Fit for Life: Loss is Tough. Stay in the Game

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Matt Espeut, GoLocalProv Health +Lifestyle Contributor

 

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Loss is tough. I have had times when I was up, financially, and times when I have been down. I was never wealthy, but I was on my way to a comfortable lifestyle in the early 2000's. I made some great real estate deals, then in 2006/2007 it all fell apart and I was close to broke. That time in my life put me in a depression and it was tough to bounce back. Going in reverse, at the time I was turning 40, too, was not what I had planned.  But that’s what was happening, and it happened to me - and now I'm going in the right direction again.

If my life was always status quo then I would never have been on top and would have never known how good it felt to be on my way to financial freedom. Taking the hit made me smarter and stronger and hopefully it will never happen again, but nobody is immune from unknown factors that could change our lives or impact us in a negative way. But, there are ways you can lower the odds of it happening to you again. For instance, I now have business coaches, a financial planner, and am less frivolous with spending money.

If you don’t have your health…

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The same goes for your health and wellness. The worst thing in your life that you can lose is your health. I came down with some sort of chest and sinus flare-up this week that knocked me out for 48 hours and drained all my strength. One day I was on top of my game, feeling great, getting great workouts in, and operating at high levels of energy and the next day a 4-year-old could have beat me. I am not a dramatic person and I realized it was not a terminal illness, and I would be back in action in a few days, but nonetheless it killed me being off my game, and not being able to perform at my peak level.

Many people don’t take good enough care of themselves to know or feel what is like to operate at peak levels, so when they get sick, it’s not as dramatic of a difference. If you eat processed crap, smoke, and drink regularly, then you have no idea what feeling great is. I do! I eat healthy, exercise regularly, get rest on the weekends, and it has worked. I haven't had as much as a sniffle in 2 years.

Like financial disaster, I learned that nobody is immune from getting sick, but you can also decrease your odds of it happening too frequently, because nothing is as important as your health and wellness. During those two days, nothing mattered more to me than getting better.

Take care – of you!

I made sure my team had the business tied down and my clients were getting their workouts in, but beyond that, I didn't care if another dime came through the door. I slept till 10 a.m. on Wednesday and it didn't even stress me out that I wasn't at work. I knew I needed to sleep and rest in order to get better. I thought about getting up and working on my laptop but I didn't, because my priority was to get back to full strength. I would rather give zero effort than struggle to do something halfway, and pay a bigger price for it. So I drank tea and slept.

In conclusion, nothing is more important than your health. Not money or any other material thing. I tell all my clients at Providence Fit Body Boot Camp that I focus on health before fitness, and when you start doing the right things to become healthy, your fitness will automatically follow. Nothing is worse than losing your health, even for a couple of days. Did I already say that a few times?  Well, you can tell what a dramatic impact it had on me this week.  My life has been going along pretty well, and my telling you this wasn’t to get sympathy, but to tell you that I consider myself a soldier and will keep fighting back from everyday setbacks until they plant me in the ground. Millions of people lose money and bounce back and millions of people get sick and recover. There is nothing we can do to fully prevent it, but we can by take care of ourselves, eating right, work out regularly and adopt a solid base of good habits. If we do that, then we give ourselves the ability to limit the damages. When a setback comes your way (and there will be some) just know that there will be better days, but you just have to keep fighting. You have to stay in the game.  And if you prepare for it by taking care of yourself you will have the strength to do so, and the recovery time will be much quicker. Then it’s time to get back to work and dominate your goals!!
 

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Matt Espeut, GoLocal's Health & Lifestyle Contributor has been a personal trainer and health & fitnesss consultant for over 25 years. He is the owner of Fitness Profiles, a one on one, and small group personal training company, as well as Providence Fit Body Boot Camp, located at 1284 North Main St., on the Providence/Pawtucket line. You can reach Matt at (401) 453-3200; on Facebook at "Matt Espeut", and on Twitter at @MattEspeut. "We’re all in this life together – let’s make it a healthy one!

 

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