Tuesday, January 29, 2008

I'm alive!


NURSE: "Could you just pop yourself on the scales for me...that's right...so you're 14 and a half stone".

ME: *Has vision of Bernard Manning on a trampolene before hitting floor in dead faint*

So I had my health check yesterday. It wasn't good news. I've not got anything hideous and there was no one thing that was cause for concern: blood, liver, kidneys, lungs etc, were all fine. But a combination of highish blood pressure, my weight (just one point shy of obese - yes, really), drinking too much, smoking too much, doing zero exercise cholesterol teetering on okay, means I'm four times more likely than the average 42 year old to contract heart disease, which is not ideal.

Reeling, I walked from King's Cross to Oxford Circus, bought some fish, didn't smoke for the rest of the day and only had one glass of wine.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

That may sound trite, but it's actually true. I must change my ways. And I will. At least it's not too late to do something about it, as the doctor said. All these things are reversible.

If you're worried about your lifestyle, I urge you to examine it and change it if needs be. Don't worry, I'm not going to become a health nazi. Just do something.

Before it's too late.

11 comments:

Al McGregor said...

Passing the 190lbs barrier did it for me too. BP in the hypertension zone. Wake-up call. Bought a bike (push variety), stopped the heavy carbs and booze for six months and lost 40lbs. Metabolism changed and 10yrs later still under 160lbs. It can be done. Good luck.

Mondo said...

That's it I'm getting myself checked out. I've don't do any excercise apart from walk to the station and back (about 3 miles all round). I don't smoke - but do enjoy a few sips probably more regularly than I should .

Clair said...

In contrast, I've just had a curry for lunch, and feel like I'm made mainly of cement. Let that be a lesson to you...

office pest said...

Good to see you are still around F-C.
But of course this really must be the end of slicing lard straight from the block for your sandwiches.
I've missed it; drizzling a little fish oil onto my crusts just isn't the same.

Looks like you've hit on the positive action plan just in time;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7213387.stm

Good luck with your plan; myself, I like cycling on the disused railway tracks that are converted to cycle ways - no macho gradients!

Jon Peake said...

We are all of an age now where suddenly everything catches up with you. Curries for lunch, lard sandwiches, pork scratchings, pies, etc. Something's got to give.

And it has.

Thanks for your supportive comments and I'm glad we're all on a keep fit drive for 08.

PM - a three mile walk a day is surely all you need. That's great stuff.

Rob said...

I'm on a booze ban which is having the knock on effect of making me not smoke, or eat bad things and sleep better. I recommend it!

Matthew Rudd said...

F-C, just concentrate on giving up the fags. The rest will follow!

Suzy Norman said...

14 1/2 stone doesn't sound like very much to me. I used to go out with a strapping 15 stone dubliner. Still, these things can escalate if you don't keep half an eye on proceedings. Just tell them at work you've discovered a wheat/glucose/whatever allergy and stick to crudites and hummus at those buffets.

Kolley Kibber said...

I've lost loads of weight since I discovered crystal meth. It worked for me!

Clair said...

ISBW is Britney Spears. FACT!

Louis Barfe said...

I'm around 14st 12lb now, which, considering I was 17st 7lb in August, is pretty good. I'd been saying I wanted to do something about it for ages, but I never stuck with it. I guess I just had a change of attitude. I hardly touch bread, I don't graze between meals, I always have breakfast, and I walk or cycle everywhere. Having a dog helps a great deal. I'm aiming to get down to 14 stone - if I got down to my so-called 'ideal weight', I'd look like a famine victim.

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