We are practicing (or trying to practice) a lot of what you preach above ourselves Todd. The whole foods part we started about 4 years ago, it is amazing the amount of crap in each grocery store that we don't even look at anymore. It does take more frequent trips to the store and we are only feeding two people, but it is worth it.
My wife gave up any meat that grows on 4 legs or less for 6 months as a test and recently started to enjoy a good natural protein again. She gained a bit of weight but other than that had no other positive outcomes from quitting beef, pork and chicken. We don't eat a ton of red meat but some is beneficial I am convinced. I just wish we had a more ample supply of good natural raised seafood available here in the Midwest, lots of farm raised stuff but it's almost as bad as processed foods...
We are also reducing our stress load BIG TIME. Retiring from retail was a big part of that for me. End of Sept will be a year for me, we are closing on the sale of our commercial building next week and that will be a huge load taken off of the responsibility list for me. My attitude has been so much better after adjusting to the non-retail life. I still get up every morning, eat a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, get dressed and head to my office in my outbuilding to work my wholesale business but my schedule is soooo much more flexible now. Weather is good, lets take the dogs for a walk before lunch, have errands to run, hop in the car with the wife and run them...she loves me to chauffeur her around, spur of the moment out of town trip for pleasure, we can be ready to hop in the new RV and head out in less than a couple of hours. I do most of my work on my phone anyway so I can pretty much work from anywhere unless I have to receive a shipment which can be arranged ahead of time as well.
Now...the latest issue... Our cable TV\internet\phone bill just went up another $30 a month and we are seriously considering cutting the cord completely. The wife has been ready to do this for years, I'm a bit more hesitant...I do enjoy relaxing on the couch and watching some car related cable shows that I've recorded on the DVR and all of that will go away if we cut the cord. Most of the TV we watch together is network channel related and we get all of the networks OTA so that isn't a big deal (except the loss of the DVR, I hate commercials). Still looking at all options here but something has to change in that area.
Still need to go back and get my bloodwork checked...been a few years now. I have high triglycerides but everything else is pretty normal. Doc always wants to put me on meds for my triglycerides but I won't do it. I'm 6'0", 175#s and am in pretty good shape for an almost 50 year old I think. We don't work out per se but are plenty active and I can keep up with most half my age in walking, hiking, manual labor, and what not. The wife is big into yoga and yes, I've been a few times...I like it as it is low impact and stretching is good...and its' way more of a workout that one might think. I just don't make to time to go regularly as she does.
That's it for now...gotta get breakfast ate and head over to the salt mine...
