Summer of Self Care

[ktgrok]

I'm working this July to get myself back on track and healthy mentally and physically. Thought I'd share here in case others are doing the same,a nd want to share their journey. 

For me, what that looks like is:

I started AquaFit water aerobics at the gym - this has had a significant impact on my mood/anxiety, and I NEED to get in better shape. I don't want to be huffing and puffing after a flight of stairs. But with my SI joint issues, every other exercise I start I end up hurting and quit. Classes are offered M/T/W, and I went last Wednesday and this Tuesday and Wednesday (had a cold so skipped Monday). I wish it was more spread out through the week, but I have a pool in my complex less than a mile away, so I think I'll try doing just some water walking/jogging one other day a week. I ordered a deep water flotation belt that will be here today, to try the water jogging thing. I know I won't do as much on my own as in a class, but I can listen to an audiobook and do something, or just watch the kids swim if I bring them. 

I went back to Physical Therapy for my SI joint. Had my consult on Wednesday, and my first session today. I also was given exercises to do at home, and did those yesterday. I actually went to the gym and walked on the treadmill a mile and then did them. I'm sore today from them, but in a good way. I'll be doing 2 sessions a week for 6 weeks, thanks to amazing insurance that only charges me a $10 copay. PT thinks I can get mostly painfree, but that I'll always have to keep up with the exercises at home or I'll be back in pain within a few weeks. Which I've done over and over, so I believe him, lol. 

I talked to my doctor about medication for my anxiety/depression (moderate to severe anxiety, mild depression that gets worse in the fall/winter). Started a lexapro yesterday. I'm to do a half tablet for 2 weeks and then go to a full tablet, with a follow up appointment in 8 weeks. I talked to the doctor about it before starting the exercise, and I'll admit that between it being summer (my best time of year) and the exercise I was almost going to just not do it. BUT...with political stuff only going to get worse, and school starting back up in the fall, etc, and reading that meds PLUS exercise has the most impact versus one or the other, I decided to just do it. 

I started free behavior coaching through AbleTo. It's free for 6 sessions from my insurance, and all online. I have been hit or miss about doing the sessions, and am currently avoiding my homework assignment, lol, but I'm hoping meds and exercise help me be able to handle it more. 

I think getting up in the morning and doing something, be that the gym or right now I'm at the laundromat to wash my big down comforter that doesn't fit in my washer at home, or whatever, helps me a lot. I've always been a morning person, but after 15 years married to a night owl I've ended up shifting my schedule to his, and it really wears me down. Even if I get enough sleep, it messes with me to go to bed late and get up late. So gradually moving that wake up time earlier, and having gym classes to get up for helps. 

Anyway, that's me 🙂

[scbusf]

Good for you!!!!! I am doing some similar things this summer. 
1. Saw a new Psychiatrist. I just did the Genesight test to hopefully pinpoint what to try next. I’m on a moderate dosage of Zoloft and still having anxiety/depression issues. She is also willing to prescribe ADHD meds. 
2. I am not cooking dinners much this summer. My kids are all teens and everyone can figure it out. 
3. I am learning new crafts! Bookbinding, embroidery, knitting. 
4. I am seeing a nutritionist to help with some options to avoid diabetes. I have a strong family history and all the risk factors.  I think once my anxiety/depression gets better, this part should be easier, too. 
5. I started seeing a new therapist. 

[cjzimmer1]

26 minutes ago, scbusf said:

Good for you!!!!! I am doing some similar things this summer. 
1. Saw a new Psychiatrist. I just did the Genesight test to hopefully pinpoint what to try next. I’m on a moderate dosage of Zoloft and still having anxiety/depression issues. She is also willing to prescribe ADHD meds. 
 

Can you tell me more about this?  My daughter is still trying to find the right medicine.  Right now her doctors refuse to switch her to something else because she is getting some benefit and in their minds some benefit makes it worth staying on the Zoloft.  However she is also having a lot of negative side effects but they are completely downplaying those even though it's seriously impacting her.  Would love to have something beside the trial and error method of find the right medicine.

