The five pillars of a healthy lifestyle:
- Don't smoke
- Severely reduce, or eliminate, alcohol
- Eat a healthy diet
- Maintain a healthy BMI
- Get some exercise
I think this journal might get pretty boring, pretty fast, but I also think I want to keep track of everything until all the different pieces become habits... just like I used Cronometer to track food until I got my food choices under control.
I like the format that Geo used, so I'll be using that format.
I've been walking for the past 8 months, averaging about 2-4 hours per week, but I suffer from periodic, acute, lower back pain, most likely due to tight muscles and poor posture. So my plan is to add some stretching & flexibility & balance exercises along with some meditation. Strength training will come later.
Cheers,
Day 1, Wed
Food
==============================
B: oatmeal, blueberries, flaxseed
L: salad w/ mustard-lime dressing
S: Clif bar
D: potatoes w/ marinara sauce
S: cherries
Exercise
==============================
Activity - walking (0 min, intermittent)
Cardio - hiking (0 hr)
Strength - none
Balance - Taiji stepping drills (0 min)
Flexibility - static stretching (0 min)
Rest
==============================
Sleep - 8 hr, fitful
Meditation - Qigong (0 min)
Stress - extremely high
Reading - "First Test", Tamora Pierce
Notes
==============================
Walking is done at work in increments of 5-7 minutes, mostly as an excuse to get up and move about from my (mostly) desk job. Otherwise, I can sit and work on a thorny problem for 4-6 hours without moving.
Sleep, as usual, was interrupted by rising to use the bathroom.
Taiji stepping drills are drills to learn the basic taiji steps prior to learning any routines.
Stretching is done before rising, throughout the day, and after rowing, weight training, or hiking.
Stress - extremely stressful, with a complete meltdown. I took the day off work so I could drive about 3 hours to meet a friend I haven't seen since before the pandemic. With every mile, my stress, anxiety and PTSD grew until I couldn't manage it and I had to turn around, full of adreneline. Exercise and meditation helps me manage this. That's one of the reasons for starting this journal back up.
Reading - Tamora Pierce is my all-time favourite author for when I'm stressed or grumpy. She writes fantasy novels for teens and young adults. Her main characters are usually girls/women between the ages of 10-24 who show grit, compassion, and determination and whose lives are filled with adventure, humour, and passion. Their stories ease my mind as I fall asleep.
Links
==============================
Death of a Friend, 2019-09-09
Chest Pain, 2019-09-12
Contra Dancing, 2019-09-16
Recipe - Tortilla Soup, 2019-09-21
Relapse, 2019-09-24
Mad Magazine, 2019-09-27
Elephant Seals, 2019-09-30
Sandhill Cranes, 2019-10-01
Reflections on Happiness, 2019-10-02
Recipe - Lentil Stew, 2019-10-06
Recipe - Pineapple Stir-Fry, 2019-10-06
Monarch Butterflies, 2019-10-06
What I Eat, 2019-10-11
Clarence Bass: Take Charge, 2019-10-15
Recipe - Smoky Apple Baked Beans, 2019-10-26
RIP Mom, 2019-10-31