Author Topic: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition  (Read 21026 times)

letsdoit

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #50 on: February 13, 2019, 11:46:16 AM »
IMO:   5 kettelbells, gymnastics rings
and if possible barbel and plates for deadlift


Tris Prior

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #51 on: February 13, 2019, 12:39:56 PM »
Oh hey, I might be spontaneously going to a dance class tonight that only costs 5 bucks!

Cassie

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #52 on: February 13, 2019, 07:53:15 PM »
It’s been a long time but the ingredient was triptafan. I know I am not spelling it right. Just google it. It’s been 20 years so can’t remember. I was able to fall asleep after waking up. Vitamin E helped with the hot flashes. I was so hot I had to shower at night because I couldn’t use a blow dryer on my hair. I really feel for you.  I am done with it now but am permanently hot. I keep the heat low and my husband has to bundle up. All men are heat factories:))

oneday

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #53 on: February 13, 2019, 10:44:50 PM »
@Tris Prior sorry about the sleep problems!  I hope dance class helps.



Starting to see more of a consistent pattern in sleep/wake times.  New strategy: go with this pattern for a few weeks, then start trying to move it earlier in 15 minute increments.

Tris Prior

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #54 on: February 14, 2019, 09:04:16 AM »
@Tris Prior sorry about the sleep problems!  I hope dance class helps.


It was so much fun! It actually isn't so much a dance class as, a group thing where they put on music and we all flail about like idiots and work up a sweat. Women only, judgment free space, blahblahblah. I don't know why I can't do the exact same thing in my living room (well, other than our nasty downstairs neighbor who would prefer that we, I dunno, silently levitate around our apartment rather than walking, much less jumping around or playing loud music).

I don't know if it helped my sleep, though I did have the pleasant physical tiredness feeling afterward - but, Girl Kitten let me sleep until nearly 6 a.m. before demanding snuggles and licking my face! A new record!

On the down side, I took Lyfts to and from, because I just couldn't stomach waiting 20 minutes in the ice cold wind and snow (particularly with my hair dripping with sweat afterward) for the bus. I fear this negated any savings that I saw from taking the $5 class instead of my usual bellydance class which is $13 but much closer and right off of the train stop. Oh well.

Bendigirl

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #55 on: February 14, 2019, 11:40:28 AM »
I’ll come back too!  Last year I resolved to go dairy free...and succeeded for quite awhile.  I felt good but cheese lured me back, delicious creamy cheese...my kryptonite!  Since my last post, when I found out I had osteoporosis, I have also been diagnosed with COPD...fun.  Doc thinks it’s all related to my wonky immune system.
Current issues...when we returned from our trip to India and Nepal I broke out in hives, so bad that I ended up in emergency.  I also experienced chest pains so they ran a huge amount of tests and I’m fine, but they think I had a reaction to the antimalarial pills I was taking.  A round of prednisone and handfuls of  antihistamines and I was clear.  Went to Mexico, it was lovely.  On the return trip, while sitting at the airport, my lip started to swell.  The next day( and another flight) my face was covered in hives and the lip swollen still...lovely.  Surprised they let me on the flight, I looked nothing like my passport photo..lol
Been back for a week now, saw the doc Monday for the horrific heartburn pain...oh, forgot to mention that the chest pains are thought to be heartburn, never had it in my life!...
More meds prescribed but I didn’t want them, until yesterday when I thought I was dying...
Last night my lower lip started to swell and my lower torso is covered in hives.  Today I have swollen lips, swollen eyes, huge itchy hives on lower torso, shoulders and head.   Had to cancel dentist appointment.I am not a happy camper.  I have a prescription for prednisone sitting on the counter.  I do not want to take them.  Will see how bad I am tomorrow...
About me...I eat paleo, yes dairy is out again.... no grains, very limited sugar...I eat a very healthy diet.  I am not overweight and never have been.  I go to the gym daily, lift weights and do yoga along with some cardio machines.  I walk every day.  I am retired,  No stress in my life.

I am writing here to figure this out, this crazy health issue that is plaguing me.  My doc, and she is great, says something triggered in my body and it could take weeks to resolve...ok, on week seven now...
To note, I have had a lifetime of hives...but not for many years. 

I am trying something that was recommended to me by someone who had tons of food allergies and gut issues.  She went to a very expensive specialist in the states (she is American and lives in Mexico) who suggested this supplement. She is thrilled with the results!  It’s expensive, and weird, but I am desperate and it’s not dangerous.  If it works I will tell you what it is...right now it just sounds crazy...fingers crossed.

So for me it’s good food, exercise and positive thinking...the rabbit hole is dark and scary and I’m not going there! 

I am so itchy!


Tris Prior

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #56 on: February 15, 2019, 09:20:01 AM »
Ugh, Bendigirl, that sounds so frustrating! I'm hoping that supplement works out for you. I have gotten random itchies all my life (though in adulthood it tends to run toward big itchy patches of eczema rather than the huge nasty hives of my childhood) and it sucks so much.

