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Don’t Let Illness Force Your Fitness
So most of you know that I’m 63 and that this past summer before my birthday was my first triathlon season. And yes I’m proud and happy and all that good stuff. Yet every morning when I get my day started I have to take several pills that for now help to keep my situation in control. So I thought this morning as I was pumping it around the track in the park (I’m a walker), lots of things could have been better if I had done this my whole life.
Like many during my 20’s and 30’s and 40’s I was an episodic athlete. Usually it was tied to an upcoming event or something that I considered a tragedy at the time. Once the situation was over I usually fell back into my more challenging habits. Somewhere around 50 (it’s a blur now) I received an early morning call from my Doctor saying that my blood sugar was elevated. Dang I could see that one coming. Diabetic father and many of his family members combined with my over weight and bad eating habits. Hmn…. no surprise.
My point today is that perhaps I couldn’t have prevented the eventual diagnosis but I sure could have tried. A healthy lifestyle should be a life long pursuit. Kudos to those of you with family, and work responsibilities as well as pursuing a healthy lifestyle. I know the athletic part is tough and is usually the first to suffer. Tired and all. But I can’t help but think in the long run it is essential. Like I said, don’t let illness force your fitness.
Your First Responsibility This Year – Yourself
I went to a wake today. I have known this young woman since she was a child. She died Christmas day of complications of a life with diabetes. She was 41 years old. She was a wife and mother and one of the nicest people you ever want to meet. It was really sad. Her mother said to me please take your diabetes seriously and do every thing that you can to keep it in check.
Point well taken. None of us know if what we do will be enough. Enough to prevent, enough to reverse but one thing is for sure. Doing nothing will get us no where. I must be my priority to be of any use to anyone else. I wanted to mention this to all of you.
I know that many of us are going through financial , relationship, family, school, job traumas but you have to suck it up and make sure that you are first. No guilt. Take care of yourself. Need to visit the doctor, do it. Automatic withdrawal for the gym and you don’t go, start now. Need a time out take it. I scheduled my workouts for the next eight weeks. Can’t forget, it’s on the calendar. Hope some of you will join me.
First Steps the Hardest 