Losing Weight Holistically | My 2024 Health Goals
In my last article, I revealed a few barriers and insecurities that held me back from starting my health journey while helping others in the process. I'm now over that hump and want to share my approach to tackling my own health and fitness journey. I explained how my life has changed and how I need to approach this second journey in a completely different way. Unbelievably, to myself and probably others, I didn't set new year goals. I wanted to approach this journey differently, holistically.
As a Certified Health Coach and Behavior Change Specialist, I couldn't fully launch my health journey without taking a look at the root-causes. I needed to address the underlying reasons for the weight gain and lifestyle change. Yes, eating yummy food is a factor, but it wasn't a factor. See my article, Wellness Journey - Journey Back to Health, for more details, and Grace to move forward for even further details. My healthy lifestyle took a hit due to many contributing factors, and I have to address those factors holistically to see success in my weight loss journey.
Addressing lifestyle changes may look different holistically for everyone due to our root causes being different. This time around, I've analyzed the root causes that contributed to weight gain and I'm now ready to begin my weight loss journey. I will be addressing four main areas included, diet and exercise, systems and habits, self-care, and workplace wellness. These are the areas that require the most attention. I will also tackle each area quarterly while progressing throughout the year. It sounds a bit complicated, but for my brain, it works. Let's examine.
Diet and Exercise: Dining out was a huge contributing factor to my weight gain. It provided comfort relaxation, and a false sense of peace. While dining out can be relaxing, it also causes us to eat more calories than expected, while packing a punch to the gut and our wallets. So, I will begin my journey by limiting the amount of times I dine out per month. I will also incorporate other techniques to help control what I eat and how much I eat when I dine out. As with dining out, my exercise, or lack thereof, issue must be addressed. I will begin incorporating exercise routines slowly during the first quarter, and progress throughout the year. I will perform exercises I enjoy while challenging myself to progress to new levels. I will incorporate strength, balance, and flexibility regimens into my daily routines. Our bodies can be in conflict with our environments, so we must fight back to maintain our bodies' health.
Systems and Habits: I've veered off a bit in this area, but I've also developed great systems and habits during the beginning and latter portions of last year. Those systems still work, and the habits have been ingrained in my mind. My mind still works to achieve those habits and keep those systems in place. I want to maintain those systems while developing more systems to reach my goals. Prepping my clothes, and prepping or buying prepped food are a few examples of what I will continue. I will also improve and implement habit stacking. Habit stacking has been the key to many behavior formation actions I've wanted to implement. I will continue learning my cues, stimulations, actions, behaviors, and outcomes to learn different habit-stacking daily techniques.
Self-Care: This is a big one. I did not realize how much I'd forsaken my self-care in the previous years. From diet, self-pampering, hair, skin, and nails, to my social life. I neglected every facet of myself, only living on auto-pilot to go to work, survive, and come home, to do it all over again daily. I was a literal zombie. My social life was close to non-existent. I was literally shocked when I purged my closet and found majority of my clothes were for work, 90 percent of my wardrobe consisted of work clothes. The place I disdained the most at the time. It is imperative that I address this area, and I've already started. I've begun my journey of seeking help to assess the mental damage that took place last year on the job, which in turn revealed even further issues that needed to be addressed. Seeking therapy has been great in addressing my anxiety while addressing root-cause issues. I've since developed tools that have helped me evaluate my mental thoughts, behaviors, and actions. This was my first step in addressing self-care. As discussed in my article, Setting the Foundation: Why You're Not Losing Weight - Behavior, I discuss how important your mindset is when it comes to addressing your weight loss journey and seeking counseling was my first step in addressing self-care. I will also implement more self-pamper days and incorporate better health and wellness journaling techniques. I will begin discovering activities I enjoy including, jogging, barre, journaling, reading, and writing more. This is not only a wellness journey but also a rediscovery journey!
Workplace Wellness: This is another big one. My workplace habits have hindered my mental and physical health greatly. Therefore, I will incorporate behaviors such as stopping at a dedicated time (unless for an important assignment or project), leaving work at a decent time for exercise and mental relief, walking more while at work, and standing more throughout the day.
As you can see, I'm addressing many areas for my wellness journey. This will not be an easy journey and you may witness many ups and downs. But, I'm dedicated because I love what I do. I love living a healthy lifestyle and it's worth putting in the work and fighting for a healthier version of myself. This will be worth it once I'm on the other side. My health and your health is worth the battle.
I will document my journey so you can see what it takes and how to become successful in your own weight loss journey. Yours will look different than mine, but hopefully, my journey will inspire you to start, maintain, and finish your wellness journey.
Stay tuned, as I will be posting pictures, meals, and more!
Be true, be balanced, and be well.