I've been craving bread A LOT despite never having it in the house and mostly having abstained from it for the past year or so except for the very occasional sandwich eaten out. I'd been doing really well avoiding it - it was sort of like when I stopped eating meat decades ago, where meat just stopped even registering as something edible to me so of course it's not going in my mouth! Then this morning I actually just inhaled a bagel from the spread that was set out in the breakroom and I cannot recall the last time I did that! Not sure why, other than lack of sleep sapping my willpower plus us having the worst winter that we've had in a while. Maybe I am medicating my SAD* with carbs? I'd even already had my breakfast that I brought from home. Fail!

I brought Budget Bytes African Peanut Stew for lunch today. Sweet potatoes and veggies and greens in a spicy tomato-peanut butter sauce. Weird, but tasty!

*Seasonal Anger Disorder. In which I am irrationally pissy about the fact that I'm not FIRE yet and therefore have to haul myself in to work and stand on the el platform for god only knows how long getting pummeled in the face by wind when it is TEN degrees out with a windchill of I don't even want to know.
« Last Edit: February 15, 2019, 09:30:36 AM by Tris Prior »

Bendigirl

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #57 on: February 16, 2019, 04:25:42 PM »
Tris...I would kill to inhale a bagel!  Discovered I had a wheat and gluten allergy ten years ago...saddest day ever!
Well, two more days of extreme hives...because why just have a few.  I toughed it out but this morning I gave in, it was awful.  Head to toe new hives, old hives had gone but left big bruises on my hips...so, begging hubby to rub my back to relieve itching I swallowed two prednisone...I am mad.  I am doing everything that is suppose to help ...both H 1 and H2 inhibitors...nothing. I just hope this round of prednisone knocks it back. 
Poor hubs was horrified when he saw my back and legs...he just said oh sweetie...then took a photo for the doctor.  After the prednisone I slept for two hours.  It’s amazing stuff but the after effects and side effects are awful.  A deal with the devil.
I am just happy this didn’t happen while we were on holidays.  Lucky.

So, I’ll continue the good eating, keep doing appropriate dosages of all the stuff I have to take right now and keep my fingers crossed.  Hoping to get to the gym tomorrow, it’s the best mood booster.
Then I am going  to start detail planning of our next holiday, trying to keep the health concerns out!  Zimbabwe in September and thinking of tossing a week in Amsterdam before the safari as the long flight seems wasted on a ten day safari.

Cassie

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #58 on: February 17, 2019, 10:18:21 AM »
Steroids make me hungry and mean. I have had to take them when my asthma is out of control. BEndi, I am so sorry you are suffering like that. In your situation I would probably take them until your hives calm down.

mspym

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #59 on: February 17, 2019, 02:20:42 PM »
Today's healthy choice was subbing a cup of tea in for my second coffee. The other one I will be trying this week is limiting my time on the forum and reddit - set a window of Browsing Time and then no more for the day.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #60 on: February 17, 2019, 04:41:03 PM »
Today's healthy choice was subbing a cup of tea in for my second coffee. The other one I will be trying this week is limiting my time on the forum and reddit - set a window of Browsing Time and then no more for the day.

Nice!

@Bendigirl, that sounds dreadful. I haven't taken prednisone in many years but I remember what awful stuff it is--I hope that you get to the bottom of this and/or feel better soon.

I just got back from a couple days visiting my grandpa in the old folks' home with my mom. Predictably, I ate, drank, and caffeinated too much. BUT, I hit the hotel gym both full days there at 6:45 AM (so as not to miss 8 am breakfast at the home). One day of dumbbells and one on the elliptical. Bonus: I dragged my mom down there with me :-).

horsepoor

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #61 on: February 17, 2019, 04:49:50 PM »
Did a little bit of yoga on Friday and need to do more.  I can see I've gotten weak and stiff over the winter.

Finally hit the gym today and enjoyed the workout once I got going.

Enjoyed being outside for the brief time that the sun peeked out this afternoon.

This week I'm going to experiment with taking mason jar salads to work.  I've got lots of ingredients and will prep tomorrow. 

chaskavitch

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #62 on: February 19, 2019, 07:26:02 AM »
Total fail this weekend.  Today is a new day!  I ate lots of sugar because Valentine's day and girl scouts, and I stayed up an hour past my bedtime yesterday to finish a book that I've read more than once.  /smh.  Puffy hands and sleepy everything today.  I've eaten some overnight oats with protein power and lots of fruit for breakfast and had nearly a liter of water already this morning, and I have some delicious leftover veggie stir fry for lunch, so I guess that's a good start to the rest of the week. 

It's a high of 20 degrees today, so 100% no outside walks, but I'll take a turn around the inside of the building a few times, it's just a big doughnut.  Setting my hour timer right now!

FreshPrincess

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #63 on: February 19, 2019, 07:40:22 AM »
My 2019 healthy choice is to keep a gratitude journal.  I started it last week and find that it really does start my day on a high note.  I also jot things down throughout the day so I don't forget they were important and made me feel good in that moment.

