Tag: nutrition

Disability

Healthy You, More Independent You: Financial Health Counts Too

OUR BEAUTIFUL CHALLENGES

I was recently looking back through my blog and realized I haven’t written in my Healthy You, More Independent You series in a while. I usually focus on food and nutrition in this space—but you know what else belongs here?

Financial health.

Financial health, just like physical health, plays a huge role in independence.

I’ve always been honest that healthy eating hasn’t come naturally to me. Right now, though, I’m working very hard on that part of my life. I’m seeing a nutritionist and using MyFitnessPal, and for the most part, I’m doing well. Could I do better? Of course. But I’m showing up, making better choices, and doing what I can.

Along with nutrition, I’m also going to speech therapy to strengthen muscles that are affected by cerebral palsy. That work matters. It’s part of taking care of my body and investing in myself.

Now that I finally feel like I have a better handle on the nutrition side of my health journey, I’ve realized something important:

It’s time to work on my financial health, too.

Years ago, in my 20s, I relied heavily on credit cards. I put myself into so much debt that my parents had to help me get out of it. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the long-term impact of those choices.

Now that I’m on my own, debt is my responsibility. But I’ll be honest—I still find myself going to the “Bank of Mom” or asking my brother for help at least once a month. They are willing to help, and I’m grateful for that support, but I also know it isn’t right—and it isn’t helping me grow.

If I want true independence, I need to take responsibility for my financial health the same way I do my physical health.

One of the biggest things I’m learning is the importance of prioritizing. I need to be more intentional about how I spend money—what I truly need versus what I simply want in the moment. Just like food choices, financial choices add up.

I know saving is important, even though I live on a very limited budget that doesn’t allow much flexibility. For a long time, that made me feel like saving wasn’t possible at all. But I’m learning that saving doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing.

Right now, I can save $50 a month.

It may not seem like much, but it’s a start. And starts matter.

This journey isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness, accountability, and small steps forward. Just as learning healthier eating habits takes time, patience, and grace, building healthier financial habits does too.

A Healthy You isn’t just about what you eat.
A More Independent You isn’t just about living on your own.

It’s about caring for your whole life—your body, your choices, and your future.

I’m learning that independence isn’t something you wake up with one day—it’s something you practice.

Some days I practice it well. Other days, I fall short. But every small step counts, whether it’s choosing a healthier meal, strengthening my body in therapy, or setting aside $50 even when it feels tight.

Financial health, like physical health, isn’t about shame or perfection. It’s about honesty, effort, and believing that I am capable of caring for myself—one decision at a time.

And today, that’s enough.

Disability

HEALTHY YOU, MORE INPENDENT YOU

OUR BEAUTIFUL CHALLENGES

I have been working on my weight and mental health for the last few weeks. I have also been going to a nutritionist for the previous few months, and it has been going well. But, I can do a lot better.  When you have cerebral palsy or anything else that impairs your mobility, the less you weigh the better your mobility becomes. I have been battling my weight for what seems to be my whole life. I’m now at the point where if I don’t do anything about it, I’m going to lose my mobility, which means that I will lose my independence. When you have mobility impairments, your hopes and dreams revolve around becoming independent, no matter how that looks for you. 

For many people, independence means living alone, with or without PCAs or aids. For others, independence means getting to live their own life while sharing a home with family members. However it looks, having as much mobility as possible can enhance how much you’re able to do.

I have always been independent, and my family and friends have always encouraged me to do things for myself when I can. Four years ago, that independence became the ultimate freedom when I moved out of my family house and I started living independently in my own place. Living independently has always been my ultimate goal. Now, to keep my independence, I need to be in shape physically and mentally.  

My independence looks like having PCAs five days a week to clean and help maintain the apartment. I have a medical alert bracelet and use accessibility programs like Siri and a video doorbell to help me along the way. I also have an accessible shower that’s adapted to my needs. I take public transportation when I need to get out, and make the most out of accessible vehicles that can accommodate me. 

Moving out during the pandemic lined up with new ways to be independent even with limited mobility. We saw a surge in programs like DoorDash and curbside pickup. People also began to socialize via video chats, bringing the world to us.

For the first year and a half to two years, I was shut in because of COVID-19. This was one of the best times of my life. When I say it was the best time of my life, I don’t mean because the world was in crisis. I just mean that the world became more available to us at the touch of a keyboard.

Now that Covid isn’t on the news all the time, people talk about positive changes that came from it, including the accessibility of food delivery and pickup options, as well as maintaining video chat with loved ones and friends. I’m a silver linings person, so I agree. 

But like with all good things, there are risks. With all the easy access to food, it’s easier to get nutritious food, but it’s also easy to get the junk food I’m craving with a few swipes on my phone. However, I was doing well for the first two years, and now I need to get back on track in the new year. I was able to lose forty-fifty pounds at the start of the pandemic. Now, I’ve put that back on with interest.

I don’t want to give up my independence in favor of yummy snacks like donuts and chips and popcorn chicken. I’m also dealing with the fact that I’m more social now that the pandemic is over, and when I get home, I’m too tired to meal prep, so I grab what’s quick and usually deep fried.

I need to balance my independence with healthy eating and make meal prep a priority. My independence is who I am. I’m at the point where I’m the only one who can help myself with eating the right things. I am trying, but I know I can do better. I have lost close to ten pounds in the last month. I have also been going to a nutritionist. I like going to her even though I usually don’t like visiting a nutritionist. This nutrition is just there to listen and make goals with me, and that’s what I want because she is not forcing anything on me.

I need to force myself to eat better. I know I can sometimes get lazy and don’t want to make the effort, but I need to do it so I don’t lose my independence. That is the one thing in my life that I worked so hard to gain and that I don’t want to lose. In my life, I have worked so hard to overcome so many things, but for some reason, losing weight is probably the hardest thing I have to overcome. I have overcome weight before. To lose weight, I needed to work through this block in myself that says that I can’t do this. 

I know what will happen to me if I don’t lose weight, but I also know what will happen to me if I do lose the weight and know what happens if I keep gaining weight. If I keep gaining weight, I will lose my independence. I will have to rely on more people for help; I will be in a wheelchair or worse. If I do lose weight, I will gain more independence. I won’t have to rely on others that much to help me.

Everytime I lose weight I get obsessed with number on the scale. At this point in my life, it’s not the number I should be obsess over. It’s about mobility and range of movement.