Health and Wellness Thread

[happyfeet9]

A place for us to talk all things related to wellness and healthy living.

Nutrition, fitness, mental health, stress and chronic condition management, sleep and anything else.

[happyfeet9]

A few quick questions to get us started:

- How are you feeling (physically, emotionally, mentally)?

- How has your health changed post baby?

- What's your nutrition, physical activity, and sleep patterns look like?

- Anything you're doing well? Any areas you'd like to improve?

- What are your main areas of stress? How do you destress?

- Do you have any short term or long term goals that are health related?

- What's the best way for you to be accountable in reaching your goals?

- Any diet or fitness programs that have worked in the past or you're wanting to try?

- Anything else you'd like to add?

[jexxa]

Thank you for starting this happyfeet9!

- How are you feeling (physically, emotionally, mentally)?

I’d say good overall. I’m struggling a bit with the look of my PP body.

- How has your health changed post baby?

It hasn’t really gotten better or worse, I guess it’s just manifesting in different ways. Like when I was pregnant it was all aches & pains in my back, legs, etc. Now I don’t have that, but I’ve had some headaches (from lack of sleep I’m sure), fall allergies, shoulder/neck pain from sleeping weird.

- What's your nutrition, physical activity, and sleep patterns look like?

I could definitely be eating better. It’s not terrible, but it’s much easier to eat a chocolate bar while holding a fussy infant than a salad, ya know?
I was doing pretty well with going on 2 mile walks every day with P, but it’s been over a week now since we’ve gone out. It’s just too freakin out by the time we’re ready to go out. The rest of this week is supposed to be pretty mild but of course it’s supposed to rain every day, so we’ll see. I really need to get back out.
Sleep is going really well for us. P has been STTN for the last 2ish weeks, and she generally naps well during the day. I still find myself waking up random times during the night though because she’s a noisy sleeper. Somehow H sleeps right through it 😒

- Anything you're doing well? Any areas you'd like to improve?

I’m making sure that I take a shower every day. And not just a quick 5 minute thing, like I’m keeping up on washing my hair, shaving, etc. I didn’t do that with DS and it made me feel like crap. I’ve noticed this time that it’s helping me feel better about myself.
I need to improve my physical activity. I use to run, and while I’m not going to attempt that while BFing (at least not for a while), I need to get back out and walking before it gets too cold. I also want to try to tone my stomach back up.

- What are your main areas of stress? How do you destress?

Right now it’s my toddler, lol. He’s just being such a threenager right now. Daycare seems to think it’s a problem and so they’ve moved him and 3 other kids to a smaller toddler room to see if more individualized attention helps. Running was my destresser, now just mindlessly watching tv or browsing the message boards helps.

- Do you have any short term or long term goals that are health related?

Definitely want to get back down to my pre-preg weight.

- What's the best way for you to be accountable in reaching your goals?

I’ve used MyFitnessPal more than once in the past to lose weight and it really helped keep me accountable for what I was eating.

- Any diet or fitness programs that have worked in the past or you're wanting to try?

I did some of the workouts from 30 Day Shred. Also did some from Fitness Blender. Both worked ok I guess. Honestly though, running worked the best for me.

- Anything else you'd like to add?

I really appreciate threads like this. I think we could all use some support right now ❤️

[happyfeet9]

- How are you feeling (physically, emotionally, mentally)?

I feel pretty good emotionally and mentally. Physically this pregnancy and pp recovery has been really hard on me. I'm not comfortable in my skin at all

- How has your health changed post baby?

I'm below my pp weight but my body just feels off. I've got less muscle tone and more aches and pains. I also still have considerable pain in my abdomen from my incision site.

- What's your nutrition, physical activity, and sleep patterns look like?

Nutrition and activity have been tough. I grab whatever I can and eat quickly and it's usually not healthy. I just got cleared for activity and need to find something that I can do that will be easy on my core.

- Anything you're doing well? Any areas you'd like to improve?