Tris Prior

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #64 on: February 19, 2019, 09:08:43 AM »
Healthy/not healthy choice: went out dancing at our local goth night on Saturday. Danced lots. Sweated lots. Limited drinking to 1 glass of wine.

I say it was also a not-healthy choice because it started at midnight and we ended up not going to bed until 4. My cats woke me up at 6. Couldn't get back to sleep. Tried napping a bit later in the day, with minimal success, I just sort of dozed off and had bizarre dreams that jolted me awake. Every time we go to this thing (it happens every 2 months) I basically lose the entire next day to lack of sleep and lying around on the couch. It's SO much fun though!

I did manage to cook a couple of veg-heavy meals so I'm set for healthy lunches for the week.

Also, I'm proud to say that I am limiting myself to 2 Girl Scout Cookies a day and have been for the couple of weeks that they've been in my house. In the past I could inhale an entire sleeve of thin mints in 1 sitting.

Raenia

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #65 on: February 19, 2019, 09:11:26 AM »
Also, I'm proud to say that I am limiting myself to 2 Girl Scout Cookies a day and have been for the couple of weeks that they've been in my house. In the past I could inhale an entire sleeve of thin mints in 1 sitting.

Good job!  I am currently having this problem with the box of chocolate caramels my DH got me for Valentines - they're just sooooo good, but I should only have one at a time, and no more than two in a day.  I'm trying to be good, and also to share some of them.

oneday

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #66 on: February 19, 2019, 10:21:00 AM »
@chaskavitch weekends are hard! But keep on putting in the effort and you'll start to see results.

Speaking of weekends. My bedtime this Sunday was two hours ahead of the prior two Sundays! Win! Even if my daily bedtimes are still "too late" I am moving the needle! I am going to treat myself by making a spreadsheet and graph :)

galliver

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #67 on: February 19, 2019, 12:36:01 PM »
I had a 4 day weekend with Fri and Mon off; bf had 3 (Monday off), but we weren't sure in advance if he would. Were going to go on a XC skiing daytrip here in SoCal mountains, but the road was closed due to damage and I had mad period cramps so we took it easy Saturday. Went climbing on Sunday and did a ~1.5 hr, 5+ mile walk/run in the hilly part of town on Monday. Saw the ocean :)

I made a banana-chocolate braided bread Saturday (guess what drove that choice lol) and ate the whole thing by Monday AM. But also made/had lots of veg-rich meals (quinoa tabbouleh, coleslaw w/broccoli, homemade sweet&sour chicken).

Taking it easy also meant we caught up on sleep via naps, which didn't give me the "sleep hangover" I get from 10-12 hr sleep binges. Hmmmm....

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #68 on: February 19, 2019, 04:18:24 PM »
Awesome progress, @oneday!

@galliver, OMG, I do that, too. Well, I think I was just talking about it on here. Accommodating my carb cravings in my meal plan.

I walked by 50% off Valentine's Day candy at the store and couldn't resist... so I bought it to share with my coworkers! I get a modest portion of candy and also warm fuzzies! Win-win. 

galliver

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #69 on: February 20, 2019, 11:05:47 AM »
Rock climbing routes are ranked 5.5 to 5.13 or so. In many gyms, 5.10-5.11 routes are further subdivided a-d. Big numbers are harder: smaller, less convenient holds and fewer of them. 9<10a<10d<11a etc

Last night I climbed 2x10b's and 3x 10a's.  None of them on the "short wall" (easier bc less endurance). I started on 8s. At previous gyms I topped out at a 9 (this one grades easy by comparison, but I'm at least back to that level, I think). Bf climbs up to 11a/b with like 12" extra reach and extra arm muscle.

TLDR: regular workouts yield progress/results and I feel accomplished!

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #70 on: February 22, 2019, 02:28:28 PM »
Good job, @galliver!

Mentally healthy choice for all of us: Just made a therapy appointment for my eight-year-old. Change makes the poor kid lose his shit and he has had way more change than I experienced in my first 18 years. (This is his second time going.)

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #71 on: February 26, 2019, 02:37:48 PM »
Another healthy choice--I have stopped weighing myself every day!

I find weighing myself OFTEN to be helpful, but daily was too much stress and too much up and down.

mspym

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #72 on: February 26, 2019, 04:50:54 PM »
@La Bibliotecaria Feroz nice!

My healthy choice is not applying for a job that I could walk into but is in the field that I am trying to pivot away from.
Also! all the endless PT exercises are paying off and my leg is finally getting better.

oneday

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #73 on: February 26, 2019, 11:02:37 PM »
Yay @mspym on your leg!

Updated my sleep/wake time charts & graphs.  It's clear to see that even though I don't hit the target times each night, I am moving in the right direction for both.  Also, hours of sleep is trending upwards.  I need a lot of sleep usually; that's just my body's way.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #74 on: March 04, 2019, 05:24:43 PM »
I had my body composition screening today. My BMI is 24.5, which I knew, and which is juuuust this side of overweight. The little handheld thingie that sends electric currents through your body put me, quite strangely, at 32% body fat. The caliper test put me at 19 the first time and 20 the second time!

