Hello, Foodie. Welcome! I think if we try to deny who we are, we won't be able to stick to healthy habits. However, if we EMBRACE who we are (foodies) and find healthy ways to enjoy it, then we can actually stick to a healthy habit. So, instead of just going out to eat with your mom, walking to her house first is a healthy habit. Instead if just going out to eat with your boyfriend, bike there. Be excited about the yummy/healthy foods you will have on your picnic. Don't deny who you are. Take who you are and build healthy habits around it.
I love this comment! I have similar thoughts as Bea surrounding food and I’ve applied this advice to my life. For a while I was getting 2 Venti Pink Drinks a week…soon I found myself craving them every time I went to work and that was savage for my bank account and my tummy, so I decided to switch to Poppi Soda which is a prebiotic soda that has only 50 calories and 5 grams of sugar. I pour it over ice in a cup that makes me feel like a special human being and drink with a straw so it feels like a venti. I got 6 cans for $14 which is pretty much cost the same as my twice a week habit at Starbucks. I take one to work and that’s my fun, energizing beverage for the day. I’m going to work on going back to my twice a week beverage habit for my bank account AND my tummy.
love this. I 100% agree that any lifestyle changes have to be sustainable to your current life- otherwise I feel you're more likely to feel discouraged when you get off track, and abandon it altogether.
Yeah, I'm a foodie too. I think it helps me stay healthier sometimes. Road trips is a good example, I'm packing the cooler with healthy road snacks and my partners buying Snickers and chips at the corner stores.
I agree with this 💯 Like the fact that she walked before the meal was amazing! And then embracing the food. We need food to survive, and healthy food to thrive. Just embrace it. Look forward to how you can eat that will fuel your gut and make you healthy. Honestly I think embracing food can be healthy as you learn fun ways to incorporate healthy food. Like Olipop instead of soda (prebiotic low sugar drink) fruits (antioxidants) coat it in chocolate to make it fun. Look up the benefits of veggies and find ways to add more to your diet. I love meatloaf and I add a bunch of veggies and then it’s super healthy, I’m happy because of a delicious meal and my gut is happy because of the variety. Don’t try to eliminate the fun in food, just try to make healthier meals more enjoyable. ILY 💛
Bea how about a game night with your friends and family a la twister,or pictionary.Or make yourself an out door theater,or a go camping in your back yard with Steven.Make a bird house,paint your partner while you drink wine.Take up beading or creating something beautiful.Hiking,fishing,building something.Massage night, spa night with your bf where you show him how to do some self care stuff.
"Paint your partner while you drink wine" ...my brain immediately presented the image of Bea applying paint to Stevie's face with an art brush whilst drinking wine, with one of her squinty appraisal faces. Not what you meant, I'm sure, but brought a healthy giggle lol
yes this is amazing! also 1 snack like carrots cucumber and hummus with chili oil or something instead of a ton for parties is so much better for clean up and most people forget about the food if the option is boring but its there if anyone wants it
Since watching her, we have both healed a lot, gotten homes, started working out and focusing on our health, and found men who make us feel comfortable, loved, and more like ourselves. Watching his sweet and immediate tiuch of reassurance when she spilled the pot made me smile because my partner would've done the exact same thing. How far we've come and how loved and lucky we are.
I think for your question at the end… you have to start doing the things that don’t revolve around food and THEN your mental patterns around it will change. Don’t judge that your brain currently defaults to worrying about the food. Just let that be and plan things without involving food so your brain has experiences to draw on that you do go out and do things that don’t revolve around food.
I second that. It's a matter of habits. You need to create new experiences and at first it will feel difficult or even weird to make plans that have nothing to do with what you're going to eat. Once you begin to make new experiences without food your brain eventually won't jump to food right away anymore. Further more you could maybe look into what needs you're meeting by thinking of food. Maybe it meets the need for certainty or safety or something completely different. Only you will know :)❤️
Ok I love how he is with you. Green flags all day!!!! “We have a vacuum, no big deal” HOW FREAKING CUTE!!!! I play for the other team and even I found him dreamy 😊❤❤❤
He’s sweet for sure and I’m glad she didn’t settle. Because she found someone that treats her so well, she so deserves that sweet love and you can just see they have so much chemistry 🥰🥰💛
The dining area looks great! Board games are fun, painting and wine is also a nice activity. You guys obviously do a lot more with eachother than eat. You guys just hung out and created a beautiful area in your home together. You guys built some of the chicken run together. The puzzle challenge date.. it's all about the day to day stuff that you can't forget about that is also quality time. I can't wait to see what you do next!
I started doing monthly “dinner and an activity” nights with a couple old colleagues. I’m the youngest in my mid 30s. We’ve done comedy shows, escape rooms, laser tag…just fun random stuff and I feel like a kid again those nights. It shakes up the “just food related” outings. Highly recommend!
Hi husband and i were struggling with the same thing, of focusing all of our activities around food! After a worrisome doctor's visit we knew we had to make some changes. We incorporated a weekly pickeball night, its only for an hour or so, but it's so fun, we get some exercise/ outdoors time and I really feel like it's brought us closer together. Now I look forward to every week! Also- LOVE the new organization for the plants!!! Cleaning up and/or having clutter out of sight improves my mental health exponentially!!! I suggest having baskets, drawers and/or some type of organizational system that hides the clutter over open shelving. You will be amazed at the difference it makes!
Things to do in a small town: 1) Y'all should do the trend where you paint each other 2) creative nights During covid I would host virtual creative sessions where a group of my friends would all get together on zoom and do different art projects; poetry, music, jewelry making etc. Maybe you can try something like that but not virtual. 3) sign up for a random workout class once a week with Steven or your family members. Like one week yoga, next week rock climbing, swim etc. I think you used to do something like this with swimming with your family 4) you could volunteer at an Animal shelter with them 5) work on a garden together 6) get binoculars and stargaze ✨ Hope maybe some of these spark some non food activities you can do with loved ones ☺️
The ADD organization that invokes a sense of calm is real. I've been downsizing for that specific reason, and it's wild how much it helps. I would love to see organization content. You're so great at it.
Visual clutter is just a nightmare, it’s more or less just a silent list of to dos 😂. It’s nice being able to slap some doors on things and not have to engage with it until you want to. Environment needs to do a lot of heavy lifting when you have adhd.
I read somewhere that "open shelving is a mistake you only make once" lol. I felt that. Unless straighten and cleaning open shelves is your jam it's definitely something for me that gives me stress. I'd rather have a mix. Hide most of my miscellaneous stuff and then have a small amount for display / pretty.
I'm finally cleaning my "ADHD house" out and its exhausting and feels like it's never going to end, but every time I clean out a corner or a cupboard or anything its incredible the difference it makes for me mentally. As for the food thing, I've switched to having a coffee treat instead. Still calories and some sugar, but a treat nonetheless with the bonus of less cleanup and I can still walk and talk with it and carry on with my day. xoxo
Go take the Clutterbug Quiz! It will help you identify the best way to store objects in your home. We decluttered lots of items and it made storing what was left so much easier. It also reduced the amount if time wasted stuff shuffling and freed up so much time for doing other things. Best thing though, was the peace it brought to our home. Everything has its place and about 90% of our stuff is in closed off storage, like your cabinets. The minimal mom is also a great UA-camr for helping with reducing inventory and bringing peace to your living space.
