100 POUNDS DOWN!

 
 

WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY

How it started…

Jason, my freshman year football coach, reached out to me in May of 22' and I could hear in his voice that he was stuck. He was nearly 400lbs. He needed help. His confidence was low, and he was on more medications than he would like. It was time to make moves…

Jason struggled with fluctuating weight in the past, and tried several diets that would work and then didn’t. He did what most people do: Count calories, purchase “weight-loss products”, and never let go of the highly addicting, nutrient depleted processed foods (Alcohol, Sugar, Flour, Vegetable oils, artificial ingredients, preservatives). First order of business, teach this guy to understand why REAL FOOD matters.

#1.) Real Food

Jason had eaten processed foods his whole life. He ate 3 meals a day; breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If it said “Low Fat” that seemed diet friendly… if it said “KETO”, that also seemed diet friendly. He was sucked into the corporate marketing and it’s not his fault. Jason learned to eat broccoli, brussel sprouts, fresh fish, real butter, olive oil, grass fed beef and free range poultry. After an entire lifetime of eating processed foods, there was an uncomfortable adjustment period because processed food is addicting, just like any drug. Discomfort, cravings, frustration, and and upheaval of unprocessed emotions had to come through inorder to get on the other side of recognition. He was committed, and an awesome student.

Almost instantaneously…Jason’s fingers, hands, wrists, toes, ankles, knees and entire body felt less inflamed. He began to feel less pain, have more energy, and notice a difference in his face. The body was starting the long road of rebalancing.

Bottom line: by reducing processed foods in his diet (Alcohol, Sugar, Flour, Vegetable oils, artificial ingredients, preservatives) the body naturally begins to come back into harmony. Instead of seeing through a negative thought pattern, Jason saw opportunity! Now, we go to the second order of business… Fasting.

#2.) Fasting To Reduce Inflammation

There is a lot of controversy around the topic of Fasting, especially when most Americans are encouraged to eat 3 meals a day. I suggest checking out the following Fasting resources;

Dr. Eric Berg, DC. (https://www.drberg.com/resources)  

Dr. Pradip Jamnadas, MD. Cardiovascular Surgeon https://orlandocvi.com/medical-providers/dr-jamnadas/

Studies show that fasting helps reduce inflammation by lowering levels of a hormone called insulin. When we eat, our bodies produce insulin to help transport glucose into cells for energy. But high levels of insulin can also contribute to inflammation. Fasting can help lower insulin levels, which may in turn reduce inflammation. Fasting can also help activate a process called autophagy, which is the body's way of cleaning out damaged cells and other waste material. This can help reduce inflammation by removing cells that are contributing to inflammation. Autophagy is at high levels when the body has fasted for 72 hours. Fitness & Mind clients who choose to incorporate fasting into their life, gain massive benefits to their health.

As mentioned previously, Jason is an awesome student. He immediately began incorporating fasting into his lifestyle. He would skip breakfast, and incorporate longer “fasting” windows into his days. In other words, take longer moments in life with “no food”. The pounds started rolling off, the pain faded to manageable levels in his body, and then the range of motion began to increase. Now we were in business to exercise and practice yoga!

#3.) Exercise

Fitness & Mind is comprehensive. Jason invited me into his life through ZOOM Video. We logged in, and had fitness sessions from; his home, local parks, and school weight rooms. We focused on yoga, strength training, cardiovascular training, breath-work, and mindset. I saw the spaces in his life where he had the most resistance. We created new ways of thinking and being. His old lifestyle no longer served him, so he created a new one. Exercise did not just mean a “chest press” at the gym anymore. Jason was becoming more knowledgeable about the different fitness tools available to him. He now had more strategies when faced with challenges. Fitness was not just about weight-loss, it was now becoming a lifestyle. Exercise when stressed, Breathe when overwhelmed, Stretch when sore… the fitness toolbox was growing.

