Bienvenidos to my wellness journey 2021, friends. Today’s post is the first installment of my monthly journey toward achieving improved health and wellness. For 3 years, I have journaled about my wellness goals here. And doing so has helped keep me more accountable. Last year at this time I was feeling very hopeful after coming off a healthy but hectic 2019. But as you can see by my year-end update, I struggled to find the will to exercise and eat well. Lost interest in doing some of my favorite things.
We have no guarantees that 2021 is going to be much better as far as the virus goes. This article “CDC: New COVID Strain May Dominate U.S. by March” on WebMD.com forecasts more of the same.
Jan. 15, 2021 — The CDC is urging Americans to double down on precautions to thwart the spread of the coronavirus, as the new B.1.1.7 “super strain” takes hold in the U.S.
New CDC modeling shows the new strain could cause more than half of new infections in this country by March, even as the U.S. races to deploy vaccines.
An exhausting thought. But I am tired of letting this virus impose itself on my life, my health. So, I am turning a new leaf with this shiny new year. And I hope you will join me. Healthier, happier days are ahead.
My WELLNESS Journey 2021
Again this year, I was torn between creating goals built on the work I’ve done in the past and just counting the number of walks I take, the points I eat, the books I read. Like I said above, I’ve found that sharing my wellness goals here makes me more accountable. And might even – hopefully – inspire you to create your own! You can see how I fared overall on last year’s goals, here.
So, I am sticking with the way I’ve been doing things in the past. That being said, here are my goals.
WELLNESS GOALS 2020
The goals I set for myself the last 3 years have been pretty well all encompassing; goals for exercising, diet, staying well in addition to mental, spiritual and relationship wellness. I did so well in 2019 I really don’t feel like shaking things up too much for 2020. But 2020 was kind of a vacuum. So at the risk of being redundant, here are wellness goals for this year. And as in year past, I will be rating my progress on a scale of 1-5.
PHYSICAL HEALTH
- Lose Covid lockdown weight: about 8 pounds depending on how much I have indulged before weigh-in on Saturday mornings. For the record, yesterday I was 143.8. At 136 pounds, my clothes fit so much better.
- Workout 4 times a week: we have our video workouts, and our mini-gym in the garage, and warmer weather on the way. I have put together this playlist of video workouts that I have discovered for seniors and fitness beginners. Grateful to PC for putting together my new treadmill.
- Walk everyday: video walks in the house for bad weather days, walks in nature when the weather is pleasant.
NUTRITIONAL HEALTH
- Cook meals at home 4x a week: want to do this and track my Weight Watcher points until I get this extra weight off. Continue subscribing to HelloFresh and enjoying their low calorie meals. This is Bulgogi Lime Pork Tenderloin with a Roasted Sweet Potato & Bell Pepper Jumble.
- Smoothies: in the mornings. Need some new ingredient ideas to spice things up.
- Alcohol and sweets on weekends: going to be more careful about this again.
SPIRITUAL HEALTH
- Quiet time: at least M-F, getting up early to do it first thing.
- Bible journaling: a couple of times a month.
- Gratitude journaling: every night.
MENTAL HEALTH
- Duolingo: food for my brain.
- Weekly artistic activity – #100DayProject: we choose a creative project, do it every day for 100 days, and share your process online – so going to work on my ever-lovin’ mosaic. And continue scrapbooking, painting, collages.
- Goodreads goal: Meet or exceed my reading goal for 2021.
RELATIONSHIP HEALTH
- Visit family: want to visit Brennyn, Cady and Mustafa desperately; go see my mom and PC’s mom.
- Planned activities with PC: plan purposeful activities and not let weekends come and go without having fun. Here’s one place my bucket lists come in handy. Winter bucket list update coming on 02.21.2021.
- Strengthen relationships with grandbabies: especially need to show love and spend time with Cady on Facetime or phone calls.
PREVENTATIVE HEALTH MAINTENANCE
- Monday manis: give myself a manicure every Monday.
- Skin care: sunscreen, bedtime complexion routine, occasional facials.
- Routine health care: make appointments for routine checks – dentist, dermatology, mammogram, vision.
FINANCIAL HEALTH
- Continue saving each month: saving a little each month.
- Save for Christmas, Disney and birthdays: investigate Christmas Club and Vacation Club accounts as well as ways to save for Disney.
- Watch spending: don’t pull the trigger on impulsive purchases.
If these goals look familiar, they might just be!! They are about the same goals I have been working on over the past 3 years. Practice makes perfect, right?
Your Turn
Did you make any wellness goals for the year? Won’t you share them with me in a comment below? Maybe we can inspire one another toward a healthier 2021. Hope you will follow me on my wellness journey 2021.