If you have a bowling alley near by they often have leagues with weekly games. I was in one before our bowling alley closed. It was mainly seniors but it was a fun thing to do each week.
Love that Stevie is so supportive and doesn't freak out about stuff. Also, I wouldn't normally recommend another UA-cam channel but maybe try watching clutter bug videos? I recently did and found out my organisation style and it blew my ADHD mind. Sending love from Australia! ❤️
Hiking is a great idea. My husband and I like to bird watch, read outside together (he reads aloud to me), we ride bikes together, we take walks together and watch the animals, sometimes we meditate. We do parallel play together, he works on a craft and I work on a craft, we sometimes just sit and listen to music together. We're a little bit of a slow couple but there's so many things to do together! Also, I like your mom even though she doesn't like getting filmed LOL! More mommy content! My mom is far away from me rn and I'm missing her a lot, so it's healing to see you hanging out with yours!
My family is very food oriented. We blame it on my grandma. She was a very good cook! I'm in the midst of my health journey and was fairly recently diagnosed as diabetic. 🥴 I feel like I'm always thinking about food and making sure I'm not eating tooamy carbs. It's exhausting
I get what you're asking, but to focus on the glass being half full, you seem to do a lot of non-food related things (you built the chicken coop, have done various yard projects, you bought that house and fixed it up, you fixed up the dining room, etc.). That said, I hear what you're asking and I have a similar issue, but I buy things in order to do an activity (new hiking clothes, bike accessories, etc) and that makes me feel icky sometimes. My partner and I do audiobook walks and jigsaw puzzles (with audiobook). Gardening, having friends over for a movie. Work on artwork. My partner and I really got into making animation for about a month a while ago and that was pretty immersive and can be done cheaply (I used a free app on my ipad).
I think the Hiking and picnic thing is a great idea, sure again food is involved, but you're also doing a physical activity and food is there so you don't get hangry while exerting energy. Plus sharing meals are very important in a relationship. My mother and I just this past weekend had a car picnic while we were house hunting. Just ate some sammiches and fruit in the back of my car.
We recently bought a camper, just for my husband and I. Kids are grown and out of the house with their own families. While camping we play board games (yahtzee, cribbage, five crowns, kings cribbage), we also do adult coloring pages, and I'm trying to find paint by numbers. Rule is whoever wins the game gets to pick the next game/activity. It's fun for us.
i think with most day plans food is something that has to be considered. without it we get tired, grumpy, and stop enjoying the activity. going biking and picnic-ing out is a great plan! physical activity, quality time, and it doesnt have to end when you get hungry. My friends and I recently went to the beach together and one of the main things on the agenda for planning was making new foods to try (i made a chickpea veggie wrap was BOMB). but when we were actually there we were just enjoying the sand and sun and each other’s company. theres nothing wrong with planning for food- especially if you are making your own or trying out some new experience! basically,, there isnt anything wrong with you. there is something to trying to figure out new experiences with your loved ones, but food does not have to be eliminated from the plans to make them good plans.
You know, as one of the followers that hollered "DANGER, WILL ROBINSON" when Stevie came on the scene, I quite like him. Like, a lot. I appreciate the way he seems to balance your energy
Oh how I love you and your sense of humor! I have a new one for you to try. Pickle ball! They have a court in your local town/city park or Y. It’s a much smaller court than tennis and you can let the ball bounce more! Lol. You and your mom, or you and Stevie could try it! Then skateboard/bike! 🥰
Non food related activities: local classes (FB is a cesspool but there are so many local classes in the community pages. In my town there’s everything from witchcraft to blade making to foraging to watercolors to reiki and cacao ceremonies), volunteering at an animal shelter, animal shelter transport, axe throwing, scavenger hunt, couples massage, Randonautica
For many years my social activity was a weekly meetup at the dogpark. I just paid extra money to get a 'cute' air fryer & microwave. I have a tiny galley kitchen & they will be on a bakers rack. It's worth the extra money to have something nice to look at vs just more black appliances.
I dunno - I think it's important to be thoughtful about your food when doing activities! I went on an 8-mile hike up a mountain this past weekend/3500 ft elevation gain. It was important to me to make sure my food was easily packable and would give me the energy needed for the hike. A yummy lunch at the top of the hike with a view is the best reward! One of my hiking buddies always packs chocolate for her energy boosts on the ascent.
My best friend and I started going on hikes when we hang out instead of going to dinner. Changing the main activity in a social meeting-one that is actually specifically not tangential to food, seems to be really helpful. Food can be fun and social, but it’s really helpful to take a break for a season and switch it to fueling and being boring. No rigid rules, just try not to highlight it or give it any flares and give that energy to everything else.
I think it's just a personality thing honestly. Some people just are constantly thinking/dreaming about their next meal. I have a friend that is much smaller than me who absolutely loves her food and is constantly thinking about what delicious thing she is going to have next. I on the other hand, forget to eat, miss my hunger cues and it feels like an absolute chore to feed myself so often 😂 I think people are just different / go through different phases in life ❤ Keep doing you, Bea 😊
Bowling!! Thrift some crazy bowling shirts and throw heavy balls! 🎳 My daughter threw in a cartwheel or a Micheal Jackson spin upon her return from her throws! I broke a sweat! It was hilarious and fun! It’s social. Light activity. Even your mistakes are funny! 😄 Worth a try!! 💛
I have the same problem. So I play Dungeons & Dragons. Which can also become a session of mindless snack-munching if you're not careful, so I just try to have a supply of water, coffee, and/or tea nearby. And that pretty much wraps up my social life.
Try a gun range or archery. My husband usually joins me for anything I want to try like pottery. It's summer time so scout out local festivals, art shows, movies in the park, etc. Or even DND.