#4.) The Mind

As awareness grew, Jason was faced with Resistance. Steven Pressfield writes in “The War of Art” that inside all of us is Resistance, a tricky enemy that sabotages our dreams, and is the source of our fears, doubts, excuses, and poor habits. For example, someone may know that exercise will enhance their mood and energy… yet they still manage to come up with every excuse not to. This is the epitome of resistance.

Facing resistance is challenging, as it can slow down progress and create tension and conflict. However, it can also be an opportunity for growth and learning. It requires us to find new strategies to overcome our inner obstacles.

Resistance exists in all humans. First, we are creatures of habit, and we tend to resist change, even when it's good for us. For example, we choose to go out to eat instead of cooking at home (often) even when we know eating-out is negatively impacting our wallet, energy levels, and quality of life. The more in-tune with our bodies we become, the more we discover that the quality of person that is cooking the food makes a big difference on our health.

Second, trying new things can be scary and feel uncomfortable. We may fear the unknown, fear failure, or fear losing something we currently have. For example, you hesitate to take yoga because you believe you “aren’t flexible enough” (please, let go of this mindset immediately– yoga is for everyone).

Lastly, we often face resistance from within ourselves, as we may doubt our ability to make positive changes (oftentimes these are subconscious and sabotaging behaviors) from a deep-rooted childhood belief that we don't deserve it.

Once Jason became the observer of his mind, he witnessed his resistance and his habits. As mentioned before, he’s an awesome student. Very soon after we started to work together, his mindset began to shift. After each mental resistance battle, he grew stronger. With gentle reminders of his self talk and awareness of his thoughts, Jason's vibration started to increase. His voice tone changed. His language about himself changed. The way he walked changed. More upright and proud, confident of his choices, aware of his false beliefs. Jason’s Diet changed. His sleep changed. Eventually, his evening and weekend activities changed. He was getting his mind right, by creating the reality he desired. He was controlling his mind!

#5.) Honor The Journey

The theme of any great success story starts with a character accepting and stepping into the face of their fears and seeing it through until they find them selves on the other side. Sometimes the process to get to the other side takes years, sometimes in takes months. But the successor sticks it out and comes out a hero. Ultimately, when it comes to Fitness & Mind – the time frame in which you become the hero of your own story is individually based. What is most important is that each individual recognizes the reason why they are choosing to care for themselves, and what it represents for the future of the planet. Yes, you are responsible.

#6.) Recognize Jason as a HERO

I often close my yoga classes with the statement "when you start to show up and work on yourself, you are unconsciously giving other's permission to do the same." Jason has been a High school teacher for 20 years now, and the impact that he can have on the world is profound. We all remember those teachers who have impacted our lives. That being said, teachers play a crucial role in the development of schools, communities and societies. Jason rides his bike to and from school, he works-out in the weight room before school hours, and has completely transformed his life. He is giving everyone in a vulnerable overweight position a reason to stand up for their health. He cares about the quality of his life– he is representing something more to students beyond words. What can happen when you don’t make healthy choices, and what can happen when you do.

Fitness is a Mindset

When we start to see higher possibilities for ourselves, want more for ourselves, stop cutting ourselves down, love ourselves and then TAKE ACTION, we start to shift our mental Paradigm. When our mental paradigm shifts, our entire experience of this life changes as well. For example: someone who is stressed, has the option to use their free time to sit in-front of the television and eat junk food, or take a walk outside…take a bubble bath, read a book, clean their home, organize their tools … Fitness is a Mindset. We choose where our mind goes, we set our mind to what we want, and then we face our resistance when it gets tough. And it will get tough, because that’s life! Moreover, if you have the necessary tools in place, Fitness will become your life.

Ask For Help!!!

If you or someone you love needs help, they are stuck, I offer you my hand. My expertise is in understanding what is holding a person back. A healthy, strong, confident YOU is possible and I am here if you need help seeing it.

Your Friend in Fitness & Mind,

–Brysen

weightlossBrysen Frenchfitness, weightloss, weightlossjourney, mentalhealth, diet, exerciseComment