My name is Tyler Dean, and I am a father, partner, teacher-in-training, and a former freestyle wrestler. In the years since my high-school wrestling career ended in 2014, I have struggled with maintaining a healthy weight and a positive body image. I have had ups and downs with my fitness, momentary successes with diets and fads, but nothing has had a lasting impact quite like working out regularly like when I was in high school. As an adult, life is busy; consistent exercise can be challenging when you are juggling school and studying, family and commitments, and making sure I am taking necessary downtime and relaxation.
At the end of November 2022, I began seeing a counsellor with my mental health and body image being my main concerns. Prior to my first semester in the UVic’s Elementary Post-Degree Program, I weighed 253lbs; on November 30th, I weighed 271lbs and was pushing morbid obesity on the Body Mass Index. To be around for my family in the future, I knew changes were needed. For comparison, I was 160lbs in high-school and 180-200lbs is considered overweight for my age and height.
With that in mind, I know wanting to look like I did in high school is unrealistic, nor would it be healthy for me physically or mentally. I don’t have the time to be in the gym five days a week, and having a goal that is unachievable would be demoralizing. Instead, I simply want to live better and with overall health as the priority. My free inquiry will be chronicling my personal journey this semester through a health and fitness lens, and will provide weekly updates on my progress. Each week will focus on a different aspect of healthy living (sleep, hydration, mindfulness, etc.), and how technology can be used to as a means to track, plan, and even facilitate a healthier way of being.