As Told by Brandt

A big decision has been made.  I am going to table my three-piece blog on the problems with healthcare and focus more on my journey.  The system is completely eschewed.  This will not change today, but my attitudes toward my health and happiness can change.  In the past month, I’ve made the following changes to my lifestyle:

• Eating
  • Each meal has been logged into my Lose It app
  • Ice Cream has been eliminated from my diet completely
  • Calories/Macros have been monitored
  • One Gallon/Daily Water Intake Goal (Rarely completed but working toward)
  • Phase Two to follow including a “Cleaner” and “Keto” focus
    • This is starting week of 2/28/2022
• Exercise
  • Daily Workouts at 6:30 am
  • Even Weekends
  • PT 1-2 times weekly with focus on knee and core
  • 5-7 walks/week
    • I use walking poles and have been increasing duration/frequency
• Weight Management
  • 16 Week Weight Management Program (Don’t say contest)
  • Weekly Weigh-ins
• Stress Management
  • Twice Daily Breathing/Meditation Using App
  • Nighttime Ritual of Calming White Noise of Ocean Waves
• Sleep Management
  • Incomplete.  Needs more work
  • Monitoring Sleep patterns

These are major steps for me.  Sedentary and comfort seeking behavior is my norm.  This started well before Jacob became sick.  I will not use his cancer as an excuse.  The past few years have been terrible.  Yesterday marked 14 months without Jacob in my physical presence.  As unimaginable as it seems, I must push on.  He would.  I made the lad a promise of which I am fulfilling. 

It’s difficult for a business to run without an honest audit of its situation.  Brandt Butze INC was a failing business mired in fear and depression.  No investor, including myself, would invest in Brandt Butze’s crippling infrastructure.  Somehow, Jacob didn’t give up on me.  My family, although they wanted to, haven’t give up either.  My friends have been remarkable.  We are turning Brandt Butze, Inc. around!

As The first annual Jacob Butze Memorial Foundation 5K run and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk comes closer to its June 12^th date, I am motivated to do the 1 mile.  Jacob crossed many finish lines, including the final one.  He won them all for Never Ever Giving Up!