Ruben
Ruben is a retired athletic coach and enjoys traveling from his home in Los Angeles. He makes the time to come to See Yourself Health meetups three times a week. We chatted with Ruben to learn more about his unique perspectives on lifestyle change. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity. Here, he shares more about his experience with making lifestyle change.
How would you describe your lifestyle before you joined See Yourself Health?
I’ve never really paid too much attention to anything I did. When I was working, I dedicated my life to working and traveling so I never paid too much attention to my health before this. When I joined this program, it opened my eyes.
So what changes have you made since joining See Yourself Health?
I used to have 10-plus cups of coffee a day, and always with cream and sugar. I think especially at this stage of my life that this wasn’t healthy. Now, I’m just drinking black coffee with only a little bit of sugar and I’m having only two cups of coffee in the morning, as opposed to ten. I’m still getting used to the taste. It’s a very dramatic change for me, but I don’t miss it!
Was there anything that surprised you about our program?
“It is an awakening experience. I would encourage people to visit. This is the right place to learn new things and break old habits.”
One thing that surprised me was the accessibility of the people working here and their willingness to help. They’re as close as your phone. You can always call them, you can always reach out to them, and they're always willing to help you. Also, how often others participate and share their experiences. At the end of the day, what works for one person may or may not work for you, but hearing what other people think and have tried can help you figure out the next step and inspire you.
What’s your biggest takeaway from the meetups?
For me, it’s learning about food. Food is a big part of my culture. We celebrate with food, we show our love with food, every meeting I go, every convention I attend, is centered around food. I was brought up that you have to finish everything on your plate; you can’t waste anything. Since I’ve joined this program I’ve learned a lot about healthy eating. I still eat everything on my plate but I don’t put as much food on my plate now. I’ve learned to eat healthier with portion sizes and making healthy choices.
What is your outlook for the future?
Very, very good. Some things are not within my control, so there is no sense worrying about that. I try to make the best choices I can for the things in my control and keep a good attitude, and that’s how I face my entire life.
What would you say to someone who’s struggling with lifestyle change?
It’s all about making the decision that you want to change. Make sure you are specific and that you know exactly what you are working towards. Once you have a clear goal you are ready to start the process, but make the changes slowly. You can’t do it all at once because you can get burned out so make sure to take your time and be patient with yourself!
Dancing is a pillar of our program. Would you share your go-to dance move or song?
I don’t really dance ever – except at my son’s wedding. At home, I like light classical music and at the meetups, I like anything with a good drum beat.
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