The Importance of Taking Care of Yourself: Your health matters

In July of 2018, I finally started to take my health very seriously. I knew that my weight had gotten out of control in the past several years, especially throughout my two years in graduate school when I went to EKU in Kentucky. While I took some steps to work towards healthier habits in my last year of grad school, I unfortunately did not continue my good habits with working out in Krav Maga when I moved back to Illinois. I was constantly tired, my joints in all of my limbs hurt from carrying my weight, and it was extremely taxing to try to work out.

Everything had peaked in fall 2017 and spring 2018, and I could really feel the power that my weight and unhealthiness had over my body and mind. I struggled with fighting against depression, and knew that I had to make a change or suffer such mental and physical challenges for who knows how long.

I joined Metro Krav Maga & Kickboxing in July 2018 and began my journey towards a healthier, happier me. The more I worked out, the happier my mind became, and the happier my body became. I could sleep more and get more restful sleep in the night. It became so much easier to breathe, not only during workouts, but also just normally in my everyday activities. I found that my endurance and stamina were slowly increasing with each and every day, every hour that I put into "practicing my workout habits."

Now, almost 8 months after I began my fitness journey with picking up Krav Maga once more...I am 36 days into my newest challenge - working out at Fit Club for 12 weeks (at one of the most difficult times for me, at 6am in the morning). Some days, it seems very hard to finish a workout; some days I am very hard on myself. However, when I look back on the start of my journey, and how far I've come, I know that I should keep pushing myself to do better. I have accomplished so much...and that is something I should be very proud of.

Moral of the story: take care of your body and your health, in addition to whatever goals and dreams you choose to pursue in life. Even just taking the time to do 30 minute workouts each and every day adds up to significant progress over time, and before you know it, you'll be running faster than you ever dreamed possible and lifting more weight than you ever thought your body would be capable of dead-lifting. The possibilities are limitless when you put in the hard work. I can see my hard work, looking at this picture of me from 3 years ago to a picture from two weeks ago when I went on tour with the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America. If you can dream it, you can do it.

#JustDoIt

#TheHawaiianFlutist #KravMaga #Health #Fitness #Bodyovermind #Mindset