She says the caliper test is much, much more accurate than the current test but that it's weird for them to be so far apart. She is inclined to trust the caliper test.

So 20% body fat is the top of the "athletic" range or the bottom of "fit." "Fit" is plenty good enough for me, thanks. So... I revised my goal weight from 117 (which I used to weigh, but that was 10 years ago when I didn't lift weights) to 121, which is what I weigh now.

When is the last time I wasn't trying to lose weight? Or at least wanted to, even if I wasn't trying very hard. Probably elementary school. I feel a little at loose ends. But in a good way! Now I just need to figure out how much to eat in order to maintain weight.

oneday

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #75 on: March 05, 2019, 10:51:27 AM »
Wow, @La Bibliotecaria Feroz , that's quite a pivotal choice!  Will you continue to report on your healthy choices re: maintenance?



I am still struggling with bedtimes, but reviewing my data collected shows I have hit it three times in the last fortnight.  The prior fortnight was 0 times, so still improving, if slowly.  Work is at a stressful period and that makes me want to engage in distractions rather than responsibilities, so now I'm fighting my body clock and circumstances as well.  I think the work stress will scale back after the 15th.  So hoping to hold the current line until then.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #76 on: March 05, 2019, 07:05:51 PM »
Wow, @La Bibliotecaria Feroz , that's quite a pivotal choice!  Will you continue to report on your healthy choices re: maintenance?



I am still struggling with bedtimes, but reviewing my data collected shows I have hit it three times in the last fortnight.  The prior fortnight was 0 times, so still improving, if slowly.  Work is at a stressful period and that makes me want to engage in distractions rather than responsibilities, so now I'm fighting my body clock and circumstances as well.  I think the work stress will scale back after the 15th.  So hoping to hold the current line until then.

Yes, I think I will ghost the losing weight thread since I'm not trying to anymore, but there are way more healthy choices than just food! Plus... I have not successfully maintained weight in a long time. I was gaining very slowly for several years. Can I avoid gaining weight without tracking every calorie? I hope so, 'cause that shit was getting tedious. I think it will help that my new husband is not much of a snacker, unlike my first. I am older than I used to be, but my activity level is a lot higher, so... we'll see.

I love your tracking and incremental improvements! 3 is definitely more than 0.

mspym

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #77 on: March 05, 2019, 08:39:35 PM »
Since Feb, I have been more consistent about Not Snacking on weekdays and just sticking to meals. It is becoming easier and, given I am between contracts, has given me some needed structure for my days instead of snacking all day. 

For my mental health, I have been doing one (1) job hunt activity a day and calling that a win.

zygote

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #78 on: March 06, 2019, 09:57:09 AM »
Joining in. I generally make pretty healthy choices with food, activity, and hydration (and have noticed the difference in the last year or two!), but sleep is my nemesis. I am great at falling asleep and staying asleep, but I cannot make myself get into bed at a reasonable hour. I'm a night owl and I perk up as soon as it gets dark out, no matter how tired I am. I have a flexible work schedule, and my start time has been creeping later and later as I try to get enough sleep despite getting in bed too late. But it's still not enough, and I don't like getting to work after 10. It makes the day feel so long.

I have my phone set to downtime after 11 PM, but I end up ignoring it and accessing apps for 15 more minutes over and over again. Then I end up getting ready for bed too late, scrolling through the phone some more, and all of a sudden it's 1 AM. Ideally, I'd like to set my alarm for 7:15-7:30. So I've got to be in bed around 11 to get 8+ hours of sleep. I've only gone to sleep before midnight...3 times this year. When I was sick. Yikes.

Things that I think will help me accomplish this:
-Start getting ready for bed at 10 if possible, 10:30 at the latest. I need time to wind down and decompress, so this always takes me longer than I think.
-Schedule my evenings with this in mind. I already don't get home until 10 some nights due to after work hobbies, so absolutely no further commitments that will keep me out past 10.
-Skip chores on the nights I come home late, with the exception of the dishes. Other tidying, etc. can wait.
-So can twitter. PUT THE PHONE DOWN. This comes down to willpower, which I don't have much of. Alas.

I'm hoping that having somewhere to hold me accountable will help. I've tried the phone downtime setting, I've tried setting a goal in a habit app, I've tried watching less TV so the DVR doesn't tempt me, I've tried just telling myself to go to bed, nothing seems to work. I'm tired of being sleepy all the time, and it's not good for my long term health. Something's gotta give.

oneday

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #79 on: March 06, 2019, 12:21:53 PM »
Joining in. I generally make pretty healthy choices with food, activity, and hydration (and have noticed the difference in the last year or two!), but sleep is my nemesis. I am great at falling asleep and staying asleep, but I cannot make myself get into bed at a reasonable hour. I'm a night owl and I perk up as soon as it gets dark out, no matter how tired I am. I have a flexible work schedule, and my start time has been creeping later and later as I try to get enough sleep despite getting in bed too late. But it's still not enough, and I don't like getting to work after 10. It makes the day feel so long.

