I am no fitness guru or anything, but I do try to keep myself in shape. I try to eat healthy and exercise, as well as trying to keep my mind and soul fit. Granted, there are times I let things slide now and then - especially over the winter months - but it really is important to me.
Inevitably I will have friends who make fun of me for spending so much time and energy running, or avoiding certain foods, even going to church and practicing faith disciplines. Just yesterday someone was giving me a hard time accusing me of wanting to live forever.
Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. I have no desire to live beyond my years (though I'm not looking to die anytime soon either), but what is important to me is my overall health. In other words, HOW I FEEL.
I have taken blood pressures medicine, antidepressants, and various other drugs off and on for a number of years now. I am also pretty anal about keeping track of things (health records, exercise stats, weight, bp, mental state, etc.). So at the age of 54 I have a pretty good idea of what's going on with my body and when. Not that I'm a doctor, and not that I'm not prone to indulgence now and then either, but I know how I feel at what weight; I know how it effects my blood pressure, my mood, and the impact that can then have on every other area of my life.
I am at my best when I am sober, light, and in good physical shape. I've been able to go off my meds when I can get my weight down around 150-155. Doing that helps in many other ways. I think the best I have felt recently was a few years ago when I got down around 140 lbs. That takes a bit of work and isn't really sustainable, but my it felt good.
So, I'm just processing my thoughts about this. I know most people who chide me about it are just having fun. I don't take it personally. But my health is not about my looks or trying to live a long time. It's all about being able to enjoy life now.
