Finding your health during a global pandemic

You are in control of…

Your reactions.

Your happiness.

Your health.

You.

It takes a lot of courage to admit your fear. It takes even more to make sure your fear doesn’t paralyze you. With many of us sheltering in place, we’ve spent more time than ever inside, on the devices, on our butts. And if you’re anything like me you find yourself looking inside the fridge every hour for a snack — let’s be real it’s like every 30 minutes…

There is no better time than right now to start your health journey. Why? Because you’re at home. Because you’re sitting on you bum. Because you are constantly being called to the fridge to find more food to eat.

Stress eating is real. The lack of motivation is real.

You can choose to continue down this path and come out of this pandemic worse off. Or you can choose to come out better off.

You get to choose to be healthier. To be more confident. To exercise more. To get that “summer bod” without stepping into a gym (not that you could right now anyway).

So, how do you get there?

Observe. Report. Plan. Execute.

Observe: Look at what your current habits are. Where do you spend most of your day (the couch, in front of your computer, in front of your phone, etc.)? Who do you surround yourself with, whether in the same house of via txt/video chat/phone? What are you putting into your mouth every day?

Report: Write your observations down. Take stock of your habits, your daily life right now. Share your findings with a trusted person.

Plan: Think about where you want to be. What is your goal? Do you want to maintain your physical weight? Do you want to lose weight, why? Do you want to improve your heart-health with cardio? Do you want to change your binging habits? Do you want to strengthen the relationships in your life? What do you want that you don’t have now?

Write down everything you want. Break it down into manageable steps.

Execute: Put the plan into action. Find an accountability partner — someone going through a similar situation or someone that will hound you every single day, multiple times a day to make sure you are following through.

Remember, the secret to running a marathon is taking the first step. You’ve got this.

University dancing - a life changing experience

For as long as I can remember, I called the studio my home; that floor was a foundation like no other and it kept me grounded even when I didn’t know I needed it.

I started dancing when Iw as eight years old and I hadn’t realized my love for it and potential until the end of high school, so I made it my mission to continue at the collegiate level.

A passion isn’t difficult to find, but it is difficult to keep when life “gets in the way.” I’ve been lucky enough to continue this passion of mine for years now!

What follows is a collection of photographs taken throughout my three years at University. I will forever remember the memories and the people from University that made all the difference. They’re my chosen family (even if they don’t know it).

I cannot thank the photographers (both professional and friends) enough for capturing the moments in my life where words never could express how I was feeling.

Until next time,

Alex

P.S. There is a guest appearance of Aria from A. Valente Wellness!