As a new year begins, I thought it would be a good time to do a status check on where I am health-wise and where I’d like to go in the year ahead. Those who’ve read this column over the last several years know that from time to time I have mentioned wanting to eat healthier, lose some weight and, just for lack of a better term, feel better.
This past year was the first time I have truly taken that goal seriously and, mostly, stuck to it. The results were pretty darn good. From the start of 2022 to about midway through the year, I lost 20 pounds. For the rest of the year, I mostly maintained that weight loss, give or take a pound or two. Beyond that, I looked and felt much better. The number on the scale was just a bonus. In fact, after the summer, I stopped checking the scale at all. It was a nice bit of affirmation to have so many people mention to me I looked like I had lost weight. It made that dedication and commitment in the early months worth it.
You might wonder how I did it. There’s no silver bullet. It took several things, but I’ll try to touch on them in case they might work for you, too. For one, I adjusted what supplements I took. Each day, I take a men’s multivitamin, along with ashwagandha, holy basil, and berberine. You can google the benefits of each. I also ramped up my daily water intake. I cut out sodas and highly processed foods (frozen meals, fast food, etc.). My diet is food high in protein and high in fiber. Also, stay away from added sugars in meals! I drink Celsius, which is a healthier version of an energy drink. These things I mentioned will kick-start your metabolism, helping you lose weight. A healthy amount of sleep each night also helps. I take a little melatonin most nights to help achieve this.
The diet and supplements alone won’t fully get you to where you need to be, though. It also takes exercise. I don’t do a ton, but enough to keep me active. From April-October, I play softball a few nights a week. I try to walk at least 20 minutes every day. During workdays, I try to break the monotony by doing a rep of 10 push-ups every couple of hours. These are all little things, but they add up.
This has been my routine. The key word is “my.” It may work for you, but it may not. You need to find what works best for you. I wish each of you a healthy and happy new year.
A Healthy and Happy New Year
