Chapter 1:
The first chapter really opened my eyes in regards to where I was not doing everything within my power to better my overall health. I was not aware that things like giving to charity or to those in need could actually have a direct impact on my health both mentally and physically. The idea of helping my self through helping others seems obvious now but I will admit that I had not really understood the extent to which it could benefit not only the people I help but my self included. The biggest takeaway from chapter 1 for me was the concept of mindfulness. It stood out to me because it was something that I have been lacking. Mindfulness is essentially being present and living in the moment. With being a full time student, working part time at a warehouse, running my own business of recording and mixing music, and being a father, I would notice my self thinking of the next step of my day or week and not paying attention fully to what was happening right in front of me. Missing out on the beauty of the world, not hearing what my friends and loved ones had said to me the first time, or overlooking a crucial part of a mix/song because I was living in the future or dwelling on the past. Being mindful is absolutely key to maintaining a healthy mindset, staying on task and being productive, and lets you enjoy life to its full potential. If you can take care of what is happening in the moment, the future will take care of its self. I found this related to my aspect of losing weight because if i focus on what I already ate or think about when I will have time to work out, I wouldn’t be focusing on what I can do in the moment to attain my goal.
Chapter 2:
Chapter 2 primarily focused on mental health. While my aspect is focused on physical health i.e. losing weight, I was unsure as to how I could link the two. However, working out and eating clean which are required to lose weight, also directly impact mental health. Through working out and putting good clean food into our bodies, stress levels can be lowered significantly and a persons overall mental state can be improved and maintained through regular physical activity and a balanced diet. Building and maintaining a strong sense of self esteem also stood out to me. Like most people at some point in their lives, I cared deeply about how others would think of me. Today, I realize I only care what I think of my self and that the people who really love me will continue to love and care for me as long as I am happy with who I am. My weight was always the root of this problem because I had felt like being overweight made people judge me. While more often than not this was false, in my head I felt that was the first thing people would notice about me. At the end of the day it really only matters that you are healthy and happy with who you are, and realizing this has made a significant improvement in my own mental health.
Chapter 3:
In Chapter 3, the effects stress can have on your health connected directly to my aspect of weight loss. Constant stress can actually slow your metabolism and make it exceedingly difficult to maintain a healthy body weight. Thankfully this chapter also provides some insight into managing and reducing stress. Things like turning off electronic devices when you are with friends and family, only taking on a certain number of tasks at one time to avoid being overwhelmed, and simply venting to people you can trust about what is bothering you are all great ways to deal with stress and get through the day. Along with clean eating and regular exercise, I think the stress management techniques in chapter three will play a key role in reaching my weight-loss goals.
Progress:
I started my life style change of being healthier and losing weight last summer but saw this course as an opportunity to further what I had already started. I was 228 lbs last summer, the heaviest I had ever been. Today I am 198 lbs and feel so much better compared to my previous weight. My main problem was eating sweets late at night. Since last summer I have limited sweets to 2-3 snacks a week and I usually eat them early on in the day so that I can burn them off before bed. Focusing on living in the moment, taking care of my mental/spiritual health, and implementing stress reducing techniques makes me much more confident in my ability to not only attain my goals, but to take them even further and never look back.
lhursonshealthblog 