Dance lessons?

Thought I would dust the old cobwebs off the keyboard and update the online world with my presence! ;)  Been a while since I updated the ye old blog!  I have heard it said, “Silence is golden,” but in my case its not… In my case silence is, well… silence is terrible because my silence has been indicative of my exercise and weight loss… non-existent.  The last year has been filled with great personal joys and changes in my life.  Since my last blog I changed where I worked, which took me to Charlotte, NC where I continue offering grief counseling.  This move changed more than my location, it also changed my support network.  I am not able to work with my friend and trainer, with whom I worked with to lose all of the 230 pounds I lost!  I would have never believed that after all this time and knowing what “I should do” and “how to do it,” that I would fail to exercise and keep on top of my health… but I have.  I have always said that when I write, I will be authentic.  Truth is I am struggling.  I am trying to get back on track.  There are many “reasons” that I could list for my lapse but in reality they do little to comfort me from the reality. 

So of course I am not writing today just to have confession, I am also writing because I am convinced that there are others who can relate.  I believe that others who read this have tried and failed and tried again and failed again.  No matter what the struggle, whether that be weight loss or some other personal goal, life is full of success and failure.  Indeed life is full of the “two steps forward and one back, and then two ahead again.” My point is that I don’t want to stop trying.  I will keep up the unpleasant dance of success and failure because, besides the fact that it is an awkward dance and at times painful, the song to which we move is beautiful.  This is the song of life. 

Have I gained all my weight back!?  Not by far!  I have gained some weight but that pails in comparison to what I have lost and I will struggle, fight, and scratch my way back.  This is my life long struggle.  I know that no matter how “normal” I eat that it will never be enough.  I have to watch every and I mean every calorie I consume and make sure that I am working hard with my exercise routine.  That is what I am refocusing on now.  I am finding new ways in my new reality to make it work. 

I sure hope to see you out on the dance floor!  Sure we will bump into each other, we will make wrong moves, we will even fall flat on our face from time to time!  Having said all that it is worth the effort!  This being human is hard work and despite the failures there is success and there is joy.  Perhaps it is the fact that we know great sadness that we can also know when we feel great joy?  No matter your struggle, the melody is playing, the song is beautiful, let’s dance! J

Hey it might be a while… but til next time…  ;)

Travis

Maybe this will be our year?

I am embarrassed that my last post was March 2012!!! Of course that lapse of time represents the crazy (but great) changes that have taken place in my life this past year.  I remember this time last year I had high hopes, the last half 2011 had been one of the most challenging periods of my life.  Personally there were many changes and in many ways I struggled to find hope in the future.  I remember ringing in the year of 2012 with a dear friend, who had dealt with their own sadness in 2011, and we discussed the struggles of the past year.  We both stood on the cusp of the New Year with hope and expectation, believing that some how this year would be better.  Perhaps this year we would find healing, direction, and a renewed sense of happiness?  I am happy to say that 2012 has been personally a much better year for me!  I had the privilege of marrying one of the most wonderful women I know!  She has encouraged me and stood along side me as we weathered the storms of the past year, yes 2012 still had its share of storms! 

So enough reminisce, right?  I mean come on Travis, this is a blog about health and wellness so why all the meandering down the path of personal reflection??  :) Glad you asked that question!  It is because our health and wellness is all interconnected.  You can’t completely separate your physical goals from the entirety of who you are as a person!  My personal weight loss and fitness goals suffered over the past year.  During my trials and troubles there were many moments that I battled old habits such as my old nemesis of "comfort eating"!  There were many times that I didn't exercise, to be honest it felt like to do so was giving way more energy than I had.  The strange thing is that when I would force myself to exercise I felt so much better!  Yet even the knowledge of that feeling wasn't enough at times to push me forward.  

I share this because I always wanted this blog to be confessional.  I do not have all the answers and yes I still struggle to maintain my own fitness and wellness goals.  Despite losing over 230 pounds, it is continually a battle for me.  Believe me, I know how hard it is.  This past year I saw moments where I pushed exercise out because I was very busy.  I was doing good things, things that I found satisfaction in.  One thing I have learned in this experience is that no matter whether life is good or bad or in-between, it takes a concentrated effort to be healthy.  In 2013 I am renewing and  increasing my own effort.  I am always looking for people to join me on this adventure! As always I welcome your emails or questions.  

Wishing you a Joyous and Healthy 2013

Travis