Miles, Wavelengths, Humps, & Bounds: The Beginnings of a Wellness Journey

A testimony as experienced and told by:

Brittany Singleton

Miles

The ultimate fear is the fear of the unknown. To me, this drills down to the fear of ourselves. We are the unknown, until we decide to travel the miles of self-discovery. When we are compelled to look at self and assess, that’s the time you begin the journey of exposing the unknown, thus alleviating fear.
This past year and ½ I decided to be real with self and face some fears. Traveling the road less travelled can be perceived in so many ways. Either way, you have to travel the miles. Self exploration can reveal so much, but only if time is allotted to go within and be silent. There are acres of ourselves we have yet to come across; leaving us in the wilderness of our minds and fearful of swift change and movement.

Physical miles and journeys can be hard to traverse, but once you get a good gumption to move and  explore all that’s needed next - is action. To do a quick yet animated synopsis of my move...

Raleigh, NC --> Turkey, NC --> Alexandria, VA --> Lorton, VA --> The District...

Yea, what a “hump” that was!

I trucked for miles and here I am, currently listening to the sounds of honking horns catapulting through my open window while enjoying the breeze. All in all, I received a lot of help from my family and friends in the process of getting settled into my temporary playground.

On this personalized journey through life, we often cross a path that is familiar and recurring. For me this was my physical health. Unbeknown to many, at 5‘ 3 ½ “ my solid frame had a 207lb foundation, along with high cholesterol, and a smidgen away from high blood pressure at 24. So it was definitely time to face some fears and inhibitors. I knew it was time to channel my energy towards my health, and I did…

Wavelengths

October 2011 (my Birthday) with Beautiful People!

I ended up meeting friends that would be motivators to my transition with their actions, encouragement, and knowledge. Now sisters, mentors, and family for life, we soon found out there are many commonalities and that we damn sho’ are traveling on the same wavelength. I’m sure we have all heard it before, but to break it down I have stepped into a new era of my life where I am in close encounter with others that have like minds and are on a similar journey. All are integrating and embarking upon self-discovery while facing fears.

If you are going to associate with others on a repeated basis, then know to always be accompanied by folks of the same mind, same goals, and same pure spirit.

Simple. Point Blank.

To continuously expose yourself to an environment that is not conducive to your future plans is only a hindrance to that plan. To continuously engage in settings with people of differing values is not smart thinking. There is a network of people you are destined to be placed with and each of you will be integral to the growth of one another. You can’t mature if you don’t paddle out in the surf and ride the “length of the wave”.

Humps

          [Singing] "My humps, my humps, my lovely lovely humps."

But oh, they are not so lovely this time around Ms. Fergie. So let’s start with laziness, being the most obvious. Then exhaustion, frustration, stuckness, and now the bittersweet excitement of 'I have to buy new clothes.'
Yea new clothes ...but I don’t have the money nor do I need an attachment to a physical vanity that is used to express our similarities and our differences.

But I digress. I am now a healthy 144lbs. I hadn’t intended on losing weight, not so much, just getting healthier. I am. The weight loss was needed, no matter what I say or anyone else says. I hope that my body is settling into itself and no more weight loss. I am where I need to be for my age, height, etc. Please believe, getting here was not easy.

I started by visiting the community gym and walking around my aunt’s neighborhood. But laziness soon reared its head. Later in the fall, my mentors and I started working out 5 to 6 days a week (INSANITY)– very physical and intense workout. This continued through a time period of about 6 weeks. So proud of myself! After that intensity, the exhaustion came but I knew I had to do something. I was tired! So changing my eating it was…

With the settling of physical movement, I became more receptive to foods that were healthier options. I began a lenient pescatarian (seafood) lifestyle. This included no other meats, and a reduction of dairy products. For Thanksgiving, of course I had to "Indulj" just one more time.

For the remainder of 2011, I explored this option and reaped the benefits. I dropped more weight and was more energetic. Winning! But I knew that with all the fish and shellfish that I was partaking in, I was exposing my body to more levels of mercury than it was used to on a regular basis. So although I made a change, who’s to say it was a healthy move?

At that point I still hadn’t even begun shopping for new clothes. I thought it was too early to tell whether or not my body had stabilized. It wasn’t....

Breaking Boundaries

A new year brings forth new understanding and goals for the future…blah blah blah. I made no resolutions; I simply stated what I was going to do and did it. I was a closet smoker so I quit smoking cigarettes - cold turkey! I became a Vegetarian. My sistrens and I started getting our move on by dancing twice a week and practicing more yoga. They have been so integral in the help with my new lifestyle. Wavelengths, people! The weight continued to shed and the curves started to pop. Progressive bounds and leaps kept coming. Thanks to all my sisters, mentors, and family for the support of my continual journey. Oh it’s not over yet, not by chance. This is a lifestyle, so it is my life journey and practice.

I am now vegan - oh scratch that. I don’t eat any meat, dairy, eggs, or any refined or processed foods. I am human so I do have times where I will want some meat. I’m flexible with myself and I will have a piece of fish when my body feels it may need it. Everything in moderation! It doesn't matter how you plan to execute your healthy lifestyle as long as it is conducive to your goals. That's all that matters!

One more Hump and Bound, Continuous Miles and Wavelengths

So, I have embarked upon another journey. Now this journey I am going to need plenty, plenty of help with. Now that I have changed the way I live my life, there was only one thing that remained constant, and that was the relaxer. I decided to go natural not only because seeing us in our natural form is beautiful, but because I felt as if I was still damaging my vessel. Damaging in the sense that I routinely placed chemicals at the base of where my knowledge sits.

Over my lifetime I have had trouble with my skin, mostly my facial area. I wanted to see if the chemical was the ‘root’ cause of my acne issue. So let’s see if that was the factor, even if it isn’t, I’m more beautiful today than I was yesteryear because you now see the natural me! :)

Oh wait, one more hump.. I sometimes get so frustrated that I can’t come up with anything to eat, although I have a fridge full of greens and fruits. Food creativity is something I am learning little by little. 63lbs later and here I am still transitioning, learning, researching, creating, letting go of frustration, and smiling. I’m constantly becoming more knowledgeable of myself along my journey.

The main lessons my transition has taught me is to do all you can within your control and not compare your journey to that of someone else’s. Transitioning is all about executing what is within your control, with that said you have the power to choose whatever you do.

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If you are looking for a change, stop looking and just do it. Let go of what the results may or may not be and just move towards your goals! Remember that Action is always better than Inaction, no matter what the result.

Lastly, good taste is knowing how to Eat Right. Eat to Live in every aspect of life. - Britt

****Brittany Singleton reigns from North Carolina and currently lives in Washington, DC. She is the founder of Honest to Goodness Beauty, an outreach and personal development network. She has a degree in Business Finance as well as an Accounting degree. She offers year round tax assistance and other financial counseling and development within the Humbly, Peax & Love network.****