Fitness Fellowship 2023: Week 20 Check-in

[sylvanwitch]

When my professional life is particularly stressful and/or busy, I try to visualize myself on the other side of the gauntlet and imagine what that will feel like. I ask myself questions like: What will you do with your time? How will you feel walking down the hall or in your classroom? How will you relate to other people? What will the quality of your sleep be like?

Mental exercises like this can help ease some of my anxiety from having too many socio-professional obligations in too short a span of time.

I'm pleased to report that I'm on the other side of the gauntlet (since Thursday evening, in fact) and am almost through the perseverating over conversations I had stage (I hate this stage; it's miserable). Other than anxiety dreams (the most recent one about spiders, no thank you), I think I'm recovering.

How about you, friends? How do you get yourself through stressful/busy/difficult periods in which you cannot avoid participating? (I consider this different than those stresses we choose, like, for me, going on vacation. With travel anxiety, any trip is fraught, but because I also *want* to have travel adventures, I can mostly manage the stress.) Do you find your fitness levels affected (negatively or positively) by stressful times? (Some of you may be the sort who exercise MORE when things are difficult, for example.)

Please feel in no way obligated to answer any of these ponderings. :-) I'm just curious how other people roll.

Please DO comment with your progress (or lack thereof) fitness-wise or otherwise, though, if you're so inclined.



Since I began at my current place of employment, I've always considered this past week "Hell Week" because it is one socio-professional obligation--often involving students' parents--after another. Because I have social anxiety (fairly mild, but it does kick up now and again), any week like this past one can be difficult. I will have trouble falling asleep, for example, my brain going over and over (and over and over) conversations I had with parents and graduates. It's exhausting, and sleep disruption triggers more anxiety, so it can be an ugly feedback loop.

This past week wasn't *so* bad--not as bad as I'd feared it might be--and I also made pretty good choices, food-wise. What I definitely did was make sure I got a LOT of exercise each day, which I think helped keep me on an even keel. The anxiety wasn't great, but it wasn't debilitating, and that's honestly a win for me.

I lost 1.8 pounds this past week (most of which I've gained back by splurging this weekend, but I am not worried about it). I also got in over 91000 steps and achieved several fitness badges for the week. I meditated once (yay!) and paid attention to my hydration. (Thanks oschun for the cordial recommendation: It's made water-drinking much more enjoyable.) I did the best I could with sleep, making sure to go to bed on time and sometimes taking melatonin to help me get much-needed rest when my brain just would NOT shut off.

The week ahead promises to be far less stressful (I hope). Yesterday, we went grocery shopping, and I bought lots of fresh fruits and veggies for the week. Today, I prepared blueberry compote to have for dessert over a little vanilla frozen oatmilk, and I also made vegan potato salad. I picked up a healthy chopped salad kit (some of the kits are surprisingly UNhealthy, particularly with regards to fat and sodium) to make for lunches, and I have apple slices and blueberries to take as well. Later, I'm going to make a big pot of Caribbean rice and beans (from a mix, but a healthy one) for the week, and I've been thinking about making air fryer banana slices as well. Good stuff!


I hope the week ahead is good one for you, friends.

Comments

[ljm]

Oh dear, spider dreams sound very unpleasant! At least it sounds like that period of stress is over now.

Your meal plans sound delicious! I'm curious to know how the air fryer banana slices go.

Exercise wise, it's been more of the same for me. Walks and alibi exercises on days when I don't walk.

I started my new job last week, and it's surprisingly...fine? I went into it assuming it would be awful, being a minimum wage customer service job, but my co-workers and supervisors are all very nice and I'm learning the computer programs quickly.

[sylvanwitch]

I’m so glad your new job is working out for you—that’s awesome! And go, you, for sticking to your exercise plan in the midst of such a big change in your life.

I will let you know about the air fryer bananas; I ran out of steam yesterday, it I plan to try them soon.

