Wake-up call

 

                                    Three of the reasons I have to stay healthy:
                                    Sammy, Kiley and Bailey, the sweetest
                                    granddaughters in the whole world.
                                    Here they are in the villa we rented in Tuscany.

 

I've been so healthy all my life, even though I spent a great part of it eating too much of all the wrong things.
 
My luck changed this summer.

On a two-week vacation to Italy, 12 of those days found me with swollen ankles. I came up with all sorts of excuses for the swelling: the water in Italy is loaded with sodium, the heat, and what I was eating. Within two days of getting home my ankles started returning to normal, so it had to be the water.
 
Except that just about the time my ankles went back to normal I became short of breath. Not constantly, but enough to get my attention. After a month of denial, I visited my doctor's office and discovered my blood pressure was 190/110. After weeks of medical-testing hell, I just found out all is well, except I am on medication. My BP meds are how I start each day. But this is a good thing.
 
Every time I open that bottle, it reinforces three things:
1. That I have a chronic medical issue.
2. That I will try everything in my power to lose weight.
3. That I have to hit the gym.
 
Today, when I was meeting with my new BFF, my nutritionist, I also resolved to start writing my blog again.
 
I'm back, more determined than ever to lose weight, but this time, unlike other weight-loss adventures, I have a really good reason to shed pounds. It's called life. I plan to be around for many years to come. But even more important, I want my quality of life to be excellent. Change is the only way to accomplish this.