據第一集：告別博士生涯之回顧 的分享。第二集（中）想要分享 身 心 靈 的學習成長，因為要分享的好多，不知從何講起，同時又覺得每個人個體差異大，我的經驗可能就只限於我個人。經過了幾番考慮，覺得不妨把歷程整理整理，給自己做紀錄，同時也能和有共鳴的人分享。
This post is the second part of the series:
Reflection on my PhD life, which focuses on sharing my journey in the growth of
mind and body. I had been debating whether to write this at all as I know that
every individual is different and my experience might just be applicable to me. Anyways, I decided to write
this up as my own record, and share with those who resonate with.
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| View of Downtown Minneapolis from the campus |
這篇將會分三部分來分享。(1) 身：運動和健身 (2)身：飲食 (3)心靈：心理健康
The post is composed of three parts: (1) Body:
Fitness, (2) Body: Diet, and (3) Mind: Mental Health
(1) 身：運動和健身
首先，運動和健身的習慣以及知識的累積，是需要時間的。從小小的改變，持之以恆，久了能變成習慣，變成一種生活態度，也就能持續往更理想的自己邁進。
回顧自己的歷程，開始定期上健身房是在2012-2013年開始的，2014年初開始找1-1（學校的學生教練）的健身教練，上了24堂課後，在2016年初找城市中的獨立健身房的健身教練訓練一般體能。後來覺得該教練的教學不太有系統，學習效率不高（噓～），以及找到自己想訓練的運動後，就沒有繼續上了。接下來的訓練大致如前一篇的訓練心得所描述。
在這過程中，除了教練指導外，大部分的運動知識是靠網路搜尋來的，也試圖看一些教科書，但...目前還沒看完ＸＤＤ，同時也漸漸發現自己的審美觀在改變。記得2012年時，自己很執著在追求降體重，覺得雙腿細細直直（完全不是我的基因本質那種腿）才是漂亮。等到自己對運動和肌肉的有一定的認識以後，了解到怎樣的運動會需要什麼樣的肌肉，那些肌肉會長成怎樣後，就變得不再追求不合理的目標了！😇
總而言之，投入運動需要一定的決心，把它變成生活的一種習慣（說風格也好～）後，運動就不會是一個負擔，反而能是陪伴自己一輩子的好朋友。
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| The first year when I started working with a trainer (2014) |
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| A recent post-workout photo |
(1) Body:
Fitness
First off, fitness is a journey of making it a
habit. It takes time; it’s impossible to “make it
right” immediately (and plus, there’s no “absolute right” after all). I believe
that as long as you continue to make incremental changes, you are able to make
fitness your lifestyle and continue to become who you want to be.
Looking back on my own journey, I started to go to
the gym regularly in the year of 2012-2013. I started to work with a personal trainer (1-1) in early 2014. After 24 sessions, I went out to the community
and had some small fitness training classes in a local gym. As the service
provided by the local gym didn’t really fit my needs, I decided to stop, and
that’s about time that I decided to train for a triathlon. (See previous post
for detail)
During this process, in addition to learning from
my trainers, I also looked online (posts or Youtube videos) to learn about the
knowledge and different theories. I also tried to study a textbook on Strength Training, but….. I’m not even at 25% of the book yet lol 😅. What’s more
important to me besides all these “knowledges,” I noticed that what I view as beautiful has also changed gradually. For example, I can still remember it
vividly that in early 2012, I was very obsessed with the notion of loosing
weight (but luckily, I still prioritized "health" over loosing weight, so I didn’t
go to the extreme except being upset about how I look every so often.) and felt
that my legs have to be very skinny to be pretty, which is not at all the type
of legs that my genes would make me look. As I know more about exercise and
muscles, I no longer pursue something that’s not reasonable.
(2)身：飲食
計量的控制飲食對我來說是困難的。不過，我超級注重『全食』的飲食原則。主要原因是覺得加工食物或冷凍食物不好吃，不慎喜歡那味道。所以，來美國，有自己的廚房後，就都以自己開火準備食物為主。外食的餐廳也偏愛和我飲食原則相類似的餐廳。
此外，我喜歡吃甜點麵包。由於美國的甜點麵包甜度和我喜歡的差很大，於是我開啟了我的烘培興趣/專長。在了解烘培的一般知識後，並不會追求要做的『像外面賣的』，反而開始享受用原食原料做出來的食物味道。
一般來說，我的注重均衡飲食：澱粉，蛋白質，蔬果，油脂。剛好我是一個熱愛酪梨和各種堅果（不會買度糖霜的堅果；偏愛不灑鹽的堅果），我的油脂來源超豐富。😆不知道是不是這個原因，已連續一年我的血液中用快篩法量不到低密度膽固醇（三酸甘油脂<45
mg/dL）
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| Whole foods as much as possible! |
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| I LOVE baking! Creating flavors of love and content! |
(2) Body:
Diet
Counting
every calorie I eat is challenging for me, and I was never committed to doing
it strictly. However, I emphasize on eating “whole foods” instead of “processed
foods.” Why? The main reason is just that I like the original tastes
better than artificial flavors. Therefore, I cook for my meals most of the
time. If I get to eat in a restaurant of my choice, I prefer the types of
restaurants that share similar values as mine.
