Life After Coffee

I mentioned in a prior post that I had started drinking chamomile tea in lieu of coffee at work, and the benefits I reaped from it. Two weeks ago, I made the bold decision to eliminate coffee from my diet almost completely. In hindsight, it was a perilous decision that yielded some positive results.

I work at a nursing home, which is a fast-paced environment like most areas in the medical field. My co-workers are coffee-fueled individuals, and at one point, so was I. Unlike my co-workers, I felt that my dependance on coffee was hindering me more than fueling me. I would come home with no energy, ready to crash onto my bed and not get up. There are things that I have in mind to do after my work days that I can’t do if I’m too tired to do anything.

I decided that in order to be more active, I needed for my body to be less dependent on caffeine. So, two weeks ago, I quit coffee cold turkey. Not the best method for giving up coffee, and definitely the most challenging method when working in a high-traffic environment that’s constantly busy.

The side effects were almost immediate. My body started to feel excessive lag, as if a full night’s sleep wasn’t enough to keep me going. Mid-day lag hit like a ton of bricks, with fits of yawning and needing to constantly stretch. My patience was running thinner than usual, and I would find myself irritated by things I would normally turn the other cheek for.

Waking up in the morning was the hardest. I felt like a zombie, trudging along in the morning. While I was able to focus on workplace tasks well enough, it felt as if I needed twice as much energy to concentrate on getting the job done. I had less patience for people who frustrated me, and any semblance of a “poker face” was all but gone. My body was feeling the changes hard.

About 9 or 10 days later, I was finally on an even keel. I was less dependent on coffee than I had ever been. My sense of smell was stronger than ever. I found myself wanting to drink more water, milk, and tea, and I found myself not wanting sodas as much as I used to. I’ve been able to sleep better, and getting out of bed doesn’t feel as tedious. My patience has returned for the most part, and when I’m confronted with things that do irritate me, I’m able to restrain myself and react in a tactful manner.

The minor amount of occasional caffeine that I do take in is from green tea, which has been a healthier option for me. In fact, a wide selection of herbal teas, from peppermint and chamomile to peach ginger, have helped me stay away from coffee for the most part. The rare occasion here or there where I do have a cup of coffee, it’s usually as a last resort instead of a first option. If I find myself without any other option at the moment (I forgot to pack my tea or water, etc.), then I’ll fix a small half cup of coffee to tide me over. Not enough to fully relapse into drinking it on a constant basis, but just enough until I can drink something to flush it out of my system and satisfy my taste.

Overall, life after coffee was rough at first, but once my body readjusted itself, caffeine wasn’t a necessity in my life. Gone are the days of needing a cup of coffee to start my day. Now and days, the only couple of times I need a small half cup may be when I’m about to do an evening workout, if I even need it at all. Do I miss the days of carrying a Folgers packet with me to work? Sometimes. Do I miss the days where I couldn’t function at work without a cup of black coffee? Not at all. This is a case where the pros outweigh the cons immensely. I’m glad that coffee doesn’t play a huge part in my life anymore.

A Cup of Chamomile in a Coffee-Fueled Workplace

In the past week, I’ve found myself pulled into several directions at my day job. Working as a recreation aide, I wear multiple hats and find myself doing several activities back-to-back. Our instincts tell us that in hectic days, we need stimulants, such as caffeine and sugar to carry us through the day. But what happens when those stimulants fail to work, and our bodies are pushed to physical and mental exhaustion?

Yesterday, I decided to go against my usual instinct of guzzling coffee to carry me through. Instead, I brought with me to work the exact opposite of a stimulant: a natural sedative, chamomile. In the past, I had brought up how chamomile functions well against anxiety. Too much caffeine can trigger anxiety, so I had found myself in a position where I’d actually be able to feel the benefits of chamomile.

One cup during the early part of my shift, and I found myself evened out for the first stretch of the day. I expected to feel tired or sleepy, but instead, it actually helped clear out my thoughts for the tasks ahead. I didn’t sacrifice an energy boost to calm myself down; rather, I balanced myself out in order to use my energy in the right way.

Having a clear mind allowed me to finish my tasks without overexerting myself. Instead of attempting to multitask, I was able to focus on one task at a time without pushing myself too hard. Running events became a bit more bearable, and I had enough energy to exert a bit more here and there when needed.

What amazed me was that I actually didn’t miss having one or two cups of coffee during a shift. I found myself satiated with a cup of chamomile or even green tea, with water along the way as well. For the most part, I’d have a cup of coffee after work just for the taste of it.

