Today’s post is a tad autobiographical. If you’d like to skip to the substance of preventative vs. reactive healthcare, scroll all of the way to the bottom of the post.
The first week in review
So I’m six days in to my healthy living challenge and I have to say…I feel great! I’ve documented as much as I could so that I could stay on track. I’ve kept a nutrition log (thanks to my eDiets account), I’ve kept measurements in Google Docs, and I’ve been tracking my exercise through RunKeeper. I’ve been making more regular visits to the grocery store and loading up on fresh produce and ingredients for simple salads and breakfasts. I’ve been pretty busy so I’ve relied a bit on prepackaged meals like Lean Cuisine or meal replacement shakes to make up for some of my meals.
All in all I feel that I am making progress. Compared to some of my old measurements, they have either stayed the same or decreased (WIN!), with exception to my hips (FAIL) but at least it’s only up by 1 inch. One more inch of lovin’, I suppose. I don’t own a scale but I don’t really like tracking progress in that way either. I suppose it’s a natural evil so eventually I’ll go get a weigh in.
So far I’ve been pretty consistent with my eating and exercising. I’ve been making my exercise a priority and non-negotiable. I like that it’s becoming more of a routine now and something I plan for in my daily schedule. I’m finding it so important that I get irked or irritated by the mere thought of possibly having to skip a day. Nevertheless I am sure I can keep this up for a while longer. Logging in my food intake is a bit of a hassle but when I get into a habit of eating better on a regular basis I am sure I won’t have to get as detailed with it. I think while I am still trying to keep myself accountable it’s an important step to keep me conscientious of what goes in to my body.
My weekly nutrition log
My measurements (progress, and otherwise)
My running stats
Some new gear to help me along
I’ve been running with the same pair of shoes for almost three years now. I finally replaced them with a new pair that arrived today from Zappos so I am very excited to get running with them. Additionally, my workout clothes have been pretty drab so I decided to get some new running shorts and pants. Proud to say I had to opt for a size smaller than usual, so I suppose that’s a good sign!
Going In To See The Doc
Most of the times I’ve gone in to see the doctor has primarily been in reaction to an illness. I dislike medicine, doctor’s visits, etc, so I try to avoid them as much as I can and put them off for as long as I can. I’ve found through past experience that it is not exactly the wisest thing to do, since illnesses can become much, much worse if you try to ignore them. Most of my illnesses have been brought on by extreme stress: working too much, not taking time off, not exercising or eating right, and allowing myself to get worked up over nothing.
Over the course of the past week, I am finding that my newly forming habits are giving me the energy I need to maintain a work-life balance. I am more energetic and am more responsive. I am finding that I am more present in the moment with friends, work, etc. I truly feel that I’ve had some sort of breakthrough, and that is good.
I’ve been thinking more and more about prevention. If we can solve our health problems before they are even problems then we will probably on the road to a much healthier life. If we can troubleshoot the real root causes of our problems, then we do a much better job at coming to long-term resolutions and benefits. Instead of addressing the symptoms, we can prevent a lot of further illness by addressing the root causes of illness. So, with that in mind, I booked a session with @DocHeather in Santa Monica for a different take on my health. I am hoping that by being proactive with my health, I will have to be less reactive to it. Instead of masking symptoms with loads of medication, I can tackle problems head on in a natural and holistic manner.
I’ll be checking in on day 13 of 21. Stay tuned!
Amara in Training 