Lounge might be the wrong place but I need to unload

[Generic Brad]

13. You are not alone

I had my come to Jesus moment a little over a year ago. When I realized my blood pressure was so high I was on the edge of a stroke or heart attack I had to make a hard decision. Change or die. That simple. I really was not certain if I had pushed myself past the point of no return or not.

I chose the DASH diet and have stuck with it 100%. I log every bite I eat on a web site my employer makes available and have been on a mission of exercise and careful eating. I lost more than 60 pounds in the past year and am still slowly losing. I look 10 years younger now and went out and bought a basketball and pickle ball equipment today. The lighter I get, the more I feel the need to be physically active.

You can turn it around. You can switch to habits that are healthy and make you feel better. Just realize the results won't happen right away. Last July I was in emotional turmoil when I realized I would never be eating pizza, potato chips or fried chicken ever again. But it can be done and once you develop new favorites it becomes easier. And sustainable. Figure out what works for you and stick with it as if it were an immediate matter of life and death.

In addition to losing excessive weight, my blood pressure went down from 260/185 the day I was in the ER last year to averaging 110/62 for the past month. All those little changes I made have made an enormous difference for my health. You can do the same. Listen to your doctors, remember how much you love your family, and do it of them.