I have my phone set to downtime after 11 PM, but I end up ignoring it and accessing apps for 15 more minutes over and over again. Then I end up getting ready for bed too late, scrolling through the phone some more, and all of a sudden it's 1 AM. Ideally, I'd like to set my alarm for 7:15-7:30. So I've got to be in bed around 11 to get 8+ hours of sleep. I've only gone to sleep before midnight...3 times this year. When I was sick. Yikes.

Things that I think will help me accomplish this:
-Start getting ready for bed at 10 if possible, 10:30 at the latest. I need time to wind down and decompress, so this always takes me longer than I think.
-Schedule my evenings with this in mind. I already don't get home until 10 some nights due to after work hobbies, so absolutely no further commitments that will keep me out past 10.
-Skip chores on the nights I come home late, with the exception of the dishes. Other tidying, etc. can wait.
-So can twitter. PUT THE PHONE DOWN. This comes down to willpower, which I don't have much of. Alas.

I'm hoping that having somewhere to hold me accountable will help. I've tried the phone downtime setting, I've tried setting a goal in a habit app, I've tried watching less TV so the DVR doesn't tempt me, I've tried just telling myself to go to bed, nothing seems to work. I'm tired of being sleepy all the time, and it's not good for my long term health. Something's gotta give.

Welcome!  I have almost the exact same struggle.  Maybe knowing there's another out there, fighting the same fight, will help us both?

galliver

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #80 on: March 06, 2019, 12:24:41 PM »


Joining in. I generally make pretty healthy choices with food, activity, and hydration (and have noticed the difference in the last year or two!), but sleep is my nemesis. I am great at falling asleep and staying asleep, but I cannot make myself get into bed at a reasonable hour. I'm a night owl and I perk up as soon as it gets dark out, no matter how tired I am. I have a flexible work schedule, and my start time has been creeping later and later as I try to get enough sleep despite getting in bed too late. But it's still not enough, and I don't like getting to work after 10. It makes the day feel so long.

I have my phone set to downtime after 11 PM, but I end up ignoring it and accessing apps for 15 more minutes over and over again. Then I end up getting ready for bed too late, scrolling through the phone some more, and all of a sudden it's 1 AM. Ideally, I'd like to set my alarm for 7:15-7:30. So I've got to be in bed around 11 to get 8+ hours of sleep. I've only gone to sleep before midnight...3 times this year. When I was sick. Yikes.

Things that I think will help me accomplish this:
-Start getting ready for bed at 10 if possible, 10:30 at the latest. I need time to wind down and decompress, so this always takes me longer than I think.
-Schedule my evenings with this in mind. I already don't get home until 10 some nights due to after work hobbies, so absolutely no further commitments that will keep me out past 10.
-Skip chores on the nights I come home late, with the exception of the dishes. Other tidying, etc. can wait.
-So can twitter. PUT THE PHONE DOWN. This comes down to willpower, which I don't have much of. Alas.

I'm hoping that having somewhere to hold me accountable will help. I've tried the phone downtime setting, I've tried setting a goal in a habit app, I've tried watching less TV so the DVR doesn't tempt me, I've tried just telling myself to go to bed, nothing seems to work. I'm tired of being sleepy all the time, and it's not good for my long term health. Something's gotta give.

I got 5.5 hrs of sleep 2 nights ago due to settling down too late Monday (technically in bed, but I had been doing taxes and got "stuck" on the internet after), so I'm not really one to give advice...but as a third party observer...

Your mitigation strategies are mostly negative, I don't see much positive reinforcement like a bedtime routine/ritual to look forward to. My best bedtime routine was right after bf and I moved in together and couldn't wait to snuggle *every night* (didn't last, though). I let myself watch TV and read on my phone or play puzzle games in bed, because at least it gets me TO bed (and honestly thats the bigger obstacle, once I'm there I can conk out pretty fast).

I've found melatonin helps take me from "tired, I SHOULD go to bed" to "unbearably sleepy" even though it doesn't help jet lag or pre-important-event insomnia for me. Check side effects/interactions or consult w/ MD before trying.

On weekends, I've noticed my nighttime mode is "relax" and my morning mode is "do things". Obviously, that makes me not want to stop relaxing to sleep. Allowing myself to continue relaxing after I wake up removes the incentive to stay up (and half the time I don't want to continue TV/phone/book in the AM...I just know I CAN)

So, there you have it...thoughts from a fellow sufferer.

zygote

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #81 on: March 06, 2019, 02:06:31 PM »
Your mitigation strategies are mostly negative, I don't see much positive reinforcement like a bedtime routine/ritual to look forward to. My best bedtime routine was right after bf and I moved in together and couldn't wait to snuggle *every night* (didn't last, though). I let myself watch TV and read on my phone or play puzzle games in bed, because at least it gets me TO bed (and honestly thats the bigger obstacle, once I'm there I can conk out pretty fast).

