The Importance of Practicing Wellness
In January 2019, I then realized I needed to address my weight. I had
to find bigger clothes, as t-shirts in double extra-large and “stretchy”
jeans in 40-inch waist were now uncomfortable. Every suit I owned
was two sizes too small. I was drinking too much, eating terribly, and
generally irritable and unhappy. I felt lethargic to the point I had no
energy for my kids, and I wanted to lay on a couch or in a bed all day
after work.
By Charles G. DeMakis
Practicing law is stressful, agonizing, trying, and difficult. We are
under constant pressure to balance multiple matters, clients, and
issues. Those factors lead to leaning on crutches. Those crutches
can be cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, food, or other unhealthy choices.
There are countless studies and articles that show our profession has
higher instances of substance abuse and mental health issues. Life,
family, obligations, and commitments are difficult, stressful, and
time consuming. There are constant demands on time with sports,
organizations, volunteer matters, civic duties, and service to the
profession. All of these demands make it easy to take the shortcut
and eat out, skip time for yourself, be inactive, and forget to care for
yourself, but having a body that is in shape is just as important as
having a clear mind to effectively practice law.
A Journey to Wellness
In late July 2018, I turned 40 years old. For years, my wife and
children had been after me to quit my 23-year smoking habit. After
waking up unable to breathe, being restless all night, getting terrible
sleep, and being generally fed up, I decided I had enough. I realized
I had too much to do with my boys, too many fishing weekends
and pontoon rides to partake in, and too many hunts to go on to
be going down a road with an early grave at its end. A week before
my birthday, I started Chantix, and within six days I had stopped
smoking. The change was immediately noticeable, and that was
the beginning of a transformation. I completed the entire Chantix
program and have been off cigarettes ever since.
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THE GAVEL
As part of this epiphany, I decided to not take the easy way out and
buy bigger clothes, but to work on wellness from a physical and
dietary perspective. I made the decision to focus on wellness and
fitness and change my unhealthy habits, including the alcohol abuse
road that was clearly on my horizon.
I decided to feed my family meals every day. There was no more fast
food multiple times a week and eating out for lunch every day at
work. I also decided the elliptical trainer in the basement that was
collecting dust could be used for more than holding laundry. The
process was slow, and it started with 15 minutes a day. Over time, as
the days grew longer and warmer, my workouts grew in length to 35
minutes.
I am also an avid outdoorsman and love hunting and fishing, and
I realized my lab, Gauge, was just as out of shape. Gauge and I
began our new relationship of walking back into shape. By April,
we were power walking three miles a day and, as the pace picked up,
eventually running.
I have found a new love in running; Gauge is still not as big of a fan.
Currently, my daily workout is three to four miles of running and
30 minutes of lifting. Most days, a walk of two miles with the dog
or a trip on the elliptical is also included. The change in my fitness
has been gradual, but I now have a schedule of consistent workouts.
I often find it hard to remember what it was like before I started on
this wellness journey. Instead of buying pants in a 42-inch waist, I
now buy them in a 32-inch waist, and shirts that were a double extra-
large, are now just a large.
The biggest difference I have experienced with my focus on wellness
has been the changes in my practice and personal life. The edginess
and confrontational nature of my demeanor is gone. I am focused all