Category: Diet and Health

Dieting- No more

April 18, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about never ending. You can hyphenate never-ending or write an example of a story that never ends. What is endless and why? Go where the prompt leads!

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Getting fit and going down to my ideal weight was a never-ending struggle for me.

Unbeknown to me, I had thyroid disease since my teenage which made my weight fluctuate periodically. At forty-four, I was diagnosed and became aware of its implications. Since then, I am on thyroid medication and till a year ago, I still was trying to lose weight, only to gain it all back eventually.

My motivation for losing weight has changed and the desire to look better has taken a backseat, to be healthy. Now I eat healthy, and keep my stats in the range.

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Word count; 99

Written for Carrot Ranch’s prompt-Never ending, hosted by Charli Mills

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#99WordStory

A to Z challenge -F is for Fitness

Personal experiences, incidents and smiles

I started my walking journey seven years ago. It all started when I brought my first fitness tracker, Fitbit. I have achieved my walking goals. My tracker, made me get up and walk 250 steps, for at least five hours a day. It reminded me that I haven’t achieved my daily steps goal. If I was a bit short on getting to my goal for the day, there was an encouraging message on my app. And similarly, if I went 25% beyond my goal, I’d get a well-done message. These all motivational messages and prompts kept me on my toes, literally.

If I can walk that much, you can too. We just need the proper motivation.There are numerous benefits of walking for us all. Health, both physical and mental is greatly improved by taking a walk, at least five days a week. There is a boost in the mood levels and confidence of people walking daily. Walking stimulates the blood flow through the brain and you can get many new ideas and maybe solve problems irking your mind. So put on those walk shoes, which are sitting in your closet, and head out. Or if it’s too cold or hot, rainy or foggy, stay indoors and walk in the house. I walk indoors if it’s not a good time to walk outside. The aim is to walk, so do that. Whatever the weather or time. I wrote this post a while ago, about my fitness tracker and how it helps me with keeping track of my steps, sleep, and intake.

For the last two years, I’ve switched to Apple Watch, which has many functions in addition to being a fitness tracker like a Fitbit. No matter what method you use, being fit should be the goal. Fitness matters in every stage of life, especially in older people because a lot of our health goals and stats are improved if we are looking after our health.

Since my topic for today was fitness, I included WQW prompt in my post too.

Also written for;WQW#14: Four Steps to Achieve Total Fitness – Body, Mind, Soul, and Social, hosted by Marsha

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#AtoZChallenge

Fitness is the key

I’ve gone from being a lazy couch potato in my forties to a comparatively fit 60-year-old because I’ve realized how important it is to be physically fit as we approach old age.

Taking care of your body so that the body can take care of us when we need it to!

I am no advocate of punishing workouts that build up the muscles, define the abs and give pleasing contours to various body parts for people of older age. Why? you may ask!

I have seen so many people falling into this false illusion that a perfect body is the ticket to a happy successful life. I personally advise older people to be as fit as they can for their age. This entails;

Being able to walk for at least half an hour without feeling tired or drained out.

Not getting breathless walking up a flight of stairs.

Being able to do small jobs around the house like cooking, folding laundry, tidying up the house etc

I would again emphasize that healthy body is the best gift we can give ourselves. Youth is notoriously famous for its inconsiderate attitude towards the body it inhabits. Young people abuse the body by ignoring most of the good principles of healthy living. Fortunately, most people realize the importance of having a healthy body as they mature. I feel that instead of obsessing about the outer beauty, if we nurture the inner wellbeing and strength, we would have a better shot at enjoying our lives.

Now is the time to start the rest of your life with positivity. Start walking a few minutes daily and increase it in small increments. I have done it and I know it is possible if you are determined to make your physical condition better. Some people have too much pain to be able to even walk but they can with the help of their doctors or therapists can undertake light stretching exercises that will get the blood flowing. Underwater exercises are excellent for joint, muscle and back pain.

Whatever works for you, please do it. Slowly and gradually you will see an improvement in your physical and mental health.

