I don't do chaos. . . AND THE WELLNESS SPACE HAS BECOME SO USER UNFRIENDLY
Years ago when my boys were little and seemed to be everywhere all the time, I had several Mantras.
One was “Everything is an adventure” because it was. Believe me, even going to the grocery store with three little boys proved to be an entirely new experience each time. Another thing I said on a regular bases was “I just want peace”. I said that one so often that I have been gifted a fabulous outdoor lighted peace sigWen and a couple of really cool peace type Christmas ornaments.
In the most recent years I have added a new one - and this one I typically keep to myself as a personal reminder. I have repeatedly said, “ I don’t do chaos’”. To that end, I do all I can to keep the chaos out of my life, which also means out of my surroundings, my spaces, and mostly out of my mind. Keeping my head chaos free is where it gets tricky so this is a daily practice. That is a true confession.
This brings me to what I’ve been chewing on this week in the wellness space. If you pay any attention to this topic you know that lately it has been a whirlwind of new trends, advice, strong dos and don’t and SO MUCH NOISE. I feel like we need to put up a shield of armor to protect our selves from the constant information attacks from the media, the articles, the social media influencers and all of the online opinions. AND especially so many opinions from folks with NO credentials. . . just links. . . (there, I said it.)
Keeping our selves healthy and happy has become a battleground and made to sound like a full time job.
If you feel bombarded with instructions for a new supplement stack, new test you must take, ad to make you skinny, latest powder to add to your water, routine to add to your morning or night, I hear you. It had become far too complicated and I am ready for the pendulum to swing back to some normalcy and common sense.
And I am so sorry for any part or role I may have had in this chaos. Sometimes I cringe at what I may have suggested to my clients, or advice I may have provided that may have come across as a new “should” or dogmatic rule or anything I may have written about - especially in my early days on this blog - when I was younger and keeping my body physically healthier and stronger was not so complicated. I wasn’t taking into consideration all the changes in our bodies from age, hormones, menopause, and other variables that truly affect how our bodies react to training, nutrition and, just life in general. Sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. So I hope I never came across as sounding smug or like a voice yelling in your ear. And if I did I am giving you my heartfelt apology.
If all of the advice out there has you second guessing or re-evaluating every workout or meal, let’s back off and think rationally. If you are following anyone telling you something that sounds too good to be true, makes you feel like you’ll never get it right or is completely unrelatable to your season of life, those are not your people. This is your permission to let those folks go.
Your fitness and nutrition and your goals should not be (and definitely are not) that complicated. Let’s not do the chaos.
Lately, I have really dialed down on what I am doing, and I feel so much better! I do not work out every day of the week. I have two really good recovery days. And guess what? I do not hit 10,000 steps every day of the week. I do not weigh my food on a food scale and I do not track my macros like a detective trying to solve a cold case. I do not get on the scale on a Monday. I do not fill my fridge with pre-prepared meal prepped lunches and dinners every Sunday. IF you are interested in some non-chaotic things I do, then here you go.
I do:
Focus on consistency. I plan 3-4 strength workouts a week. Sometimes if I’m traveling for work these do not always go as planned, but as long as I am consistent over the long haul then I am not beating myself up. That being said,, when I do show up, I show up. I make sure when I am working out, I am WORKING. It is not easy, and at this age, we need to put in the reps, challenge ourselves and not waste time. It matters.
I walk as much as I can when I can. My goal is an afternoon walk with my dog as a segue way from work to home life. That helps me put my “legal work” to bed and get into my home routine. I park far away from the entrance when running errands. I try not to take the elevator. I use a standing desk. But, honestly, some days I sit waaay too much. I do not have a “set in stone” goal of 10,000 steps. If the weather is nice, if I don’t get stuck at my desk, if I can add in shorter walks throughout the day, then I can hit a larger number. I realistically look at 7-8,000 steps on a regular, daily basis, and walk more on the weekends.
I order groceries on Sunday. (This is a luxury I know, but in this season it saves me time and money and I’ve come to hate grocery shopping). I have a staple of healthy, simple meals that will get me through the week. I plan on 3-4 easy meals that are protein focused. I order basically the same thing when I need it and call it good. I try not to complicate things. BUT, I do try to add in one new, interesting recipe a week for fun. I do not cook like I used to when I had hungry boys at home, so I make simpler meals and do not complicate it.
Speaking of protein, because it seems like EVERYONE is speaking about protein. I aim for 25-30 grams a meal and that is my goal. That is it. Sometimes I eat breakfast and sometimes I chug a protein drink driving to work. Sometimes it is greek yogurt mixed with protein powder and blueberries. It is not an over complicated addition to an already busy morning. I have weighed and counted in the past so I think I have an idea of what and how much to eat. Currently, I am not prepared to do more than that. Yes, I want to be healthy and yes, I want muscles and the strength and also the fullness and satisfaction that I know comes with eating enough protein, but I do not want my day to be centered on my protein count or my diet. I have found that works best for me in this season. It keeps me from obsessing about food. If you know me, you know I love food. I love to eat. I love sharing food, the celebration of it and all the things, but I have been known to let “too much food thinking” get in the way of real life and health. So, let’s not add that chaos.
I am SO over all the wellness stacks and extra supplements and additions to the water, the additions to coffee, the “must trys” and the nightime drinks, gummies and whatever the younger “infuencer” is offering. Sorry, but, come on. How many products do we need to continue to purchase and continue to consume? I do not know about you, but I am exhausted trying to keep up. ( I also want to know where do we keep all of those things in our homes? ) I have tried so many extra supplements, been influenced to add others, and I am so happy to have narrowed it down to the important ones and I’ve found I do not miss the others. My pocketbook is much happier as well.
I do not have an hour long night time routine. I do go upstairs at a very reasonable time, usually 9 pm. I always wash my face and brush my teeth and mostly floss. Duh, my dad was a dentist. Sometimes I use a red light mask. Sometimes I do more. Sometimes I do some delicious stretches before crawling into bed. Always I read. This is something I look forward to and is the best part of the day! I have lights out at 10 pm. Boring I know, but it works because it takes me QUITE SOME time to actually fall asleep. And I’ve grown to crave, covet and love sleep! Who knew how glorious a good night of sleep was? I also have a morning routine. However, it does not begin at 5:00 am. I do give myself an hour in the mornings to begin the day, read and absolutely enjoy my first cup of coffee, with my beloved half and half - on an empty stomach, with no protein. Shocking, I know.
Sadly, I cannot discuss most current events with you, except in very general terms. I do not watch the news. I stopped watching the daily news in 2020 as it stole my joy. Now I consume the news in bits and pieces. Just what I need to know to not be a complete idiot, but I am also not afraid to say I do not know in a debate. I often as my sons their view on world events as they are more versed. I am also open to listening to others who do the actual reading and understanding. I know I cannot change what is happening around me so getting lost in the chaos does not serve me. That may sound very close-minded and I may come across as keeping my head in the sand, or as unintelligent. For me, in this current season, this is just another way to steer clear of chaos.
How do you protect yourself from the So Much Chaos? I want to know.
Do you also think the hype has gotten out of hand?
By the Way, I am considering MOVING TO SUBSTACK. (Unpaid of course!) Do you have thoughts on reading on Substack?
If you are still INTERESTED in receiving please follow me on SUBSTACK. FREE! I hope you will join me!
