The Weekly Journal: Building the blocks of a new changed lifestyle

Another Friday and another week working from home, and I am beginning to  build a new changed lifestyle and accept the changes as better than the old routine.  This certainly was a week of adjustments where my health is concerned, and it is better to just accept them than to fight them.

But first, we had a little Memorial Day fun with our grandchildren and adult children.  It was completely unplanned and so much fun.  The little cousins are beginning to play so well together.  We enjoyed them and dodged a couple of big hail and wind storms, so all in all a great week.

A NEW MEMBER TO THE FAMILY

Shopping treadmills on over 50 feeling 40

No, I am not announcing babies!  When the gym was no longer an option for my exercise, Mr. B and I began to shop treadmills and exercise machines.  Memorial Day had great sales on these items, but a representative at Dick’s Sporting Goods told us we would need to get in line because at- home exercise equipment was in high demand.  It was Mr. B that found the Bowflex Treadclimber TC 100.

Bowflex Treadclimber on over 50 feeling 40

We watched the videos and read the comments…decided to rework my office for the location of the machine…and reworked some budget.  Then, we took the plunge.  It is a pretty intense low-impact machine.  I could easily do an hour on the treadmill at the gym…as of this writing, I have only made it through 18 minutes on this one.  My husband is an accomplished runner (with knee issues), and he easily is able to do 30 minutes. (Click on the picture below here for more product information)

 But it takes your heart rate up quickly and you can feel it immediately in all of the right places.  We were drawn to it because it is easy on the joints.  I am only one week into doing this, so I will report back.  But, at least I am on my way to a new, healthier me!  Now, I can use it whenever I desire, and I do not have to be at the gym at 5 am. 

We did choose not to pay to have it assembled and my oldest son was needed to help my husband.  Yep, we got it up the stairs and assembled and it works great!  I actually like the way we re-did my office, so everything is good with this addition so far.

 ANOTHER NEW MOVE TOWARD HEALTH IMPROVEMENT

SunBasket Delivery on over 50 feeling 40

This was our first week to go from “supporting the local restaurants” (which we did too often) to testing a meal delivery service.  As of this writing, we have only had one meal from Sun Basket, but it was delicious and very easy to make.  I will report back to you after we have tried this a little longer and let you know what I think. We are choosing selections from the Mediterranean Diet plan.  They have so many healthy options and ways to select food.  We have never done a delivery service before…so I will let you know.  However, Mr. B thought his seared salmon and vegetables was “exceptional.”

Sun Bsket Ingredients on Over 50 Feeling 40

 

A PHRASE I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER SAY

Great Value Salsa on Over 50 Feeling 40

 In Texas, we take salsa very seriously and many make their own to get it just right.  A bad salsa could be the one reason you don’t return to a certain restaurant….it is that important.  So, I never would’ve seen me ever saying these words, “You know that canned salsa was really good!”

The first week of the quarantine when everyone was clearing the grocery store shelves and planning for a serious food insecurity issue, we went on a Walmart run to see if they had items  no longer available at my favorite grocery, HEB.  The leftovers were grim, and we had no idea how long we needed to live with the little we could find.  All the salsa was gone, except for this canned variety.  So, I turned to Mr. B and said, “Let’s try it.”  We only bought two cans.  We used it on chips, chicken, and in eggs and it was really good.  Total surprise.

Has anyone else been surprised by something you were forced by the quarantine to use that you had not previously used?  Please share!

BUT I LOVE THAT WINDOW!

About three years ago, I needed to do some minor surgery on a couple of suspect spots.  Thank goodness all was well and benign, but now I have regular checks with the dermatologist.  My check-up was this week, and one little pre-cancerous spot had to be zapped, but everything else was good.  Except for the fact that she was not happy my new at home office desk is in front of a window…which I love!  I love to see out the window.  She reminded me that I need sunscreen on every time I work in front of the window…or better yet, move the desk.  I am opting for the careful attention to sunscreen.

Hope you do that as well…pay attention to wearing your sunscreen!

 ANOTHER RETAIL UPDATE

 I know we have a lot of Chico’s fans and shoppers here, so I wanted to share with you this update on the boutique openings.  I am hoping to get by one this weekend…we will see.  

The most important errand this weekend…is to finally get my hair done tomorrow morning!  I know I am a bit whiny over this

 

Hair at the time of COVID-19 on Over 50 Feeling 40,

Tomorrow is Would You Wear It with both me and Jennifer, and I have some fun posts planned for next week as I can return to photos once again.  I hope you will enjoy the Fabulous Finds slideshow today and remember that any purchases on the sites of these brands will help support the blog.

Has anyone else decided to embrace life changes which have occurred through this unique time of our lives? Please share!

KEEP SMILING!

JUST A NOTE:

Pamela Lutrell for Goli GummiesThere are several ways that I generate income through this blog in order to cover business expenses and give myself much needed income.  Purchases through the slideshow links is one way, ads on the page is one way and a new way is through ordering or re-ordering the GOLI Apple Cider Vinegar gummies through me with my GOLI LINK HERE.  Again, if you are not familiar with the benefits of apple cider vinegar, you should speak with your personal physician.  My husband and I are sold on the benefits and I am proud to represent this product.  I am going to leave this at the bottom of my posts so that when you, friends or family would like to order you can use my link.  Thanks for the support.  This is a great product.