Bea the biking and picnic idea sounds like such a cute date! As someone who has also always been addicted to food and lives for it, I understand your qualms, but I think the goal should be about decentralizing it in your life and gaining control over the habits, and not getting rid of the enjoyment of it completely. It’s not like an addiction like alcohol where you can cut it out of your life, so I think the only choice is to find small steps to integrate it in a more healthy way. You still need to eat! In your idea you would be exercising, getting time in nature, time with a loved one, and sharing a conscious meal with homemade food. I understand the feeling of your brain just being excited for the food part, but it sounds like a very healthy balance to me, and I think it just takes building those things into your life to rewire the brain and learn to look forward to all the parts 😊🫶🏻
My husband and I love to go to thrift shops, antique shops or yard sales (when they’re in season. We live in Pennsylvania, so people usually don’t have any in the colder months here). We love to go for walks around local parks and hiking trails. We love to go to cemeteries too for walks because they usually aren’t too crowded, at least with kids. You’ll see other adults going for walks or runs around them, but it’s never too busy. It’s nice and calming. If it’s something you and Steven or Elmo would get in to, you could find some older local cemeteries and explore the tombstones there. There’s SO much history in local cemeteries, and some of the stones are so beautiful! I know you said you find that your hang outs with people tend to have food involved. BUT I would suggest packing your own lunch, like the picnic you mentioned. First and foremost you definitely seem to get excited thinking of different meals you could bring, so it clearly makes you happy so I think you should embrace it! And secondly, you can control the ingredients/calories if you’re aiming to eating healthier/lower in calories. I know how my husband and I get, so for example we went to a huge neighborhood yard sale this weekend. We were there from 8am-noonish. I packed a healthier lunch for us because I knew we would be hungry after wandering through a neighborhood in the sun all morning and we’re tracking our calorie intake. Plus it takes away the impulse to just go for fast food or something. So I packed a cooler in the car with some cold coffee and some healthier sandwiches and snacks and fruit. So if you’re planning on trying out going for hikes or bike rides, pack a meal for you guys to have either when you get back to the car or if you want to carry it (maybe in a backpack cooler) when you’re hiking or biking. Kayaking is also something we love to do if you have any lakes around you. Some parks have kayak rentals. Sorry for my novel! Haha but I hope it helps you or someone else if you guys decide to read this lengthy thing 😆
That dining room corner really did look fantastic after a little clean up. And girl now that i think about it, I would also think if we're going out what food will we have and when and from where so I hope somebody else has better advice than I do lol cuz I got nothing😂
ohh you can do like a fun "do each others hobby" where steven teaches you how to skateboard? me and my bf want to go walk around the beaches and go swimming, i wanna take him ice skating this winter and we both try to go on daily walks together where we just do the same route so we go on autopilot but we also talk about a buncha stuff so its always a great bonding experience! in general, I think you can do so many things, if i had the budget wed be going horseback riding, wall climbing, canoeing, so so so many more activities i wanna do with him ;-; honestly even going on a trip abroad (? im from Greece so its easier here ig) would be a fun activity and youll be exploring the whole place, aka walking all day! and then you get to enjoy new cuisine and etc idk if this is helpful, these are just some ideas off the top of my head hehe
One thing I notice you do really well is respecting food. Good presentation. Enjoying it sitting alone or with people. Keep that mindset. Respect the food ❤🎉
I'm so happy you and Steven found eachother. His reaction to when you knocked over the plants was really sweet. When one has an eating disorder it's very challenging to not be food focused because we celebrate with food, comfort ourselves with food and even punish ourselves with it. If I'm going to do outdoor stuff then I'll put frozen grapes in my water bottle instead of ice so I can have a snack after drinking my water when on outings or working outside. I also try to eat more fruits&veggies higher in water during the summer and find it helps my body stay cooler when I do less meats, doing more raw foods helps me tolerate the heat. I think it takes some experimenting on what eating style works for you. I've gotten better at managing my eating disorder and have fewer "eating my feelings" moments. I love the UFO plant you have and you've become quite the plant mom!👏👏👏🌷🌱
I love you Bea you're so relatable. Stevie's a sweetheart. My suggestion would be if you do your skateboard bike thing but then you take a blanket not for a picnic but to do sketches? I'm positive each of us would love a recipe size card sketch of yours for a fee 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷💨💨💨
I know you decided againsit the weightloss meds which is totally understandable but I will say that it has made a huge impact on food noise in my life. It's one of my favorite parts of the medicine. Just something to keep in mind in case you ever change your mind.❤
There's a UA-camr named Cozy K whose channel is all about her different hobbies and crafts, and she put out a video today about how she organizes her hobbies to prevent overwhelm, including which ones are messy or involve a lot of pieces. I thought you might find it useful since she mentions that putting pressure on finishing a project takes the fun out of it, which is something you've mentioned a few times before, a pressure to complete certain goals that were supposed to be fun when you originally made them. She does mention Notion, which everyone and their dog are pushing online, as well as a planner she collaborated with another company on, so just take those parts with a grain of salt (but I'm also not mad about it since she's a female POC getting that coin, which I'm all for). Either way, I hope this can help you or anyone juggling a ton of projects!
Since you asked for advice in the end, I think it's totally great to have food as part of an activity. What I'd advice is to keep it simple! Like a thermos with a drink you really like, and your favorite fruit. I'd love to see another hike video soon! Bring ya man
So relateable! I also struggle with finding activites I enjoy that aren't food focused. Something my husband and I have been enjoying is an outdoor picnic, but we leave the food behind. If there's a cute picnic spot that you and Stevie could bike/skateboard to, maybe you could take a picnic blanket and sit out and read or watch something on your phone.
What if you try planning something inbetween meals. So right after u have breakfast at home or lunch and then plan to come home after your activity and make your supper.
I like the less chaotic plant corner now. 🙂 The clear drawing table is cool. I have one that I use for winding yarn into cakes. The thickness of the surface is perfect for the yarn winding equipment. 🙂
Swimming, museums, movies, roller rink, laser tag, video game arcade, bookstore, thrifting, bowling, the zoo in the a.m. before it gets too hot, day trip to the next town over, etc. ❤
Beatrice, I've been watching you for several years now and understand your frustration in losing weight. I recently started tracking my blood glucose level. I've experienced a new level of "Nope, not gonna eat that!" because watching your glucose level skyrocket is mighty powerful in getting yourself in check. Just thought I'd throw the idea to you. 😊
Bea! You're doing great! Small Tip: I wish everyone would *stop putting cardboard boxes on their countertops.* Those boxes and delivery trucks are the filthiest places. All delivery boxes should pretty much be on only the floor near the garage door and removed from the house as soon as possible after they're empty. Never on any work surfaces. 🤪🏋️♀️😎
Some things I’ve started doing that you might like.. cuz i had same realization about food, like every date me and my bf go on was food related. I live in a small town too but have some cool stuff if we drive 30 min to an hour or two for. Visit camp grounds or parks to go hiking or swimming, take your dogs to dog parks, fishing (surprised me lol and licenses here are like $25 a year), road trips, art museums, looking up festivals or conventions upcoming in your area, flea markets/garage sales, concerts, stand up comedy shows, even some open mic’s at hole in the walls can be super fun! I also know that sometimes certain schools will offer classes to public for free or like one time fee. There’s a school for the deaf near us that teaches sign language classes to public for free! We thought it might be fun to learn together and are going to sign up. There’s also a glass blowing place near us that we recently found out they do classes for a fee and almost like those painting classes where everyone paints same scene they’ll have an ornament/paper weight everyone that goes that day would create..look up stuff and you may be surprised what you guys can go do that doesn’t revolve around food. I think restaurants are just so safe that it’s so many couples go to/comfort together. You may even like to volunteer places like an animal shelter or go donate blood together, might sound weird but it is something to do and benefits others as well.
