Get Inspired & DECIDE
A real-life example of change.
By Judianne Triglia (not a doctor of anything)

I asked Dr. Mancini if I could use his space in the newsletter this month to share my story. I know, as you do, that he is very inspiring in his words and his actions. But sometimes, I think it’s hard to relate because he is at a level so far beyond most of us. I think it’s safe to say that most of us have not committed our entire life to training as a top athlete. Although that makes for a great ideal to strive for, it’s difficult to measure our own day-to-day with standards that seem so high. My intention with this article is to be an example of how to apply the principles that Dr. Mancini teaches into real life.

I’ve never thought of myself as a particularly unhealthy person. But hindsight is 20-20 and now I realize, looking back, that I was definitely unhealthy (and most certainly on the road to major health problems). It’s hard even for me to believe when I look at my lifestyle now but I was overweight; I had high blood pressure; I was suffering from chronic, debilitating back pain; and my knees were so weak that I was limited in what I could do physically. And that was all at age 29! I was even diagnosed with osteopenia. At the time it all didn’t seem THAT bad but now that I feel the way I do I can’t imagine ever going back. I am now 32. That back pain is long gone. My knees are strong and I have lost (AND KEPT OFF) more than 20 pounds. And no, it did not happen overnight. I put in the work and sometimes it was hard but it made me a better person inside and out.

I started by making a commitment to walking for a minimum of 20 minutes, five days a week. For some that might sound lame and for others it might sound like too much to take on right now. What I want to point out is that I was not inspired to be a runner and I didn’t have a specific goal in mind. I just wanted to do SOMETHING. So, I did. Then it started to get easier, so I started running on the downhill portion. Then it started to get easier, so I started running the whole way. Then it started to get easier, so I asked for help. I joined a gym that had circuit training classes and I started going two- to three-times a week. Then it got easier, so I hired a personal trainer. Now, I lift weights with a professional body builder and I exercise every single morning. That process took me about three years but it felt like no time at all. I just kept deciding. And each decision I made helped me evolve into who I am today. Now, I am constantly challenging myself to take things to the next level.

That part of my journey was specifically about physical fitness but that is not the only thing that has changed for me. Initially, I guess I thought that if I was physically strong I would magically be able to take on anything. Turns out that wasn’t enough. Training intensely didn’t help me handle my day like I wanted. In fact, it made it harder sometimes. In the recent past, I was getting sick almost every month. This was frustrating for me because I know that healthy people don’t get sick and I thought that working out more and eating better was enough to categorize me as “healthy.” Wrong again.

Even though I had heard Dr. Mancini say that recovery needs to equal demands, I didn’t REALLY think that was true. After all, I’d made it this far by just pushing myself harder. That always seemed logical. I decided to experiment with that theory. I started scheduling time in my day for me. I take an hour every day after work to do something that calms me or makes me happy. Usually it’s something that helps me focus on the here and now, like a crossword puzzle or reading or getting a pedicure or even cleaning my house or doing laundry. I am happy to say that by shifting this one little thing, I have not been sick since I started and it’s been almost eight months. (And I am around sick people every single day.) So I guess it’s true. Healthy people don’t get sick and I am proof of that. The minute I start to feel any difference in my energy, I get a boost with acupuncture and increase my recovery time, and I seem to avoid whatever “bug” is going around. It never fails! If you do nothing else, find that recovery time in your day. It doesn’t have to be an hour. It can be five minutes but take it and make it yours. I promise that it will bring so much to your day and your life.

I’ve also changed the way I eat, but in order to do that I first had to change the way I think. I started out doing a three-week program with Clearvite under Dr. Mancini’s watchful eye. It was a first step. From there I started trying to pre-prep and portion my meals for the day. I got a giant water jug and a cooler to carry around with me. At first it was hard and now it’s just natural. I gradually started incorporating food into my day until now I am eating small portions every two hours. Yes. I eat out. Yes. I drink alcohol. Yes. I love chocolate and Mexican food. No. I don’t ever deny myself a little fun. Like I said, the most important shift I’ve made is my focus. Instead of focusing on all the things I CAN’T have. I focus on all the things I AM DOING. It seems simple but it made all the difference. I tried to go two weeks by setting limits on the number of treats I was allowed and it was the most terrible, frustrating, angry two weeks of my life. When that didn’t work I decided to experiment with the same things in different terms. For the past 20 days I have focused on enjoying time at home to cook and prepare meals. It worked. I have not eaten out, drank one drop of alcohol or had any other sweets or treats for 20 days. And I barely even noticed because I was so focused on the tasks before me. No. I did not spend hours toiling in the kitchen. For those of you that know me, you KNOW that is not my style. In fact, the less time I spend in the kitchen the better for general safety reasons (but that’s another article for the laugh log). Over time I’ve settled in on a few staples that I enjoy and I constantly stock my house with them and constantly experiment with different ways of preparing and combining them. My chosen staple foods are: chicken, salmon, beans, lettuce and a combination of frozen and fresh veggies. Sound boring? Ask me for some samples of my menus and I’ll gladly prove you wrong.

Each of these changes has been gradual. There was a learning curve and comfort level that I had to sort out for myself and it will be different for you. What I want is for each of you to feel this way. I want it so badly but I know I can’t do it for you. So, I am doing what I can to inspire you and offer you support and advice as best I can. With that said… here is my little motivation bit.

Do something today… don’t put it off until 2010 or after you get that one thing finished. DO IT NOW. Make it simple. Set a goal. Set aside one hour of quiet time. Go for a 20 minute walk in the morning or at lunch. Eat one more serving of vegetables each day. Drink an extra glass of water each day. We all need to take responsibility for our personal health and happiness, especially when everyone around you (including your own brain) is telling you these are “hard times.” Don’t overwhelm yourself with something so big. Take joy in the little things you accomplish each and every day. Each day doesn’t have to top the last one. You can be proud that you did the same little things two days in a row. Consistency makes a habit and once you have a habit it’s difficult to break so be mindful of the habits you are creating right now. Oh, but it’s the holidays. If we count from Halloween to New Years – 63 days – that’s more than twice the amount of time it takes to reset your nervous system and establish a habit. This is NOT a joke. If you wait until January it is going to be really tough to break out of that pattern – trust me. However, if you set a goal to do something different for those 63 days, you will still set habits - good ones that make you proud! BUT I want to enjoy the holidays with my family. Do that too! You WILL get off track more than once during this time of year but if you are focused on what you are doing and you get through the other side with even 30 days of “good days” that is still really something. Don’t plan on taking days off from your goal but don’t beat yourself up either when the opportunity comes up. CHOOSE what you eat and who you are around and what you do, and feel good about each choice.

You can decide to take these words to heart and do something different or you can decide to ignore the message and keep doing the same thing and getting all the same results. Only you have that power.

My personal trainer recently sent an e-mail that said it very well: “For many of us we have a common word ‘Someday.’ I just wanted to point you to your calendar and ask you to find what day of the week ‘Someday’ is? Someday is not in our busy lives or our schedules, life was not meant to be lived with regrets; find the courage, believe in yourself and do it. Eleanor Roosevelt said ‘we must do the thing that we think we cannot do.’”