Wellness List: To My Good Health

Recently DH said, “Look, I'm tired of this. I need you to do better.” He was talking about my health. We both have family histories riddled with disease and chronic conditions. Recently my doctor insisted I have some blood work done because my white blood cell count remains low. My appointment is Friday.
I have high blood pressure, which I manage with low dose medication, exercise and diet. Well, truth be told, too many days I'm not hitting all cylinders, and the Man isn't happy about it. He doesn't ask much and all he's asking here is that I hang around so we can grow old together.

Rather than be defensive, I recommitted to doing what I said I want for myself. If you're like me, sometimes it helps to write it down, and in this instance re-read what I've written. I pulled this from my archives for myself. If you find it useful, good. If you appreciate it, please let me know.

Excerpted from my blog at Weight Watchers, January 2011.

Portion control: I practice the 1-1-1 rule. This means 1 serving, 1 trip, 1piece. When we finish dinner, we might not clean the kitchen immediately, but we are in the habit of putting the food away. I don't go back for seconds. It has been a long time since I've even thought about getting more out of the pot. 85-90% of the time, I practice portion control. This is a real shift for me. Today, I routinely eat sensibly. I eat the serving size and I'm satisfied. My idea of portions was so skewered pre-WW.

Eat less. Eat Better: I'm talking about the quality of the food I'm eating. My DH and I made an informed decision to change how we prepare our foods, how much processed food we eat and to be discriminate about the ingredients we use to prepare our food. I don't eat low-fat food stuffs. Period. I'm a Polland convert. I'd rather have a pat of butter than yellow stuff full of chemicals I can't pronounce. I don't want foods lower in fat, packed with more refined sugar. I don't want frozen meals. It can't be too smart spiking my sodium levels. I don't want soggy canned vegetables. I eat olive oil. Plenty of it. I don't buy bottled salad dressings. I don't use aerosol sprays. I don't use pans treated with chemicals that we have learned we shouldn't be on surfaces that touch the food we're going to eat.

Relax and de-stress: I practice lunchtime yoga every weekday. I look forward to it more than I look forward to my lunch. I mediate and trust this process. I surround myself with people and messages that affirm my whole and perfect health. I don't give small-minded, critical people much of my time. I don't allow myself to be overwhelmed with sensory overload. That means I don't zone out in front of my t.v. Or computer. I don't talk incessantly on the phone. I wake up slowly and naturally on weekend mornings. I leisurely make my coffee, sit on my couch enjoying the sounds of morning. Stress kills. Stress inhibits our bodies ability to let go of weight. Stress causes depression. Stress leads to eating. Stress shortens our lifespan. Hello, my priority, my focus is to lengthen my life by improving the quality of my living.

I no longer practice lunchtime yoga, I shifted to early morning though lunchtime is looking good again. My weight is up enough to stop playing and resume portion control, and I'm convinced part of my current sugar fit is tied to hormones. Whatever the cause, I can't afford the nasty habit for reasons I'll reserve for another post.

I like lists even if I'm not good at sticking to them. They help me refocus. They are convenient signposts. So here's my daily list for living healthy. What's on yours?


Be well.