Chamomile tea also helped me get in my mental zone for meditation as well. Calming my mind helped me focus on my breathing and channel out any distractions around me. As I have mentioned before, breathing and meditation are excellent ways of preventing burnout and refocusing. Using chamomile tea beforehand helped me physically calm my body and relax in order to breathe and meditate, which makes the transition into meditating go smoother. Combining the two elements works especially during a lunch break, where you’re bracing yourself for the second half of the day. Rather than fueling up with caffeine and sugar, which stimulates you but leaves you open for a “crash and burn” feeling at the end, you feel yourself cooled down in order to handle the incoming hectic nature of the second half of your work day. The feeling of focus and calm discipline helps carry me through that long stretch before I can finally clock out.

In fast-paced environments, it can be easy to fall into the trap of needing stimulants like coffee, sugar, and sweets to feel in control. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen co-workers sipping on Red Bull or Monster Energy drinks throughout the work day. While it may give them a temporary boost, it also spikes their blood pressure, which can lead to long-term damage to the cardiovascular system in the long run. No one should physically compromise themselves in the short term and risk long-term damage.

Using stimulants in a fast-paced environment can also lead to mental hurdles, such as fatigue and anxiety. Using a natural sedative, such as chamomile, can counter those hurdles, relaxing you enough to get your tasks done. Like I said, it may sound counter-productive, but think of it this way: when a machine is pushing its limits, the only way to preserve it is to slow down and cool it down. Chamomile is merely a way for you to keep yourself from burning out.

So if you’re in an environment where tensions are high, and you feel the need to churn out as much productivity as possible, it may do you some good to avoid the coffee and fix yourself a cup of chamomile tea. Your body will thank you for it.

To The Gym, Or Not To The Gym?

Since I moved to Suffolk County, I’ve found myself exercising more. When I lived in the city, my exercise was limited to what I could do in my bedroom. Now that I’m in an open space, my daily exercise consists of everything from biking, to boxing in my backyard, to resistance band workouts before or after work.

One thing that I’ve noticed also is that when co-workers mention their exercise regimen, they always mention the gym, especially when it comes to bench presses and cardio machines. When they ask if I work out, followed by where I work out, they’re always surprised to find out that I do my workouts at home rather than at a gym. Granted, there are a lot of gyms out here in Suffolk, but just as there are many gyms, there are plenty of open spaces where people can exercise as well. So, is it better for people to train at the gym, or in the comfort of their own home?

Much like the debate between working at home vs. commuting, it’s a matter of personal preference and the limits of ingenuity. There are people who can benefit from either or both. I’ve seen fitness personalities who conduct their workout regimens both at home and at their local gym interchangeably. So it’s very possible to do both. But what circumstance apply to you?

When it comes to exercising at home, what are the limits of your space? Are you limited to your bedroom, or do you have a garage or backyard? How much space is in your bedroom or living room? Do you have neighbors that live beneath you? Will you be using heavy weights or machinery, or will your workouts be mostly bodyweight exercises with little to no equipment? Also, what is the possibility of family members or roommates disrupting your workout? These are the factors that come into play with home workouts.

Perhaps I can share with you the details of my workout regimen and locations. When I’m doing an early morning or late evening workout, it’s in my bedroom. I don’t use heavy equipment; I have two 20 lbs dumbbells, two 30 lbs dumbbells, a variety of resistance tubes with different resistance levels, and a chest expander that I recently purchased. Aside from the dumbbells, everything else is put into a small duffel bag when I’m done exercising. For my resistance training, I use the resistance bands and the chest expander for the various pulling exercises. For cardio, I do shadowboxing and knee lifts. Altogether, it’s roughly one hour of exercise.

When I’m exercising outdoors in the backyard, it’s usually late afternoon, with enough daylight to where it’s not excessively hot outside. In colder weather, I bundle up with a hoodie and insulated clothing. My outdoor workouts are mostly martial arts and stretching, with brief segments of abdominal breathing to assure that I can monitor my breathing patterns during the more intense segments. My stretching is dynamic rather than static, meaning that instead of holding a stretch, I stretch by moving the respective body parts. For example, to stretch my legs, I do side leg lifts and kick backs. Along with punching and kicking, I also do weapons training, such as practicing with the bo staff or with a practice sword called the “bokken”, a wooden katana (or in my case, hard plastic). The training equipment overall is cost-effective (prices ranging from $10-20 per item, less than an annual gym membership. I can push myself at my own pace without worrying about prying eyes or traveling time, and I don’t have to worry about locker rooms either.

