Before I started focusing on integrative nutrition and holistic health, I was a total diet freak. I was rigorous about what I ate, had incredibly high standards for exercise and would punish myself for missing a day at the gym or eating something just a little bit "bad". I thought that if my diets was perfect and I exercised enough, then I would look like a Victorias Secret model. Well, guess what?....I was miserable and hated how I looked. I couldn't sleep at night, I was stressed out of my mind and I wasn't in as great of shape as I should have been for how rigorous I was with my diet and exercise.
After going in circles like this for a couple of years, I stumbled upon holistic health. Holistic health doesn't just look at the food that you eat or your exercise habits, but also your sleep, stress levels, spirituality, relationships, finances and career, which together determine overall health and wellness. For years, I had been neglecting my sleep, stress and spirituality in lieu of eating well and exercising because I thought that was what I was supposed to do! What many of us don't realize is that eating well and running 5 miles per day is not the simple answer to looking and feeling our very best. It's about the whole package.
If you don't get enough sleep, then you are likely to crave more sweets and also find it more difficult to focus throughout the day (regardless of how good your diet is). If you aren't in touch with your own body then it's really difficult to connect with yourself and figure out your own needs. "Am I hungry or am I just bored?" An easy answer when we are in touch with ourselves. When you are stressed out all of the time you body recognized that as crisis mode. When you are in that fight or flight response, your body holds onto fat because it's preparing for a famine or war. These are deep seeded reactions that have been engrained in us for hundreds of thousands of years.
So, when people come to me looking to lose weight or feel better about themselves, I make sure to address all of these areas. If you're looking for a reset, or just a way to concentrate on the areas of your life that need attention, then I encourage you to take this test compliments of the incredible Deepak Chopra. Below you'll find his well being quiz which will give you some insight into some of the areas of your life you might be neglecting. It's important that we address all of these areas in order to put the best version of ourselves forward. Have fun!
Deepak Chopra Well Being Quiz :: Give each question below a score between 1-10. 10 being that you are feeling your very best in this area and a 1 being that this area needs an extreme amount of work or attention. At the end of each of the 5 sections, add up all of your scores and divide by 4 (the total number of questions in the section) to get your average score in each section. Finally, add up your scores from each section and divide by 5 for your total average.
Part 1 :: Well-Being ::
Do I love what I do everyday?
Do I get to use my strength everyday?
Is there someone at work or in my family that is constantly encouraging my development?
Do I feel good in my own body?
Part 2 :: Yesterday ::
Did I smile and laugh a lot yesterday?
Did I learn something interesting yesterday?
Did I get enough sleep last night?
Do I have a lot of love in my life?
Part 3 :: Physical ::
Do I exercise or move regularly?
Do I have enough energy to finish everything that I want to get done?
How would I asses my own medical health? Am I taking lots of medication?
Do I feel rested?
Part 4 :: Financial ::
Do I have enough money to do what I want to do?
Am I satisfied with my standard of living?
Do I have enough money to buy the food that I want?
Do I make time for vacation and time off with family and friends?
Part 5 :: Community ::
Do I feel safe walking at night in the area that I live in?
Am I happy in the area that I live in?
Have I donated money to an organization that I believe in?
Is the city that I like in getting better or worse?
What your score means ::
If you score a 7 or above in total, then you are thriving in your life. Well done! If you score between 4-7 then you are struggling. Notice where you are struggling and make that a focus in your life. If you score between 1-4 then you are suffering. If you are suffering, then it's time to take a major look at your life and make big changes.