember quite well the last time I actually got a solid uninterrupted eight hours of deep sleep - summer 2018, when I was jet-lagged. I can’t recall a single night of true good sleep since.
Sure, I should be exercising more, eating healthier, brushing/flossing better, sitting better posture, all that, but my sleep woes are 90% of the issue. I’ve been struggling to sleep with a CPAP and am still trying to finagle it to get it to give me enough air and also not keep leaking air.
At least I’m only slightly prediabetic and my beer belly isn’t that big yet and I’m still at 150 pounds. I also need to start cutting out red meat since I have some family history of colon cancer and already had polyps a few years ago.
I got a CPAP last month and it definitely took some getting used to. I had success with a CPAP cushion called Pad-A-Cheek. I got it to reduce marks on my face but it turned out to result in fewer mask leaks, too. If the leaks are bothering you there are also alternatives like nose pillows, which I haven’t tried.
I would say how tired I feel varies from day to day, which is an improvement from being tired every day. One thing I will say though: using a CPAP is hands down the best thing I’ve ever done for my executive function. The improvement in my ADHD symptoms has been dramatic. I still have ADHD but it went from moderate every day to occasionally severe to mostly mild. I’m having a moderate day today but I suspect caffeine withdrawal has also contributed to that.
I can’t proclaim to be the healthiest, at least in my food choices, but I have found that if I can make a habit out of something, I will continue doing it forever.
I’ve never been really overweight, but at one point I was at a weight where I didn’t like how I looked. I decided one day that I was going to start walking. It’s the easiest and cheapest form of exercise, for me anyway. I started walking the dog every morning before work (he needed the exercise too). Then I added another walk when I got home from work. That was almost 20 years ago and I’m still doing it. When I started my walking regime, I lost 25 pounds in 6 months. If I have to miss a walk because of below zero weather, I don’t feel right all day.
Then I decided to quit eating after supper. One of my favorite things to do in the evenings was to flop on the couch with a bag of chips and a Diet Coke and watch TV. Then of course follow it up with some chocolate. Now I brush my teeth and floss after the kitchen is cleaned up and that’s it. No snacking. I’ve always brushed my teeth morning and night, but flossing was a thing I hated doing. One day, I bought a bag of flossing picks and started flossing. It’s become a habit, I don’t even think about it now. I just do it. I then quit eating in between meals. Of course, if there’s a party or something, I’ll eat something. I also, always have a sweet treat/dessert as part of my supper so I am satisfied.
Those 25 pounds stayed off for many years. They just started to creep back in the last couple of years or so. I’m guessing aging is the reason. I didn’t want to go back, so my new habit is that I don’t eat lunch. I always eat breakfast, but I noticed I wasn’t really hungry at lunchtime. I was just eating because it was lunchtime. So now I might just have some fruit - berries, grapes, tangerines. Some days not even that. Many days, I’ll look at the clock and see that it’s 3:00 and I still don’t feel hungry. So I just wait until suppertime. Those 15 pounds that crept back, have all gone away again.
I enjoyed reading this among other threads. It is more insightful than just the library books I read once in a while.
My best friend and I were just talking about having healthy lifestyles. I didn’t think I had that but he told me I do.
He pointed out that I cook vegetables, eat lower fat and sugar than I used to, walk, swim and have regular conversations with a variety of people.
My lifestyle changes are that I’m going to start lifting weights twice a week with my neighbors to spot me, and take a multivitamin probably twice a week. As a third change, I’m going to drink water more often as I work outside at my job in southern California. It’s 90-100 degrees much of the time out here.
One of the big changes I made, and it was hard, was stopping my daily soda. I would usually drink one bottle of Mexican Coke around 10am or 11am. I have replaced this with a cup of caffeinated tea with 2-3 tsp of sugar. According to the internet, one can of soda has 9-10 tsp of sugar, so this is a roughly 70% reduction in sugar. I’ll work on cutting it down even further once I adjust. I am surprised by how smooth this transition was but I’ve grown to quite enjoy my morning tea.
I got some Brooks walking shoes to wear in the house, to help with my Achilles tendonitis, and they are heavenly. I’ve been on my feet most of the day today and I’m not feeling any pain.
I did a kettlebell workout today after shoveling snow for a half hour and I feel strong.
I don’t feel this way every day with my CPAP but I have a fair amount of these days where I feel like I could go all day. I never had these days before my CPAP.
I liked your writing about health. I can see how using a CPAP can improve sleep. A good pair of walking shoes to support your Achilles is really a great enhancement too! And I liked the part about making some regular tea rather than drinking a coke is really helpful too.
I’m thinking of doing some other things as well. I’ve spoken with my primary about engaging in some light exercise to increase my balance and make my reflexes a little better. I’m thinking some ‘tai chi’ could suit my interest.