While I may prefer training at home, I can understand why most people prefer to train at a gym. Being around people with similar fitness goals can be motivating. Having a spotter while you bench press, or having conversation with someone next to you while you’re on the treadmill or elliptical, these experiences can add a solid social element to your workout experience.

Another angle to working out at the gym is not having to buy expensive equipment for home workouts and finding space to store them. A gym membership can sometimes be cheaper than buying a treadmill or other pricey apparatus, and it’s easier to go to the gym and use their equipment than taking out and putting away your own. Not many of us have the space for a bench and Olympic weight set, let alone an exercise bike. As far as saving space and not having to buy large equipment, the gym can be a better choice for many.

However, the drawbacks to working out at a gym are just as many as the positives. If you’re not comfortable exercising around other people, the gym may not be for you. This is especially true in the Instagram/Tik-Tok era, where people go to the gym to go viral as much as they do to get in shape. It’s not uncommon to see “gym bros” and fitness divas recording themselves doing outlandish exercises for social media; this can be unsettling for the average gym goer.

Also, in relation to the gym bros, there are some gyms where weight lifting becomes a measuring contest. It’s not uncommon to hear “how much do you lift?” Or, “Do you even lift, bro?” Even in the comment sections on YouTube videos, you’ll see people being berated for lifting with light weight and using proper form, rather than using heavy weights and burning themselves out. That kind of intimidation can cause people to avoid setting foot into another gym again. Working out at home eliminates the judgement and lets you be comfortable with your own workout.

Another drawback is the travel. When I had a gym membership, there were more than my fair share of days where I would blame a missed workout on weather conditions or being tired from work. Working out at home eliminated the excuses for me. I didn’t have to travel to exercise, so I could hop right into a workout at my leisure. Also, if weather didn’t permit me to exercise outdoors, I could easily get my exercise indoors. I found myself working out at home so much, I eventually cancelled my gym membership.

In the end, whether or not you exercise at the gym is a matter of preference. It’s up to you to do whatever helps you to stay consistent with your exercise regimen. And you’ll know that you’ve made the right decision once you see the results of your hard work.

Have We Normalized Burnout Culture?

Long ago, working one 9-to-5 job was enough to make a living. Someone like a dishwasher could rent a cheap apartment and still have enough to have a social life. In modern times, being part of the working class narrows down to two options: work multiple jobs to have your own place, or work one or two jobs and split the bills with a roommate or relative. And no matter what option you take, you’ll most likely find yourself running out of patience and energy before you realize it. Have we normalized burnout culture?

It seems that no matter where you turn, holding down one job doesn’t cut it for the majority of people, not including people with side hustles or passion projects that they’re getting off the ground. When I refer to a “job”, I’m referring to an occupation where you’re at the mercy of a supervisor. It seems lately that in the working class, people who hold only one job are becoming the exception to the norm. It’s so commonplace to have co-workers who divide their waking moments between two or three jobs, while stretching the minimal amount of sleep allotted to them. The side effect of this is increased irritability, which makes people more likely to be disagreeable in the workplace, which can negatively affect productivity and create a hostile work environment.

Sadly, we’re living in a society where everything is becoming increasingly expensive or rare. Housing costs have skyrocketed, gasoline prices are at an all-time high (unless you’re lucky enough to afford an electric vehicle), and even simple things such as eggs or baby formula have recently been low in stock and supply. It’s amazing that laundromats are still relatively affordable, and even then, so many of us lack the time to pull in a laundry day without sacrificing rest.

It seems that the ones who have managed to avoid the burnout culture that we’ve become subject to are the ones with streams of reliable passive income. The land owners, the stock holders, the CEO’s on top, and the ones who have unique services that they can charge big money for. The rest of us have found ourselves in a world where it’s the norm to be overworked and mostly underpaid. It’s not good for our mental and physical well-being, and it’s not good for the people in our lives who we affect.

Things such as meditation, healthy eating, and education seem to help short-term, but the unbalanced nature of burnout culture is one where eventually, something has to give. Consistent burnout leaves people hospitalized with numerous health problems before they even realize it. Physically, burnout can lead to constant headaches, hypertension, joint problems, and muscle deterioration, among other medical conditions.

