Reflecting on 2025
My reflections on my health habits this year
I thought I would write this month’s article discussing some of the tweaks I’ve been making to my diet and lifestyle over the past year. This article is for information and interest only and is neither advice nor instruction.
Having suffered with SI joint pain (very lower back area) on and off for the past few years, likely the result of years of gymnastics as a child, I decided to change an element of my regular exercise to see if that would help to reduce it. Having started jogging twice a week a few years ago, I experimented with switching that up for some low impact high intensity interval training (HIIT) instead. Thankfully the switch seems to be having a positive impact on my pain, which is now markedly improved. I'm also enjoying the change of activity, though sadly missing the weekly catch up with friends! As these sessions are relatively short, I’m also managing to spend some time in the sauna afterwards. I’ve come across lots of information on podcasts and books suggesting that regular saunas can be very helpful for our longer-term health, so I hope my future self will be pleased that I’m building this habit now! Plus, I love the feeling of warmth during these cold winter months.
Although I’ve been a regular gym user for many years, I realised I wasn’t keeping track of my weight-training sessions. This meant that I'd regularly perform one or two sets of a movement at a weight that was usually too light. The simple act of taking a notebook and pen around the gym now means that I record the weights, reps and sets for each exercise. My workouts have subsequently become more time efficient and effective, because I start each set with the appropriately challenging resistance. I’ve also been able to see some significant progress because I've written it down. I heard a quote that says 'what we measure gets better' (apologies, source unknown to me) and it certainly seems to have been the case in this instance.
This year I've been learning about the various health and well-being benefits of spending time in natural daylight. As a result, I'm trying to modify a few behaviours to maximise this benefit. I try to step outside as soon as it’s daylight, which is often a while after waking up in the winter months. However, when I realise that the sun has come up, I try to take my cup of tea in the garden, even just for a few minutes. The light exposure to my eyes may be supportive of my sleep/wake cycle (or circadian rhythm), and I also hope to gain from the wider health benefits of the full spectrum light we get from the sun. As we can't always expect to see the sun in our UK winter, I've invested in some full spectrum lightbulbs which mimic natural daylight. These are adjustable to mimic the dimmer evening light too, and I’m hoping these tweaks will support not only my sleep but my overall health as well.
During the summer, I was finding myself giving in to cravings for chocolate bars and chocolate covered ice cream bars. I do have a sweet tooth and love a bar of chocolate, however, a meditation session during a soundbath has helped me to curb my cravings for chocolate. In fact, for the last four months, I haven’t eaten a chocolate bar. Not only do I think this is helping my blood sugar levels, but I've noticed my energy levels becoming more stable. I don’t know for how long I will be able to avoid eating chocolate bars, especially with all the festive treats in the house, but I’m pleased that I’ve at least had a bit of a break from it! Right, off to drink a cuppa in the morning daylight!
I'm back from my brief outdoor coffee break and into my final reflection! I’ve been getting some inspiration from a couple of Instagram accounts that share ideas for stretches and mobility exercises. As I've mentioned here in the past, I like to spend lots of the evening sitting on the floor because it prompts me to change position regularly, so I've started incorporating some of these new movements and stretches. I also try to integrate mobility work into those times when I’m already being active, such as whilst picking up tennis balls from the floor during my weekly tennis lesson, or walking amongst the trees!
If you’re looking to make a tweak to your exercise routine in the New Year, you may want to consider joining a regular weekly Pilates class. All adults are welcome in my warm and welcoming groups, from beginners and beyond. Booking is required in all groups, the new term will begin on 7th January, and you can book in now! All class details are here.
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