My weight is pretty well stalled out at this current set point, but I hope to break through it over the next couple of days. As I’ve often mentioned in this blog, losing weight after 50 ain’t no joke! After last night’s marathon journal entry, I’m gonna keep it brief and to the point today.
Zero+ ; Dime ; M: 120 ; C: 83 ; P/U: 60 ; W : 4 mi
Health R.O.S.
- Weight: 209.4
- BMI: 28.3
- Fat %: 21.6
My Meditation Marathon
Today marks 120 straight, uninterrupted days of meditation. If a meditation marathon is 24 consecutive days, this is like running five marathons! For me, this is a monumental accomplishment.
With each additional day of meditation, I go deeper and experience more. I continue to unlock mental doors and am experiencing what can best be described as mental ‘highs’. I suspect this mental high is similar to a runner’s high and brought about by a natural release of dopamine and serotonin resulting from the meditation.
According to Johns Hopkins medicine:
Exercise increases the levels of endocannabinoids in the bloodstream. Unlike endorphins, endocannabinoids can move easily through the cellular barrier separating the bloodstream from the brain, where these mood-improving neuromodulators promote short-term psychoactive effects such as reduced anxiety and feelings of calm.
– David J. Linden, Ph.D.
After meditation, I now experience feelings of reduced anxiety and calm similar to what is described above. There may be something to this.
Stronger Self Control
In addition to more palpable and consistent feelings of wellbeing, I notice my self-control strengthening a little more each day. Looking back over my journal entries this morning, I can truly and accurately measure how much I’ve gained over the past couple of months.
For example, in the last 40 days, I’ve consumed a grand total of 4.5 beers spread across two occasions. And I’ve done this without using marijuana as a crutch (today marks 83 days without marijuana).
Compare this to four months ago when I was drinking 6-8 beers, five nights a week on average, AND smoking pot every night, and the beneficial impacts of my mindfulness marathon become overtly obvious.
What Happiness Feels Like
My progress continues on all fronts. I continue to share more of my time and money with others. I’m reading a book a week, watching less tv, and participating in virtually zero social media. I continue to reach out to and reconnect with old friends, and I feel my body, heart, and mind growing stronger all the time.
I’m looking ahead to a very busy day at work tomorrow (yes, in addition to this blog, I’m still working my executive day job running a division of a public company). My goal is to buckle down and knock out as many projects as possible so I can focus on ReturnOnSobriety this upcoming weekend.
Tomorrow I’m aspiring for a ‘Dozen’. As I write this journal entry, it’s 9pm and I’ve just hit an ’11teen’. I’m feeling super good! I have a clear mind, strong, rested, and pain free body, and a heart that is reopening to the world. It’s almost euphoric!
So this is what happiness feels like.