Stay well, my friends. Thanks for coming by to visit.
Fist bumps and elbow taps,
Joanne
I’m still struggling to drop those pounds I gained after my surgery and throughout the holidays. Tracking points and exercise are my only goals right now and I’m going to be brutally honest and say it’s not going well… I have little motivation to work out when it’s so darn cold out and I have to rely on indoor exercises. I also have been relying way to much on comfort foods and chocolate for little mood boosters.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I hear you. We are in the same boat! I get nervous or stressed or worried, and in goes the chocolate or a handful of chips. We are doing a little better with the exercise lately. You might try walking vides. They have helped us when we haven’t wanted to do anything. Those and Hasfit videos. Check them out on YouTube. Maybe they will help us both over the hump.
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
I know, this Covid stuff can really depress you and I try to really limit how much I watch the news or think about it lately. And, I am excited for some warmer weather with more options of stuff to do outside in March (February is still so cold here!). Brian landed up getting so side effects from his 2nd vaccine almost 2 days after, but they weren’t as bad as they were from the first vaccine. I hope your girls and their spouses did ok with their second round! We are still waiting for my dad to get a vaccine. Missouri apparently is the slowest state to rollout vaccines, which is a bummer! I have been enjoying our Hello Fresh meals still, even though I feel they are a little more work than what I usually prepare for dinner on my own! Ha! I try to prep the meal in the morning, such as dicing up the vegetables, etc. and making any special sauces and then it isn’t as bad to prepare it in the evening when it is busy. I hope you are doing well! 🙂
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I love the HelloFresh meals because they are different from what I normally prepare. But I do get a little nervous about fixing them because I generally don’t cook with a recipe. I am always afraid I will ‘mess up’ the HelloFresh. But haven’t yet!!
So sorry that Brian had a reaction to the second vaccine. I get my first one on Sunday. I am a little nervous. Hopefully it will be okay. I know the apartment complex my mom lives in as complexes in Illinois and they haven’t gotten their vaccines yet. But my mom just got her second one. Thankful that she did and didn’t have any trouble.
It has been beautiful here this week. I am ready for spring.
Juhli
You have a great attitude – and what would be an overwhelming list of goals for me. I’ve seen you stay with them and get them done before so I’m confident you will this time.
I too believe that there won’t be much change in the pandemic situation for sure the first 6 months of this year and perhaps longer. The vaccine will eventually help us all though.
Just wondering – do you really want to do that mosaic? It keeps popping up!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Ha ha!! You know me so well. You know, I really had decided I didn’t care if I did do the silly mosaic. Then I got it out. And realized how much I have done. It doesn’t lack that much of being finished. I can do this. And then I want to make it a table for the patio. So I am at it again. Making good strides. And feeling more encouraged about it again.
Thank you for the kind support. I appreciate you cheering me on. I think I was so hopeful that 2021 would begin and the world would be a kinder, healthier place. Our new president is making positive changes but I guess he can’t make the pandemic go away in his first months in office. I am registered to get my vaccine on Sunday. I will feel a sense of relief once I do.
Michelle
These are all worthy goals, Leslie. My health goals are more in line with health checkups. I will be getting my first colonoscopy. No issues, just routine precaution. And I’ll be getting my heart checked out. Again no problems, but my dad, grandfather, and great grandfather all developed heart disease in their 50s. (I’m 57.) My dad died of heart attack at 65. My grandfather, who was very proactive in regard to his heart condition lived to be 93. I’d prefer to be like him rather than my father in this regard.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Absolutely agree, please be proactive when it comes to your heart and everything else. My father and paternal grandmother both had congestive heart failure. My grandfathers both died of massive heart attacks. So it runs in my family, too. But my mom, God love her, is almost 94 and still going strong.
HelenG
Australia has been very lucky with the number of COVID cases we have experienced but that could so easily change. This knowledge is like a dark cloud constantly looming. To help me cope with this my 2021 goals are very similar to yours. I have also included a goal to wear more lipstick! This may seem shallow and insignificant but I really find that as soon as I put on my lipstick I feel more motivated to achieve all of my goals. Maybe it’s a case of makeup as armour but it works for me. Have a great week 😀
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I love that tip!! Putting on your lipstick. With all the mask wearing, I have been kind of like…what’s the point. But lipstick can really brighten our faces and give us an instant pick-me-up. Not insignificant at all. Your description of Covid as a looming dark cloud is spot on. It feels as if it is always about to storm. Thank you for coming by and leaving such a thoughtful comment.
jodie filogomo
You are great at writing down your goals…so impressive Leslie.