That's a good point. I totally agree that a positive routine to look forward to is psychologically more helpful. Unfortunately, I already have that and it doesn't work. I always brush/floss my teeth, wash my face (I spend non-MMM money on skincare and it's WORTH IT), and journal before I go to sleep. My problems are 1) dawdling and starting this routine really late and 2) not actually going to sleep afterwards. The journal is something I do in bed, so I'm already there. But then...twitter! Instagram! MMM! I don't want to put my phone in another room because I use an app to monitor my sleep, remind me to take my meds before bed, and a couple other things. I was hoping the downtime feature would help but alas.

This is a lifelong issue for me. I used to crawl out of my bed as a child because I was afraid of missing stuff downstairs. As I got older, I used to get in trouble for sneak reading with a flashlight after I was supposed to be asleep. In college and grad school I would watch too much TV in bed. I just can't put down whatever I'm doing and go to sleep. If you left it up to me, I'd sleep for 8 hours, stay up for another 20+, and repeat that forever. Unfortunately, days do not come with 28 hours. It's very rude. I've tried melatonin and unisom before, but they just make me groggy the next day.

Perhaps if I reframe my bedtime routine as brush/floss, wash my face, journal, and SLEEP, the sleeping itself could be the thing I look forward to instead of something that happens after I finish the good stuff.

galliver

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #82 on: March 06, 2019, 02:30:49 PM »



This is a lifelong issue for me. I used to crawl out of my bed as a child because I was afraid of missing stuff downstairs. As I got older, I used to get in trouble for sneak reading with a flashlight after I was supposed to be asleep. In college and grad school I would watch too much TV in bed. I just can't put down whatever I'm doing and go to sleep. If you left it up to me, I'd sleep for 8 hours, stay up for another 20+, and repeat that forever. Unfortunately, days do not come with 28 hours. It's very rude.


I relate so much...my childhood FOMO (far of missing out) feelings were more around showers than sleep but I totally get where you're coming from! And then staying up reading/Interneting/doing chores when older. It's a delicate balance between a relaxing activity that settles me down (esp overthinking brain) , vs one that sucks me in and keeps me up.

I do think I'm getting better on valuing sleep and putting myself to sleep, but it's definitely show going!

Raenia

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #83 on: March 07, 2019, 05:29:57 AM »
Your mitigation strategies are mostly negative, I don't see much positive reinforcement like a bedtime routine/ritual to look forward to. My best bedtime routine was right after bf and I moved in together and couldn't wait to snuggle *every night* (didn't last, though). I let myself watch TV and read on my phone or play puzzle games in bed, because at least it gets me TO bed (and honestly thats the bigger obstacle, once I'm there I can conk out pretty fast).

That's a good point. I totally agree that a positive routine to look forward to is psychologically more helpful. Unfortunately, I already have that and it doesn't work. I always brush/floss my teeth, wash my face (I spend non-MMM money on skincare and it's WORTH IT), and journal before I go to sleep. My problems are 1) dawdling and starting this routine really late and 2) not actually going to sleep afterwards. The journal is something I do in bed, so I'm already there. But then...twitter! Instagram! MMM! I don't want to put my phone in another room because I use an app to monitor my sleep, remind me to take my meds before bed, and a couple other things. I was hoping the downtime feature would help but alas.

This is a lifelong issue for me. I used to crawl out of my bed as a child because I was afraid of missing stuff downstairs. As I got older, I used to get in trouble for sneak reading with a flashlight after I was supposed to be asleep. In college and grad school I would watch too much TV in bed. I just can't put down whatever I'm doing and go to sleep. If you left it up to me, I'd sleep for 8 hours, stay up for another 20+, and repeat that forever. Unfortunately, days do not come with 28 hours. It's very rude. I've tried melatonin and unisom before, but they just make me groggy the next day.

Perhaps if I reframe my bedtime routine as brush/floss, wash my face, journal, and SLEEP, the sleeping itself could be the thing I look forward to instead of something that happens after I finish the good stuff.

If it's feasible for you, I would actually suggest not doing your journal in bed.  Best sleep hygiene practice advises that you reserve the bed for sleep and sex, and do your other evening activities like reading and journaling outside the bed, perhaps in a chair or desk.  This trains your body that when you are in bed, it is time to go to sleep.  I've noticed this myself, now that I do my evening reading in a chair, I fall asleep much faster once I am in bed.

zygote

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #84 on: March 07, 2019, 09:44:52 AM »
If it's feasible for you, I would actually suggest not doing your journal in bed.  Best sleep hygiene practice advises that you reserve the bed for sleep and sex, and do your other evening activities like reading and journaling outside the bed, perhaps in a chair or desk.  This trains your body that when you are in bed, it is time to go to sleep.  I've noticed this myself, now that I do my evening reading in a chair, I fall asleep much faster once I am in bed.

Hmm, that's a good point. It just takes me a few minutes and it really helps calm my brain to sort through the jumble of thoughts from the day, so I've never noticed doing the journal in bed keeping me up. If anything, it seems to do the opposite because it's part of winding down. I will keep that in mind if I notice that I have trouble falling asleep, though.

