Interpersonal violence includes a ton of different sub-categories ranging from homicide, domestic violence and child abuse just to name a few. The rates and prevalence of such violence varies based of the area, economic situations, and resources. I grew up in South Carolina and I’ve experienced/witnessed many forms of violence. There were murders, fights, armed robberies etc. but for the most part we stuck together in the neighborhood I grew up in. Being around that type of violence made me learn early on how not to become a victim of these types of crimes. Being vigilant, having situational awareness and showing humility will keep you out of a lot of situation; well it helped me.

There are a ton of ways to injure yourself at home including falls, fires, and being poisoned are atop the list. To avoid trips and falls make sure things are in their proper places and keep walk ways clear. Having kids can make it a major task when it comes to keeping things squared away. I try to make sure I stay aware of my children’s barbaric behaviors in terms of cleanliness (lol). Every night before they go to bed I have them put toys away and I then do a sweep to ensure walkways are clear. It is important to make sure you are prepared in case of a fire, that includes making sure your smoke detectors are working, fire extinguishers are up to date, and an escape plan is in place. Poisoning is a major issue when there are small children and pets in the house. All chemicals should be stored properly and labeled. 

Global warming is a major concern because of all of the glaciers that are in those cold climate areas. Just imagine if they continue to melt, there would be tons of flooding around the world. Not sure what we can do at this point to slow down this process but we all must be willing to work together to ensure that we preserve this planet we call home.

This weeks blog will touch on a variety of topics ranging from the effects of physical activity, staying motivated, as well as metabolic diseases. I am sure that by now a huge majority of the world knows the importance of being physically active. That old saying “If you don’t use it, you lose it,” Is pretty accurate when it comes to overall health. If you look around and compare people of the same age range, you can clearly see that people who exercise regularly and eat a healthy/balanced diet tend to have much better health than those who don’t. Me being a personal trainer I see and work with people on both ends of the spectrum. I have clients that are in their 60’s and 70’s that are in better physical condition than some of my 30 year old clients. Getting and staying motivated can be extremely difficult at times; hell even my motivation is super low at times. My advice is to set up small fitness/health task to complete throughout the day. Another tip is to put one foot in front of the other and just get to the gym. That works for me because seeing others take control of their health and fitness motivates me to push through whatever is in the way. Hypertension, Diabetes, and Strokes are all diseases that have plagued my family for decades. These are all things that can be managed or even eliminated by diet and exercise. I remember as a kid being taught that these types of diseases were simply hereditary. Based on what I’ve learned I feel that only lifestyles are hereditary. The way we eat, the lack of emphasis on health and fitness, and the belief that metabolic diseases are hereditary.

Hello everyone! This weeks chapters discussed tons of deep information that effects just about everyone in the world at some time or another. The readings talked about alcohol and drug abuse. The importance of nutrition as well as weight management & body image. I have personally dealt with these issues or know people close to me that have dealt with these issues. These are tough issues to deal with. Growing up impoverished was very tough for me in terms of having a sound diet. I had to eat whatever was affordable at the time and it wasn’t always the best options. Honestly learning and understanding nutrition was never a topic of discussion in my community. Body image issues starts young for some. In the south if you were too skinny(recommended weight) you were either sick or on drugs, and if you were fat they considered you healthy. The sad part about it is that some of my family members still think like that. No matter how much I preach to them on how important nutrition and physical activity it’s in one ear and out the other. I went through a phase as a kid that scarred me for life and I have body image issues. In my younger years I went through a phase of being skinny, fat, skinny, fat, thin/gumby, to now lean and healthy. Going through all of those phases gave me a terrible complex to where I am constantly on the scale, constantly worrying about what I eat and feeling like sh*t if I fall off the rail and live a little in terms of food. I should not be so uncomfortable around family because i’m too busy counting calories in my head to have fun. It has gotten to the point now that whenever people tell me my body looks good I am un-phased because I am still hanging on to that burger or whatever I had a couple days ago lol. This is an issue that i’m continuing to work through. I think the main thing is that I am afraid to get comfortable and end up back where I came from being that 240 pound guy with low self esteem and 0 confidence. So is it really a body image issue? Or do I just not want to go back to that depressing place again? I guess it depends on who you ask. I hope ya’ll enjoyed my little rant lol. See ya’ll here, same time next week!!!

When It comes to your health and fitness journey you will encounter many obstacles that will get you off of your path. I suggest that you realize and understand that it is in fact a process and nothing happens over night. There has been many times were I ran into adversity while on my fitness journey. You are going to have days that you aren’t feeling up to par and you want to quit. That is just your body wanting to hang on to old habits. This is the time where you fight through it. Do not allow yourself to get in the way of your goals. These chapters spoke to me. I often deal with many of these issues with my clients. I have sat with many of them to explain that your journey is your journey and it’s a process so embrace the baby steps. Depression also plays a huge role when it comes to health and fitness. I am a living testament of this. After I returned home from a year long deployment to Iraq, I was a totally different man. I didn’t know who I was any more and I hated it. I hated to be in crowds, I thought everyone was out to get me, I just didn’t feel safe in any environment but my home. I started drinking more heavily to drown out the thoughts and memories of what I experienced while deployed. The military offers you endless amount of help with these situations but I decide to self medicate rather than letting a professional help me through my situation. I gained a ton of weight because I was too busy trying to suppress my issues. I said all of that to say this, get help if you are dealing with depression, and realize you don’t have to do this alone.

Ricardo Smith

Hello everyone my name is Ricardo Smith and I am a senior here at BSU. I am married with two wonderful kids and we have been living in Massachusetts since October of 2015. We moved here from Texas, although I don’t mind it here I’d much rather be back in Texas lol. My hobbies include fishing, grilling, travelling and playing sports. I am currently a personal trainer certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Upon completion of my degree I plan to get certified as a strength and conditioning specialist which will help me along my path of becoming a strength and conditioning specialist for the military. If that doesn’t work out I would definitely enjoy working with athletes as well. This course is a requirement for me in order to complete my degree in physical education but I am always interested in learning more about the health and fitness field. I am currently working on coming up with a more efficient diet because I know for a fact that I am lacking some key nutrients. I look forward to working with you all!

Ricardo

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

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