Health: Healthy Challenge, Winter 2018/19

[Altair]

When do the rest of you check in, at the beginning of next week?

I'll check in now: still sidelined by my lower back. It's a lot better, but still not 100%. I'm trying not to freak out (which is what I do when my workout routine gets sidelined for an extended period of time).

Just breathe...

[PerditaPickle]

Just sticking my oar in here to note that where the '64oz a day' thing originated was a study that measured the average amount of fluid adults took in over a day from all sources, including the water contained in their food (most things we eat contain quite a bit of water - as we do ourselves).

I heard the same fact - pretty sure my source was a TV quiz show called QI, but (depending who you talk to) they apparently pride themselves on getting their facts right (apparently...).

But having also read The Bad Food Bible a little while back (as mentioned elsethread), I can also cite that work as a source that the media will habitually create attention-grabbing headlines based on sometimes pretty tenuous research, or on only a small section of a study or whatever -- and then present stuff as fact to the populace (hence why various things can be portrayed as bad for you at one point in time and actually thought to be fine a while later, or vice versa etc.)

[PerditaPickle]

Just breathe...

Definitely, it'll come together if you just breathe and give it some time, I'm sure.

[Aisling]

I'll check in now: still sidelined by my lower back. It's a lot better, but still not 100%. I'm trying not to freak out (which is what I do when my workout routine gets sidelined for an extended period of time).

Just breathe...

Don't forget to breathe out again.  It will be ok; you've got this!

[Aisling]

As of this morning, up to 4 of 30 strength training sessions completed. I've gotten back into circuit training after a long lapse, so I'm starting with ridiculously low weights and fewer reps.  The power tower is out of the question until at least February, but I'll get there.

6 of 30 sessions done with this morning's workout. It's going to be a long winter.

[Morag]

Just sticking my oar in here to note that where the '64oz a day' thing originated was a study that measured the average amount of fluid adults took in over a day from all sources, including the water contained in their food (most things we eat contain quite a bit of water - as we do ourselves). It didn't purport to determine an optimum, just an existing average. This got grabbed by healthists (particularly those with something to sell) and subsequently went through a game of Whispers, to eventually morph into its present form.

I say this not to knock you or anyone else looking to ensure good hydration (which is an excellent goal; under-hydrating is a thing), but to affirm that counting your tea and coffee is fine, and would be even if you did use sugar. (Likewise any other beverages you drink.)

I wish I could link you a source, but alas, I no longer have it. I'm pretty certain I found it originally via The Fat Nutritionist, though.

Sunflower

/nods. I think I remember reading that too, and probably through The Fat Nutritionist. 

The reason I don't count liquids that have higher concentrations of sugars is because for me, the trying to get more fluids in is to stop the dehydration I've been suffering that has given me major headaches upon waking. Sugar dehydrates me something fierce, so any drink that has processed sugar in it or is just pure sugar of any kind, even naturally-occurring sugars (like fruit juices), I don't count, because they will dehydrate me further and cause headaches to occur.

(Yep, even pure cranberry juice. Need to drink a lot of water to counteract it.)

I do count my tea if it has a small amount of honey in it, though, because it's not enough to dehydrate me.

So yeah, it's less about the "common knowledge" of 8 glasses a day and more about recently I've noticed if I don't drink enough non-sugary fluids the day before, I get terrible headaches-often-bordering-on-migraines in the morning.

(This never used to happen to me; I actually never used to get headaches at all no matter what I consumed/how hydrated I was. Then I started getting migraines in my mid-20s and it's just been downhill from there.)

[Hariti]

Been fighting insomnia and sleep deprivation for years now, so I'm going to make my goal to sleep at least 7.5 hours each night, and to keep a consistent sleep schedule and circadian rhythm. I realize I'm late to the thread, but I nonetheless want to publicly commit to my goal. The idea's been stirring around in my head since the Autumn.

[Altair]

Been fighting insomnia and sleep deprivation for years now, so I'm going to make my goal to sleep at least 7.5 hours each night, and to keep a consistent sleep schedule and circadian rhythm. I realize I'm late to the thread, but I nonetheless want to publicly commit to my goal. The idea's been stirring around in my head since the Autumn.

Welcome to the challenge, EDF!

[LadyBug]

Just breathe...

Healing thoughts!!

Check In!

So still no menu. However we have been eating homecooked vegan/vegetarian meals more than once a week now. My guy will never be strictly off meat but I like to make meals as meat free as possible so I can choose to skip it if I want to (which I do often do, cycle depending )

I think I am readjusting my goals from a meal plan to just general healthier eating and a 5k walk with the dog more often than not during any 7-day period. She needs the exercise as much as I do

[Darkhawk]

The reason I don't count liquids that have higher concentrations of sugars is because for me, the trying to get more fluids in is to stop the dehydration I've been suffering that has given me major headaches upon waking. Sugar dehydrates me something fierce, so any drink that has processed sugar in it or is just pure sugar of any kind, even naturally-occurring sugars (like fruit juices), I don't count, because they will dehydrate me further and cause headaches to occur.

Trivia for today:

Glucose is super-reactive and basically has toxic effects on the body, which is why it's flash fuel - use it up now now now.  To use it as flash fuel, water is required.  Now that I've fixed my baseline hydration I notice that yeah, sugar makes me super-thirsty.

This is, by the way, a big chunk of why hangovers happen!  Alcohol also requires water to process, and breaks down into ... sugar!  Suck up enough water and bam headaches.

(Things one learns from one's nerdy TCM practitioner.)

[Altair]

Healing thoughts!!

Thanks! My lower back is 90% mended now, and I started back to the gym yesterday (FINALLY!)--a modified workout in that I wore a lifting belt the whole time as a lower-back precaution, plus I didn't do squats or deadlifts, which put the greatest strain on my lower back. I got in another workout today and am beginning to feel like myself again. After a month off I've lost a bit of strength but am pleasantly surprised at how little I atrophied. I expect my gains to return quickly.

Now to focus on that waistline goal!

[Morag]

Trivia for today:

Glucose is super-reactive and basically has toxic effects on the body, which is why it's flash fuel - use it up now now now.  To use it as flash fuel, water is required.  Now that I've fixed my baseline hydration I notice that yeah, sugar makes me super-thirsty.

THAT explains it. As I was cutting out sugar I was noticing more how it affected me when I did have it, and intense thirst was a key thing.

[PerditaPickle]

My lower back is 90% mended now

Oh that's really good news.

(As for me I've no real update at present, have fallen off the wagon this past week.)

[PerditaPickle]

D3 I'm having trouble with because of pill fatigue issues

Just a thought (and take it with a grain of salt because A. I had to Google what pill fatigue referred to and B. I don't know if I'm talking rubbish).  But can a D3 pill perhaps be crushed up and taken with food, if that'd work any better for you?  As I said, ignore me if I'm barking up the wrong tree.

[TheGreenWizard]

Oh that's really good news.

(As for me I've no real update at present, have fallen off the wagon this past week.)

Check-In Time!

I'm trying to get my hubby in on this challenge as well, but... he has his issues as well (e.g., anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress eating). What we're both doing for now, though, is really trying to stick to our Mediterranean diet menu. It's been a fun challenge for myself to research what things would be better for us to eat given the guidelines for that, and so far, I've noticed that I do have better energy levels. I'm going to keep going at it for the two of us even if hubby stress-eats all of our olives... and hummus... and veggies... XD

On the flip side, it's the end of the semester, so grades are due by Thursday... so No workouts for me since I stay up late to do the grading that I didn't bother to do during the semester. Hopefully I can get this all done on my one day off this week...