By Pamela Lutrell

Disclaimer:  There are affiliate links on the page which generate income for this blog.

16 Comments

  1. What a great idea to bring the gym to the house! One of the best things about the machines is that you can fit them into your schedule, like you said, not having to “be” somewhere at a certain hour! I’m glad you keep stressing the importance of the dermatologist visits. Mine is coming up in a few weeks, they had cancelled the first appointment I had due to only taking emergencies for a few months. I go every year because of all my sun exposure when I was younger, not to mention what I still get working out in the gardens so much in the warm weather! I know I’ll get a reprimand when I go because I was invited to go with my son and his family to the beach next week and I’m sure not passing that opportunity by! While I will be using sunscreen, I intend to enjoy walking in the surf for my morning and evening exercise, and with the three older grandsons, this trip is going to include water and sun time! Your little ones are growing up, but still little enough to enjoy the special times that come with that age. The relationships we foster with them as little ones carry over as the years go by. They keep us young….and active!! Enjoy your hair appointment – you are going to feel wonderful when you emerge!

  2. Happy Friday, Karen! I had to do something like purchase the machine. It is just too easy to stop altogether working out, but that would be deadly…it is a challenging machine, but my goal is to conquer it!
    Thanks for being here…

  3. My treadmill is in the garage and it’s time to bring it into the house! It’s gotten too hot to do much outside and the “corona ten“ pounds is inching upwards.

  4. That’s why we did this, Jennifer. Heat and allergies make outside difficult!

  5. You should take the jump and go natural with your hair. It would be a pretty color, but I know it’s a personal decision. I just know I’m loving my hair and I’m not looking back.

  6. Living in a very small rural community where there is no gym, we’ve always had our exercise equipment at home. I’m sure you’ll find that you enjoy it as it’s so easy to fit exercise into your schedule this way. We’ve maintained our exercise routines and diet throughout the Covid shutdown, but I’ve made minor changes such as making my own pancake mix and biscuits from scratch because the mixes have disappeared from the grocery store shelves. Not sure why I wasn’t doing these things all along, but I guess the mixes were easier and quicker back in the days when I was working and raising a family. I doubt I’ll go back to using them when this is over though.

  7. Homemade biscuits are amazing! I bet yours are super good, Elaine. Thanks for sharing.

  8. One of our major changes: meal planning with “catch as catch can” creativity. DH has Celiacs so it’s even more creative, TeeHee. I’ve been enjoying it personally.

    And! a tinned apple pie filling surprise. Applesauce & even fresh apples had become scarce. Market Basket’s house brand is quite good as a topping, in apple-raisin muffins & mini pies. Their boudin is excellent, too.

  9. I hadn’t washed and styled my own hair in over 20 years. After 8 weeks practice I am beginning to enjoy having some control over my hair. I just bought the relatively new brush/dryer combo that is on the market, and what a game changer that is! It really smooths and straightens. I intend to continue doing my own hair with occasional visits to salon for cuts. Would never have made this change without the lockdown situation.

  10. It did show many of us there are things we can do ourselves! I agree with that. Thanks Meg!

  11. I bet you’re going to love having that exercise equipment at home! Congrats on that, and enjoy your long-awaited hair appointment tomorrow.
    Since the quarantine coincided in our case with the youngest bird leaving our nest and us selling and now preparing to move back into our old home in town, I have been attempting to use up a lot of our pantry items so we won’t have to move them in a few weeks. I sent all kinds of kitchenware and food staples with my son for his new place, and found I was really enjoying having drawers and shelves with just one of everything. Same for the canned and boxed foods. I’ve been buying pretty exclusively fresh produce now, no pre-packaged anything, and make my menus from what I’ve found that was fresh and in season rather than planning first and going the other way around. I definitely plan to keep to this new method, and it better suits us now that I’m largely just cooking for the two of us.

  12. I also need to simplify! It will take time I haven’t had but I look forward to it. Thanks for sharing, Connie!

  13. I’m letting my grey grow out!! I was whining (maybe on this blog) about how dark my hair is now. I’ve always been blonde, but it’s a very dark taupe/grey now with plenty of silver. And now it’s grown out enough that I can see it as a “whole”, I absolutely love it! It doesn’t look like “old lady” hair at all, but a sophisticated highlight job. I’m lucky to have thick glossy hair with a strong natural wave & it’s longer now than I’ve worn in a while & has all these elegant swoops & dips, each highlighted by swaths of silver. I never thought I’d see the day! My husband admitted he not only likes it, he also enjoys that when we’re out together he’s the guy with the woman on his arm the other guys are looking at twice. I don’t know if my enjoyment will last. The novelty may wear off in a few more weeks & I’ll be blonde again, but for the time being I’m thoroughly enjoying the change 🙂

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