What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?
TODAY’S POST WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 27, 2023
It’s quite ironic that in our world today we have the most information and support available to us regarding our health and well-being, and yet we see headlines like this from a simple Google search:
“Obesity Epidemic Astronomical”
“Rising Obesity in the United States is a Public Health Crisis”
“The Truth About Mental Health and Gun Violence”
“Why Do Women Have More Sleep Issues Than Men?”
“How Does Family Life Affect Well-Being?”
Personally, I have available health coaches, dietitians, web apps, fitness fanatics at the gym, stress and calming apps on my phone, innumerable articles online, and a whole suite of “wellness services” from work as well as my insurance carriers designed to help me maintain my well-being on a daily basis.
So why is it so hard to stay healthy and maintain my wellness on a daily basis?
For me, it’s willpower. I like to eat and have a sick sweet tooth and know that sugar leads me to cancer or obesity. Earlier this year, I stepped on the scale and had that moment. You know the one – when you tell yourself you seriously have to make a change.
I just didn’t know quite what to do and of course didn’t want to feel deprived.
One day I came across the idea of intermittent fasting. Simply put, it means having a period of time where you don’t eat food, and then eat reasonably outside that established period of time.
Breakfast seemed likely to be my best option to eliminate eating, as I felt like Honey Nut Cheerios may be good for my heart, but not so much for my waistline. I had also gotten used to sugaring up coffee or tea to get me going with a dose of caffeine in the morning (particularly during the pandemic).
So, beginning in February, I weaned myself off breakfast and also down to just drinking 2 cups of black coffee or tea. Outside of the fasting period, I also used the My Fitness Pal app to track what I was eating and how close I was to my caloric goal.
The results? I’m down over 25 pounds, and my blood pressure and cardio stats are both in the excellent range for guys my age. I continue to lose about a pound or so a week, so the change has been slow and gradual, which is the way it should be.
Other things I do to maintain my well-being? I tend to be a positive person, so stress has never been much of an issue for me, I sleep without issues, and I exercise 2-3 times a week at my neighborhood gym.
I have a great spouse and family that support me as well, so overall, I live a pretty wonderful, and healthy life.
What do you do to maintain your own health and well-being? Let us know in the comments!
MOTEVENTURE 
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