Before we get started with today's episode. I just want to say that I really enjoyed recording these podcasts. And if you enjoy listening to them, we both have anchored a Thang. If you haven't heard about anchor it's the easiest way to make a podcast. First of all, it's free second of all their creation tools that allow you to record and edit your podcast right from your phone or computer and anchor will distribute your podcast for you. So it can be heard on Spotify Apple podcasts and many more the cool thing is you can make money from your podcast with no minimum listenership. It it's everything you need to make a podcast all in one place download the free anchor app or go to Anchor dot f m-- to get started. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world indeed. It's the only thing that ever has Margaret Mead. Hi. My name is Ethan and I suffer from bipolar disorder addiction anger issues body dysmorphia and morbid obesity. In fact at my heaviest. I was north of 650 pounds growing up. I never felt comfortable asking for help or being vulnerable. My goal is to create a space where you can feel safe enough to be vulnerable and shake the Negative stigmas that are attached to mental health. Let's be vulnerable and give others the strength to do the same. Let's talk about it. What is going on? Everybody? Welcome to the official first episode of let's talk about it. You know, if I'm being honest this whole idea is really strange sitting here talking about myself just doesn't really make sense to me. The thing is, you know, how on Instagram you have those 12 interesting facts about me where you get tagged because people want to know 12 interesting facts about you. I don't do those not because I don't want to be included but because if I were to have to sit down and figure out 12 Facts about me which I guess I'm going to have to it's incredibly hard for me to do. You see I'm boring like when it comes down to it. My day-to-day is so incredibly boring. Yes. If you look at the big picture dropping over 300 pounds fighting to gain control of my mental health through diet and exercise and everything else. I've done. Yeah, it's fascinating. I could probably write a book but But on the day today. I am boring. So I guess I will start this episode by talking about what my goals for the podcast are as you heard in the intro. My overwhelming goal is to create a space where we can all feel safe to be vulnerable and talk about what we don't like about ourselves talk about things that we've gone through because I genuinely believe from personal experience. If you can talk about those things, then you can truly start to heal. I also want to introduce you to some people that either one have been a huge part of my journey or to have some incredible stories themselves, but I don't want this to be super serious all the time. In fact, I cannot wait to have a couple of people on that come to mind that I know we are just going to have Goofy and silly conversations and just have fun. I really hope you guys enjoy that and can experience that in as much as you enjoy and can experience and relate to when Talk about weight loss or mental health or experiences or trauma from childhood or from adulthood. You see one of the things that I want to practice with this podcast is something that I'm also practicing in my day-to-day life and that's finding balance finding balance at work finding balance at the gym finding ballots at home finding balance in my diet. You see for the past seven years. My life has been nothing but chaos, I worked in the restaurant industry. And for those of you that know your schedule is kind of out all over the place there are days where I go in and I used to go in at 4 a.m. For inventory there are days where I would go in at 8:30 a.m. And there were days where I would go in at like 5 or 6 o'clock in the afternoon. So chaos was my life you see now and this goes back to me saying I'm boring. Now my Monday through Friday routine is almost exactly the same every single day 5 a.m. I'm awake 7:00 a.m. I'm at work. We're done by three four o'clock. Maybe six. Clock at the latest and that's only happened. Like once after I leave work, I usually go to the gym after the gym. I get home. I make sure I have food for the next day. I go to bed. I'm in bed by 9:30 and out like a light by 11 o'clock at the absolute latest. So Monday through Friday day to day. I am boring on the weekends. It's really not much different but going from seven years of chaos to having a routine is such. A breath of fresh air. It may be boring. It may be repetitive but it's mine and it works. I think the important thing is the fact that I can get a decent and healthy amount of sleep. I do take a sleep aid which helps me and take it. Like I said at 9:30, I'm in bed. I've got my sleep aid by 11 o'clock if I'm fighting it. I'm asleep. I'm usually asleep by 10:00 o'clock or 10:30. You see I found over the years that sleep can make or break me. Completely if I get enough sleep the hurdles of Life are nothing I jump right over them. I work right through them. But if I don't get enough sleep the smallest inconvenience can set me off can send me spiraling down into negative thoughts and negative emotions. So my goal with this podcast just like my goal in life is to find balance to have those episodes that are thought-provoking have those episodes that may make you cry, but then also have the those episodes that make you laugh and make you smile and just make you happy. I plan to do some pretty radical things with this podcast things that I don't know if anyone's ever done before I am both excited and terrified of that. So we'll see how that goes. I'm also after doing Instagram for as long as I have. I'm doing my best to avoid the burnout and the biggest way I'm avoiding the burnout is making sure that this does not feel like a job. I want to make sure that this is fun. Every time I sit down in front of this microphone. I want to make sure that I am completely enjoying the experience whether it's one of those conversations that makes me and you cry or whether it's one of those Stations that makes me and you laugh so hard we almost wet ourselves. I want to make sure that it doesn't feel like a job and it feels like we're having fun. One of the things that I've been told from the people that follow me on Instagram is that they are amazed and overwhelmed sometimes by how transparent and how truthful I can be. I truly genuinely believe that if you can speak your truth, You can heal. So I do my best to be absolutely transparent in hopes that one it helps me, but to it also helps you work through some things. I'm so incredibly excited to be able to start this podcast. For those of you that have been cheering me along the whole time. Seriously. Thank you so much. I cannot wait to have you on I cannot wait to talk to you. I cannot wait to get your story and your name out there and if you're new listening and you don't follow me on Instagram and you See more of what my day-to-day actually looks like you can find me at depressed. The number two determined one of the things that I used to say to end my stories for the day on Instagram is something that I'm going to end every single podcast with because I truly genuinely and deeply believe this to be true. You are beautiful you are worth it. And as long as you are willing to put the work in hope will always be there. Until the next one.
 WHAT"S UP EVERYONE!!! Welcome to the first official episode of our podcast "Let's Talk About It"! First and foremost I would like to say thank you to all of you that supported me and pushed me to make this podcast. I have been thinking about doing it for a while but always second guessed myself. Without your support this never would have happened! In this one I give a brief intro into myself but for the most part just focus on what I want our podcast to look like. Just a quick disclaimer. Things I am not: A doctor A dietitian  An expert  A specialist Things that I am: Someone who has lost over 300lbs over the last nine years  Someone who proudly labels himself as a gym rat  Someone who is willing to be completely transparent in hopes of helping others realize they are not alone in the fight. Someone who is hoping to help others using the tools I have developed from my own experiences. I am so incredible grateful for you giving me time out of your day, if anything I have said touches you or brings up thoughts or topics you'd like to discuss or you'd like to be a guest on our podcast, the best place to reach me would be on Instagram @Depressed2Determined. I'm sure they would all appreciate it! You are beautiful, You are worth it, and as long as you are willing to put the work in hope will always be there! 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-8255      ---   This episode is sponsored by  · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. 