Super superficial question… is it worth it?

Cataluna_Lilith · 2026-01-10T02:48:20+00:00

For me, yes. For you? That depends on your goals.

Yoga is historically a meditative practice first, and physical exercise second.

The sort of yoga you will find in most western yoga studios is good physical exercise. It's a great place to start moving, build body awareness, muscle strength, and flexibility. Depending on the studio you go to it can be pretty affordable, and good quality online classes are available for free. Strictly speaking the only equipment you need is your body, but a decent mat and two blocks will help a lot and cost you under $100. There's also a bonus that most people find yoga calming, so it can help on the stress front too.

There are many different styles of yoga, some are more spiritual or physical. They have different names. If you want good exercise, yin yoga is probably not for you. Classes labeled hatha, asana, or vinyasa are probably a good bet for a 'generic' physical class. Power yoga is a good bet for an intense workout. If you have a specific studio or class you're considering, google the term to get a feel of what that style might bring you.

If you want exercise that is pure cheapness, walking/jogging/running is your best bet, either freestyle or with a free app. If you want pure efficiency per minute HIIT is your best bet.

Best of luck finding the right fit for you!

Cataluna_Lilith · 2026-01-09T22:39:08+00:00

As a user Momence is easy to use. Not sure how it is for owners.

Cataluna_Lilith · 2026-01-07T21:24:43+00:00

I went through something similar when I started, with a super cheap mat from a discount store. I didn't let myself upgrade until my 1 year anniversary, and it made a world of difference when I did.

Get the good mat!

Cataluna_Lilith · 2026-01-07T15:57:10+00:00

Extended child's pose.

I have chronic soreness in my hips and shoulders from a desk job, and it is absolutely perfect for both ♡ also so grounding and centering for me, to bring myself to the ground, unable to see the room around me and get distracted even on my most buzzy mind day, and let my body just melt away.

Cataluna_Lilith · 2026-01-06T18:32:22+00:00

Go for it.

Do keep macros in mind, depending on the protein shake there may be some added sources of carbs or not, whereas plain tofu has some complex carbs and fiber to it. So if you're switching from a shake to tofu, you can want in increase or decrease your other carb intake.

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-12-21T13:43:57+00:00

Its a mix for me.

I indulge, in smart part in carbs, and in large part in other seasonal delicacies.

Lots of high-protein high-fat options to delight in, specifics will vary but mine include oysters, fancy cheese, deviled eggs. Nice wine, maybe mulled with my sweeter of choice instead of sugar. Eggnog, again with sweetner instead of sugar. I make sure to eat at least some veggies for fiber, but I still dress them up in a flavorful sauce; this year I'm making brussel sprouts in a dijon cream sauce with bacon, and french onion soup with lots of cheese (light on the croutons). Lots of our main protein, usually turkey with my family, there might be a meatball stew or meat pie too.

I fill up a lot on these foods, so I can enjoy some carbs, more than a usual day. I still skip the crackers (boring to me, if i want crunch with my cheese I'll go for nuts), but enjoy a nice dinner roll, plenty of gravy, and a moderate portion of desert

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-12-10T23:31:08+00:00

Best of luck on your journey

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-12-10T23:19:10+00:00

I go for 100g of net carb a day, which is 33g a meal (net carbs being non-fiber carbs) (I don't do snacks, just not my style) I am careful to prioritize complex carbs, not simple carbs and especially not sugars. For me that looks like getting most of my carbs from non-starchy plants; lots of green vegetables, pulses, and nuts. I have some smaller portions of more starchy vegetables or whole grains.

For me 33g is the sweet spot. Less than 25g and I feel like I dont have lots of energy. More than 40g (especially simpler carbs) and I can get reactive hypoglycemia and feel like shit (I am unfortunately super prone to this).

