I am sick again -- what the heck?! Spent most of the last three days in bed with a book. I haven't accomplished anything at work or at home and I have zero motivation. I don't even feel like watching tv!

This is the third time I've been sick since Christmas and I don't think that says much about my health. Not sure what is going on but I guess I am going out more and picking up more germs. I really wasn't out in public much the last year and a half and I was never sick through that time!

I am going to try to pull it together to make a pot of soup today. I am not up to making chicken meatballs for the soup I'd planned to make on Friday but I think I can manage a more simple soup-- or I'll have some delivered. I need to flush this thing out as I have a couple of important meetings tomorrow and need to be at my best!

How are you all doing?

So sorry Funky, and I suspect it’s true that some of us are picking up germs/viruses more these days. I seem to catch every little bug. Except! I have tested 3x and apparently have not caught covid from DH! Maybe my lingering long covid issues are protecting me? Ha ha.

I have not exercised much in the last two weeks but I have gotten the lingering holiday sugar cravings under control at least.

Ugh, sorry, Funky, that you are sick again. I am fortunate that we really don’t need to go anywhere and I only have one in person class this spring. I teach in a mask. I do not care what anyone thinks. At least flu peaked last November or so.

Sueb, fingers crossed you stay negative! Hope DH is on the mend.

Been doing Zumba and then some weights/abs on other days. LOL the other day I was doing some planks in the living room, and Blue kept head-butting me, so that was really funny. Pilates is going great, and we can really notice a difference in my balance, which is good. She also said she can see changes in my body, too. It is noticeable, so that has given me some motivation and feeling of accomplishment. I am down almost 10 lbs. since October.

We got a new Weber grill in a fun retro green color, so DH put it together yesterday and we grilled a bunch of stuff. We will grill a lot because it’s charcoal and then have it for a few days and/or freeze the rest. We grilled potato wedges, cherry tomatoes on skewers, and zucchini halves along with some chicken thighs and brats for DH.

I was looking for this thread... Ah, Gscience, I miss grilling--my grill is put away for the winter. I seem to eat so much better with a grill. Must be the flavor it gives to food. That's a handsome Weber. Congratulations on your progress and noticeable improvements!

Funky, I hope you're feeling better today. Take it easy, and try not to get discouraged.

I have finally found a few streaming shows that I like and which get me downstairs to my home gym. I've been doing lots of yoga, which I'm enjoying. We are currently in a cold spell, but I still enjoy getting outside for long walks, as long as I can avoid ice.

My eating has been good, but what I originally thought were a few extra pounds of "inflammation" and "bloating" around the holidays are now in the category of "weight gain." I've put on about 5 lbs. My goal is to get them off in the next 6 weeks, because, before I know it, it will be summer and I don't want to still be complaining about them.

My excuse for eating ice cream tonight. It took a whole week and 5 tests to finally confirm what I knew.

Oh no @Funkyart and @Sueb20 I am so sorry you are both sick! I hope you both feel much better very soon. My husband is away at work, coming home tomorrow, and just told me that he has a cold now. I really hope I don't get it. I think there are still a lot of viruses circulating right now.

I have an upcoming in person company event with the entire company. So I decided I'd better get my sh*** together and get the latest (4th) C booster. That night it snowed, but not a lot, so I opted to shovel instead of using the snowblower. Well, I must have seriously pulled something in my neck/shoulder/upper back area. I've been in a ton of pain for the last few days, though slightly better each day. And I was terribly fatigued for a few days, but that seems to have passed at least. I haven't dared try to lift weights since. Today I thought I was feeling capable of swimming and was hoping that the motion would loosen things up. Well, someone had the lap swimming pool set really cold and it was really painful the entire time. I toughed it out for 50 minutes but couldn't even make my usual 60, and I was completely unable to really push myself. I hope this gets better soon. It may be time to see if the massage therapist I used to see is still working. I really don't want to fall off the exercise wagon.

Eating wise I'm still doing 5:2 IF. I'm still not seeing any progress with my extra 3 holiday pounds but I suppose it's still a win that I haven't added any more to that weight gain. On a positive note, I was checking my professional wardrobe and concluded that all of my newer button up shirts are way too big, but some of my older ones that I'd been too big to wear fit great now. I also ordered this James Perse shirt (on sale!) and there is no way I would have fit into this a year ago. (This picture is on a model, not me.) It feels good to get some new clothes and feel confident about wearing them around my coworkers.

