[renmerc446]

Another year, another thread. This is more a journey (and chronicle) to eating healthier and exercising more than a challenge.

On the downside, I haven't been eating very healthy while I was off, although I know I should. At least I was eating one big meal a day around noon and a little bit (mostly an apple or some toast) in the evenings. At work, I usually just get a soup and sandwich since it's mostly just grab and go due to COVID.

On the upside, I've started doing my T'ai Chi again this week. Granted, not for very long but I can increase more as I go along. I'm also working in the office so I'm moving around more in general than I was during the shutdown.

 

[Zhoen]

Hehe!!! Renmerc446, Double-check your date in the title!!! I think we may need another new thread... Not sure if this one can be changed... ;P Thanks for the chuckle!!!

 

[renmerc446]

Thanks for the catch, Zhoen!!

Now to figure out how to pin this to the top for anyone to join in. I know there's a health challenge going on. This is more for the steps in the process and sharing tips.

 

[renmerc446]

Still keeping up with my T'ai Chi. I do need to increase the amount of time, though.

Forgot that the cafe at work is closed and I didn't bring in lunch. Oh well. Not looking forward to scavenging something from the snack machine. I may go over to the next building over and see if they have anything there that's better than chips and candy.

 

[renmerc446]

Looks like only one of the cafeterias at work is open this week. It's a bit of a hike from my building. On one hand, yay for exercise. On the other, it's going to be cold this week. Blah!

 

[renmerc446]

Remembered to bring something into work for lunch today - instant flavored oatmeal. I know they're probably not the best thing but at least they're a bit better than raiding the candy machine.

And I did some T'ai Chi last night. I was concerned that I would get lazy and not do it once I was back at work. I do need to get more exercise but this is a start.

 

[dlrcpa]

I need to keep doing the shoulder exercises as well as other strength training. Summer yard work is easier if I am stronger. Trying to eat apple, carrots, celery for a snack instead of starchy carbs.

 

[Zhoen]

Ren-- do you have your own desk or locker space? In my old life, I learned the hard way to keep a can of soup (and a beautiful bowl) in a drawer for days when I just couldn't get away.

The seasoned tuna packs they sell are pretty good, if you like that sort of thing. I carried those in my backpack all last semester and they saved me more than once. Of course anything like that is a sodium nightmare, but I lovvvveeee salt (to death, literally!!!)

I will be joining y'all next week, my points roll over on Monday, I think, so after my family dinner Saturday, that is when I am planning my fresh start...

 

[renmerc446]

Zhoen, I have an office. My biggest problem is remembering to bring in things to keep in my office for the days the cafe is closed. I've been pretty pampered with having the cafe in the building, rather than having to trudge some place else. Thanks for the reminder of the seasoned tuna packs. I liked the ones I picked up in the past.

dlr - the exercises definitely make things a lot easier. For me, I'm walking around more with being in the office, so that helps with the knee. Although I should go back to doing the exercises again, mostly for weight loss and to get more exercise in general again.

I definitely need to eat more fruits and veggies instead of starchy carbs. I need to cut back on (re: out) the fast food as well. I've been doing really badly with the fast food lately.

 

[marthamfi]

Ren that time of year it seems where carbs etc call us. There are healthier options at most fast food places but depends where you are. I keep protein or granola bars in my purse and car. I try for costco brand or something cus problem w working in stores is if someone wanted to be a pill they can try to claim I stole them.

I have a drop in pass to use up at local senior centre but they are on lockdown again so my excuse lol easy exercise that does work all the muscles. Not thinking about losing weight cus I go up and down a couple of sizes every month so being more fit is better plus dh and I need to do yoga or something too. We both are not good at doing it at home lol need a class. but seems any in our range are weekdays only.

 

[renmerc446]

Martha - hope you find a yoga class or something else you and dh can do. I'm not good at doing much exercise at home, beyond the t'ai chi.

I started off taking t'ai chi classes years ago but the teacher retired/stopped offering the classes. Thankfully, the form I do can be easily done in my apartment. On the other hand, I think I would like to learn yoga or maybe an easy dance style. I'm another person who needs to take a class for something like that. Not sure if the dance studios in the area are still open due to Covid. The one yoga studio moved to another strip mall in the area. I'll have to go hunt it down eventually.

 

[renmerc446]

Argh!! The cafe in my building is closed until further notice. Likely due to the staggered return of people to the building. Sigh. Now I have to stock up on lunch items in my office. At least there's a fridge I can use for stuff that needs to be kept cold. The biggest problem is remembering to bring it into the office in the morning.

The only other option is walking up the hill in the cold and snow/general crappy winter weather while dodging construction that has taken out sidewalks along the main road into town to get something from the nearest cafeteria.

 

[renmerc446]

Been keeping up with my T'ai Chi, which is a good thing. I also think I'm eating a bit less. Not better but at least a bit less. Of course, I do need to work on the quality of what I'm eating more.

 

[Spirit Deer]

Pack lunch the night before and use a bag just for lunch. Put a reminder with your car keys so you don't forget to take your lunch. Husby took lunch every day for over 25 yrs. Saved a fortune over eating out, he got healthy meals, and it was easy. I bought Pyrex dishes just for his lunches, and later, folding silicone bentos with compartments. Easy. 🙂

 

[dlrcpa]

I started always taking my own lunch when I worked at a place that the ONLY accessible cafeteria just smelled downright bad. Honestly that will put you off fast. Anything was better than the way that place smelled. Easy practice to keep up after being there for several years.

 

[renmerc446]

I brought oatmeal to work for lunch last week and some for this week as well. It's a start, at least. One of the reasons I liked the cafe is that they were convenient and had a salad bar (pre-COVID). Once they re-opened post-COVID, they still had sandwiches and soups, which was nice. Most of the soups had their nutritional value listed on the cafe website.

 

[renmerc446]

I've gotten used to have just having oatmeal for lunch over the past few weeks. Been drinking quite a bit of tea in the mean time, mostly herbal (aka no caffeine) teas in the afternoon. I've been bad about getting fast food recently so I'm trying to cut back or at least get something a bit better than burgers and fries. At least on weekends, my main meal is lunch and I try and eat light in the evenings. I do miss the single serve salads my cafe had as a grab-n-go for a few weeks before the holidays.

I've been keeping up with the T'ai Chi on a daily basis, though. (I do get more exercise in during the day by walking around.) Extended my time a bit yesterday by playing the instrumental music I like while doing it. Sort of my T'ai Chi soundtrack.

 

[renmerc446]

The cafe at work is open again. Yay! Just grab-n-go stuff but they do have soup. And they had the single serve salad that I like getting. The other salads are big and I'm not sure I would finish all of it. This way, I can get the soup and salad as a meal. There are a couple of other items I could get for variety.

I meant to get back into taking a walk before brunch on Sunday but ended up not doing it. At least, I'm getting back into the right headspace. Just need to get out and do more exercise.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Well, after going to the gym for 8 months last year, then not going to the gym for the past 5 months my weight has..... stayed exactly the same the entire year.

 

[renmerc446]

Did some of my PT 'homework' exercises last night. I haven't done them for a long time, now that I'm back in the office and get a lot more walking in. My knee only really twinges when the weather changes (probably due to changes in air pressure). But with warmer weather on the horizon, I want to get my endurance back up.

Also tried to take a walk around the mall before brunch on Sunday. But the one set of doors I tried were locked. So I walked around the parking lot for a few minutes. Again, I need to build up my endurance back up.