My boyfriend and I are into Trading Cards and Board Games. We play alone or with a couple of friends. We also visit a Trading Card Shop once in a while to socialize with other awkward people like us. It‘s fun. You can also go on hikes, enjoy nature and take a break in a safe house or restaurant there. Therefore you are out and about, meeting people without really interacting with them and have a real great activity for the day. I‘m going hiking since 8 years now and also take my dog with me 😊
My bf and i have a list of stuff we have done/ want to do! Going on bike rides, teaching the other one something like him showing me the basics of coding, learning how to knit socks for each other, playing geo guessr together, making funny power point presentations on random topics and presenting it to the other one, doing a board game evening, showing the other one music/iconic youtube clips we like taking turns with every video, hiking and hopefully doing a multi-day hike in summer, painting and listen to an audio book next to each other, doing puzzles, learning how to dance together with UA-cam tutorials, watching CUT videos like truth or drink together and also answer the questions ourselves, watching our favorite local womens soccer team, making bellini ourselves and also trying to puree other fruit than peach for it and rating each fruit-cocktail, doing a pottery class, learning about something (like some places in your town) and then doing like a „guided tour“ for the other one,… I am always happy to add things, like when i saw the two of you doing a puzzling-competition! :-)
So ideas you can research: Escape rooms Ax throwing Game night 🎉 Arcade night Skating rink Skate board park Any park or trails I don’t know if you are near water but I learned to do paddle boarding and there are SUP groups to join where you can meet friends
Also I think it’s okay if your outings include food. You can pack healthy snacks and even a nice picnic for some of the outdoor activities. I would think of it as adding things to your life. Don’t focus on restricting
Food is social and that’s ok!! If you go on a walk and bring a lovely picnic that feels super active and healthy to me. And you’d be hungry after any activity anyway :) I wonder if continuing to bring joy and social bonding into your meals is actually the way to go. Especially if they’re home cooked meals.
You are so enjoyable to watch and listen to - I don't think you realise how funny you are. Steven must feel like he absolutely hit the jackpot when he met you. You are very sweet together. I have been thinking similarly about trying to do social activities that do not revolve around food. It's tricky - we are so conditioned to consider meals at every turn. I live on a small island in New Zealand and walking to one of the many beaches is a 'go to' but aside from clay shooting and archery at one of the vineyards, or ziplining there are not a lot of activities. There are a couple of lawn bowling clubs but that seems like something I might consider in my 60's. 🙂
my partner and I agree to something and then we say we'll eat something small at home beforehand like hardboiled eggs or protein bar, then we will do our thing but we cant eat until we get back then it just helps stay in the moment. without depriving food.
Hey Bea, I think the biking and picnic is a great start for several reasons. First, it adds an activity. That will automatically create shared experiences and memories. Second, from a health point of view, it's better to bike, picnic and bike back than to drive to a restaurant by car and back. I don't think you have to cut food out of your social activities completely, but you can moderate it.
Have you ever seen those craft cabinets that close up when you are done and it has a table and places for all kinds of craft items . maybe that would be peaceful for you..I don't remember the name of the company right now but I will look for it and tell you when I know what it is. I found the name of the cabinet. It is called Dreambox. But there were others too so maybe one of those would suit you too. Dreambox was really expensive over 2000 collars and it had things you could add that costed even more maybe someone else provides the same amount of space in a cabinet but doesn't charge so much. I am thinking about having someone build one for me for a few hundred dollars id I can find anyone. Otherwise I will do it myself.
If there's hiking and trails, you don't really have to be outdoorsy to try enjoying those. Make it into some other hobby - pressing flowers, bird watching. I guess foraging is about food, but you need a guide to learn to do that. There's a heck of a range between just casual trail walking and "outdoorsy" activities like vigorous hiking or mountain biking. If its more of an open park - find the weirdest niche sport you can find or make one up - just go to the sporting goods store and pick out the silliest game or activity you can find and learn it together. I once saw a bunch of people bouncing a ball off a mini trampoline to try to get it into a hoop at the park. Endless possibilities at parks, really. Things I've seen include: dog training groups, outdoor yoga classes, kites, kids putting on some makeshift play, people sitting in a hammock they set up and reading, metal detectorists, slack line walkers, juggling practice, and more.
Last week I saw a video about traditional mexican families. All the activities revolved around making good food from scratch. I think Latin America is pretty much like that: cultivating, preparing, and serving food is one of the most important social aspects of life. In Colombia is the same. I think there should be no shame about it, maybe it's a cultural thing. It's ok to feel excited about it.
Love how Stevie recorded you @ 9:55 ❤️ Cant call it a chaos corner anymore - it looks great!! Some date/quality time ideas: • Go to a zoo or aquarium. • Go on a walk, anywhere. • Take a hike somewhere pretty. • Visit an Arboretum/Conservatory. • I saw someone else suggest board game night, and I 2nd that! • Have a little art sesh together. • Lay a big blanket out in the yard and just relax out there together. • Take a class together. (Check out your local community center! I am taking a tai chi class soon 😊) • Lazer Tag • escape rooms • learn some sort of dance together (my boyfriend and i have been using UA-cam to learn swing dancing)
Yesss loved this video. I'm totally here for your cleaning kick haha. If Stevie is happy to get a bike too, riding around with your partner is fun in itself but yes tasty snacks make it better. Photog can help - getting pictures of cool stuff - if either of you are motivated by that. Love seeing small but effective changes 💜💜
“I’m just not that social so I can’t join a gang” lmao
😂😂😂😂😂
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The way I cackled 🤣🤣 Bea sweetie, this sentence right here is what makes your content riveting
Love the video. Really wish you could post more. Want to see the chickens sometimes. Take care 🥰
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Hello, Foodie. Welcome! I think if we try to deny who we are, we won't be able to stick to healthy habits. However, if we EMBRACE who we are (foodies) and find healthy ways to enjoy it, then we can actually stick to a healthy habit. So, instead of just going out to eat with your mom, walking to her house first is a healthy habit. Instead if just going out to eat with your boyfriend, bike there. Be excited about the yummy/healthy foods you will have on your picnic. Don't deny who you are. Take who you are and build healthy habits around it.
I love this comment! I have similar thoughts as Bea surrounding food and I’ve applied this advice to my life. For a while I was getting 2 Venti Pink Drinks a week…soon I found myself craving them every time I went to work and that was savage for my bank account and my tummy, so I decided to switch to Poppi Soda which is a prebiotic soda that has only 50 calories and 5 grams of sugar. I pour it over ice in a cup that makes me feel like a special human being and drink with a straw so it feels like a venti. I got 6 cans for $14 which is pretty much cost the same as my twice a week habit at Starbucks. I take one to work and that’s my fun, energizing beverage for the day. I’m going to work on going back to my twice a week beverage habit for my bank account AND my tummy.
love this. I 100% agree that any lifestyle changes have to be sustainable to your current life- otherwise I feel you're more likely to feel discouraged when you get off track, and abandon it altogether.
Yeah, I'm a foodie too. I think it helps me stay healthier sometimes. Road trips is a good example, I'm packing the cooler with healthy road snacks and my partners buying Snickers and chips at the corner stores.
I agree with this 💯
Like the fact that she walked before the meal was amazing! And then embracing the food. We need food to survive, and healthy food to thrive. Just embrace it. Look forward to how you can eat that will fuel your gut and make you healthy.
Honestly I think embracing food can be healthy as you learn fun ways to incorporate healthy food. Like Olipop instead of soda (prebiotic low sugar drink) fruits (antioxidants) coat it in chocolate to make it fun. Look up the benefits of veggies and find ways to add more to your diet. I love meatloaf and I add a bunch of veggies and then it’s super healthy, I’m happy because of a delicious meal and my gut is happy because of the variety. Don’t try to eliminate the fun in food, just try to make healthier meals more enjoyable.
ILY 💛
My heart melted at Stevie's reaction to the pot spilling incident. So sweet. You two are adorable.
