My First Week Actively Taking Charge of My Health

This week I made a concerted effort to focus more on my health, not only my physical health, but my mental and emotional health. The results were messy but beautifully perfect.
I concentrated more on my mental and emotional well being, there is no way that you can grow a healthy body with a sick mind or a wilted heart. I made it a priority to make me an important part of my day. I’ve always had trouble doing that, it’s always felt so selfish. I come from a family and a culture where you work yourself into the ground for those around you, where self care is seeing as a vain western construct. But I need it. I need to allow myself to love myself.
So enough with the introspective hippie bullshit, what did I do and did it work? I drank a ton of water, like an almost concerning amount, but shit did my body need it. I drank about 160 oz of water a day, that’s little more than a gallon. Drinking so much water increased my energy, helped me stay regular, and helped me reduce my tendency to overeat.
I made it a point to have at least three meals a day. Sounds simple right? Well is isn’t when you have a full time job, a house to tend to, and two needy cat children to look after. But I forced myself to meal prep to avoid the pattern that I had been on; skipping meals all day, then getting home and eating anything and everything that I could get my hands on.
I made sure to allow myself healthy fats, proteins and carbs. If you are at all familiar with the vegan health scene online, you will have heard about the cult-like mantras of these people “HIGH CARB LOW FAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO EAT” “FAT IS THE DEVIL” “PROTEIN ISN’T THAT IMPORTANT” “DON’T COOK ANYTHING! RAW ALL THE WAY!” Listen. I support those statements to some extent for the individuals that have stood for them. But I’m not them. And I tried to be them for a long time, because damn did they seem happy and healthy and like the thriving millenials that I wanted to embody. But I’m tired, and my Type-A personality is tired of the obsessive nature that these diets personally fostered in me. Notice that I am only speaking for myself, because what works for me will obviously not always work for everyone.
On the mental and emotional front of this health journey this week...ya’ll it’s been intense. I have made myself journal everyday, I’ve made yoga a normal routine, and forced gratitude to be at the front line of my mental wars with myself. Is it easy? No. Does it work all the time? No, I’d say that I’m about 10% happier and more mentally sound then I was the last few weeks before I started this. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you’re in the midst of deep depressive spell, any drop of positivity is like a ray of light breaking into the most temerous of caves. I’ve allowed myself to cry. I’ve allowed myself to feel emotions that I would normally push down because they were uncomfortable for me to deal with. I’ve allowed my mind free reign to daydream of a future that seems crazy and unattainable, but why the fuck not allow myself to imagine bigger, better, and greater horizons for myself? This week has been about discovering that I matter, and while I don’t always believe that, I’m making progress.
All in all, it was a good week. This morning I weighed myself and I have lost 2lbs. I don’t always expect to keep making that progress, but it was incredibly encouraging to see. Here’s to making more strides toward my overall health, and to taking you guys along in this journey with me. What have you done this week to take care of yourself? I’d love to know <3