Update from last night: I went to sleep at ELEVEN THIRTY and got a full 8 hours. I didn't get home until 10 last night, but I started getting ready for bed at 10:30. I really forced myself to put the phone down, and I also skipped some things on my to do list. I'm still tired from all the 6 hour nights I got earlier this week, but I hope I can make this a habit. It's only one night, but I have to start somewhere.

oneday

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #85 on: March 10, 2019, 10:44:43 PM »
@WhiteTrashCash @galliver @Raenia @Bird In Hand @Tris Prior @chaskavitch @zygote how is everyone dealing with the time change re: sleep issues?    I'm going to try like hell to get in  bed at "normal" bedtime & see how that works. XD

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #86 on: March 11, 2019, 03:41:16 AM »
I stopped tracking my macros around end of January and have just been eating what I need. My weight crept up slightly before returning to normal and if anything I have lost a bit of weight and I'm less focused on food.

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #87 on: March 11, 2019, 06:00:27 AM »
@oneday Luckily for me, this weekend was very busy and I was tired enough to go to bed 'on time' last night.  It's so much harder to get up on time, though, when it's still dark out.  We were finally getting to where there was a little bit of light outside when I was getting up, and now it's gone :(

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #88 on: March 11, 2019, 06:36:22 AM »
how is everyone dealing with the time change re: sleep issues?

We made sure to get to bed earlier than usual Saturday night and wake up earlier than usual Sunday morning.  So we were tired enough when the clock said ~10PM last night, even though it felt like 9PM.  Still was hard getting out of bed this morning, but that's true most mornings.  :(

Side note: I can't stand the time changes.  One of my FIRE fantasies is allowing my sleep pattern to naturally sync to the available daylight, which would mean waking up after the sun rises -- whenever that is.  It would also be awesome if the school day started much later than it currently does, particularly for HS.  Teenagers are wired to stay up late, and forcing them to be at school at 7AM or whatever is cruel and probably harmful to their health.

chaskavitch

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #89 on: March 11, 2019, 06:56:15 AM »
@WhiteTrashCash @galliver @Raenia @Bird In Hand @Tris Prior @chaskavitch @zygote how is everyone dealing with the time change re: sleep issues?    I'm going to try like hell to get in  bed at "normal" bedtime & see how that works. XD

Other than the fact that my toddler didn't fall asleep until after 10 last night, it's not going too badly.  It helps that I've just been ridiculously tired, so I actually don't think I could stay up super late even if I wanted to.  Waking up at 5:30 yesterday morning for work was a little rough, though, not going to lie.

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #90 on: March 11, 2019, 07:49:22 AM »
@WhiteTrashCash @galliver @Raenia @Bird In Hand @Tris Prior @chaskavitch @zygote how is everyone dealing with the time change re: sleep issues?    I'm going to try like hell to get in  bed at "normal" bedtime & see how that works. XD

I am dealing HORRIBLY! :( I have an early Monday meeting that I was already struggling to get to on time before the time change.

I have been struggling with sleep for a couple years now - thanks, perimenopause. :( I fall asleep fine but cannot stay asleep, wake up with hot flashes and night sweats or anxiety. Adopting two kittens last fall did not help matters; I'm such a light sleeper that any peep out of them immediately wakes me even if it's on the other end of the apartment.

So yeah, time change is not helping. Getting up in the dark is not helping. I really need daylight to feel awake, and the sun was just coming up when I was walking to the train.


Side note: I can't stand the time changes.  One of my FIRE fantasies is allowing my sleep pattern to naturally sync to the available daylight, which would mean waking up after the sun rises -- whenever that is.  It would also be awesome if the school day started much later than it currently does, particularly for HS.  Teenagers are wired to stay up late, and forcing them to be at school at 7AM or whatever is cruel and probably harmful to their health.

THIS. Sometimes I get really irrationally angry that I've spent my entire adult life forcing myself into a schedule that does not work with my body, a schedule that's getting harder and harder for me to maintain as I get older. As jobs go, my current one isn't too bad, but the early hours (necessary because we have conference calls with India regularly) are killing me.

Unrelated to the time change, I know I have some really bad sleep habits that I haven't been able to break. Chiefly, dozing off on the couch the second I sit down to watch something with my partner. Which is usually around 9 or 10 p.m. I realize this is my body telling me that I need to go to bed then, but - 9 p.m.? Really? I don't get home from work until after 6 and them am running around trying desperately to get things done. That's the only quiet time with Partner that I can have, and I cannot stay awake for it. I am so frustrated with my body most days; I miss spending time with him so much. Another reason to FIRE, I guess. If I wasn't forcing my body into a schedule that does not work for it at all, I imagine this wouldn't be happening.

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #91 on: March 11, 2019, 08:58:18 AM »
The benefit of being chronically sleep deprived is that I have no problem falling asleep whenever I decide to get into bed, even if the time is screwy!! I am also one of those people that stays up late and sleeps in on the weekends, so I'm used to having to adjust on Sunday night anyway. I know that's not great for me, but one step at a time.

I have been doing a lot better getting into bed since my first post. I've gone to sleep before midnight every work night since. This is unheard of in my world.

