A Complete Turn Around

  So it's now official. I've changed my bad habbits of eating whenever and whatever I want to making healthy choices and seeing the benefits. As you can see from the picture above I really was letting myself go. That picture was taken while covering Hurricane Katrina in September of 2005. 

  As I have mentioned previously, around the time Cathy found out she was pregnant I had a close friend suffer a heart attack. Those two events were the catalyst for me taking a greater interest in my health. I wanted to make sure I would be around a long time for my child.

  I didn't truly know how bad I had gotten until the insurance exam came back in the Spring of 2007. I weighed 225 lbs., my blood pressure was 142/80 and my cholesterol was 211. This was definitely not the way to start fatherhood.

  I immediately changed my diet and started a cardio regimen. Gone were the red meats and fatty foods like McDonalds. In were green veggies and chicken. Out were the times I'd sit on the sofa and watch 90210. That was replaced with biking and eventually jogging (although it was more of walking with a little running in the beginning).

  I called my financial planner in January and told Eric I wanted to option the re-examination clause of my life insurance. I had two years in which to be re-examined to determine if I qualified for a better premium status which I knew I would.

  A few weeks ago the nurse who had examined two years ago came back out to the house to do it all over again. When I answered the door she said she remembered the house but thought it was because she examined Catherine. When I told her that she had examined me she replied, "That's right! Wow I didn't even recognize you."

  So yesterday I received the letter that confirmed I had changed my ways. My blood pressure was 110/70, cholesterol was down to 160 and as of yesterday's weigh the scale read 178. I think I would like to get my weight down to 170 but I'm pleased with where I am currently.

  As I was out on my 7-mile run yesterday I thought about how much better I feel when I'm exercising and how I feel like crap when I eat like crap. I have more energy these days to keep up with Benjamin (although he has that unlimited source I lost when I turned 30). 

  With the weather warming up again I've gotten back in the pool and swim 2 km a couple times a week which helps offset the 15-20 miles I run. Later this year I hope to enter and complete my first half marathon. All of this is in the hopes I never have to see Fat Chris again.