I felt the same! It was the “understanding your pain” hand swipe that got me! 🤣
He is so sweet!
Yes, super sweet!
My thoughts were the same…. He seems like a great guy for her! So happy she found her mate.
Your heart metled at his basic reaction? Maybe move your standards up a bit bc they seem to lay on the floor
Bea how about a game night with your friends and family a la twister,or pictionary.Or make yourself an out door theater,or a go camping in your back yard with Steven.Make a bird house,paint your partner while you drink wine.Take up beading or creating something beautiful.Hiking,fishing,building something.Massage night, spa night with your bf where you show him how to do some self care stuff.
"Paint your partner while you drink wine"
...my brain immediately presented the image of Bea applying paint to Stevie's face with an art brush whilst drinking wine, with one of her squinty appraisal faces. Not what you meant, I'm sure, but brought a healthy giggle lol
yes this is amazing! also 1 snack like carrots cucumber and hummus with chili oil or something instead of a ton for parties is so much better for clean up and most people forget about the food if the option is boring but its there if anyone wants it
Mine went to worse places 😅😅@secondstar101
Omg a backyard tent sleepover with Steven and Bea... I'd click so fast!!!! 😂
Go swimming! Pool or lake... a beach day with Bea and Steven would be so fun!
Since watching her, we have both healed a lot, gotten homes, started working out and focusing on our health, and found men who make us feel comfortable, loved, and more like ourselves. Watching his sweet and immediate tiuch of reassurance when she spilled the pot made me smile because my partner would've done the exact same thing. How far we've come and how loved and lucky we are.
I think for your question at the end… you have to start doing the things that don’t revolve around food and THEN your mental patterns around it will change. Don’t judge that your brain currently defaults to worrying about the food. Just let that be and plan things without involving food so your brain has experiences to draw on that you do go out and do things that don’t revolve around food.
I second that. It's a matter of habits. You need to create new experiences and at first it will feel difficult or even weird to make plans that have nothing to do with what you're going to eat. Once you begin to make new experiences without food your brain eventually won't jump to food right away anymore. Further more you could maybe look into what needs you're meeting by thinking of food. Maybe it meets the need for certainty or safety or something completely different. Only you will know :)❤️
Yes, and better to do it now, while you're young. Once you get older, meals/drinks are about the only things people can agree on
I read that with my therapist’s voice.
Ok I love how he is with you. Green flags all day!!!! “We have a vacuum, no big deal” HOW FREAKING CUTE!!!! I play for the other team and even I found him dreamy 😊❤❤❤
Omg he’s absolutely dreamy, that’s the exact right word ☺️🥹🥰
He’s sweet for sure and I’m glad she didn’t settle. Because she found someone that treats her so well, she so deserves that sweet love and you can just see they have so much chemistry 🥰🥰💛
The dining area looks great!
Board games are fun, painting and wine is also a nice activity.
You guys obviously do a lot more with eachother than eat. You guys just hung out and created a beautiful area in your home together. You guys built some of the chicken run together. The puzzle challenge date.. it's all about the day to day stuff that you can't forget about that is also quality time.
I can't wait to see what you do next!
I totally agree! Bea, you don't give yourself enough credit! You have been HOBBYING it up with Stevie.
Yes we just need to get into the correct mindset while we're doing it to be able to see it that way
the corner does look so fresh and clean!! Nicely done, keep it up. It helps calm my mind to have a clutter free place :)
I’m the same way girl! My husband and I recently found line dancing and it’s become our weekly date night and it’s so much fun!
She could get Elmom and Grandma in on that.
I started doing monthly “dinner and an activity” nights with a couple old colleagues. I’m the youngest in my mid 30s. We’ve done comedy shows, escape rooms, laser tag…just fun random stuff and I feel like a kid again those nights. It shakes up the “just food related” outings. Highly recommend!
Hi husband and i were struggling with the same thing, of focusing all of our activities around food! After a worrisome doctor's visit we knew we had to make some changes. We incorporated a weekly pickeball night, its only for an hour or so, but it's so fun, we get some exercise/ outdoors time and I really feel like it's brought us closer together. Now I look forward to every week!
Also- LOVE the new organization for the plants!!! Cleaning up and/or having clutter out of sight improves my mental health exponentially!!! I suggest having baskets, drawers and/or some type of organizational system that hides the clutter over open shelving. You will be amazed at the difference it makes!
Things to do in a small town:
1) Y'all should do the trend where you paint each other
2) creative nights
During covid I would host virtual creative sessions where a group of my friends would all get together on zoom and do different art projects; poetry, music, jewelry making etc. Maybe you can try something like that but not virtual.
3) sign up for a random workout class once a week with Steven or your family members. Like one week yoga, next week rock climbing, swim etc. I think you used to do something like this with swimming with your family
4) you could volunteer at an Animal shelter with them
5) work on a garden together
6) get binoculars and stargaze ✨
Hope maybe some of these spark some non food activities you can do with loved ones ☺️
Oh I love that setup for your plants and supplies! Now I’m in a cleaning mood…for at least 3 minutes.
The ADD organization that invokes a sense of calm is real. I've been downsizing for that specific reason, and it's wild how much it helps. I would love to see organization content. You're so great at it.
Visual clutter is just a nightmare, it’s more or less just a silent list of to dos 😂. It’s nice being able to slap some doors on things and not have to engage with it until you want to. Environment needs to do a lot of heavy lifting when you have adhd.
BEATRICE CARUSO POSTED LETS GOOOOO 🙏 we love you Bea ❤️
why is you building furniture in pure silence a comedic masterpiece LMAO
I read somewhere that "open shelving is a mistake you only make once" lol. I felt that. Unless straighten and cleaning open shelves is your jam it's definitely something for me that gives me stress. I'd rather have a mix. Hide most of my miscellaneous stuff and then have a small amount for display / pretty.
I'm finally cleaning my "ADHD house" out and its exhausting and feels like it's never going to end, but every time I clean out a corner or a cupboard or anything its incredible the difference it makes for me mentally. As for the food thing, I've switched to having a coffee treat instead. Still calories and some sugar, but a treat nonetheless with the bonus of less cleanup and I can still walk and talk with it and carry on with my day. xoxo
My pup got really stressed out when he heard you say "no biting!" He knew it wasn't me, but he heard it.
Go take the Clutterbug Quiz! It will help you identify the best way to store objects in your home. We decluttered lots of items and it made storing what was left so much easier. It also reduced the amount if time wasted stuff shuffling and freed up so much time for doing other things. Best thing though, was the peace it brought to our home. Everything has its place and about 90% of our stuff is in closed off storage, like your cabinets. The minimal mom is also a great UA-camr for helping with reducing inventory and bringing peace to your living space.
I wish she would let you click multiple answers on her quiz
Stiff shuffling is my life….im glad to have language for it!
I love that you show your mama and grandma, mine have all passed, so it makes me happy for you that you spend time with yours ❤
I came to this video so fast from tiktok doom scrolling that I gave myself whiplash.
I hope ur okay😂
Lol same!
You made me laugh out loud 😂
It’s amazing how cleaning up a small space can make a difference! I need to do that. Love how Stevie helps you with the project.
