Welcome to the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge hosted by Long and Short Reviews! To read posts from other participants, click HERE.

This week we are pondering how we take care of our health which is a topic that has always been important but feels even more relevant now that we are almost one year into a global pandemic. A year ago most of us probably never considered wearing a mask or social distancing but now, those are part of our day-to-day lives as we try to minimize our risk of exposure or spreading infection to others. I think most of us can agree by this point that it’s a necessary evil and it’s the very least we can do.

But that is COVID and if you’re like me, you’re getting weary of continuing to live with the constant fear and anxiety that the pandemic holds over us even while we are doing all we can to try to prevent or minimize it. We need other outlets to keep our health and our sanity as we go about our lives in our new normal.

I try to revel in the little things – like taking a walk through the park or around the neighborhood, which honestly, wasn’t something my husband and I did much before lockdown but once it became a routine last spring, I started to really look forward to those walks together. Not only did they provide exercise and an escape from the house but there is a mental boost that comes from breathing fresh air and feeling warm sunshine on your skin. We’re very much looking forward to getting back to those walks as soon as the weather permits. (Come on spring!)

I’ve always been a huge fan of dancing and I love to exercise. Going to group exercise classes at our local YMCA was high up on the list of one of my favorite activities. Since I haven’t been able to enjoy that like I once did, I have started investigating online alternatives. I recently subscribed to Beachbody’s On Demand channel where they offer all of their workouts and while it pales in comparison to the fun of getting out and being social at the Y, at least it keeps me moving in the meantime. So far, so good.

We also invested in a second hand treadmill so theoretically, we can walk or run whenever the mood strikes. I say theoretically because, well, we haven’t been using it quite as much as I’d hoped. My middle son participates in cross country and track so running is big in our house. Last summer we stayed in shape by running together at the park. I suppose a treadmill doesn’t quite have the same appeal.

Then there is the fitness watch. Raise your hands… how many of you wear a Fitbit or smart watch to track steps and pretty much everything else under the sun? Yep, me too. I had a Fitbit for years but when the battery started to go on that, my husband surprised me with a Samsung Active watch. Last April I challenged myself to achieve 10,000 steps each and every day, no matter what. At the time, I was running so that made it pretty easy. But despite slacking on the runs, I have still not missed a single day. No matter what, even if it means walking circles in the house to reach my goal, I get those 10,000 steps, gosh darn it! It’s silly, perhaps, but now, I just want to see how long I can keep it going. Coming up on almost a year!

Last, but not least, when it comes to keeping myself and my family healthy, I’ve been taking more time to experiment with new foods, particularly vegetarian and vegan dishes. While I would love for us all to go vegetarian entirely, I don’t think my kids are ready for that. At least I can minimize the amount of meat on our plates though and I feel like we’re better off for it.

So, what do you do to stay healthy in this crazy world?