Trial & Error: Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Living a healthy lifestyle isn’t easy – not one bit! Especially when you’ve spent a vast majority of your life being overweight and unhealthy. Breaking a habit is easy, changing your life is a whole different battle.

For those of you who’ve known me before and after, have followed me through my weight-loss journey or are just getting to know me – over 5- 6 years ago, I decided I needed to change my life. I was an overweight 20-soemthing and had eaten my way to a staggering 300lbs. From dealing with the separation of my parents, growing up in a broken family, battling depression, while discovering who I am and coming out – it took a huge toll on my life. A toll in which I turned to food as my vice to make everything better.

I was able to turn my life around completely, from losing weight, adopting a new lifestyle, eating healthy, being conscious, and taking care of myself mentally, psychically and emotionally. In 2014, I reached a monumental weight-loss goal of losing over 100 pounds. To this day, it still feels like it never happened. I don’t remember the person I used to be. I was never really living in that body, it was just a capsule for the person I would become. I dropped my story on The Huffington Post (click here to read, part 1, part 2) which was one of the scariest things I’ve ever had to face, as for the first time I was going public about something so vulnerable to me.

I received an overwhelming response of congratulations, praise, and people reaching out for help, guidance, advice, or to share their story with me. I was truly humbled. This set the course for the next 6 years to follow. I stuck true to my new lifestyle, there were ups and downs, but I have continued to work my ass off and make it out alive in the end. I continued talking about my story, spreading positive vibes, motivation and more. I even got to have my own dedicated segment on weight-loss and telling my story on Global TV’s, The Morning Show (click here to watch). Like…WHAT!!! *pinch me*

Over the past 8-9 months I’ve felt different, everything has been testing me, from my mind, to my weight, work, personal life, love life, and more. I’ve felt like more than ever I’ve been feeling pressure, like I can’t breathe. It’s hard to do it all and crack a smile at the same time. Sometimes the hustle is going to take a toll on you and you have to keep yourself in check. As much as I’ve learned to balance myself in every which way – food and exercise has more than ever been one of the hardest areas to battle. What seemed like something I mastered has become one of the hardest challenges to overcome in this new stage of my life.

I’ve begun meal prepping which I got the hang of thanks to incredible meal delivery service, Eat, Train, Live. Meal prepping has been a huge help in my life and creating a routine so when I get thrown every which way with my schedule, I’m consistent with my meals – which is SO important.

Even with meal prepping, juicing, working out, having a positive mentality, and doing whatever else you can think of, it doesn’t matter how freaking hard how you try -  you are human and you will fail. You will let yourself down, and you will have to face it. And you know what…IT’S OKAY!!! One of the hardest lessons I thought I learned and clearly am still facing each and every day is that it’s ok to screw up, be down on yourself, and eat a whole medium pizza and small pint of ice cream on a Wednesday night for no reason other than you effing needed it. I’ve been struggling so much and it’s so hard. Words can’t describe it. But, I’m working on it, each and every day. We are HUMAN and we will make mistakes and slip up. We aren’t robots and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you can find yourself on a road to where you want to be. Mistakes are made to help teach us lessons. More importantly, it’s getting yourself in check, realizing what happened, why it happened and how to prevent it. We must always look to the past to see where we’re going and what lessons we learned to not repeat them. We are all warriors inside and it’s time we face ourselves. The biggest battles we’ll ever face in our lifetime are always with within.

The human mind is beautiful and so powerful beyond our reach. It’s incredible what we can accomplish and do when we set our mind to something. From never having taken a workout class, to experiencing a RIDE CYCLE CLUB class with LULULEMON, to becoming a spin addict and challenging myself at Barry’s Bootcamp – these are all things that 5 years ago I would have been TERRIFIED of. Now I look at them dead on and embrace them with open arms. The power fear can present in your life will come in many forms, you must always tackle it head on. Do what scares you, because it’s probably going to be worth it.

As much as my journey continues, I am happy to share that I now more than ever feel like I’m living in my own skin. I can’t believe how far I’ve come and I’m so excited for where I’ll take myself next!

Call Me by Your Name

I really must admit that it's been quite some time since I last read a book. I would always make excuses like I don't have enough time, I'd rather spend my time doing other things, or I'd start a book and never finish. Well, I'm happy to report that the streak is over and I’ve finally committed to reading a book and finished it!

After hearing lots of buzz during TIFF about the premiere of “Call Me by Your Name”, I looked into the film and it instantly caught my eye, from the narrative of the story to the trailer! I didn’t get the opportunity to see it at the festival, so I figured I’d see it when it came out in theatres. Little did I know that the film was an adaptation of a book by the same name. I started seeing friends and many others both online and in person telling me about this book and to start reading it. Keeping my little secret that I haven’t read in forever. Well, on boxing day, in the dead of the cold I rushed over to Indigo and purchased it. I remember frantically driving home because I was so excited to start reading the book.

Starting the book is something I severely regret, as after 2 weeks, I finished the book and it all came to an end. I was left wanting more and more to read, while wishing and hoping the story continued. I could not put this book down at all. The story is narrated by and follows a 17 year old teenager, Elio, who lives with his family in a villa in Italy – already sounds like a dream life to me. Each summer his family takes in a scholar to live with them. This is where Elio first meets Oliver and the story unfolds telling a beautiful story of falling in love and discovering yourself.