If you have a bowling alley near by they often have leagues with weekly games. I was in one before our bowling alley closed. It was mainly seniors but it was a fun thing to do each week.
Love that Stevie is so supportive and doesn't freak out about stuff.
Also, I wouldn't normally recommend another UA-cam channel but maybe try watching clutter bug videos? I recently did and found out my organisation style and it blew my ADHD mind.
Sending love from Australia! ❤️
I'm Italian so EVERYTHING revolves around food. I feel you😅
Hiking is a great idea. My husband and I like to bird watch, read outside together (he reads aloud to me), we ride bikes together, we take walks together and watch the animals, sometimes we meditate. We do parallel play together, he works on a craft and I work on a craft, we sometimes just sit and listen to music together. We're a little bit of a slow couple but there's so many things to do together!
Also, I like your mom even though she doesn't like getting filmed LOL! More mommy content! My mom is far away from me rn and I'm missing her a lot, so it's healing to see you hanging out with yours!
My family is very food oriented. We blame it on my grandma. She was a very good cook! I'm in the midst of my health journey and was fairly recently diagnosed as diabetic. 🥴 I feel like I'm always thinking about food and making sure I'm not eating tooamy carbs. It's exhausting
I get what you're asking, but to focus on the glass being half full, you seem to do a lot of non-food related things (you built the chicken coop, have done various yard projects, you bought that house and fixed it up, you fixed up the dining room, etc.). That said, I hear what you're asking and I have a similar issue, but I buy things in order to do an activity (new hiking clothes, bike accessories, etc) and that makes me feel icky sometimes. My partner and I do audiobook walks and jigsaw puzzles (with audiobook). Gardening, having friends over for a movie. Work on artwork. My partner and I really got into making animation for about a month a while ago and that was pretty immersive and can be done cheaply (I used a free app on my ipad).
Cabinets look good. It's always nice to upgrade . The little things that make a difference.
I think the Hiking and picnic thing is a great idea, sure again food is involved, but you're also doing a physical activity and food is there so you don't get hangry while exerting energy. Plus sharing meals are very important in a relationship. My mother and I just this past weekend had a car picnic while we were house hunting. Just ate some sammiches and fruit in the back of my car.
disk golf and ultimate Frisbee, are some of my go to. I do enjoy hiking, cycling, and just a walk in the park.
We recently bought a camper, just for my husband and I. Kids are grown and out of the house with their own families. While camping we play board games (yahtzee, cribbage, five crowns, kings cribbage), we also do adult coloring pages, and I'm trying to find paint by numbers. Rule is whoever wins the game gets to pick the next game/activity. It's fun for us.
For paint by numbers look up the schipper brand. Highest quality acrylic paint by numbers I’ve done by far.
I love camping!
Love this!
Bowling is also active but not crazy and it's a good way to mix it up every once in a while 😊
i think with most day plans food is something that has to be considered. without it we get tired, grumpy, and stop enjoying the activity. going biking and picnic-ing out is a great plan! physical activity, quality time, and it doesnt have to end when you get hungry. My friends and I recently went to the beach together and one of the main things on the agenda for planning was making new foods to try (i made a chickpea veggie wrap was BOMB). but when we were actually there we were just enjoying the sand and sun and each other’s company. theres nothing wrong with planning for food- especially if you are making your own or trying out some new experience!
basically,, there isnt anything wrong with you. there is something to trying to figure out new experiences with your loved ones, but food does not have to be eliminated from the plans to make them good plans.
Girl if you joined a gang you would definitely be the leader in minutes ❤
You know, as one of the followers that hollered "DANGER, WILL ROBINSON" when Stevie came on the scene, I quite like him. Like, a lot. I appreciate the way he seems to balance your energy
Oh how I love you and your sense of humor! I have a new one for you to try. Pickle ball! They have a court in your local town/city park or Y. It’s a much smaller court than tennis and you can let the ball bounce more! Lol. You and your mom, or you and Stevie could try it! Then skateboard/bike! 🥰
I also increased my weight on the bench press this year. From just the bar to weights on the bar. Am I right ladies!? 🎉🎉
Non food related activities: local classes (FB is a cesspool but there are so many local classes in the community pages. In my town there’s everything from witchcraft to blade making to foraging to watercolors to reiki and cacao ceremonies), volunteering at an animal shelter, animal shelter transport, axe throwing, scavenger hunt, couples massage, Randonautica
Omg I miss Colorado breakfasts. That looked so good!!!!
One of my favorite outings is to wander around antique stores
I just love your off the cuff sense of humor! The bit about joining a gang 🤣
I was also calmed by watching the chaos corner get sorted .. peaceful!
For many years my social activity was a weekly meetup at the dogpark. I just paid extra money to get a 'cute' air fryer & microwave. I have a tiny galley kitchen & they will be on a bakers rack. It's worth the extra money to have something nice to look at vs just more black appliances.
I dunno - I think it's important to be thoughtful about your food when doing activities! I went on an 8-mile hike up a mountain this past weekend/3500 ft elevation gain. It was important to me to make sure my food was easily packable and would give me the energy needed for the hike. A yummy lunch at the top of the hike with a view is the best reward! One of my hiking buddies always packs chocolate for her energy boosts on the ascent.
That sounds so good! I love to go on long hikes but Suck at packing snacks!
I am the same way about food at events. The main thing is "What are we eating.?" I wish I wasn't that way!
My best friend and I started going on hikes when we hang out instead of going to dinner. Changing the main activity in a social meeting-one that is actually specifically not tangential to food, seems to be really helpful. Food can be fun and social, but it’s really helpful to take a break for a season and switch it to fueling and being boring. No rigid rules, just try not to highlight it or give it any flares and give that energy to everything else.
I think it's just a personality thing honestly. Some people just are constantly thinking/dreaming about their next meal. I have a friend that is much smaller than me who absolutely loves her food and is constantly thinking about what delicious thing she is going to have next. I on the other hand, forget to eat, miss my hunger cues and it feels like an absolute chore to feed myself so often 😂
I think people are just different / go through different phases in life ❤
Keep doing you, Bea 😊
My boyfriend and I love kayaking. It’s super relaxing and great to get out in nature together.
Bea, your beautiful evolution since I started following you in...2020? is just INSPIRING. You go, girl, is all I can say 🙌🏼💗
Book clubs, walks, hikes, dog parks, thrifting, board games, lake days, campfires these are some of my favorite things 💕
Bowling!! Thrift some crazy bowling shirts and throw heavy balls! 🎳 My daughter threw in a cartwheel or a Micheal Jackson spin upon her return from her throws! I broke a sweat! It was hilarious and fun! It’s social. Light activity. Even your mistakes are funny! 😄 Worth a try!! 💛
*Calm calm*
Pup immediately bites
He was “holding her arm”.
Girl! The new plant set up is gorgeous.
I have the same problem. So I play Dungeons & Dragons. Which can also become a session of mindless snack-munching if you're not careful, so I just try to have a supply of water, coffee, and/or tea nearby. And that pretty much wraps up my social life.
Hey Bea and Steven! I love seeing cluttered areas get straightened out. It motivates me to do the same for sure! 🥰 Great video 🤗
Try a gun range or archery. My husband usually joins me for anything I want to try like pottery. It's summer time so scout out local festivals, art shows, movies in the park, etc. Or even DND.
