Let's Get Started!

Well, it is time to get started and I hope you are planning to get started right! I certainly am! If you are like me, and you have existing medical conditions or you are not physically active; you should see your doctor before you begin to exercise. In fact, before you start any weight loss program you actually should see your physician first. Your doctor may want to run a few tests on you before you take on this long term commitment. He may want to check your blood pressure, your blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels. If you have heart problems, like me, or are at high risk for heart problems, or you have had joint problems (as in knee injuries, arthritis or chronic pain) , your doctor may want you to have some additional testing before you begin a short or long-term diet and an exercise program. Personally, I am happy that my doctor, takes such great concern in my well being. I am waiting on my appointment date for the 16 th of December to see Dr. A. Soundappan. He has been our family physician for ten years. If you don’t have a regular physician, I recommend that you take the time to find one that you can trust and feel comfortable with.

The First Step: Change your way of thinking
Instead of getting bogged down in all of those weight loss fads, programs and advertisements you find in your daily email or “as seen on Oprah,” which are rarely successful over the long term (and Oprah is a pretty good example of a yo-yo dieter), change your focus to improving your health instead! Focus on other health aspects you can improve, such as raising your fitness level, reducing your blood pressure, reducing your blood sugar especially if you have diabetes. I have what they call type II diabetes. You may decide on putting your focus on reducing your cholesterol and triglyceride levels like my husband, Kirby is doing. Becoming more active and improving your eating habits are the two major ways to improve your health and your lifestyle.
It is sad to say, guys, but heredity plays a big role in your body type and your weight among other things. Most of which we have no control over. So don’t fall into that self defeating pit that we all have stumbled into at times, comparing yourself to others, like that jock on the football team or some celebrities who have their beautiful bodies plastered all over the tabloids. Real healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes! We are all a vital part in God’s creation and as we all know, “God don’t make NO junk!”


Learn to celebrate your body for what it is and the fitness and health you can achieve. Use measures other than weight or clothing size to track your progress in reaching your health goals. Realize that our culture overemphasizes extreme thinness, which makes people feel bad when they cannot achieve such an unrealistic body size. That is why we hear so much about eating disorders today! An eating disorder is the inherent presence of a low self esteem. Eating Disorders are about seeking approval and acceptance from everyone through negative attention and friends, and that is NOT healthy! We are talking about getting healthy through a healthy diet and lifestyle, not through binge eating, bulimia, anorexia or compulsive eating habits!

So get started right! Get to your doctor!

Your sis-n-Christ Jesus, Colene.