The best way to look at burnout is to look at your body as a car engine. If your car engine is constantly overheating, it will be prone to break down faster, leaving you stranded and in need of a new engine. That’s why engines need coolants and lubricants to maintain it, as well as tune ups to make sure it’s in working order. Your body is the same as a car engine in its own way; if your body is constantly pushed to its limits without a break, you’re more prone to break down, just like the engine. Your body needs rest, proper nutrition, and regular medical checkups, the same way an engine needs oil changes, coolants, and tune-ups.

As for the current work culture creating burnout, it seems that workplace trends aren’t doing much to stave off employees being pushed to their physical and mental limits. While some supervisors may encourage employees to use their vacation time, it seems to be more common for employers to ask their employees to work overtime and crunch massive amounts of work into finite amounts of time.

While it is up to us as individuals to take personal steps to avoid embracing burnout culture, it is also up to the bosses in charge to take steps to avoid pushing employees towards potential burnout. Proper time management, handling priority matters in a timely fashion, and not shoveling massive workloads on employees are some minor steps that can make a major difference in preventing workplace burnout.

Regardless of the source of burnout, taking proactive steps in your life can counter any potential stress that you may encounter. No matter what life may hand you, take your happiness and peace into your own hands.

Revisiting Meditation

It has been a while since I touched upon the topic of meditation and its benefits. With so much going on, it’s a topic that’s worth revisiting.

For the past 6 months, my life has been overwhelmed by work, social distancing protocols to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, and numerous other current events that affect my daily life. I tend to find myself constantly exhausted lately, between work and work commutes and trying to keep up with personal aspects of my life. In fact, the book that I had been working on almost got lost in the mix of my daily grind, and just recently, I have gotten back into finishing up my final draft of it. In short, I had lost focus in my life.

It was a co-worker who reminded me of the benefits of meditation. This particular co-worker happens to be a wellness enthusiast, in ways that make me almost look like an amateur. She is a yoga enthusiast, an active vegetarian, and, like myself, a firm believer in meditation. She encouraged me to take time to meditate on a daily basis, and thankfully, I was no stranger to meditating.

Starting two weeks ago, during my 15 minute breaks, I’d use 10 of those minutes meditating to my favorite instrumental track for relaxing. Breathing in and out, slowly, focusing my energy on my diaphragm, sometimes closing my eyes, other times focusing on a single spot in the room, like an empty chair, or a tile on the floor. At the end of these meditations, I’d feel balanced and renewed, as if I had just taken a 1-hour rest.

Coincidentally, I had started blending fruit smoothies at work, consisting of basic ingredients, such as bananas or crushed pineapple, adding a fruit nectar such as guava or soursop. The increased plant-based nutrition seems to have a positive effect on my body, which makes the meditation more effective.

Meditation is meant as a way to rejuvenate the mind and body, and if the nutrition intake is healthy, the body is able to benefit more from the rejuvenation.

If mental and emotional stress have been taking a toll on you in this time, take my experience into mind and get into meditation. And don’t forget to take positive steps in your nutrition as well.

In Case Doubt Kicks In…

When you’re at the start of something new and promising, doubts can start to flood your mind. Sometimes, you miss the perceived comfort of what used to be, the routine life that you had built up before this big change, whatever it may be. Other times, you may be stretched a bit thinner financially than you used to be, finding that your bank account is a bit thinner than it used to be. Before you second guess yourself, ask yourself this question: were you truly happy before this endeavor?

Chances are, you started on this new path because your life before this needed a change, whether it was finanically, emotionally, or otherwise. If you can say without hesitiation that you were unhappy before this new path, then that’s a sure sign for you to stay your course.

The next question you should ask yourself is, is the end goal worth the sacrifices you’ve made? Think about this well and good. If the end goal results in a better life, a better income, a better mental and emotional outlook, or even better health, then you should focus on the respective goal that you’re fighting for.

Sometimes, the things we want the most in life require the most struggle. Think of your favorite singer or rapper, or your favorite actor’s best performance, or your favorite modern author, or a particular business mogul that you look up to. How much did they give up in order to achieve that success? Read their biographies or autobiographies. Read the chapters that cover the beginnings of their careers. I guarantee you that each of them went through something similar to what you’re going through now. Some of them have had loved ones turn their back on them, others have went hungry between jobs or gigs. More than one of them have had to sell their belongings to make ends meet, all for that life-changing break or eureka moment.

That being said, there’s one more question you should ask yourself: how will your end goal impact your world? If you can visualize whatever your doing having an impact and being something that will impact people’s lives, including your own life, in a constant way, then keep pushing for your goals. Don’t let your own doubts stop you from achieving great change in your life.

