Lifestyle Changes
Considering that most of the posts on here have something to do with a computer, this is a pretty rare post for me.
A couple of weeks ago, I lost a first cousin (who was also a best friend) to a heart attack. He was 45. Back in 1992 I lost another first cousin to a heart attack - she was in her 30’s.
Heart disease runs in my Mom’s side of the family. Besides both of those first cousins (children of my Mom’s sisters), my Mom has had (and luckily survived) two heart attacks, one of her sisters has also suffered heart trouble as well and my Mom’s Mother passed away from a heart attack while in her early 50’s.
Besides the family history, I’m 28, I’ve been medicated for hypertension since I was 16 and I’ve been on a prescription for high cholesterol for the last 2 years.
If that isn’t a wake-up call, I don’t know what is. It’s time for some major lifestyle modifications for me for sure. I’m seriously overweight, I don’t eat right (not even close actually), I smoke and I definitely don’t get enough exercise.
Some things I can’t change right now, however there are some things I can. I want to quit smoking, but I have tried everything under the sun to quit and nothing has worked. The closest to success I’ve had was 3 weeks with “the patch” back in September, but I had a skin reaction to the patch and just couldn’t take wearing it any more - it was literally painful. I did make it 3 more days without the patch until something stressed me at work, and well, you know what happened next - I “took 15″ and went and got a pack of smokes. I’d like to try “Chantix” but that is ~$100 per month, not covered by my insurance and definitely not in my budget right now. Also not in my budget right now is a gym membership, but hopefully in a few months I’ll be able to swing both of those financially.
In the meantime, I can make some modifications to my diet. I need to create a diet for myself that helps me lose weight, but also is heart healthy as well, and can help keep my Blood Pressure under control. I already have a plan for the diet in place, and went grocery shopping this weekend and picked up some staples to help make this happen. I’ve traded the Fruity Loops for Cheerios, Whole Milk for Skim, traded Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning for the salt free variety (thank you Tony for making a Salt-free version of your seasoning!), also picked up some Ms. Dash, fruit for snacks, Salad “fixins’” complete with Kraft “Free” Catalina dressing (In which I can’t tell a difference at all in taste) and I’ve sworn off fried foods for good. I don’t think our “George Forman” grill has seen electricity in over a year, but it’s gonna be working overtime now!
I’m 100% sure I can succeed with the diet. I even managed to eat a Salad at Burger King before grocery shopping Saturday while watching my Mom eat a burger and fries
Diet alone isn’t enough.
While I can’t afford the Chantix or the Gym membership right now, I can make an effort to smoke as little as possible. I’ve been doing pretty good this weekend (which is usually my “heaviest” time for smoking - I think it’s a boredom thing). I’m not smoking until I’m literally about to snap, rather than lighting one up out of habit and/or when I first get that urge. Also, even though I can’t join the gym right now, nothing is stopping me for exercising on my own. I’ve walked 3 miles each day this weekend, and I plan to keep this up each day (weather permitting). I’m also very close to the Mall where I work, and that is a great place to walk in any weather, so I can “burn away” my lunch hours speed walking in the Mall, after a healthy lunch.
Anyway, wish me luck as I pave the way for a new, healthier me.
Jayson

Written by jaysonrowe on December 21st, 2008 with no comments.
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