August 6th, 2008
Your Turn: Health vs. Beauty
Each of us finds our own personal rhythm as we go about our days, and once upon a time, going to the gym was part of mine. Life changed. First there was a divorce. Then there was a shift in my businesses, which lead me to living in hotels rather than in my own snug little bed. The gym left my personal rhythm and became an occasional guest star in my life, rather than a regular cast member. The healthy eating, by the way, has kind of gone the way of working out. I have the best intentions, but my will power is on the weak side.
In recent months, I have discovered I have got to change that. I need to renew my love affair with sweating to some great music, not indulge in late night cocktails and high calorie snacks, and get back in touch with what my body needs. See, I need to lose some weight, and though I know it by looking in the mirror (and not fitting into some older jeans), I was comfortable enough with myself that the desire to look slimmer and more attractive wasn’t strong enough to get me off my and into the closest gym. Last month, however, I joined a gym in Washington DC, which is where I am spending my time when I am not at home.
What has motivated me? My blood pressure. My HIGH (oh, much too high for a 40-year-old) blood pressure.
My weight has yo-yo-ed some 50 pounds in the last twenty years. Some of that came with pregnancy and was lost. Some of it came with weight lifting, and is sleek (and heavier) muscle. In the last five years, though, I have battled the with the same 15 pounds. I didn’t worry about it (though I would bitch about it) until my doctor noticed the increase in blood pressure (as well as an increase in my cholesterol). In research, I have discovered that in the United States, heart disease is the number one killer of women. My untreated blood pressure also put me at a higher risk for other events, such as strokes. A little more focus on my diet is helpful, but research shows that exercise is the most important change to be making in my life.
I am still struggling, by the way. But I’m seeing the inside of the gym more than in the last month than I had in the previous year…..
Your Turn:
So, what about you? What motivates - or will motivate you - to leading a more healthy lifestyle? The desire to fit into a smaller pair of jeans or the desire to get healthy?
