A Healthy Revelation

Three months ago, I had a revelation.  Who knew that was still a thing at my age?   Granted, it happened because of a health scare, and not because I suddenly became wise and intuitive, but still.

The revelation was this:  healthy does not equal thin.  And healthy is the goal.  Also, I'm not getting any younger, but I already knew that.

Seems pretty obvious, in hindsight.  But I've spent my whole adult life eating a certain way, and exercising a certain way, trying to lose weight so I could be thin.  Healthy didn't enter my mind.

It's what I was taught growing up.  We just assumed that skinny people were healthy people, back in the 70's and 80's.  I remember a friend in college whose dad was a long distance runner.  One day he went out for a jog and died of a heart attack.  I was shocked, although I shouldn't have been.  He might have been thin, but he also smoked and ate like crap.

As a child, a teenager, and a young adult, I wasn't just skinny - I was scrawny.  Genetics were my friend, I guess.  Then I had two difficult pregnancies, gained a lot of weight, and never quite bounced back.

For the past 21 years, I've tried countless "diets" and exercise programs.  I'd lose weight, then gain it back.  Always trying to fit into those old jeans.  But never thinking about being healthy.  

Last October, my doctor told me that I needed to make some changes, or else.  I went home and spent the next few days mad and sad and cursing those genetics I used to be so happy about.

I was in the middle of a cookie binge when the revelation hit (because I figured I'd start changing tomorrow, AFTER a thousand cookies).  I needed to focus on being healthy.  And strong.  And the rest would fall into place, whatever that place might be.

So I adjusted my mindset, the way I eat, and how I workout.  I'm proud to say I'm almost to my goal, and we'll see what the doctor has to say when I go in for follow up blood work.  Do I still have a treat now and again?  Yes.  Do I mess up some days?  Yup.  It's all about progress, progress, progress.

I've learned so much over the last few months, and I plan to share it here.  Most of it is common sense, but yet, there I was.  Not healthy.

If I age like Grandpa Ed, I've got fifty years left to live, and I want them to be as healthy as possible.  He's always believed "mind over matter" and I have to agree.  Healthy is the goal.