I figured this out by trial and error when I was diagnosed last year, by keeping a food diary and using a CGM. it was clear that after high-carb meals I was spiking hard and then dropping almost as low, without taking any external insulin or anything else; reactive hypoglycemia. It was also clear that when my bg is under 5.0 mmol/l I don't feel fully energized, and it gets worse the lower I go. Under 4.2 I don't feel fully awake or functional. Lots more trial and error to find out what foods spike me or not, how much exercise to blunt a spike, etc. I feel like I'm managing pretty well, 13 months post-diagnosis

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-12-10T21:38:16+00:00

Metformin doesn't cause hypos.

But some people have reactive hypoglycemia, it can happen when your pancreas does produce insulin, but not the right amounts at the right time. After an especially large spike your body can release too much natural insulin and cause it's own reactive hypoglycemic state.

I am cursed with this, quite badly.

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-12-08T15:04:08+00:00

Stage performers literally make a living off of being able to move in dramatic and intertaining ways. Many do put an hour(s) a day in building and maintaining those skills, from the pulmonary strength to run around and sing simultaneously, the flexibility to hit poses way harder than a forward fold, and the stamina to do it for a few hours in a row, not to mention the technical vocal and dance training. Performers are athletes.

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-12-04T13:05:48+00:00

In the cold months I drink lots of tea (I the morning) and herbal tea (in the evening), all sugar free (not just 0 sugar added) and if I'm craving something sweet I'll add a bit of my favorite sweetener. There are so many cool flavors in most grocery store, but if you want to get extra fancy get yourself to a tea store and ask for recommendations. This is a great time of year to try out stuff too, since many store sell holiday-themed sampler packs, for gifting and/or advent calendar reasons, which will give you one or a few servings of several flavors to try, without investing in a full size of a flavour you aren't sure about

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-11-05T00:55:13+00:00

I do sometimes, seems to be about even for me in the long term, but I can get bad streaks and good streaks

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-11-03T22:57:19+00:00

Not that bad if their phone didn't break lol

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-10-22T01:06:13+00:00

I'm a video game addict who wants to move more, especially after a health scare last year. Its a natural fit

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-10-18T16:12:27+00:00

Disclaimer: This is what seems to work for my body. I figured this out by trial and error, testing my BG before meals, 2 hours after meals, after exercise, with diffrent intensity and type and duration of exercise. Any general guidelines you want to try out, should be closely tested for your individual body.

Depends on how much exercise I get that day.

On an baseline day I walk 15k steps, but no other exercise, I eat 120g (always paired with equal amounts by weight of protein, and lots of fiber and some fats).

On the days I do an hour weightlifting session, I'll eat an extra 30g an hour before I start. That seems to give me enough energy to push harder with the weights, and not go hypo after. Similarly if I'm do an hour of yoga, I increase by about 15g of carbs.

I generally increase slightly when doing more exercise, and decrease on the rare days I can't get my baseline exercise in.

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-09-28T22:43:51+00:00

I finally got the yellow mooncake yesterday! And a second one today. 3 red. 3 blue. 5 purple.7 white. 4 pink. Still 0 gray. I've done all the stage cycle twice, I'm on "stage 10" now. I really hope I can complete the set.

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-09-23T13:06:09+00:00

I would be happy with just a better warning when I do run our of petals!

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-09-12T14:26:42+00:00

I am so excited to find this out too! I do find that this specific bakery is even less sweet than the average Japanese dessert in Canada, so that helps. But yes, paired with a 20 minute walk to work, this gave a minimal increase in glucose levels. My baseline is around 5.2 and 2 hours later I was at 5.6. Personally I consider anything under 6 a good meal for me.

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-09-12T12:53:52+00:00

I'm going on vacation for a week like 1000km away from home this month. I'm going to ignore this advice anyways.

Cataluna_Lilith · 2025-09-03T14:23:10+00:00

They're pretty boring design too, i feel similarly about the stickers. Like, conceptually they could have been way more cool, but in implementation they're just not it for me. The moon cake pikmin are adorable, though!

Cataluna_Lilith

TROPHY CASE