Now I’ll get off my soapbox!😅

Written for WQW # 3- Topic: Fitness, hosted by Marsha

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#WQW

January 21st, 2022 – Mission

In the years past I was a woman on a mission. That was the time I was doing a diet called Keto! I started Keto when my doctor informed me that I am pre-diabetic! This news galvanised me into taking some strict action and after doing some research, I came to the conclusion that a Keto lifestyle would be ideal for me.

During the time I was doing Keto diet, my mission was to try to convince anyone willing to listen that it was the best possible kind of diet as one didn’t need to starve to lose weight. Suffice to say that this zeal lasted till I was able to follow the diet myself.

My passion for this diet fizzled out when I had to undergo cholecystectomy ( gall bladder removal surgery) and my doctor told me to stay away from keto as it is basically based on having just fats and proteins and no carbs.

It is a strange phenomenon that when I find something that I feel is beneficial for me, I try to convince my family and friends to try it too. Is it only me or do you experience these feelings too?

Written for Linda’s JusJoJan

Today’s prompt; Mission, was given to us be Fandango

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#JusJoJan

Beats

Like clockwork the heart beats

Never missing a single moment of our life

One missed beat is okay but many in a row

Means it’s time to get a new heart or say goodbye 

Keep your clicker happy by making it work 

Hard work for it’s keep by exercising daily 

Work out a healthy sweat and fatigue 

So that you live longer to enjoy life

Eat more of organic food, less of fat, meat

Eschew the crimson go for the green

A healthy life is a good life so choose wisely

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Written in response to Thursday Inspiration # 137, hosted by Jim

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#ThursdayInspiration

Fandango Friday Flashback—Ladies, let’s talk about breast health

Ladies let’s talk about Breast Health, mammograms and need for self exams.

I am sharing this post again because it is essential to make each and every woman, whatever her age, of the vital importance of ensuring breast health.

Also as a part of Fandango Friday Flashback.

October is the breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world, affecting the women in both the developed and developing countries alike and it’s the single most common cancer in women. Last year there were 2 million reported cases of breast cancer. The aim of this post is not to scare you but to point out the necessity of giving your health and specially breast health some serious consideration.

WHO NEEDS IT:

It’s an extremely vital issue, specially for women after they turn 50. If they have a family history of cancer, or if their health is vulnerable due to risk factors they have been exposed to, then a very serious thought should be given to getting yourself tested for any lumps etc in breast tissue.

SELF EXAM:

I am putting below a link that explains how to and how often the women should do the self exam at home.

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-self-exam

It’s a simple procedure and can be performed in a few minutes.

MAMMOGRAM:

Mammograms are non-invasive X-ray based test which takes all of 10 minutes. It is a bit on the expansive side but far cheaper than the cost of hospitalization etc if things get serious. There is a lot of misinformation regarding mammograms. some say that it is painful, others describe it as a messy or inconvenient . It is none of those. The only inconvenience I faced was the fact that I had to book an appointment a month before as they were very busy.

PAP SMEAR:

While we are talking about women health, getting a pap smear test after the age of menopause is a good idea too. I know that most women ( myself included) find doctor visits cumbersome and a waste of time. The long appointments and the expenses of these investigations are also a cause of concern .But health is after all of paramount importance, so we must swallow the bitter pill and get our checkups on time. Wishing good health and long happy life to you all!

Another piece of vital advice;

Please install a full length mirror in your bathroom, if you’re single. It is important to look at yourself once a month at least to check for anything new on your skin or torso. Blemishes, rashes, boils or any unexplained mark should be observed keenly and if they are still there after a week or so, go see a doctor.

I am adding this comment from Leigha Robbins to my post;

“I cannot stress self exams strongly enough. I was 36 when I found my lump. You should know your own body and be aware of and follow through on any abnormalities. My cancer was very aggressive as I had had a doctor’s exam just three months earlier with no signs of a lump then. Monthly exams are key!”

Please share your feedback and thoughts in the comments.

#MAMMOGRAM

#BREASTHEALTH
#FFF

#BREASTCANCERAWARENESS

#KEEPITALIVE

MLMM- Photo Challenge # 376

Weejars is our host for Photo Challenge this week.

black and white ceramic figurine

Adrian Swancar on Unsplashhttps://unsplash.com/photos/72El6N0cmj4

Use above image as inspiration for a poem or short story.

