Learning Health.

nelsonsearcy

March 29

In January 2021, I returned from a vacation trip to Seattle and stumbled across a bathroom scale that I had stowed away and thought "I haven't weighed myself in a while" and pulled it out from under the sink.

I stepped on and read "204.5" - this was the most I had ever weighed and I hadn't weighed myself in a year or so prior when I was around 192 (I am a 5'11" male).

I had never, and still thankfully have never, been hard on myself about anything with my body and felt reasonably healthy, but I hadn't reflected on my physical health at the time.

I put it on the back burner for a while, not weighing myself for another year or so after. Fast forward to that point in early 2022 and I still weighed around 192 but felt it fluctuated a lot based on my job (high activity in summer, low in winter).

Fast forward again to October 16, 2023, and I weighed 187.1, but this time it all felt different.

Previously when I was at 204.5 and 192, my body felt fine.

In October, I didn't feel great. Was constantly sluggish, bloated, tired, etc.

This is finally when I began reflecting on my physical health:

How often have I been working out?
- Answer: Sparingly. I had no main physical activity other than golfing and rarely went to the gym.
How many calories do I eat in a day?
- Answer: I thought it would be around 2200-2500 but after tracking for a week, it was closer to 2800-3200. Those Chick-fil-A sauces and sodas add up fast!
What kind of food am I eating?
- Answer: Little vegetables, some protein, mostly carbs and sugars. Not a super balanced diet.

So, that day of October 16th, 2023, I began tracking not just physical health pieces but all of my health. What are things that I do daily that are positive for my health and what are things that I do daily that are negative for my health.

I began to aim to do 1 positive thing each day for each piece of my health:

Physical: Close exercise ring on Apple Watch
Mental: Journal once daily
Faith/Spiritual: Read the Bible and Pray every day.
Activity: Do 1 thing that you like to do every day (walk, golf, hang with friends, write, etc.)
Words: Say 1 nice thing to yourself and 1 nice thing to another each day.

It felt like such the "bare minimum" at first but I found at the end of some days it still was very hard to get these checked off amidst some busy days.

I basically tracked on the days that I did all of these things, how did I feel?

I felt healthy.

I wasn't worried about my weight, I wasn't worried about my figure, I wasn't worried about anything other than doing what makes my body, mind, soul, and spirit fulfilled.

Fast forward to today, March 29, 2024, and I find myself having lost 30 pounds and feeling the best I've ever felt.

Not just physically, but mentally, spiritually, etc.

I truly attribute this to all of the wonderful support, relationships, and resources I have in my life.

My relationship with Jesus Christ: Especially heading into Easter Weekend, I feel His presence and am overcome with joy, peace, patience, perseverance, and so much more when connected with Him, His teachings, His Word, etc.
My relationship with my family: My family is always so supportive no matter what I am doing in my life. I know that not everyone has this, so I always want to be grateful for every ounce of support I receive.
My relationship with my friends: Similarly to my family, my friend groups are all rooting for me, and I am to them. We give and take so much and share life together and I couldn't do it without them.
Kermit, my dog: My dog is my true best friend here on earth. He is nothing but joy, serenity, quiet, respect. He's a great pal.
My job: My job gives me purpose and provides for me. That is more than I could ever ask for.
My car: I have a car that gets me from A to B.
My apartment: I have shelter, a bed, and a place to clean my clothes and my body, to stay warm or cool.
My clothes: I have garments that allow me to dress for any occasion or weather.

My joy comes from the Lord over all of these things, but even if you are not a spiritually connected person, I encourage you to reflect on the amount of blessings we have every day around us, even the little things.

A mindset is truly what it says: SET your MIND in the right place and you will stay there. It takes work but it is powerful.

Being thankful and being intentional can go so far.

The reality check of this "positive post" is that life is not perfect and I know that the valleys of life we consistently face will come soon, but I will walk through them with confidence in my faith, mind, body, etc.

I also want to post a few disclaimers:

I am not a health professional. Nothing that I say or do is exactly how someone should look to lose weight or live their life. I simply am sharing my personal experiences (as I do with every post on this site) and if someone finds something that is helpful, that is wonderful to hear.
What you weigh does not define you as being "healthy". You can eat 1,500 calories of just donuts every day and lose weight, but you may not be feeling so "healthy" with the nutrients (or lack thereof).
Everyone's body, mind, and soul is different. Just because I did things a certain way doesn't mean you will see the same results.
- Speaking of, what I focused on physically to lose weight was:
  - 45-minute incline walks (10 degrees, 3.0-3.5 speed)
  - Drink more water
  - Eat out less
  - 1 Protein, 1 vegetable with every meal
  - I still ate wherever I wanted, but it was about the contents and the size, not the location. Some locations are harder to do this than others though, I understand.

I hope this post finds you well. Whether you are focusing on your physical health, mental health, social health, spiritual health, etc., I encourage you to be consistent and tap into your support. You can never truly do something all alone. Once I accepted this and began to reach out to all of the resources in my life, that is when I truly began to grow.

Although I enjoy the current peak of this chapter, I know a valley will come.

I will face it with the same routine, thoughts, and smile I have had since October 16, 2023.

That's all I can do - do my best.

"I believe a few words can change your day and your life."

BEFORE PHOTOS (October 16, 2023: 187.1 LBS)