Healthy Life: January 2026

 

What? H.A. is bringing back the Healthy Life posts? You bet your ass I am.

The last time I posted one of these suckers was in March of 2024. I was making some effort at that time, but looking back, it was weak at best. Still, I shouldn't beat my past self up too much...I was trying.

At the beginning of the year, I made a post and discussed resolutions. One of those resolutions was to take my health more seriously. I realized that the discipline and consistency I apply to my financial health should also be applied to my physical health.

The first weekend of the month, I went hiking with my daughter both days. On Sunday evening, I said to myself, "H.A., that's it. You're going to start walking every day at work...just like you used to." When Monday rolled around, I did just that. And on Tuesday, Wednesday, and the rest of the week. There's a particularly steep hill right outside my building, and I was huffing and puffing pretty hard by the time I reached the top on Monday. Friday? Not as bad. 

I started sticking to a low-carb diet with a few exceptions. For example, one of my favorite meals is a kale-roasted sweet potato-chickpea bowl with a tahini-maple dressing. While not exactly low-carb, it is a healthy meal, so I substituted the chickpeas with actual chicken and made sure to eat a recommended portion.  Another example: I was gifted a box of deluxe chocolates from a co-worker, so I allowed myself one of those each afternoon, as a treat (okay, sometimes I eat two). While eating better, I also started being more conscious of how much food I was eating and began eating my food more slowly. This allowed me to notice the signs of being full or satisfied instead of gobbling everything down, then feeling bloated the rest of the day.

After killing an entire bottle of wine on the 6th, I seriously considered giving alcohol a break for a little while. Ultimately, I realized that I didn't want to completely give up alcohol, but, much like my food consumption, I needed to take control of the reins. I was gifted an expensive, high-quality bottle of brandy for Christmas, so instead of binge-drinking hard seltzers every Friday and Saturday night, I started sipping a double shot of the brandy while drinking four plain old seltzer waters over a three- or four-hour period. I get the mellowest of buzzes to satisfy me, then get a good night's sleep, and be able to get up on weekend mornings refreshed and ready to hike.

I was scrolling through YouTube (my only subscription) one day, and a recommended video caught my eye. The video chronicled a 50-something year old woman who made a pact with her 80-year old parents to start weight training. I had never understood the benefits of weight training before, and this video opened my eyes. So, I bought a simple set of adjustable weights.

They are adjustable from 2 to 5 lbs and have good reviews. Since I'm not about to spend money on a gym membership, I found plenty of videos (on YouTube, of course) on weight training for women in their 50s (me) using hand weights. I started on the lowest weight (2 lbs) and would do a 10-minute workout on Wednesday evenings and either Saturday or Sunday morning, depending on my schedule. After my third weight workout, I bumped up from 2 lbs to 3lbs, and started doing the workout every other night.

On days when I didn't have time to get outside for a workout - which was rare, but did happen a couple of times - I would spend at least 30 minutes on my walking pad. Thank god. I bought that walking pad over a year ago and then promptly never used it. So, I'm thankful now that it wasn't a waste of money.

Two weeks into jumping back on the wagon, I finally weighed myself. Long-neglected, my digital scale was dead when I pulled it out and dusted it off. I went for my rechargeable batteries, only to discover that they were also dead and needed to be charged. In my mind, the universe was saying, "Don't weigh yourself." I'm nothing if not stubborn, so the next day I was able to weigh myself. Seeing my weight was a mixed bag. On the one hand, it was more than I hoped, but on the other, it was less than I feared. Having said all that, I won't be stepping on the scale again anytime soon. I know where I am and where I need to be, so I'll wait until it's obvious I've lost weight.

It's been a month now since I woke up with renewed vigor and hope, and with a determination to get back in shape. So...how are things 30 days in? Great, actually. My clothes are getting bigger, I have more energy, and the biggest improvement of all? I have been sleeping well for a month now! I have spent years either having a hard time falling asleep or a hard time staying asleep, which means I averaged 5-6 hours a night and forget about sleeping in on the weekends. I'm happy to report that I can now do just that. 

Now, it's time to finish this coffee, prep some food for the week, and hit the trails for the beautiful day ahead. I'll be back in a few months with another update. Until then, enjoy the rest of your weekend!