Rebirth: My Journey to Health and Wellness

Living – Scott Loftesness

Eight years ago today, I began one of the most important health journeys of my life. I entered my local hospital to begin treatment for morbid obesity. At the time, I weighed 305 lbs and had a BMI in the mid-30s. My blood sugar had been steadily creeping upward, and I had developed a serious problem in my right foot, aggravated by high blood sugar causing deterioration of the bone structure. Clearly, I was in serious trouble if I failed to take action. The time had come to make a change.

Unfortunately, I had tried twice before to lose significant weight, only to yo-yo down and then back up in weight. This time, I needed to be truly committed. With the help of health professionals, I began a serious weight loss program. Following their counsel, I avoided bariatric surgery and instead focused on drastically reducing portion sizes. I also completely gave up alcoholic beverages, began a daily weighing regimen, and started working out with a personal trainer twice a week. With his guidance, we added a daily elliptical workout and a 20-30 minute outdoor walk. These have become regular habits, and I’m convinced this combination has made it possible for me to keep the excess weight off.

Here I am eight years later weighing between 210 and 215 lbs. I feel so much better than when I was so heavy eight years ago. As I’ve told many of my friends, I just wish I had taken losing excess weight so seriously much, much earlier. When my calendar reminder popped up this morning informing me that it was eight years ago today that I began this journey, I decided to take a moment to note it here as well!

Embracing a Holistic Approach

In a world that often celebrates specialization and highly values deep expertise, David Epstein’s words in his book “Range” come as a refreshing challenge to conventional wisdom. “Focusing narrowly on many fine details specific to a problem at hand feels like the exact right thing to do, when it is often exactly wrong,” he says, inviting us to reconsider how we approach problem-solving.

At first glance, this statement might seem counterintuitive. After all, isn’t attention to detail a virtue? Don’t we praise those who can dive deep into a subject, mastering its intricacies? While there’s undoubtedly value in specialized knowledge, Epstein’s quote highlights a potential pitfall: the danger of becoming so engrossed in the minutiae that we lose sight of the bigger picture.

The Value of Generalism

Moreover, an overly specific focus can blind us to valuable insights from other domains. Some of history’s most groundbreaking discoveries and innovations have come from interdisciplinary thinking — the ability to connect dots between seemingly unrelated fields.

Epstein’s quote also speaks to the value of generalism in an age of hyper-specialization. While specialists undoubtedly play crucial roles in advancing knowledge within their fields, generalists — those with a broad base of knowledge and diverse experiences — often excel at adapting to new situations and connecting disparate ideas in novel ways.

This isn’t to say that attention to detail and specialized knowledge aren’t important. Rather, Epstein’s words encourage us to balance depth with breadth, to zoom out periodically and consider the wider context of our problems and goals. It’s about developing what F. Scott Fitzgerald called a “first-rate intelligence” — the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind simultaneously and still retain the ability to function.

Putting Principles into Action

In practice, this might mean deliberately exposing ourselves to ideas and experiences outside our comfort zones. It could involve collaborating with people from different backgrounds or disciplines. Or it might simply mean taking a step back when we feel stuck, asking ourselves if we’re so focused on the trees that we’re missing the forest. In a group setting, encouraging this kind of wide ranging thinking – without being unnecessarily critical too quickly – can often yield new insights.

Ultimately, Epstein’s quote is a call to embrace a more holistic, flexible approach to thinking and problem-solving. By resisting the urge to dive immediately into the details and instead considering the broader context, we open ourselves up to more creative solutions and a richer understanding of the world around us.

Nicknames – A Unique Identity

Nicknames are a fascinating aspect of human interaction, often revealing as much about our relationships and culture as they do about the individuals who bear them. They can be terms of endearment, practical shortcuts, or linguistic accidents that stick for a lifetime.

My dad’s name was Carl but he was Carl Jr. and his father was Carl Sr. so within the family and among his many siblings his nickname was Bud. They almost never called him Carl – it was always Bud.