Chamomile: A Secret Weapon Against Anxiety

Like so many people, I find myself in a fair share of anxiety-inducing situations. I’ve dealt with everything from arrogant co-workers to almost getting hit by a getaway car. (True story.) Others might suppress whatever short-term anxiety they have until it eats them alive. But I’ve chosen methods of self-care to counter whatever anxiety I’m battling. I’ve already discussed with you the benefits of meditation, now I’ll share with you another tool you can use, one that tastes as good as you’ll feel after drinking it: chamomile tea.

Chamomile tea already has a reputation for being a relaxing drink, but that’s only scratching the surface.  The same properties that make chamomile a good drink for bedtime also make it the ideal remedy for reducing anxiety.

Herbalists and medical professionals classify chamomile as a natural herbal sedative. The reason is because the flower is rich in an antioxidant called apigenin, a substance with calming and anti-inflammatory properties. The levels of apigenin in chamomile are strong enough to relax tension in the body, which is a reason that the tea is recommended as a remedy for muscle spasms as well.

Because anxiety builds up physical tension, what you need in order to counter that tension is a relaxant. While certain prescribed remedies can help, chamomile offers a more immediate solution with no toxicity levels. Because it is absent of caffeine, it has been seen to be superior even to green tea when it comes to its calming effects.

As far as brands of chamomile tea go, Celestial Seasonings and Bigelow are two big-name brands that you can trust when it comes to quality.  If you’re looking for a bargain brand, Manasul makes an affordable, yet even more potent, variety of chamomile tea.  The reason Manasul’s brand of chamomile tea is especially strong is because its tea is made from the heart of the chamomile flower, which equals higher concentrations of apigenin, which leads to quicker results when you need to reduce emotional tension and anxiety.

So, the next time you fell as if you’re at the end of your rope, or the world is just hammering away at your patience, take the time to brew yourself a cup of chamomile tea. And take you’re time as you sip it; make every drop count.

Beating Mental Fatigue

Today was a reminder for me about how real mental fatigue can be. There are days where no matter how healthy we are physically, the stress of the day can bear down on you until you’re aching from head to toe. Your muscles ache, your neck is stiff, and you feel like a rusty Tin Man without an oil can. Funny enough, there are metaphorical “oil cans” that can help you cope with and combat the mental fatigue of your day.

One of the easiest ways to combat mental fatigue is to stretch. You don’t have to do any fancy stretching to revive yourself mentally, just stretches as simple as reaching above your head, twisting your torso, or even bending over and letting your arms hang low towards the floor. Stretching eases the tension in your body and stimulates circulation.

Another way is to allow yourself a few minutes to meditate. As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, Meditating On The Go, you can relieve stress and mental tension with as little as 3 minutes of meditation. If you’re in an area that’s not exactly optimal for meditation, deep breathing can still help you beat that mental fatigue. (Be sure to read my prior blog entry for some quick meditation tips.)

When all else fails, hydrate. Drinking water helps cool you down and calm you down, and it can help flush out excess sodium that might be elevating your blood pressure, which plays into stress factors. If water isn’t doing the trick, drink some chamomile tea. It’s a natural sedative, and it’s an excellent way to reduce stress and anxiety.

There are going to be plenty of stressful days in our lives, but don’t let that stress conquer you. Take a bit of initiative and counter that stress with some relaxation.

Meditating On The Go

For the past two months, I have been working on my first book, a guide to stress management. While I began and continued working on this book, I put several of the methods within it to use, the most prominent method being breathing and meditation. Why meditation? Because if you can close your eyes and breathe, you can meditate.

Many of us who face daily commutes and deadlines can use meditation to calm ourselves down and relax ourselves, easing the built-up tension that the day has heaped upon us. Sadly, not many of us have taken the initiative to learn about basic deep breathing exercises, let alone meditation. It has been said that the most successful people practice meditation, from famous actors to industry moguls. So there is a proven crowd on the benefits of meditating.

One particular challenge that I face during the day is finding time to meditate. While I do make time either after I wake up or before going to sleep, there are times throughout the day where I need to meditate to de-stress and re-focus myself. Being that a positive meditation can take only 5-10 minutes, it’s all a matter of strategy and opportunity. Here are a few key points I’ve adopted for on-the-go meditation that you can practice.