I'm still pretty tired, though. Not sure if I actually need more than 8 hours, or I just need more nights of consistent sleep to catch up.

galliver

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #92 on: March 11, 2019, 09:10:48 AM »


how is everyone dealing with the time change re: sleep issues?   

We traveled up to see my parents this weekend, and got delayed an hour coming back. We were still home by 9:30ish, and I got straight into bed bc I didn't want to do anything. But then we watched TV instead of sleeping. >_> I ended up gettimg my usual 6.5 hrs. Not loving being up, but I figured out how to get ready in 30 min so at least it was light out (woke/got up at 645-7).

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #93 on: March 11, 2019, 09:33:52 AM »
The benefit of being chronically sleep deprived is that I have no problem falling asleep whenever I decide to get into bed, even if the time is screwy!!


Ha, yeah, I can fall asleep basically at any time as long as I am not standing up. it's the STAYING asleep that is the challenge for me. SO tired of 4 a.m. wakeups.

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #94 on: March 11, 2019, 06:14:47 PM »
I stopped tracking my macros around end of January and have just been eating what I need. My weight crept up slightly before returning to normal and if anything I have lost a bit of weight and I'm less focused on food.

I JUST stopped counting calories and macros last week! Hoping I can maintain. I was definitely over-focused on food and may now be swinging a little bit in the too-permissive direction, but I am optimistic I can level out.

Ugh, so sorry everyone is struggling with the time change. I had to wake both my kids up this morning, which I NEVER do. Even my "lark" was still out cold.

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #95 on: March 11, 2019, 08:15:53 PM »
@WhiteTrashCash @galliver @Raenia @Bird In Hand @Tris Prior @chaskavitch @zygote how is everyone dealing with the time change re: sleep issues?    I'm going to try like hell to get in  bed at "normal" bedtime & see how that works. XD

I had some trouble today after the time change, but I hope it'll be better tomorrow. It felt a bit like jetlag. I suppose daylight savings is good for farmers, but I find it more than a little annoying personally.

oneday

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #96 on: March 11, 2019, 11:14:06 PM »
I have been doing a lot better getting into bed since my first post. I've gone to sleep before midnight every work night since. This is unheard of in my world.

I'm still pretty tired, though. Not sure if I actually need more than 8 hours, or I just need more nights of consistent sleep to catch up.

Fantastic!

I am one of those people who needs more than 8 hours.  It was helpful to test this and find out for sure.

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #97 on: March 12, 2019, 04:57:53 AM »
I have been doing a lot better getting into bed since my first post. I've gone to sleep before midnight every work night since. This is unheard of in my world.

I'm still pretty tired, though. Not sure if I actually need more than 8 hours, or I just need more nights of consistent sleep to catch up.

Fantastic!

I am one of those people who needs more than 8 hours.  It was helpful to test this and find out for sure.

+1!  I operate best on about 9 hours, but it's so hard to get more than 8 with any consistency.

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #98 on: March 12, 2019, 05:54:49 AM »
I stopped tracking my macros around end of January and have just been eating what I need. My weight crept up slightly before returning to normal and if anything I have lost a bit of weight and I'm less focused on food.

I JUST stopped counting calories and macros last week! Hoping I can maintain. I was definitely over-focused on food and may now be swinging a little bit in the too-permissive direction, but I am optimistic I can level out.

Ugh, so sorry everyone is struggling with the time change. I had to wake both my kids up this morning, which I NEVER do. Even my "lark" was still out cold.

I found that listening to my hunger signals and ensuring I was eating enough protein helped me to level out after a few weeks.

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Re: Healthy Choices: 2019 edition
« Reply #99 on: March 12, 2019, 06:16:27 AM »
@WhiteTrashCash @galliver @Raenia @Bird In Hand @Tris Prior @chaskavitch @zygote how is everyone dealing with the time change re: sleep issues?    I'm going to try like hell to get in  bed at "normal" bedtime & see how that works. XD

Other than the fact that my toddler didn't fall asleep until after 10 last night, it's not going too badly.  It helps that I've just been ridiculously tired, so I actually don't think I could stay up super late even if I wanted to.  Waking up at 5:30 yesterday morning for work was a little rough, though, not going to lie.

Aaand last night was awful.  I laid in bed for probably an hour trying to fall asleep, getting kicked in the ribs and singing snippets of songs from Moana and Frozen on repeat in my head, while also thinking about my to-do list.  I FINALLY fell asleep, and our toddler had a meltdown because he had to go potty, but wasn't actually awake, so he didn't want to go potty, take off his wet pants, put on new pants, put on a blanket, or let me go to my own room to sleep.  Then we woke up again like 45 minutes later and cried because he wanted me to "pet his back". 

It's so much harder to fall back asleep now than it used to be, partially because I keep listening for any abnormal noise that might be him waking up.  I think I got like 4 hours of sleep total?  Today is going to suck, I'm 100% taking the key to the lactation room over lunch and taking a nap in there.  It's so nice and dark with the lights off.