I
also like to eat dessert and bread. Unfortunately (for fortunately?), most of
the dessert and bread in the stores here in the US are often too sweet for me
(and too artificial to me), I started my baking journey in my own kitchen. As I
learn more about the basic knowledge of baking, I don’t aim for making my
dessert or bread taste like those sold in the stores. Instead, I started to
enjoy the food in its more natural/original flavors.
The
rule of thumb for my diet is to keep it balanced: carbohydrates, proteins,
vegies and fruits, and good oil. As avocado and nuts are my comfort foods 💓, I always have good sources of good oil! Perhaps with the combination of my diet and
my workouts, I know that the Triglycerides in my body is <45 mg/dL, and the
biometric screening machine wasn’t able to calculate my LDL based on the low
Triglycerides measured!
(3)心靈：心理健康
基本上，心理健康是最容易被忽略，甚至會以有色眼光看待。照顧自己的身體健康就像平時需要吃保健食品，和定期做健康檢查一樣。
我從一開始喜歡讀或看（實用）心理方面的理論，到後來去找諮商師來諮詢，並開始接觸一些心理學的書籍。相較於過去自學的經驗，有諮商師的過程反而學習吸收更快，因為諮商師扮演的角色像是引領我反思的第三者。此外，覺得能在『局外人』面前，很有安全感的吐露自己的想法感受，不用擔心被有色眼光衡量或者貼標籤。
一直以來，我是很需要被外在肯定的人，在意外在眼光，覺得要滿足別人的期待才質得被愛😥😥。同時，自我要求高到一種對自己很嚴苛的程度。例如，我覺得有情緒就是軟弱，難過時不知道要如何安慰自己，累的時候不知道要停下來等等。這些自覺都是在諮商，閱讀，討論的過程中才漸漸明白的。除了有此認知以外，我也學習一些實用的技巧來與自己自處，例如：Mindfulness, Self-compassion,
Empowerment, Assertive Speaking等等。相較於過去，我更喜歡現在的自己，因為現在的我有勇氣活出自己的本質。只要對得起自己的原則，我都能勇敢的去嘗試和承擔（相對於壓抑，然後做事畏首畏尾。若覺得無法滿足某些人的期待就會罪惡感滿滿😱😨）。
心理健康和身體健康是一輩子的事情，也永遠是一個動態的狀態。我不認為自己已經『完美』，也不去追求『完美』。對我來說重要的是，尊重自己的優點缺點，接受人生中自己無法控制的因素，同時也欣賞他人的本質（尤其是和我不一樣的地方）。
至於諮商資源，美國的系統和台灣不大相同！總之，不管在哪裡，了解週遭的資源有什麼後，就善加利用囉！以我所在的明大為例，(i) Student
Counseling Service，裡面除了提供一對一心理諮商（面費）外，還有小團體課程（也免費）。免費資源通常需要排隊，能給的服務可能相對沒有這麼及時。學期中開始他們就會超忙。除了SCS以外，(ii) 明大還有Mental
Health Clinic，在這裡看診需要掛號，繳co-pay，也會花到健康保險的錢。在這裡的看診次數也是有限制的，若需要看診的次數大於限制的話，他們會轉介有需求者到其他諮商中心或獨立心理師。
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| Mental Health is important 💖 |
(3) Mind:
Mental Health
Among these three points, the one that is often neglected
is Mental Health, and some may even view it in a judgmental way. To me, taking
care of my Mental Health is as important as my Physical Health. Taking care of your mental health regularly is just like taking vitamins daily and doing routine physical exams regularly.
I started out learning about psychology myself via
an elected course I took in my undergrad, some books, and some resources
online. I also reached out to therapists at school and in the community. To me,
a therapist’s roles are (i) helping me learn faster as I have a “guide” during this
discovery journey, and (ii) being an “outside” person that I feel comfortable
(free of being judged about my opinion or my emotion) to share my thoughts and
feelings with.
I used to care A LOT about what others think
of me, and genuinely think that I have to meet someone’s expectations to be
loved 😥. I was also very harsh on myself. For example, I deemed having emotions
as being vulnerable, and I didn’t know how to embrace myself when I was sad. I
became aware of all these through my counseling sessions with the therapists. I
started to practice some useful skills such as Mindfulness, Self-compassion,
Empowerment, and Assertive Speaking. I do like and feel much more peaceful with
who I am now compared to who I was as I was busy meeting others’ expections
rather than being true to myself and loving myself.
As you may already know, both physical and mental
health are dynamic rather than static. I don’t think that I will never be
“perfect” (as it is just a static and temporary moment, depending on how you
define your “perfection”) and I don’t pursue "perfection". What’s important to me are to love who I am: good or bad, and respect others!
As for counseling services, identifying resources
available around you are very important. It took me three years to finally
identify the resources available at the University of Minnesota! In short,
there are two major counseling services at the U: (i) Student Counseling
Service (sessions are free) and (ii) Boynton Health Clinic. I had benefited A
TON from these two centers and I’m grateful for having them on campus.
結論：希望大家都能在人生的旅途中活的越來越健康滿足喔！
Overall, hope that everyone (YOU and I) will
continue to live healthier and with content!
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| Healthier and Stronger |
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| LOVE and Determination |
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