As I’ve mentioned recently, I’m struggling with how my blood pressure medicine affects my food choices. I’ve put on 10 lbs since I started the medicine last August though it feels like a 50/50 split between muscle mass and fluff thanks to my strength training. All I know is that I feel the fluff and I feel frustrated. The good news is that my blood pressure averages 110/68.
Part of the issue is also perimenopause. While I’m a 55-year-old woman who has gone through perimenopause with only a few symptoms, I see menopause on the horizon and I feel it in my body. And let’s add in another round of COVID in January. I finally have 2 weeks of no viruses thanks to an immunity supplement and probiotic.
The last part of my current stress is the choices I made that are not in alignment with the priorities I set for myself in my Annual Review. To rework St. Paul’s words, all choices are good, though not all choices are good for me. I saw myself at home, cooking, baking, gardening, doing stuff with my kids and my husband, and tackling house projects. Instead, I spend a lot of time outside my home volunteering and running around. The end result -> I feel disconnected from my family, my dogs, and my home.
Today, I started a 30-day reset for myself, focusing on food, fitness, and self-care. My goal is to be able to wear the dress above which I purchased last fall. When I shared with my sister-in-law that I needed an incentive for the 30 days and that didn’t mean buying stuff or getting ready for a race, she suggested using a piece of clothing as my incentive. Truth is, I’ve never worn the dress. Right now it’s a wasted purchase that I can turn into my prize for focusing on self-care for 30 days.
My Plan
Running: 5 – 6 days/week increasing mileage from 4 miles daily. 1 – 2 miles walking.
Strength Training: Using my daily list, do 5 sets of 5 reps. Some exercises can be more.
Keto Diet: Track my eating in My Fitness Pal to ensure I stick to 50 grams of carbs and 100 grams of protein.
Self-care: Prayer time, pedicure, and taking care of my skin.
Relationships: Make family and couple time a priority.
One side note: I’ve been using the concept of spreading my running mileage out over the day. I don’t do this every day, just on the days when I need to juggle running with a busy schedule. Sometimes, I use this technique to push my mile pace while on the treadmill. I have found that my body recovers better, and my pace has been improving. I’m not sure if it’s helping my endurance, though I think the continuous activity with time for mini-recovery in between runs might help endurance.
2 dogs and a house 