“Gang violence and hiking.” Extreme sports! 😂 The new corner looks great! ❤
Bea the biking and picnic idea sounds like such a cute date! As someone who has also always been addicted to food and lives for it, I understand your qualms, but I think the goal should be about decentralizing it in your life and gaining control over the habits, and not getting rid of the enjoyment of it completely. It’s not like an addiction like alcohol where you can cut it out of your life, so I think the only choice is to find small steps to integrate it in a more healthy way. You still need to eat! In your idea you would be exercising, getting time in nature, time with a loved one, and sharing a conscious meal with homemade food. I understand the feeling of your brain just being excited for the food part, but it sounds like a very healthy balance to me, and I think it just takes building those things into your life to rewire the brain and learn to look forward to all the parts 😊🫶🏻
My husband and I love to go to thrift shops, antique shops or yard sales (when they’re in season. We live in Pennsylvania, so people usually don’t have any in the colder months here). We love to go for walks around local parks and hiking trails. We love to go to cemeteries too for walks because they usually aren’t too crowded, at least with kids. You’ll see other adults going for walks or runs around them, but it’s never too busy. It’s nice and calming. If it’s something you and Steven or Elmo would get in to, you could find some older local cemeteries and explore the tombstones there. There’s SO much history in local cemeteries, and some of the stones are so beautiful!
I know you said you find that your hang outs with people tend to have food involved. BUT I would suggest packing your own lunch, like the picnic you mentioned. First and foremost you definitely seem to get excited thinking of different meals you could bring, so it clearly makes you happy so I think you should embrace it! And secondly, you can control the ingredients/calories if you’re aiming to eating healthier/lower in calories. I know how my husband and I get, so for example we went to a huge neighborhood yard sale this weekend. We were there from 8am-noonish. I packed a healthier lunch for us because I knew we would be hungry after wandering through a neighborhood in the sun all morning and we’re tracking our calorie intake. Plus it takes away the impulse to just go for fast food or something. So I packed a cooler in the car with some cold coffee and some healthier sandwiches and snacks and fruit.
So if you’re planning on trying out going for hikes or bike rides, pack a meal for you guys to have either when you get back to the car or if you want to carry it (maybe in a backpack cooler) when you’re hiking or biking. Kayaking is also something we love to do if you have any lakes around you. Some parks have kayak rentals.
Sorry for my novel! Haha but I hope it helps you or someone else if you guys decide to read this lengthy thing 😆
That dining room corner really did look fantastic after a little clean up.
And girl now that i think about it, I would also think if we're going out what food will we have and when and from where so I hope somebody else has better advice than I do lol cuz I got nothing😂
ohh you can do like a fun "do each others hobby" where steven teaches you how to skateboard? me and my bf want to go walk around the beaches and go swimming, i wanna take him ice skating this winter and we both try to go on daily walks together where we just do the same route so we go on autopilot but we also talk about a buncha stuff so its always a great bonding experience!
in general, I think you can do so many things, if i had the budget wed be going horseback riding, wall climbing, canoeing, so so so many more activities i wanna do with him ;-;
honestly even going on a trip abroad (? im from Greece so its easier here ig) would be a fun activity and youll be exploring the whole place, aka walking all day! and then you get to enjoy new cuisine and etc
idk if this is helpful, these are just some ideas off the top of my head hehe
One thing I notice you do really well is respecting food. Good presentation. Enjoying it sitting alone or with people. Keep that mindset. Respect the food ❤🎉
I'm so happy you and Steven found eachother. His reaction to when you knocked over the plants was really sweet. When one has an eating disorder it's very challenging to not be food focused because we celebrate with food, comfort ourselves with food and even punish ourselves with it. If I'm going to do outdoor stuff then I'll put frozen grapes in my water bottle instead of ice so I can have a snack after drinking my water when on outings or working outside. I also try to eat more fruits&veggies higher in water during the summer and find it helps my body stay cooler when I do less meats, doing more raw foods helps me tolerate the heat. I think it takes some experimenting on what eating style works for you. I've gotten better at managing my eating disorder and have fewer "eating my feelings" moments. I love the UFO plant you have and you've become quite the plant mom!👏👏👏🌷🌱
I love you Bea you're so relatable. Stevie's a sweetheart. My suggestion would be if you do your skateboard bike thing but then you take a blanket not for a picnic but to do sketches? I'm positive each of us would love a recipe size card sketch of yours for a fee 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷💨💨💨
I know you decided againsit the weightloss meds which is totally understandable but I will say that it has made a huge impact on food noise in my life. It's one of my favorite parts of the medicine. Just something to keep in mind in case you ever change your mind.❤
There's a UA-camr named Cozy K whose channel is all about her different hobbies and crafts, and she put out a video today about how she organizes her hobbies to prevent overwhelm, including which ones are messy or involve a lot of pieces. I thought you might find it useful since she mentions that putting pressure on finishing a project takes the fun out of it, which is something you've mentioned a few times before, a pressure to complete certain goals that were supposed to be fun when you originally made them.
She does mention Notion, which everyone and their dog are pushing online, as well as a planner she collaborated with another company on, so just take those parts with a grain of salt (but I'm also not mad about it since she's a female POC getting that coin, which I'm all for). Either way, I hope this can help you or anyone juggling a ton of projects!
Great cleaning and working together! You two are so darn cute.
Since you asked for advice in the end, I think it's totally great to have food as part of an activity. What I'd advice is to keep it simple! Like a thermos with a drink you really like, and your favorite fruit. I'd love to see another hike video soon! Bring ya man
So relateable! I also struggle with finding activites I enjoy that aren't food focused. Something my husband and I have been enjoying is an outdoor picnic, but we leave the food behind. If there's a cute picnic spot that you and Stevie could bike/skateboard to, maybe you could take a picnic blanket and sit out and read or watch something on your phone.
What if you try planning something inbetween meals. So right after u have breakfast at home or lunch and then plan to come home after your activity and make your supper.
Nice job on the living room! Your Mom's doggies are super cute 🙂
I like the less chaotic plant corner now. 🙂
The clear drawing table is cool. I have one that I use for winding yarn into cakes.
