Overcoming Obstacles

And Becoming A Winner

Life’s unforeseeable obstacles can negatively impact our wellness. And when our mental and physical health is compromised, getting back on track can feel like an impossible task. However, adjusting your approaches toward wellness obstacles is the first step toward overcoming them.

On the Ingrained & Balanced podcast about practicing a well-balanced lifestyle, hosts Lonnie and Marty discuss stories of people overcoming their adversities and reconnecting with their health. On season 1, episode 17, they interview guest speaker Ron Radvinsky, who shares his own experiences with overcoming issues and getting back on track to maintaining his wellness.

Ron’s Story

Ron has faced his fair share of challenges, but together, he and the hosts discuss how showing up and putting in work has helped him succeed.

Earlier in life, Ron experienced gym intimidation. He shares how the discomfort he felt around fitness growing up led to his avoidance of the gym – and how he found the answer to his fitness in running. From joining a "run club" to competing in races, Ron achieved his physical fitness in a way that worked for him. Not only did running change his attitude toward wellness, but it helped him realize all that he could endure. 

However, Ron was forced to give up running after he developed immense Achilles tendinitis. This life obstacle negatively impacted his health and wellness path, leading to weight gain and depression after losing running as a social and physical outlet.

The Turning Point

From a sugar addiction to a lack of motivation, Ron explains on the show how his injury affected him over his four years without fitness. Still, Ron had to face a significant turning point that triggered him to get back on track – and make the healthy changes to regain his wellness.

Like many people, Ron experienced mental health struggles during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He explains the mental toll that the pandemic took on him as an extrovert who had to isolate and sacrifice his socialization during this time. But these events made him realize the importance of prioritizing his mental health and helped motivate him to improve his physical health.

Achieving Success

“Every day I completed what I needed to do. And that was the start of the journey.”

Today, Ron has improved his mental and physical wellness and met his goal of getting in shape before age 50.

While diet is an ongoing challenge, Ron has found methods to maintain his fitness since his injury. He discusses how, with the help of his nutritionist Tim Liu, he built up his physical health and met his goals, one step at a time.

To avoid the discomfort of being out of shape and exercising in a gym, Ron explained how starting his fitness journey at home worked best for him. He shares how gaining physical fitness education from his nutritionist built his motivation and confidence.

Eventually, Ron made the decision to join a gym, as he had reached a place mentally where he truly felt like he belonged. By approaching exercise in a way that worked for his needs, establishing achievable changes to his health habits, and gaining help and inspiration from his nutritionist, Rod was able to maintain his wellness despite the adversities he has faced.

The Importance of Excuses and What Makes a Winner

“Don’t forget your excuses”

When problems arise that impact our ability to maintain our wellness, we have a choice. We can view these issues as excuses not to put in the effort, or we can persist despite their existence.

Ron believes that people should always bring their excuses with them when participating in athletic activities. He shares how he came to this conclusion when he realized that things always go wrong. Rather than viewing these shortcomings as an excuse to quit, he explains that people must accept them and make the choice to go on.

“The win wasn't necessarily completing the race, the win was showing up”

Another one of the mindsets Ron adopted that helped him achieve physical wellness related to the idea of winning. He explains that while most people view winning a race as dependent on crossing the finish line, for Ron, winning means showing up and getting to the starting line.

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To hear Ron Radvinsky’s interview, tune in to the Ingrained & Balanced Podcast!