I’m on a bit of a major health kick right now. Some of it’s down the vainness; I feel awful about my bodyshape, unattractive and unfit. But mainly it’s down to my health. I’ve had pretty regular bouts of illness since I was 14, and whilst an operation has helped a little, I’m determined to do as much as I can to really sort myself out.
A bit of a confession here now, I’ve never had the healthiest relationship with ‘diets’. I can take them a little bit too far, or I can go completely the opposite way. I’ll do both on consecutive days to “cancel the other out.” This time I’m determined to get healthy properly. There will be no diet, no restrictions, and hopefully no beating myself up if I treat myself (though that will take some self control!). Instead it’s all about little, gradual changes. Changes to get a healthier lifestyle, to find my natural weight, to balance the good and the “bad” foods.
Some of my (numerous) milky, sugary teas are being swapped for herbal varieties. I’ve got to admit I’m not loving this green tea, though I quite like Cranberry & Raspberry. There’s a Dragonfruit variety that occasionally appears at work which I love, but I’ve not found it in store yet. That mid-afternoon snack on crisps? I’ve turned it into a cuppa-soup if it’s chilly, or a handful of nuts if it’s the crunch I’m craving. I’m working on a spicy-roasted nut recipe to share, but it’s not quite there yet.
Lunches have been switched up. My normal lunch has for the past 6(+!) years been a ham roll on wholemeal bread, ready salted crisps and some squash. I’ve been leaving out the crisps, adding fruit, and occasionally some carrot sticks with a dip. If I have some interested leftovers, I’d throw them in the microwave at work. And at least 2 weeks out of 4 I’ll make a big batch of soup for the week, alongside homemade bread. I’d make it more often, but I have limited freezer space! I’ve also been working on a more budget friendly version of The Londoner’s noodle recipe, and I think it’s also ready to share!
The biggest change I’ve made has been ditching the sugary squash. It was tough at first (I actually got the shakes!), but I think I’m also there. I still can’t stand the taste of water, but filtering it through a Water-to-Go Bottle* and adding flavor really helps. When I’m around the house I’ll infuse (get me!) my water with lemon and ginger, or lime if I’m feeling even fancier. That’s not particularly practical when I’m out and about, but I’ve fallen in love with these Enhance* drinks. One squeeze flavours my water enough to make me stomach it, but not so much that it tastes sweet. They taste like actual fruit, and I definitely have stock-piled since they’ve been on offer in ADSA. The orange-y flavor is my favorite. Pretty sure the pics on the website make them extra strong, as mine barely add any color. But they sure taste good!
Exercise is something I’m slowly getting there with. I’ve been timing my walk to work, and challenging myself to beat my best times. My trainers still don’t quiteee fit comfortably (I dropped a cupboard door on my foot the weekend after buying them) so running still isn’t happening. But I picked up a set of weights in Aldi, and I’ve been following a few Youtube videos (I love the dance-with-weights type ones!). A few squats before bed, and some pretty lame sit-ups, my fitness is slowly getting somewhere near acceptable.
I’ve got a long way to go, mainly due to my emotional hurdles attached with my bodyshape, and a few of eating certain things in case it sets of my stomach issues. It’s all about baby steps for me, and I reckon that’s how it should be. No point in jumping right into a complete change of lifestyle, but switch up little things, make it sustainable. I’m certainly hoping I keep it up!
Are you on a New Year health kick? Any tips for getting fit on a budget without damaging my foot anymore? Got ideas of healthy meals?