I'm drinking tons of water and still taking my prenatal vitamins which is good. I'm also trying to be more zen about everything.
I need to eat more fruits and veggies and find some way to get moving.

- What are your main areas of stress? How do you destress?

My toddler is a huge source of stress right now. It's just hard to keep him engaged and out of trouble. I destress by making sure I shower every day and watch some tv when pumping.

- Do you have any short term or long term goals that are health related?

I want to find some strengthening exercises and lose 10 more pounds by Dec.

- What's the best way for you to be accountable in reaching your goals?

I am going to try to go back to WW and start tracking again. That and just checking in with people helps.

- Any diet or fitness programs that have worked in the past or you're wanting to try?

I had my biggest success with WW and have kept my account active so I'm going back to that. I also want to get beach body on demand so I can try some pp workouts that were recommended to me.

[muscari]

(This may be a really odd question but what exactly is the difference between emotionally and mentally? I am lost in translation here sorry!)

[bsouls]

- How are you feeling (physically, emotionally, mentally)? I feel pretty good.

- How has your health changed post baby? I can breathe! I was losing weight and exercising before I got pregnant, so I’m trying to get back on track. I gained like 53 lbs this pregnancy (I gained 40 with T). I have about 13 lbs more to get back to prepregnancy weight. I’m definitely doing better than I did after my first pregnancy.

- What's your nutrition, physical activity, and sleep patterns look like? I’m on my third week of doing a protein diet. I’m not exercising - I can’t really seem to fit it in, find the energy or the weather doesn’t cooperate. I have a treadmill and I should try to exercise, but I prefer to do it first thing in the morning and R isn’t consistent with sleep. I’m ok with sleep - I wish I got a solid eight, but I can’t really complain.

- Anything you're doing well? Any areas you'd like to improve? I’m doing well with my diet and I’d like to start exercising.

- What are your main areas of stress? How do you destress? Kids! I like to take a bath, but I only do it on the weekend when H is home.

- Do you have any short term or long term goals that are health related? I’d like to lose 25-30 lbs and then maintain it.

- What's the best way for you to be accountable in reaching your goals? I weigh myself multiple times a day and I also tell H when I’ve lost/gained weight. He’s supportive, but it’s hard since he can eat whatever and never struggles with his weight - well, he struggles with gaining/maintaining.

- Any diet or fitness programs that have worked in the past or you're wanting to try? I’ve been successful with low carb a few times in the past. I also lost a lot of weight be eating healthy and adding Metformin. Prior to T I was maintaining my weight for a couple of years, but I’ve struggled since her.

[happyfeet9]

Oct 10, 2017 15:43:30 GMT -6 muscari said:

(This may be a really odd question but what exactly is the difference between emotionally and mentally? I am lost in translation here sorry!)

They certainly overlap - but mentally I also think of things like acuity which aren't necessarily emotional. Mommy brain is real - at least for me

[thinkchocolate05]

How are you feeling (physically, emotionally, mentally)? Pretty good. Just tired. Physically, I'm stuck at 10 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight and want to lose 30 total. Also frustrated with still looking pregnant, although I expected it.

- How has your health changed post baby? I'm really trying harder to be healthy. I was upset I had high blood pressure throughout pregnancy (chronic, not gestational) so I'm trying to make some lifestyle changes.

- What's your nutrition, physical activity, and sleep patterns look like? Generally trying low carb, low processed sugars but sweets are my comfort food, so I start indulging when my stress level goes up. I joined stroller strides, so I've been exercising more but this will be hard to maintain when I return to work.

- Anything you're doing well? Any areas you'd like to improve? Online grocery ordering (Amazon fresh) has really helped, and I've been able to cook relatively healthy. I still need to eat better though.

- What are your main areas of stress? How do you destress? The toddler! I feel so bad for the little guy that he's jealous and wanting more attention. Unfortunately, I eat sweets to destress.

- Do you have any short term or long term goals that are health related? Lose 30 pounds and no more high blood pressure.