1. Download A Meditation App

This one may be the most convenient way to meditate on the go. Back when CDs were popular, meditation CDs were a go-to. However, the guided meditations on these CDs ranged from 20 to 30 minutes in duration, which leaves a large chance for a meditation to be interrupted. Now and days, meditation apps are a solid go-to for meditating on the go. The most popular meditation apps are Stop, Breathe, & Think, Headspace, and Calm. Each of these apps have a wide variety of meditations with durations from 3 to 10 minutes, allowing you to enjoy a quick meditation or guided breathing on the go, whether you’re riding in a cab or taking your 15-minute break.

2. Add Soft Music To Your Playlist

Before I went the app route for my express meditations, my method was simply to play some soft music from my phone’s playlist in order to get my deep breathing or meditation done. If you’re experienced in meditation, this may be the better route compared to using an app, which is mostly for beginners or people who are experienced but prefer to be guided. Soft music, such as jazz or classical piano, can take the mind to a calmer place, which makes the deep breathing required for meditating even easier. Try to use music without lyrics, so your focus can be on the calming sounds. Meditating to a soft music track can take as little as 4 minutes.

3. Just Do It!

While apps and music are excellent aids to meditating on the go, when all else fails, just close your eyes and breathe. That in itself is the primary key to meditation. As long as you’re able to breathe, you can meditate. Focus on your breaths, the rising and falling of your chest and abdomen as you take each slow, deep breath, and you will be in that deep calming state in no time.

In the end, the motivation for meditation should be the feeling of a calm body and a calm mind. No matter where or how you meditate, when it’s done right, you will feel it.

Balancing My Diet

(Personal note: I’m sorry I’ve been away so long. Between work, life changes, and friends getting married, I rarely had a moment to sit down and give you an update. I’m glad to be back on here, and I hope to keep this blog updated on a regular basis.  –D.T.)

In the past few weeks, I made small changes to my daily diet to reflect my renewed insight to health, especially after recovering from a shoulder/chest injury. (How did I end up injuring my shoulder and chest? Well, I learned the hard way not to do hindu pushups and overhead presses on the same day.) In the world of exercise and fitness, everyone is trying to follow one diet trend or another. Either they’re following the Paleo Diet, going vegan, or some other fad like eating 30 bananas a day. To be honest, recovering from an injury taught me something important: balanced nutrition is essential.

During my recovery process, I made a quick hospital trip to get examined. I had my blood pressure taken, and, to my shock, I was at 161/110. Thinking that it was because of my sodium intake (in spite of getting a decent amount of fruit in my diet and drinking water regularly), I made the resolution to go vegan. For 3 days, I kept my diet strictly plant-based, and in 3 days, I dropped from 289 lbs to 280lbs. That may sound good, but I was becoming easily irritable, and developing a case of insomnia on top of that. Also, my lack of protein was making it harder for my body to repair itself. The rapid weight loss wasn’t worth it.

The day I ended my vegan streak, the first thing I ate was a lean beef burger. I could feel the pain in my aching muscles melting away, as if that beef was the missing link from my recovery. Within 3 days, I put on 3 pounds, moving up to 283 lbs. Deciding to balance my plant-based nutrition with a small amount of animal-based protein (mostly chicken or fish), I kept a steady routine of eating at least 2 bananas and a salad (with a small cheat food like oatmeal cookies) during the day, and at night after work, indulging in a salad with a meat of my choice. By the end of one week, I had dropped 1 pound to 282 lbs. Keeping the regimen up, I dropped another pound, and as of today, I weigh 281 lbs, 8 pounds lighter than I was 3 weeks ago, and only 1 pound heavier than when I ended my vegan period. Keep in mind, this is combined with a steady exercise regimen that includes boxing, kickboxing, bodyweight exercises, stretching, and moderate resistance training.

With all the fancy gimmicks out there and people punishing themselves by denying themselves their favorite foods, the best way to eat is just by getting more fruits and vegetables in their diet, not forsaking pizza and burgers completely, but balancing their intake. In fact, the more I got into eating salad and fruits on a daily basis, the less I needed to eat pizza or burgers on a regular basis. And on that occasional cheat day, make sure you eat some fruit to keep your system craving healthy food. My last cheat day before my most recent weighing, I indulged in Taco Bell and Little Caesar’s pizza. I still ate a banana after my indulgence, and it kept me from getting too hooked on junk food. And I still managed to keep my weight going down.

So in the end, you don’t need gimmick diets to lose weight. Get plenty of fruits and vegetables along with a bit of protein, and you’ll be just fine. 😉

(End note: Btw, if you’re wondering why my blood pressure was so high that day, it was an effect of my body recovering from the chest/shoulder injury. Once I recovered, my BP dropped down to a healthier rate. 🙂 )