Meet the Face of Fitness

As we age our priorities change in many areas of our lives. Things just seem to become a little clearer, thank goodness!

Those trivial things that used to be important to me are way down the line on my list now, especially in the area of health and wellness. Fitting into skinny jeans or trying to out-exercise someone else, certainly does not top my list these days, but being strong, injury-free, full of energy, free from chronic disease and having an excellent quality of life sure is. Folks who make lifestyle behavioral changes, do not make it happen by accident. You will not stumble into wellness!

I want you to hear from someone who has done just that — she has changed her life or saved her life by making safe and effective lifestyle changes. She changed her priorities in a big way and here is her story. (She wants her name withheld.)

“Everyone has his moment of truth; mine came last March. It came in the form of type 2 diabetes. Sure, I was overweight, but I had started a mild exercise program — some walking and kettlebell class two days per week. I had lost 17 pounds and I was feeling okay. But, A1C’s do not lie (The A1C test is a blood test that provides information about a person’s average levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, over the past 3 months).

My husband had been hinting at changing our diets, and the look on his face when I told him my diagnosis was enough to make a believer out of me. We spent that night cleaning out the fridge and the pantry. From that point on, we have been eating a healthy diet. The health food aisles at the grocery store have become my new best friends. And you know what? It wasn’t that difficult of a change to make for me.

I have also kept up my kettleball class twice a week and I walk afterward. The other five days — that’s right, I exercise every day — I walk, do calisthenics, do my own private kettlebell routine and work with an exercise band. I started out slowly and added a little bit each week, until I had built up to a good, safe routine that could become part of my everyday lifestyle.

But the big news is, drum roll, please! I have lost 112 pounds. Yep, you read that correctly; I had lost a supermodel My A1C is now perfect too. My advice to everyone is this: Your health is in YOUR hands. Take control of your life; if I can do it, so can you. Believe me, you will not be sorry.”

We will continue our series on the faces of fitness through the season of Thanksgiving.

See you in the gym, maybe in kettlebell class.