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I………said……….no……!!!

How many times I have to say it so that you’ll believe me?

Henry was shaking his head so vehemently that it appeared like a blur. Jennifer tried to calm him down by taking away the plate of food she was offering to him. His constant denial of any nourishment was beginning to alarm his sister. After the passing away of their parents, she felt responsible for her younger brother.

She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but it was time she sought help for him. She thought that only young girls suffered from anorexia, but it seemed that teenage boys did too.

She went away to her room to look up the helpline number provided by her university. She hoped that with proper counseling they can help him out of this and the depression that had taken hold of him when their parents had died.

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#Keepitalive

#PhotoChallenge

Restful sleep and your pillow; My experience

How often this happens; you are tossing and turning on your bed, trying to get your beauty sleep, but this comfort eludes you? To me, it happens way too often.

And then there are days when you get your six-seven hours of uninterrupted sleep and it feels like you’re a totally different person.

Recently, I’d noticed that I got up with shoulder pain as well. The whole area and my neck felt tight and hard. After giving the matter some thought, I decided to try something different.

Previously I have tried many types of pillows. Soft ones, hard ones, flat ones, fluffy ones, one made of memory foam, and a combination of the above. My usual is two pillows, a medium one and a soft one on the top. But since this wasn’t producing good results, I got rid of them.

And I bought a memory foam contour pillow for myself. The deal was that I had 24 hours to try it and if I wasn’t comfortable using it, I could exchange it for something else.

The first night wasn’t that great a success. But I thought that it deserved another try so I decided to keep it and the second night’s sleep was better. It’s gone successively better from then.

The higher side supports the neck and then the head rests at the level of the heart when we are sleeping or lying down. This facilitates the blood flow towards the brain and helps us get better sleep. The neck is supported in its natural position and I get up free from any pain in my neck or shoulders.

All this long story is to convey to you that sometimes we need to break old habits and do something different to get more out of life.

How well do you sleep?

Are your bed and pillow helping or hindering in your efforts of getting a good night’s sleep?

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#GoodSleep

#Health

Stream Of Consciousnesses Saturday- Up and down

Linda is the host of Stream Of Consciousnesses Saturday

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “up/down.” Use one, use them both, but try to put one in your first sentence. Bonus points if you use the other in your last sentence. Have fun!

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Up and down, up and down, like a yo-yo, my weight fluctuates almost on a daily basis. I blame it on the fact that I was a chubby baby who grew up to have a marked tendency to gain weight.

Add to it the fact that I had an autoimmune disease that gradually destroyed my thyroid gland, and you have the perfect person for yo-yoing weight. The more I dieted, the more I craved food, especially carbs. I can, and do lose weight when I put serious effort into it. But the moment I stop dieting, it creeps up gradually and surely.

I have just two states, losing weight and gaining weight. There is no middle ground where I can just maintain my weight.

As an act of desperation, I have given up dieting, and weighing myself. If my clothes fell loose, I am happy that the weight is not going up. And if they feel tighter than usual, I know I am gaining a few pounds.

But I think at my age, I need to be concerned more with feeling well and remaining healthy rather than being my ideal weight. So I walk daily, keep my blood levels in range and avoid too much junk food.

One get only one life after all to enjoy!

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#SoCS

Stream Of Consciousnesses Saturday- Drive

Linda is the host of Stream Of Consciousnesses Saturday

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “drive.”Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

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“I prefer to drive instead of walking!”

This was how I thought for many years of my life. Walking was never one of my favorite activity. I would walk if I had to, but not by choice.

It all changed, when I had my first knee replaced. My doctor told me that for the surgery to be truly successful and beneficial, I had to walk at least a mile, twice daily.

I started walking, albeit reluctantly because I didn’t want another surgery. After 3 and a half years, I got my second knee replaced. By that time I had developed a healthy walking routine.
I’d walk 30 minutes early in the morning, and 30 minutes in the evening.

But my love for walking strengthened when I bought my first Fitbit. Fitbit is an exercise tracker and it records steps and other forms of exercise. It was the first time I wanted to walk, instead of driving. It gave me the incentive to walk 10 k steps daily and then some more.

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#SoCS