A Letter To My Old Self

Dear Old Self,

I am proud of the changes and accomplishments you have made in the last year. Some changes were more challenging and difficult, and you doubted yourself upon making some changes. The first change you made was switching from an in-person trainer to a virtual coach. You ended an unsupportive and negative type working relationship with a trainer that had you restricting foods, not allowing you to enjoy the foods you enjoy, and making you feel guilty about not doing the hard work to see faster progress.

Through this change, I’ve learned and grown a lot. First things first, it is okay to live life, and it’s not a race to make changes. It is about habits, staying consistent, and allowing yourself to rest when needed. It’s a journey. A journey that you can sustain, maintain, and continue. It’s a balance.

I learned early on that nutrition habits did not need to be restrictive. I could have the foods I enjoy. I no longer had to eat from an A-Z list as below:

Wild Salmon

Wild Tuna

Wild Cod

Wild Whiting

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

Eggs

Lean Ground Turkey

Raw Pumpkin Seeds

Extra Virgin olive Oil

Baby Spinach

Kale

Asparagus

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Avocado

Brussels Sprouts

Zucchini

Ginger Root

Celery

Oil/Vinegar

Oatmeal

Sweet Potatoes

Quinoa

Whole Grain Rice

All the berries

Greek Yogurt

I’ve learned I can incorporate other foods I enjoy into my nutrition. I can still enjoy the foods I enjoy; just in moderation or by pairing it with other healthy alternatives. For example, I learned I can enjoy McDonalds’ on occasion and can substitute French fries for apple slices. Eating doesn’t have to be restricted. I’ve also learned that it’s not about lowering calories and eating fewer calories, sometimes it’s about eating more calories.

Other nutrition strategies I learned have been: 1). Eat without Restrictions, 2). Put utensils down between bites (enjoy the food and taste the food), 3). Take half-time breaks to assess hunger level and 4). Hunger vs. Appetite.

I’ve also learned how to construct a balanced plate (meal) and how to measure foods utilizing the hand method. A serving of protein should be the size of your palm; a serving of fruit and/or vegetables should be the size of a fist, and a serving of carbohydrates should be the size of your hand when you make a cup with your hand. Fats should be measured with the first part of your thumb. The hand measuring method can help while out eating or in different places when a food scale may not be readily accessible.

I’ve grown in being able to ask for help in the gym. Even though asking for help is one of the most difficult things for me to do, I asked for help to learn where the weight machines were in Planet Fitness to be able to continue in a virtual program. I’ve gained confidence and am continuously breaking barriers to learn my way around the gym, which was intimidating and anxiety-provoking. Sometimes I still feel this way, but I am open to learning and pushing through the uncomfortableness not being a “pro” in the gym. I do more than cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical, and bike) now in the gym.

I set out and conquered a triathlon. I embarked on a journey to train and participate in a sprint triathlon; in which, I never thought I would become a triathlete. In January 2023, I attended the welcome celebration of the Tri It For Life, and I was so intimidated and felt out of place due to not being that “fit”, and thought I set the bar too high. The season kick-off was in February 2023 and through training for the event I discovered activities I truly enjoyed. Swimming is an activity that motivates me (or maybe just being in the water). Biking (tandem cycling) grew on me more on more as I engaged in the activity. Walking is a movement I enjoy, as well. Not only did I do one triathlon, I completed two triathlons in 2023. Through this, I learned breaking barriers is possible, and there are people out there willing to help to make things possible – just have to ask.

I’ve also learned more about nutrition than I did before. I learned fiber is an important thing in our daily nutrition. Learning to implement more vegetables and fruit into my daily nutrition is something I’ve been working on changing. Being open to trying new foods is also something I’ve been more open to in the last year – I discovered I like mangoes – even though I still do not know how to cut one if I buy a whole one (I’ll keep buying the already sliced mangoes 😊). I’ve learned the importance of prioritizing protein in my daily nutrition, and the importance of increasing protein as it makes one feel fuller; it also helps with maintaining muscle.

I’ve grown to recognize “stress” and recognize when I need to make a change to reduce the “stress”. I made a huge decision to step away from my career due to the overwhelming stress that an unsupported and negative work environment placed on me, and in turn, was affecting my mental health and well-being. Although stepping away from my career and serving a population I am passionate about and an advocate for, I recognized the stress the work environment was causing on me. I recognize that I am more than just my “career” and my “career” doesn’t solely identify me.

I am…

A triathlete

A good friend to many

An advocate for people with disabilities

Kind, caring, and loving individual

A daughter, sister, aunt, and a Godmother

A positive role model

A blind athlete

Goal-oriented, determined, and motivated

An active community member

A board member of TriThrift

A board member of NFB of SC Sports and Rec division

This year has been full of ups and downs, and I have grown and learned a lot about health and wellness and will be able to continue to build on what I learned thus far.

In the next year, I want to continue working on myself and reach goals that are related to health and wellness. I want to continue incorporating and implementing the things I’ve learned. I want to continue to have a positive relationship with food and continue to eat a variety of foods.

I want to gain more confidence in the gym. I want to feel less intimidated in a gym environment.

I want to participate in more events such as 5k’s and sprint triathlons. I’ve always had a dream of completing a 5k in all 50 states, eventually. Now that I enjoy triathlons, I could easily find either a 5k and/or a triathlon to do in each state.

I want to continue to reinforce and find effective strategies to reduce “emotional” binge eating “episodes”.

I want to ride a bike across the state of South Carolina to raise awareness of the abilities and possibilities of blind individuals (umm hmmm I need a coach to do it with me 😊) and to raise money in the process to help individuals with disabilities.

I want to participate in a longer-distance triathlon relay race (open to doing the swim and bike portion, depending on the swim distance). I also want to experience a tethered open-water swim. (Maybe I should become some social “blind athlete” influencer and somehow monetize it seeing how I like movement and activity 😊, which would also keep me active to reach health and wellness goals – Team Amy coached by New Image, haha).