@gsciencechick your grill is so cute! I love the color. I've always loved the look of the Weber grills but I am terrible about lighting charcoal. Also HUGE congratulations on being down 10 pounds since October! That's impressive!

oh no, Sue ... i am feeling better but still not back to full energy. I have to go into the office tomorrow for the first time since March 2020. My office has thousands of people. Who knows what I will catch and bring home in the 20 min i need to be there :(

Otherwise I am doing well lol. No exercise, scattered eating but basically doing ok.

Thanks for all the well wishes!

Oh no Sue sorry to see that. Hope you recover quickly and completely.

Glad to hear you are better Funky. Yes I wouldn't exercise till you feel completely up to it. I do I did a lot of walking after I recovered from my covid out. I think that's okay. it keeps the blood circulating.

I've been doing my exercises all except for push-ups. I've done a few push-ups here and there but I haven't got back into a regular routine with them. I hear of so many people having bone problems and things like that that I know I have to do these strength building exercises. I suppose I have found a tough thing for me to incorporate but it must be done. Wish me luck. :-)

I have been overeating for sure. Still eating within the prescribed time but have been habitually taking seconds which I don't usually do. I must step back and figure it out. Hopefully I don't gain but I am not walking as much right now so I may end up gaining. :-(.

There is something about the winter doldrums that follow the holidays that tempt me to eat more. I am having to work against the temptations to snack-- or replace meals with snacking. I need to get back in the tea routine.

SO has shingles-- a pretty mild case but still. It reminds me that I should get a vaccination. He had the first shot but never followed up with the second. I have become hyperaware that my immunity system has not been standing up to the bugs going around so in addition to getting vacs and boosters, I want to look into foods that help bolster my immunity system.

I need to put more focus on strength exercises too, @yeonassky-- I have a personal history of joint issues and a family history of poor bone density. Not up to exercise today but I need to step it up in general.

I am not looking forward to going into the office today-- I don't actually have to SEE anyone, I just need to do some things on my computer that need to be done onsite for security reasons. I think I have a plan that will keep me out of elevators and spaces where people congregate -- though I still need to open/touch the doors. It's crazy. I was never this germ conscious before!

As for eating, I am craving vegetables. I have been getting plenty from soup but I really want a crisp fresh salad.. or a big bowl of lightly steamed fresh veggies. That is on the menu for today.

@Sueb20, I hope you are feeling better soon-- and have a quick and easy recovery!

Sue, I'm so sorry! I recall you were feeling some long covid symptoms from your last bout. I really hope your body recovers more quickly--perhaps the delayed positive test is evidence that it will not be as severe this time around.

Funky, I hope things go well at the office today. FWIW, when my kids were home and we were around extended family over the holidays, I started feeling something coming on. I started taking Airborne with Vit C (the no sugar one). Twice day. I never got more than a tickle in my throat. I found it at Costco, and I still take it a day or two ahead of when I know I'm going to be around a bunch of people. Between that and Vit D, I feel like my immune system is doing pretty well.

People around here are still getting covid and bronchial infections.

Thanks, Feathers. My actual bout of covid last year wasn’t bad, so I guess the severity of the initial illness doesn’t necessarily correlate with getting LC or not. I will be curious to see if this affects the LC issues I was still having? Maybe wipes them out? That would be nice!

Argh, Sueb20, sorry! I hope you are on the mend soon.

Funky, good luck tomorrow. I was extremely stressed about going back to campus. Luckiy you don’t have to stay. Wear a mask if you can. I remember Ihad to take my laptop in and get a new one during 2020 and it was a little scary, but it was OK. You can do it.

Pilates was awesome as usual today. I look forward to Wednesdays!

Pricklypear, I like that top! Although it’s so cold today I’m actually wearing a winter sweater.

Healthy eating alert. DS and fiancee are here for the weekend. We had to buy some food ”for the kids,” so DH got some things at the market yesterday — including muffins. This morning I thought, well I deserve a treat to celebrate day 10 of Covid…sat down with a blueberry muffin, ate about 1/3 of it and realized it was just (a) too big and (b) way too sweet. I actually said, ”this is gross” before I tossed it in the trash.

Thanks for the well wishes, I feel mostly fine now except for that nasty nighttime cough. I am just relieved that the timing worked out bc DD has a big meet this weekend that both DS are coming to. I would have been so upset if I had to miss it.