[SKL]

I need to get back to being consistent about exercise and good food choices and a few other things.

I went back to TKD this week, for the first time in nearly 2 years.  Hope to go to class and/or practice seriously at home at least 3x per week.

I am trying to get back to daily "yoga etc." (yoga + pushups, crunches, etc.) & dog walking (the hill up to my house is a whole workout).  I have good days and bad days.

I am thinking about taking swimming lessons, but I probably won't get to it this summer, because of work stuff and travel.

I will be running some 5Ks, but most of those will be in the fall.  Hoping to add one or two in September.

I made an optometrist appointment for the first time in 10+ years.  Am also making improvements for dental health.

As far as mental health stuff that makes me old, I am doing better about sleeping.  However, I need to better break up my time between focused work and mental breaks.  If I can focus better when I am supposed to be working, my breaks will be more relaxed.  Getting ahead on work that I know is coming should reduce the rush / stress of deadlines / mistakes.  Stuff like that.

Also, just keeping up with normal everyday maintenance - house and body.  Decluttering, and not putting myself last.

ETA food - I just need to make better choices.  Right now, I have a sore tooth that is keeping my options narrow, for better or worse.  But I think it's mostly causing me to eat more white carbs over veggies and protein.  😕 It's a challenge.

Edited July 12 by SKL

[wintermom]

@ktgrok Great job on doing all those things! Hope you are seeing a lot of positive affects from all your efforts!

My fruit consumption has been great for months, but now my veggie consumption is also making good strides. It's so much more fun to eat fresh fruit and veg in the summer (at least in my region). It's more of a struggle in the winter as my body's metabolism and food cravings are very different than the summer.

Edited July 12 by wintermom

[dsmith]

I've been trying to prioritize self-care, too. I would love to try water aerobics! Maybe I'll check our local Y. 

My main focus has been on sleep and diet/exercise. I found Say Good Night to Insomnia by Gregg D. Jacobs, Ph.D. on Kindle Unlimited. It's based on a 6-week program he developed at Harvard Medical School. I'm a few weeks in and I've already cut my time to fall asleep to 10 - 20 minutes, which is pretty amazing for me! I'm averaging about 5.5 - 6 hours a night, up from an average of 4.5 hrs a night. I've also come to realize that I don't need 8 hours of sleep a night, or even 7. 

I've been listening to the Weight Loss Made Real podcast from Cookie Rosenblum, who I think retired now. I ended up purchasing a book and workbook from her, so I've been slowly going through that. I've also been reading Nutrivore and following the recommendations as best I can. I have the Dumbell and Bodyweight journals from Habit Nest that I've been going through. I will probably get the yoga one next. I really like having the digital pdf download instead of a printed journal so I can load it on my Remarkable. 

In general I've been trying to listen to my body more, acknowledging when I need to slow down and actually doing it, lol. Managing stress has been really important to me and my health, so I've been prioritizing meditation, rest, avoiding people and situations that increase my stress, etc. 

[Ottakee]

Great job.

I did water aerobics for about 2 years and it was very helpful…but they changed the schedule so harder to get to now.

I found DDPY yoga to be very helpful.  I use the app and only do 1-2 workouts a week but often do some of the stretches on my own.

I also joined Planet Fitness with a friend and made another friend there.  For $15-25/month I can work out and shower before work and take free classes which has been great.

I have been swamped with paperwork trying to settle 2 estates so I have tried to keep in mind that if I accomplish ONE thing a day that is a win.

I am also trying to make 8pm the stop time for working around the house, doing paperwork, etc and 9:15 bedtime so I can read and still get enough sleep.

[fairfarmhand]

Good for you @ktgrok. I also have a night owl dh and I have just learned that I feel better if I follow my natural rhythm vs trying to change that up. I can shift it a bit (like I can make it to 11 pm but no later) but when I’ve tried to match him I feel like garbage. 
 