[cornerofmadness]

My ways of handling stress are starting to fail me so I am not one to answer (though talking to friends helps)

I am getting more and more travel anxiety and I wish I knew where it was coming from

[sylvanwitch]

I feel like the older I get the more new things arise that cause me anxiety. That said, I didn’t know what travel anxiety was when I started experiencing it in my early twenties, but once I figured out what panic attacks were and what was causing them (in that instance), it helped me figure out coping mechanisms. For me, one thing that helps is just accepting that I am going to be anxious for a while at the start of a trip and then mitigating the symptoms ( e.g. insomnia, tummy issues), so I can get on track as soon as possible. It sucks, for sure, though. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.

[cornerofmadness]

Same here literally I could have written what you just did. My biggest problem is sometimes it causes paralysis and I sit and do nothing and then make an actual problem. Did not help today to be told just deal with it

[luzula]

and am almost through the perseverating over conversations I had stage (I hate this stage; it's miserable)
I did not know this word (perseverate)! And yet I know intimately what you are talking about--unfortunately I do this too: when I have had (or anticipate having) conversations that are stressful/conflict-filled, they run over and over in my head at night so that I can't sleep. For me it most often involves interactions with people my environmental organization (most of my interactions there are good or neutral! It's just the ones that are not...). Mostly I just have to let this run its course, while trying to keep up good habits and also talking with friends. It can help to get up at night for half an hour and read, to get my mind into a different track.

Last week's goals:
- Do not do things related to my environmental organization (or to work) after 9 pm, or 8 pm if I can.
Yes.
- Turn off computer at 10 pm every day.
Sometimes kept it on until 10.15 or so, but mostly fine.
- Go to bed and turn out the light at 11 pm every day.
Same here, sometimes read until 11.15 or so.
- Go running three times.
Yes! And took walks on other days.
- Do workouts (OR do sustained physical work such as sawing/chopping wood) on six days.
Did workouts on three days and physical work on two days.

Goals for this week:
- Do not do things related to my environmental organization (or to work) after 9 pm, or 8 pm if I can.
- Turn off computer at 10 pm every day.
- Go to bed and turn out the light at 11 pm every day.
- Go running twice.
- Do workouts (OR do sustained physical work such as sawing/chopping wood) on three days.

I will be traveling Thursday-Sunday, thus less running/working out.

[sylvanwitch]

I learned perseverating in a meeting when a parent used it in relation to her child, my student. I looked it up after the meeting and recognized something that sometimes happens to me, too. I always find it helps to know I’m not alone—a message I was quick to share with the student in question.

I’m trying to be better about sharing my experiences for that very reason. Often, I tell myself I don’t want to rain on other people’s lives or be the dark cloud, but I am coming to understand that there is value for both parties when I do share. In this case, I feel better knowing you also have some of the same experiences, though I wouldn’t wish the feelings on you, of course, and I hope it helps you, too, to know you’re not alone in replaying those interactions.

It sounds like you are doing really well on your weekly goals! I hope you have safe and enjoyable travels later this week!

[oschun]

Yes, mentally projecting into a future that doesn't include the current stressors is something I do too. I also console myself with the image of just needing to 'tread water' and nothing more than that, just existing in the stressful moment and not attempting to change anything or swim in any particular direction. I find that idea soothing, especially when I feel like I have no agency or control over the things that are causing me stress. Other things are: nature and walking (even in the rain and cold); rereading my favourite romantically smutty fanfics; listening to slightly anarchic music and dancing around the house like a whirling dervish; doing pilates, yoga or callanetics.

[sylvanwitch]

My version of treading water is to think of myself as a patient beast of burden keeping my head down and just going through the work one step at a time. Often, in my head, I imagine I’m a yoked bull just bulling through. ;-)

I like the treading water image too, though. It gives a nice sense of the physical toll that kind of labor of waiting can take on you.

I also highly approve of your comforts! I, too, will reread smutty comfort fics and go for nature walks. I will have to try the dancing! When I’m in a particularly lighthearted mood (which is rare), I’ll sometimes bop around the house, but I think putting on metal and just head banging around the house might help a lot! I will let you know if I try it!