I'll be honest, my focus has been on my mental health the last few weeks -- i am focused on limiting my time and taking breaks from work, from social media and from the news.

I have been eating pretty well -- but I feel like I can cut some calories. I am thinking of going back to calorie counting for a bit just to reset for spring. I have been a little more active this week as my back has improved. I have been doing floor exercises and stretches-- but hoping to take on some longer walks this week.

How are you all doing? What are you focused on?

Funky, thank you for continuing these threads.

I've been sharing your focus on mental health, and in the ways you describe. It's helpful in putting things in perspective.

This week I'm focusing on expanding my rotation of meals. Recently, my DS's girlfriend gifted me 2 cookbooks... I haven't looked inside a cookbook in years, as I usually just jump on the internet for recipes. But the photography in these books is enticing, and so I'm going to be trying some new healthy recipes.

Exercise has been consistent, and I'm doing more walking with our warming weather. (Except for today--it's snowing in Chicago!)

I hope everyone experiencing health challenges continues to forge ahead. My thoughts are with you.

We returned yesterday from a 10 day trip to Dunedin and St Augustine (FL) and Savannah. We ate and drank with abandon but also got exercise. One day in Dunedin with friends we biked 26 miles. In St A and Savannah, we walked 10k-18k steps each day. Now I need to keep up the activity but rehab my diet. We don’t have many social things or trips coming up in the next month or so, which makes it easier to focus on healthy habits!

I haven’t gotten on the scale yet to see how much damage was done…

Mental health is very important! Destressed = happy

Sue...that's a lot of steps.

Feathers......snow here in Colorado too!

I now have someone my age(65) who runs a few laps on the track with me! Yay!

Loving the gym sauna, steam room, hot tub experience. Love my NEW gym friends!

I've also purchased a sports bra that zips in the front. For dressing when I get out of the shower. And a pair of nylon shorts to wear over my swimsuit for sitting in aforementioned rooms. Keeps my towel outside the room and dry.

Happy Spring everyone! Thu, Mar 20, 2025 – Fri, Jun 20, 2025

Nicole- your gym sounds great! Glad you’re enjoying it. Sue- i’m traveling now and doing the same- eating with abandon and hoping I’m walking it all off. Time will tell, but we are having fun!

I, too, am trying to stay mentally healthy. I wish I was more successful at staying away, but I think I have a screen addiction I need to work harder on. Luckily, I’m traveling for the next couple weeks, so the busyness should help some. It’s amazing how easily they can take over such a big part of your day. Definitely not good for me.

Yes, the spring Equinox is this week! I saw that on the news. It is going to be a nice weather week, too, though the pollen is ramping up quickly.

I am on spring break, so nice to have some downtime. I will still need to do some grading. I am feeling good but ramping back into exercise carefully. Going to TRX class at the Y over lunch. I can never go unless I am off work. Have Pilates private session booked for Wednesday so I will drive down. I also found out about some really cool free gardens nearby that I am going to to have to check out. That will be good for my soul.

I am about 10 lbs. from my weight goal. It's crazy. Still waiting on the bloodwork, grr.

I want to have new professional head shots done since I'm not happy with the last ones that were done on campus. I will book with my local guy who did the magic the last time. Now to figure out what to wear! Also started my closet cleaning, which is desperately needed.

I am leaving for vacation in 20 days (yes, I am counting!) and also plan to eat with abandon. We'll be in New Orleans for 5 days and I plan to eat all the yummy food. The best meal I ever had was in NOLA many many years ago. I don't want to miss out. And beignets!

We should be walking a lot. Not sure 18k steps is possible but hope to get close to 10k each day. Hopefully that will keep the weight fairly steady.

I have been doing pretty well with walking most days on the tread mill. I wear a weighted vest and wrist weights while walking. I'm mostly enjoying the Peloton walking classes. They push me to get my heart rate up instead of just a walk. But since I don't like exercising, I tell myself it's just a walk. I'm just going for a walk. It keeps me from making excuses not to do it. Yes, I have to play these silly mind games with myself to get myself to do it.

The weight is not coming off as fast as I would like, but slow is better than nothing. And it's good for me anyway, even if I didn't lose any weight.

It's hard to keep our mental health in a good place these days with everything going on. I don't have any suggestions for that. I wish I did. It's such a fine line between staying informed and becoming too obsessed with all the bad.

Yes, you MUST eat all the yummy food in NOLA!

Yay, Bunny!

Jsk, it's hard to get a bad meal in NOLA. So overdue for a visit. Haven't had any conferences there in awhile.

Had my private session Pilates and we did some fun things on the chair. So, I am feeling pretty good. I got my blood work back, and for all my work, my A1c has barely come down, but at least it's finally out of the prediabetes range hanging in there at 5.6. Some of my other values were off like cholesterol and liver slightly elevated due to being off my statin and having COVID and Paxlovid, so I sent them to my primary care and we will recheck but he didn't give a timeline. Ugh.

Weather has been great, but the pollen is definitely increasing.