I did water aerobics at the y for awhile but switched to classes that work better for my schedule. I wish they had a later class because I did enjoy it.

as for me:

I need to keep my 2 times a week aerobic dance class and add 3 times a week weights. I do have a class I go to on Thursdays but need to add at home weights on Monday and Tuesday. I managed to do that this week. For my at home stuff I’m using the Fit On app which is really good. 
 

this week I’ve tracked my food and carefully eaten carefully . For all the effort it’s taken I wish I’d lost 2-3 pounds but I’m down 1.5. I guess I’ll have to take it.

i have gained about 15 pounds in the last 2 years. I think it’s perimenopause, and the weight has to come off!

[bookbard]

Congratulations on taking care of yourself. 

I got off track when I got Covid, and it's been hard with our unusually cold and wet (for us!) winter. However this week I have managed to get up early each day and walk, hitting that 10,000 steps, and it's really helped. I need to get back to tracking calories, it really does make a difference. 

I have started doing one thing which must sound ridiculous but has helped a lot - plaiting my hair before bed. The knots in my hair have always irritated me so much and I've usually ended up getting my hair cut to a certain length to manage it. But plaiting it before bed has reduced the knots so much and reduced my stress with it. 

[Ali in OR]

The last quarter of school was pretty rough for me, so I am focusing on recovery this summer. 9 weeks of no school stress is absolutely awesome. I do spend quite a bit of time doing not much of anything (playing solitaire with real cards, reading books, reading stuff on the computer, games or instagram on the phone).

My exercise is supposed to always be 30 min/day 6 days/week, but during the school year most days end up being 20 min/day. So this summer I'm making sure it's at least 30 min/day. I sleep a lot more--I'm still taking a nap most days and sleeping at night. I think I had a pretty big sleep deficit to make up. And this week it was time to start tracking my eating again because my weight is up a few pounds just since school ended. We're also trying to cut out ultra-processed food for the most part. 

[scbusf]

7 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

Can you tell me more about this?  My daughter is still trying to find the right medicine.  Right now her doctors refuse to switch her to something else because she is getting some benefit and in their minds some benefit makes it worth staying on the Zoloft.  However she is also having a lot of negative side effects but they are completely downplaying those even though it's seriously impacting her.  Would love to have something beside the trial and error method of find the right medicine.

It's a DNA test that looks at what meds are supposedly right for your specific DNA. It's not an exact science, but my new Psychiatrist says she likes to use it as a starting point. I don't have my results yet.

Edited July 13 by scbusf

[Ausmumof3]

Good on you! I did this last summer - yoga, walking and healthy eating daily. I realised I needed to actually get basics sorted before I could tackle life stuff I wanted to. It was soo worth it. 
 

I hope it goes well for you. 

[ktgrok]

4 hours ago, Ottakee said:

Great job.

I did water aerobics for about 2 years and it was very helpful…but they changed the schedule so harder to get to now.

I found DDPY yoga to be very helpful.  I use the app and only do 1-2 workouts a week but often do some of the stretches on my own.

I also joined Planet Fitness with a friend and made another friend there.  For $15-25/month I can work out and shower before work and take free classes which has been great.

I have been swamped with paperwork trying to settle 2 estates so I have tried to keep in mind that if I accomplish ONE thing a day that is a win.

I am also trying to make 8pm the stop time for working around the house, doing paperwork, etc and 9:15 bedtime so I can read and still get enough sleep.

I used to love DDP Yoga, but got out of the habit and now every time I try to start up again my SI joint flares up. I need to build up the stabilizing muscles before I can even think of doing it again which is sad. But lunge or warrior poses or 3 legged dog are all bad when the SI joint is this unstable. 
Hoping I get back to where I can do it again. In the meantime the water aerobics are sort of filling that spot for me 🙂