I used to take pride in having a fast metabolism. I could eat anything and do almost any physical activity without even breaking a sweat. I could play an entire basketball game without being substituted. Having a 28 inch waist line is a good index of my former physical stature. But age does have its way of catching up on us. From 110 lbs., I gradually grew to 165-175 lbs. My weight gain may not be much for some, but for someone whose weighed less than 100 lbs. most of my adult life the extra weight is quite a burden. I forgot to take care of myself, I stopped exercising, I ate too much and drank too much of the wrong foods. It wasn't until I reached the age of 30 that I decided that I didn't want to live like this. I was diagnosed with pre-hypertension and classified as OB2 on my BMI. At first I thought of it as a funny joke. I used to tell myself that it's normal for people of my age to feel this way. But I found out otherwise. I felt always tired and sluggish. I experience all sorts of body pain. Even going through a flight of stairs became more of a challenge than a daily routine. Pill popping with all sorts of headache and pain reliever became part of my daily routine and no matter how much sleep I have, I still seem to be always tired. Then I would make a life changing decision that would change my life and the way I live for the rest of my life. The birth of my second child came with additional responsibility. If I was having trouble raising one child, how much more 2? Then I made a committed decision not just for myself, but for my family that I would live a healthy life. But don't get me wrong the results didn't happen overnight. It took me almost 2 years to reach my ideal body weight. There was no magic formula, just a series of steps and rules I set for myself to achieve my goals. Here are some of the steps I took on my way to a Healthy Life:
2. I refrain from drinking alcohol and soft drinks...
3. I reduced my intake of fatty and oily foods. I try to take in more fruits and vegetables than I usually did.
4. I don't each junk foods...
5. I reduced the amount of salt and sugar intake from my diet...
6. I drink plenty of water whenever I can...
7. I reduced my pork intake, I normally eat fish and chicken...
8. I go to sleep early before 10 P.M. and wake-up early around 5-6 A.M. the next day...
9. I walk to wherever I want to go, whenever I can...
10. I try to get some exercise as much as I can...
As you can see the steps I took in living a healthy life are not new. I didn't force it upon myself to do it all at a time. Gradual steps I took daily led me to a healthy and fruitful life. The how is no longer important, if you have a strong enough why. As of my last annual Physical test, I am now within my normal weight of 150-153 lbs. with no signs of hypertension. I am living proof that change is possible. I was able to do it so can you...