I can’t say it enough but the book did such an outstanding job at taking you through every emotion, thought, and feeling of falling in love. This story couldn’t have been more relatable to the first time I fell in love and came to discover myself. I think this is why the book struck such connection to me because of everything you experience Elio going through from love, sadness, jealousy, anger, confidence, and more, I too felt and went through. Not only bringing up personal memories, but the emotions that they carried with them. This book is truly relatable to anyone who has experienced love, passion, and desire for another. I found myself an absolute wreck reading though the final chapter of the book, I was totally crying my eyes out, feeling as Elio felt, while my only feelings and thoughts surfaced. Writing this I’m sighing in remembering the final thoughts spoken in the book and feeling both swooned and saddened.

Our first love is one we'll never forget for the rest of our lives - it plays such a pivotal role in shaping how we love as it's where it began. First loves do hurt sometimes, but it's through pain that we are able to grow, develop, and be ready for what the universe brings us next. You can't move forward in life unless you know where you've been.

With the ending of the book, I’m so thankful for the movie that I have something more to re-live this story. The film stars Armie Hammer (Oliver) and Timothée Chalamet (Elio). To be quite honest, the film was a bit disappointing in comparison to the narrative of the book. I was expecting more, or perhaps I just really wanted to experience what the book portrayed. The film was beautifully shot, from the location, actors, set, everything seemed quite true to what I expected. I think the adaptation of the screenplay is where the disconnect was. The book relies so heavily on expressing Elio's thoughts and feelings throughout the entire story so perhaps that is what was missing the most, the inner dialogue that wasn't translated in film. I also felt at times the scenes felt choppy or that the story was transitioning too quickly. One thing I really liked about the movie was the on screen chemistry of Elio with his family, and more importantly with Oliver. After watching the film my initial thoughts were 1) I need to move to Italy, and 2) I wish I got to stay with their family for the summer in that beautiful small town. What the film perfectly depicted which words cannot is the the desire and look of affection that brewed over that summer with them both. You get to witness the looks, the faces, and physical emotions that are coming alive on screen. 

Also... can we talk about the peach scene!? Haha!

The film's ending of Elio by the fire is a moment we've all once experienced so well. No words, just emotions.

I am definitely going to give the film another shot and watch it with the mindset of it solely being a film. With raving reviews and so much Oscar buzz, I’m very excited for what’s to come and will be cheering them on regardless!

Have you seen the film or read the book? Let me know what you thought!

Watch the trailer below:

Until next time... "Later!"

-  Rob [@RobLosch]

Resolutions

It’s that time of year where everyone gets a little frantic, emotional (whether they choose to admit it or not), happy, excited, and nervous all at the same time.

The holidays are in their peak moment and you don’t know what day it is, and quite frankly you don’t care. This is your last moment, living, basking, and breathing in 2017. For most lucky enough to have the full holiday off – it’s an opportunity to reflect on the year, the person you grew into, among binge eating way too many desserts at one of many Christmas or holiday get-togethers (but that’s another conversation).

For me, New Years has always been a sentimental moment and I’ve never been able to quite pinpoint or trace a definite reason as to why. Am I the only one like this? I figure not but sometimes it feels like I am. I’ve come to grow into the answer that to me the coming of a new year is significant of a new beginning. Yes, of course it is in the literal sense, but mentally and spiritually it’s a new beginning. I’d say from the moment my parents were no longer together is when New Years began to tug a string at my heart. The coming of a New Year meant a new fresh start, out with the old sorrows and a chance at a new beginning that I could control, shape, mould, and inspire to achieve. Since the world around us is uncontrollable, the opportunity for a beginning I could create would mean more than words can describe. It’s crazy to think what happens to you at a young age will transcend time and continue to affect you as an adult. But, how we recognize and learn to grow from it is what’s most important.

2017 was a very exciting year for me! I grew professionally, I launched this blog, I did a TV segment about my weight loss story, I laughed, I cried, I travelled, I made memories, I met new people, made new friends and strengthened old ones. I made peace with my heart, mind and a relationship from the past, I ate, I drank, I experienced new things for the first time, I challenged myself, and I rewarded myself. I learned a lot of lessons, some the easy way and some the hard way. Not to mention I was also featured in a city-wide ad campaign for First Canadian Place with poster ads and videos across the TTC...um what!? Looking back, scrolling through my iPhone camera roll, I’m exposed to glimpses into all that the year offered and I can’t help but smile and think how lucky I am to experience all of this and more importantly the people I get to surround myself with through it all.

In 2018, I want to experience more of what 2017 offered but on another level. I want to laugh more, experience more, love more, travel more, eat more (not in terms of quantity, but quality, lol), meet more people, make new friends, continue growing professionally, and continuing to share my life, interests, story, and more with you on here. I want to try something new for the first time, I want to take chances, I want to succeed and I want to fail so I can learn, I want to visit a new country/city, and spend lots of time with those I love, keep close, and call family and friends. Here’s to making it happen!

Originally writing this post it was the intention to share my New Years resolutions with you, but what I love so much about writing is what you will discover with what results at the end. If you’ve made it here, I hope you’ve enjoyed a glimpse into my little world, and if you’ve ever felt the same please share!

What are you setting as your goals, hopes and dreams for the new year? Whatever they may be, manifest them and watch them come to life!

Wishing you a Happy New Year and nothing but well wishes for 2018!

Cheers!!!

-  Rob [@RobLosch]