The thickness of the surface is perfect for the yarn winding equipment. 🙂
9:08 the broom falling sent me hahaha
Swimming, museums, movies, roller rink, laser tag, video game arcade, bookstore, thrifting, bowling, the zoo in the a.m. before it gets too hot, day trip to the next town over, etc. ❤
Beatrice, I've been watching you for several years now and understand your frustration in losing weight. I recently started tracking my blood glucose level. I've experienced a new level of "Nope, not gonna eat that!" because watching your glucose level skyrocket is mighty powerful in getting yourself in check. Just thought I'd throw the idea to you. 😊
Bea! You're doing great! Small Tip: I wish everyone would *stop putting cardboard boxes on their countertops.* Those boxes and delivery trucks are the filthiest places. All delivery boxes should pretty much be on only the floor near the garage door and removed from the house as soon as possible after they're empty. Never on any work surfaces. 🤪🏋️♀️😎
Oh Bea, I luv ya girl!! Oh! And we need to see Stevie!! Caught a better glimpse today, and I must say!!....he's good lookin! Keep on keepin on you! ❤
I have a pair of expensive flip flops I love, but they sometimes too make Spongebob squeaks when I walk in them lol
Some things I’ve started doing that you might like.. cuz i had same realization about food, like every date me and my bf go on was food related. I live in a small town too but have some cool stuff if we drive 30 min to an hour or two for. Visit camp grounds or parks to go hiking or swimming, take your dogs to dog parks, fishing (surprised me lol and licenses here are like $25 a year), road trips, art museums, looking up festivals or conventions upcoming in your area, flea markets/garage sales, concerts, stand up comedy shows, even some open mic’s at hole in the walls can be super fun! I also know that sometimes certain schools will offer classes to public for free or like one time fee. There’s a school for the deaf near us that teaches sign language classes to public for free! We thought it might be fun to learn together and are going to sign up. There’s also a glass blowing place near us that we recently found out they do classes for a fee and almost like those painting classes where everyone paints same scene they’ll have an ornament/paper weight everyone that goes that day would create..look up stuff and you may be surprised what you guys can go do that doesn’t revolve around food. I think restaurants are just so safe that it’s so many couples go to/comfort together. You may even like to volunteer places like an animal shelter or go donate blood together, might sound weird but it is something to do and benefits others as well.
My boyfriend and I are into Trading Cards and Board Games. We play alone or with a couple of friends. We also visit a Trading Card Shop once in a while to socialize with other awkward people like us. It‘s fun. You can also go on hikes, enjoy nature and take a break in a safe house or restaurant there. Therefore you are out and about, meeting people without really interacting with them and have a real great activity for the day. I‘m going hiking since 8 years now and also take my dog with me 😊
My bf and i have a list of stuff we have done/ want to do! Going on bike rides, teaching the other one something like him showing me the basics of coding, learning how to knit socks for each other, playing geo guessr together, making funny power point presentations on random topics and presenting it to the other one, doing a board game evening, showing the other one music/iconic youtube clips we like taking turns with every video, hiking and hopefully doing a multi-day hike in summer, painting and listen to an audio book next to each other, doing puzzles, learning how to dance together with UA-cam tutorials, watching CUT videos like truth or drink together and also answer the questions ourselves, watching our favorite local womens soccer team, making bellini ourselves and also trying to puree other fruit than peach for it and rating each fruit-cocktail, doing a pottery class, learning about something (like some places in your town) and then doing like a „guided tour“ for the other one,…
I am always happy to add things, like when i saw the two of you doing a puzzling-competition! :-)
So ideas you can research:
Escape rooms
Ax throwing
Game night 🎉
Arcade night
Skating rink
Skate board park
Any park or trails
I don’t know if you are near water but I learned to do paddle boarding and there are SUP groups to join where you can meet friends
Also I think it’s okay if your outings include food. You can pack healthy snacks and even a nice picnic for some of the outdoor activities. I would think of it as adding things to your life. Don’t focus on restricting
Food is social and that’s ok!! If you go on a walk and bring a lovely picnic that feels super active and healthy to me. And you’d be hungry after any activity anyway :) I wonder if continuing to bring joy and social bonding into your meals is actually the way to go. Especially if they’re home cooked meals.
You are so enjoyable to watch and listen to - I don't think you realise how funny you are. Steven must feel like he absolutely hit the jackpot when he met you. You are very sweet together. I have been thinking similarly about trying to do social activities that do not revolve around food. It's tricky - we are so conditioned to consider meals at every turn. I live on a small island in New Zealand and walking to one of the many beaches is a 'go to' but aside from clay shooting and archery at one of the vineyards, or ziplining there are not a lot of activities. There are a couple of lawn bowling clubs but that seems like something I might consider in my 60's. 🙂
my partner and I agree to something and then we say we'll eat something small at home beforehand like hardboiled eggs or protein bar, then we will do our thing but we cant eat until we get back then it just helps stay in the moment. without depriving food.
Hey Bea,
I think the biking and picnic is a great start for several reasons.
First, it adds an activity. That will automatically create shared experiences and memories.
Second, from a health point of view, it's better to bike, picnic and bike back than to drive to a restaurant by car and back.
I don't think you have to cut food out of your social activities completely, but you can moderate it.
Have you ever seen those craft cabinets that close up when you are done and it has a table and places for all kinds of craft items . maybe that would be peaceful for you..I don't remember the name of the company right now but I will look for it and tell you when I know what it is.
I found the name of the cabinet. It is called Dreambox. But there were others too so maybe one of those would suit you too. Dreambox was really expensive over 2000 collars and it had things you could add that costed even more maybe someone else provides the same amount of space in a cabinet but doesn't charge so much. I am thinking about having someone build one for me for a few hundred dollars id I can find anyone. Otherwise I will do it myself.
Love to see you happy in your relationship! ❤️💕
Honestly you assembling the shelf was soothing
I totally get it. I get really antsy and anxious when my house is untidy! Also hubby and I just tried pickleball SO MUCH FUN!!!
If there's hiking and trails, you don't really have to be outdoorsy to try enjoying those. Make it into some other hobby - pressing flowers, bird watching. I guess foraging is about food, but you need a guide to learn to do that. There's a heck of a range between just casual trail walking and "outdoorsy" activities like vigorous hiking or mountain biking. If its more of an open park - find the weirdest niche sport you can find or make one up - just go to the sporting goods store and pick out the silliest game or activity you can find and learn it together. I once saw a bunch of people bouncing a ball off a mini trampoline to try to get it into a hoop at the park. Endless possibilities at parks, really. Things I've seen include: dog training groups, outdoor yoga classes, kites, kids putting on some makeshift play, people sitting in a hammock they set up and reading, metal detectorists, slack line walkers, juggling practice, and more.
Last week I saw a video about traditional mexican families. All the activities revolved around making good food from scratch. I think Latin America is pretty much like that: cultivating, preparing, and serving food is one of the most important social aspects of life. In Colombia is the same. I think there should be no shame about it, maybe it's a cultural thing. It's ok to feel excited about it.
Love hearing about that gym progress!
Love how Stevie recorded you @ 9:55 ❤️ Cant call it a chaos corner anymore - it looks great!!
Some date/quality time ideas:
• Go to a zoo or aquarium.
• Go on a walk, anywhere.
• Take a hike somewhere pretty.
• Visit an Arboretum/Conservatory.
• I saw someone else suggest board game night, and I 2nd that!
• Have a little art sesh together.
• Lay a big blanket out in the yard and just relax out there together.
• Take a class together. (Check out your local community center! I am taking a tai chi class soon 😊)
• Lazer Tag
• escape rooms
• learn some sort of dance together (my boyfriend and i have been using UA-cam to learn swing dancing)
Yesss loved this video. I'm totally here for your cleaning kick haha. If Stevie is happy to get a bike too, riding around with your partner is fun in itself but yes tasty snacks make it better. Photog can help - getting pictures of cool stuff - if either of you are motivated by that. Love seeing small but effective changes 💜💜
That last part is so relatable! Frfr ❤
When you walk into a room listening to what is screaming at you - that’s how you know what to declutter or clean. It made a big difference for me.