I was always the “big guy” and carried the body of someone who played sports in high school and college, and spent many years working out. The problem was over the years, the pounds kept creeping up on me. When I was younger and working out daily, I could eat and drink anything I wanted. Weight was never an issue and even into my early thirties I felt like if I needed to shed a few pounds, I could just do a “fad” diet for a few days and be fine! Then I turned 40!
I was not unlike most men in that around age 40, my metabolism started to slow down. I found myself lacking the same energy I used to have, consuming more caffeine, and looking forward to afternoon naps of the weekend. I didn’t really think anything was off until around age 45, and I saw a shirtless picture of myself on vacation at the beach. If “Dad-bod” was in, I was well on my way to becoming the spokesperson!
Over the coming months, I am going to spend some time writing about the journey I’ve been on since turning age 50. The journey is still underway now, so as I reflect on the historical perspectives of my changes I will also talk about what I am doing now and how it’s impacting my body, mind and wellness. I am no Superman, but if I can take control of my health and wellness at age 50, there is hope for you!
By age 50, I was tipping the scales at around 275 lbs. My blood panels were not great – my total cholesterol was 243 (anything over 200 is considered high), my energy levels were low, I was not sleeping well, and I was eating too much of the wrong foods! My stress was off the charts as I had gone through a difficult divorce and was also dealing with a ton of legal issues, facing losing my company of over 20 years.
Some people talk about having that “Ah-ha” moment or epiphany when they wake up and realize that if they don’t make a change, they’re doomed. For me it was a series of events that occurred which felt like going 5 rounds with Mike Tyson! I spent the entire weekend reflecting about the events which had been occurring in my life and came the realization by asking myself this one question; How could I be the person that my friends and family needed me to be IF I WAS NOT WELL and taking care of myself? Perhaps you need to ask yourself that same question?
Please follow my journey here, on my blog at www.danlounsbury.com to learn more about this adventure.