Wellness in 2022

Wellness has been part of my lifestyle for many years. I’ve made countless posts on why wellness is an important part of my life. When I was in my teens, eating 4×4 In-N-Out burgers was an easy feat. As a much older person, I need to be more cautious about my health. Initially, it felt like a chore or a bit of a hassle. Once I fully embraced wellness, it’s now a seamless integration.

fitness today

Before the pandemic era, I would go to the gym once or twice a day. I was extremely bummed out I couldn’t go to the gym anymore. Eventually, I picked up running at a local course and would run/walk 3.2 miles. It’s a bit challenging since I would get bored doing it frequently.

Last year, I started going to SoulCycle and it saved my life. I found a new passion and it helps when you have an amazing instructor! I’ve seen other riders who have been there for over 100, 250, and even 500 rides. It’s a lifestyle!

I’ve considered going back to a gym but the basic gyms are dirty. I’ve been through many 24 Hour Fitness clubs and there is no way I’m going back considering my experience. Equinox was a candidate, except it doesn’t make sense for me to spend $200 per month if I only plan on going once or twice a week.

PS. LULULEMON SHOES – GREAT FOR RUNNING. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

mindful eating

Even though I’m a huge foodie, I came to a realization that I needed to clean my diet a bit. Even though I don’t eat much, I need to be mindful of what I’m consuming. The pandemic has been a whole rollercoaster between cycles of healthy eating and just letting go. It’s a mental struggle and fight. Staying strong was hard considering some personal circumstances.

After many escapades, I finally made a stance to take better care of myself. This means cutting certain things and eliminating others.

• Coffee: I was a huge fan of iced coffee. Mixing coffee with heavy whipping cream was the life. However, I realized coffee played a huge factor in me not being able to sleep at night. I’ve stopped drinking coffee for a couple of months now and had an easier time sleeping at night.
• Alcohol: Surprise, surprise. My relationship with alcohol wasn’t the best – it can be a quick rabbit hole for obvious reasons. It has been 6 weeks since I decided to cut alcohol consumption. Over the 45+ days, I’ve cut down the consumption by 87%. Even then, I’m learning to limit myself on occasions when I have alcohol (during social events). In all honesty, this helped me save a good $25-$35 per week.
• Processed Foods: Not going to lie, processed foods taste the best but it’s probably not that good for you in large consumption. I’ve eliminated a lot of processed foods from my diet, such as instant noodles. I’ll probably have something processed here and there to get rid of the craving, but I’m opting more for whole foods. This means consuming food closest to its original form. I prepare a lot of my own meals, which helps a ton.
• Soda: I just wanted to congratulate myself on the 10-year anniversary of cutting soda out of my diet. Even though there might be some soda in a cocktail, I didn’t consume the can of soda. I realized I liked soda for the carbonation, which opting for sparkling water or kombucha helps a ton.

fin

In all honesty, I’m trying to maintain my health. It would be great if I could be in better shape to be Spartan race-ready. A lot of wellness involves self-love and taking things one step at a time. You don’t see results overnight – it takes time. At the same time, you can let yourself go and see negative results quicker. That’s the unfortunate part of life and you’re better off steadily climbing up the hill. Don’t stop, don’t look back.