Update time!
It’s been a couple of months since I started on this makeover journey. There have been lots of starts and stops, reevaluating, and adjusting. Here are the two major takeaways from the past couple of months.
First, I needed a commitment to heal and care for myself. My image issues are intimately related to health issues. And, long-term, chronic stress and overextending myself isn’t doing me any favors.
Second, this isn’t just losing a few vanity pounds and getting a style upgrade. This is a lifestyle overhaul with major weight loss and both internal and external changes. However, the entire process has to be doable and sustainable.
And really, that’s the important piece. It has to be sustainable to have a chance at working. When it comes to my music career, I’m in this for the long haul. This is as much of a lifestyle makeover as it is an image makeover.
A Commitment to Heal
Hi, I’m Cat Ellis, and I’m a Chronic Workaholic. My stress levels are through the roof and have been as far back as I have memories. So, maybe 3 or 4 years old? I average about 5-6 hours of sleep at night. But, I have pulled more than my fair share of all-nighters to get a project done.
I have injuries to my feet and knees, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), PCOS, and sleep apnea. Being overweight puts pressure on my joints, and everything requires more effort. In the past, my bloodwork indicated type 2 diabetes, Though, I reversed that with diet and supplementation just before the 2020 pandemic.
Those glucose numbers and pounds have crept back up, thanks to the amazing food and drinks typically comped at most venues where I perform. It’s hard to turn down a meal or a few drinks when it’s part of your pay. But, it’s clearly not helping my health or image.
My health issues have lead to some premature signs of aging, thinning hair, and weight gain. This limits how I wear my hair, what clothes I can wear, and how much I can move around during a performance.
For all of my force of personality, I am extremely sensitive of this reality. When I sing, all eyes are on me. I should be focused on delivering the best performance I can, not worrying about my appearance.
Each of my health issues can, thankfully, be improved through lifestyle and nutrition changes. But, it will require a commitment to heal. That’s going to take some deeper work.
Sustainability vs Overdoing Everything
Hi, I’m Cat Ellis, and I’m a chronic workaholic. I regularly take on too much at any one time. And, it’s clearly not helping me reach my goals.
My first few makeover attempts were drastic and unsustainable. I had this idea in my head about what I should be doing. I made daily schedules packing in all this stuff, from vocal and guitar practice, to songwriting, to reading about the music industry, to food prep, to workouts, and so on. Every minute of every day was booked solid.
However, there wasn’t a single moment built into the day to unwind and relax. I’d refine my schedule and cut things out. But, somehow, my day would end up being a marathon.
Along the same lines, I would overdo my workouts and then be too sore to move for days. I aggravated my heel spurs and reinjured my Achilles tendon, taking me off my feet for a few days here and there. That’s definitely not going to help me reach my goals.
And, I had very specific goals- a goal weight, goal dress size, etc. Timed goals too, like how much weight was reasonable to lose in a week? A month? A year?
A New Approach
Ultimately, I scrapped it all for something new. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, I’m taking a week-by-week approach.
Each week, I will do an assessment of what I need to focus on most in the following areas:
- Diet
- Fitness
- Sleep
- Stress Management
- Supplementation
- Style (hair, makeup, clothing)
Next, I’ll choice a couple of things to improve from each of these areas. This could be adding something to my routine, or eliminating a habit that doesn’t support my goals.
Plan This Week
It’s a week of Yuletide celebrations, so this is not a typical week. There’s no getting out of being around all my major temptations. We’re also dealing with some winter weather in my neck of the woods, so going for a walk isn’t ideal either.
However, here is this week’s plan.
- Diet
- No alcohol
- Intermittent Fasting with a 4 hour eating window
- Pick lower carb options as possible
- Drink plenty of cucumber-ginger infused water
- Fitness
- 30 minutes of full body workouts (from YouTube videos)
- 30 minutes dancing
- Sleep
- 8 to 10 hours of sleep
- Stress Management
- Morning meditation
- Binaural beats videos (from YouTube) to lower stress and increase focus
- Supplements (see below)
- Supplementation
- Multivitamin
- Magnesium
- Berberine
- Style (hair, makeup, clothing)
- Check out the after holiday sales for new clothes
- Ask a friend to come with me for objective opinions
- Look for a pair of dressy orthotic shoes (they do exist!)
Now that I have more of a clear direction that is doable over the long term, expect there to be more posts here. Have a great holiday, and rock around that tree!
