Integrative Health Blog

The Secret to Success in Health, and Anything

Posted by Coy Roskosky DC on Tue, Dec 08, 2020

man playing guitar_success in health

I am a Type 1 diabetic and have always had a hard time with my blood sugars and with weight. 

I’ve tried low carb eating, watching glycemic index foods, tons of exercise: cardio and weight training.  They all have had a positive effect on me, but I could not sustain it because I was not getting the result that I was expecting.  The rewards of all the hard work were not enough.  Yes, my blood sugars were better and my weight would drop anywhere from 5-10 pounds over a three-month period.  But those rewards were not enough. 

So, I would slowly start slipping back into habits that were not optimal for me.  I would revisit these things over and over during my diabetic life.  I always thought this is what I will be stuck with as a diabetic: retaining weight due to insulin use and blood sugars that would never be absolutely controllable.

Then came the pandemic and I had a lot of free time to work on the things that I had always wanted to do. Two things I specifically focused on were my guitar playing and my diet.   One of my patients follows the ketosis diet.  We spoke for awhile and I decided that I would try to do this because I had the time to prepare meals and I needed to do something different.  Well…9 months later I am down 33 pounds and my daily blood sugars and A1c are the best they have ever been. Near normal in fact! This was amazing to me.  I thought to myself, why is this diet now so successful for me? 

On the one hand it is the diet, but there was something else- and here is my conclusion:

Consistency

Everyday I live the diet.  I consistently eat keto every day.  There were times when I was not losing any weight at all during the 9 months.  At one time I did not lose weight for 4 weeks, and then all of a sudden weight loss started again.  But I stuck with it and I continue to reap benefits in all areas of life.  I am very thankful I stuck with it. My desire to live a healthier and more vibrant life was there, but inspiration only goes so far.  Something needs to drive me.  Not just weight loss and blood sugars, and health.

Due to these improvements I noticed that I was playing hockey better.  And I am much faster on the ice.  I have more energy for hockey and life.  I have a supportive wife who joined me on this journey, which has brought us closer together. She inspires me to keep going.   I also realized I am an example to my daughter who is also a Type 1 diabetic.  All of these things matter- and keep me going!

Same Message- Over and Over and Over

Ultimately though, it is still the consistency.  Consistent when times are good and when they are bad. If I have a bad day, I get emotional.  I want something to eat that puts a smile on my face.  I eat it, fall off the wagon, but then get back up and try again.  Recently, over the holidays, I ate Thanksgiving dinner with a dessert, fell off the wagon got back on.  I am always trying on an hourly and daily basis to remind myself why you are doing what you are doing. Consistent messages, over and over.

Sometimes I have to force myself to stay on the straight and narrow.  Sheer willpower! Determination!  Sometimes I use the 5 second rule.  5, 4, 3, 2, 1….  Do it!  The 5 Second Rule is a book by Mel Robbins if you ever want to understand this rule.

This is why I want to finish by saying your health is dependent on consistency.  As a chiropractor,  I deal with musculoskeletal pain.  I tell my patients all the time that they need regular care, doing stretches regularly, exercising regularly, and watching their ergonomics regularly.  If you are working on your nutrition you should be taking your supplements regularly, and eating according to your plan.  Even mental/emotional issues need to be consistently addressed.  Meditation, stress reduction, journaling, however you de-stress- all need to be done on a regular basis.

Consistent Messaging Creates a New Pattern

I wish I could sound more inspirational on this topic. Consistency will take the old patterns we have and create new patterns that ultimately will become easy!   It really boils down to doing it over and over without fail (which can be really boring and not inspirational).  Success will come to your health if you work at it. Sometimes quickly, sometimes really slow.  In either case you can do it, just be consistent!

Here’s to your health!

Dr. Coy Roskosky, D.C.

P.S.  My guitar playing has gotten really good too due to my consistent practice over the pandemic months!

 

Dr. Coy Roskosky Chiropractor Wash DC

Coy Roskosky, D.C., "Dr. Coy,"  is a highly skilled chiropractor in the Washington D.C. area specializing in chronic pain of the neck, back shoulder, knee, and wrist; sports injuries and performance; carpal tunnel syndrome and TMJ.  He uses many techniques to address the underlying pain issue including Applied Kinesiology (AK), Sacro Occipital Technique (SOT), Active Release Technique (ART), and Activator in his chiropractic practice at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA.

 

 

Topics: integrative health, chiropractic, Dr. Coy Roskosky