We have been making smoothies every morning. I have a couple of favorite that I can share with you if you want (email me Jtouchofsytle@gmail.com) or we also use Revive for the days we are too lazy to make them. (I can send you a discount if you want to try them out).
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I will shoot you an email. Paul is starting to make a face about our morning smoothies and I hate for us to give them up. They are so good for us. I don’t know anything about Revive. Will check it out. Thank you!
Donna Connolly
Hi, Leslie – I greatly admire your positive attitude and your wellness goals. I am also a smoothy fan and am always trying to try new ingredients in them. Here are some suggestions that I found fun. https://laradalch.com/2015/06/spice-up-your-smoothie/
Happy smoothy making!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, Donna, thank you for that link. I am anxious to give some of these variations a go. Tahini…have heard of it but never tried it. I love all nut/seed butters. That would be fabulous. And cardamom and dates?? I have both in the pantry. Yay yay yay!! Tomorrow’s smoothie is going to be more exciting! Thank you so much.
Erica/Erika
I love everything about improving health and wellness, Leslie. Always a work in progress. Your word “accountable” resonates with me. I find it makes a significant difference to stay accountable with our goals. Another great point, Leslie, “inspire.” I do find I glean inspiration from reading other people’s goals and struggles along the way. You remind me, why mess with something that is working. I will research your word “Duolingo.” Thank you for sharing a positive post with many gems. We will make 2021 good despite some of the challenges.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I am on a 33 day streak doing my Spanish language practice with Duolingo. Good stuff!! Hope you do check it out.
I appreciate what you said about gleaning inspiration not only from other’s successes but from their struggles. Helps us to feel more human and like we are all in this together. And not the only one who sometimes has a bad day or doesn’t realize their goals.
Thank you for visiting. You always bring a smile to my face with your kind words.
Dara
Oh gosh the new strains are scary. I hope the vaccines will combat that! I need to lose 10 pounds and I started working on it last week by going back on my super strict diet. It is hard! But I’ve lost about 4 pounds so far! I’m cheering for you!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Really, this virus is like a bad nightmare that we can’t wake up from. So sick to death of this!! Grrrr.
I am so proud of you to have lost 4 pounds your first week back on the diet. I have done pretty well this week.
Hope it will show when I weigh in on Saturday. Yay us!!
Natalie
Leslie, So glad you continue with a Wellness plan for 2021. Me too. We can inspire one another toward a healthier 2021. I merged the monthly Wellness link up with the weekly Weekend Coffee Share link up this year. Why don’t you join me and link up this post this coming weekend February 5-7? I did my January wrap-up post, including Health, and posted it last week. I also have a guest post coming up on February 8 about Quick ideas for finding calm. Hope to “see” you at the link up any week.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, Natalie, for coming by and cheering me on. I will start adding my wellness posts to your Coffee Share link up. Thanks for the invite. Looking forward to your quick ideas for finding calm. We can all use more serenity and peace in our lives.
kirstin troyer
These are awesome. I love making smoothies. A few of my faves are Vanilla protein powder (I use ARbonne, my daughter is a consultant and I like it), almond milk, blueberries, spinach, and a few drops of lemon essential oil…reminds me of a lemon blueberry muffin. I also like chocolate protein powder, spinach, almond milk, and then add some peppermint essential oil. Or I do chocolate, banana, peanut butter/almond butter combo. All with almond milk and ice. I did an apple pie one too that was so good. Vanilla PP, an apple, then sprinkle apple pie spice till I liked the flavor. They have a new coffee flavor PP so I’ve been doing that with a little peppermint EO. We set money aside each month for Christmas and birthdays. Since we’ve been married we have followed Larry Burkett and recently Dave Ramsey.
Love all your goals. I’ve also been working on skincare
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Yay!! So glad for your smoothie recipes. I was using Shakeology protein powder but heavens, it is expensive and not calorie free. So we have been just using fruits and veggies. Occasionally we add chia seeds. I love the idea of peanut butter and chocolate or apple pie. YUM.
Natasha
“But I am tired of letting this virus impose itself on my life, my health.” This sentence right here is why I had to re-evaluate some of the things I let go for 2020 and make sure they happen in 2021. I’m cheering you on friend!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Exactly!! Amen. I need to be easier on myself and give myself some grace even in 2021.
Danielle
These are some good goals! I try to limit the amount of news I read. I have also started trying to read from a variety of sources. It’s crazy how different the same story can read based on if it is a right leaning or left leaning news source. I am with you on the booze as well. I actually did dry January, and I think that helped me drop a few pounds.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
You are right, I need to listen to several different sources for my news. I get only one perspective otherwise. And lord knows, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Wow, dry January! Good for you. For years, I never drank anything. But this Covid business has me wanting a beer every night!