- What's the best way for you to be accountable in reaching your goals? Exercise with dh; stay in an exercise group

[cwbh928]

- How are you feeling (physically, emotionally, mentally)?

Physically I am sore, but I know it's becuase I have bad posture when breastfeeding. Plus I'm sure chasing toddler isn't helping. Mentally and emotionally I am okay. I still have anxiety about my blood pressure. It's annoying.

- How has your health changed post baby?

My blood reassure has not gone down to where is was pre pregnancy. I'm upset, but I know there is still time for it to go back down. Luckily it isn't terribly high, but certainly not below where it should be.

- What's your nutrition, physical activity, and sleep patterns look like?

Nutrition could be better. Although not a great excuse, trying to juggle the two of them leaves little for me to worry about what eat. I am trying to remain physically active and I already below me pre pregnancy weight. However, I need to lose more for my overall health. Sleep is not great as to be expected. I try to take advantage of sleeping when I can. I usually end up with only 5-6 hours a day.

- Anything you're doing well? Any areas you'd like to improve?

Getting out and working out has been good. eating right has not been.

- What are your main areas of stress? How do you destress?

My toddler has been stressing me out and just having the two. I am still trying to find my rhythm. I usually sit down and relax at night to decompress. My husband is amazing and books me a spa/massage every month so I can just get out.

- Do you have any short term or long term goals that are health related?

-weight loss is both really. If my BP isn't going down than I need to get in better shape so that it does.

- What's the best way for you to be accountable in reaching your goals?

my doctors are. My cardiologist is pretty adamant about getting in shape and I see him soon so I don't want to disappoint.

- Any diet or fitness programs that have worked in the past or you're wanting to try?

Weight watchers -- I just started it.

[king26]

How has your health changed post baby? Not much I'm back down to my weight and wearing my normal clothes.
What's your nutrition, physical activity, and sleep patterns look like?
Crap to all of the above. I hate my food is suffering. I usually cook 6 nights a week. Now I cook one or 2 and my h cooks 2 and we do take out the rest. The only physical activity I get is walks with j. Sleep is hit or miss. We had 6 weeks of miss and in The past week it's gotten better though not grest.


- Anything you're doing well? Any areas you'd like to improve? I think I'm being a good mom. I'm calm when he cries even if I don't feel cslm. I'd like to g out more but I'm scared too.

- What are your main areas of stress? How do you destress?my main stresdor is lesving him. I hate leaving even though he is with h. I get panicky. He will stsy with my parents in 2 werks whivh will be fine but i will worry. I destress by tsking a long shower or reading.

br]
- Do you have any short term or long term goals that are health related? If like to get my anxiety under control.

-
What's the best way for you to be accountable in reaching your goals? Letting DH help keep me accountable and have him and my mom check on me.


- Any diet or fitness programs that have worked in the past or you're wanting to try? No I'm not much of a dieter.


- Anything else you'd like to add? I'm going the anxiety lessens as he gets less fussy and sleeps better. That will happen right????

[yellowcat]

I am really late to this!

- How are you feeling (physically, emotionally, mentally)?

Ok, I am doing better physically but still tired most of the time.

- How has your health changed post baby?
Crazy fall allergies and drinking again...

- What's your nutrition, physical activity, and sleep patterns look like?
Eating is getting better now that baby is sleeping better. We are back to our normal healthy diet. Mostly organic or local farm food when we can. The only thing I am eating more of than I would like is pasta because it is quick and easy the nights my husband works late.
I have been running 2-3 times a week when the weather cooperates but haven't gotten past my 2 mile hump...

- Anything you're doing well? Any areas you'd like to improve?

- What are your main areas of stress? How do you destress?
Run to destress

- Do you have any short term or long term goals that are health related?
I need to drop 5 pounds so I fit into the rest of my clothes. I am too lazy to buy new things.

- What's the best way for you to be accountable in reaching your goals?
Not sure

- Any diet or fitness programs that have worked in the past or you're wanting to try?
Nope just a good running plan so I can do some 5ks in the spring.

- Anything else you'd like to add?