Health Check

It’s been some time since I’ve posted a new blog. My training continues to amaze me on a regular basis. My body is looking more and more like a competitor’s physique, which is hard to believe sometimes. I look in the mirror and think how fortunate I am to be able to achieve this new body. It’s been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. My energy is much more balanced and I don’t experience the extreme fatigue as I did the first 6 weeks into my program. A lot of that had to do with the drop in weight, while trying to maintain hardcore workouts. The diet is getting harder and harder to stick to. I’m in week 11 on this diet and the cravings for sugar, particularly chocolate are through the roof. I want that chocolate really bad. I go stir crazy when the craving hits and the mood that comes with the craving is anything but friendly! I’m looking forward to competition day; where I will get a little more than a chocolate protein shake.

Today I want to share something with you that I think we all overlook or ignore; our health! I really believe we take our bodies for granted. We get up every day and as long as we are able to breathe, walk, talk, eat, drink and sleep without major issues, we think we are healthy. I’ve learned from personal experience that can be a risky way to live. There are many silent diseases out there we may not even realize we have. If you haven’t had a check-up in the last year, I highly recommend making that a priority.

Most of you know, I had lip cancer 2 years ago. This cancer didn’t just show up one day, it had moved in and settled into my lip, slowly making a nice home for itself; unbeknownst to me. It was a wakeup call in many ways. About a year ago, I was diagnosed with stage 1 hypertension (high blood pressure). I took the news lightly thinking it was due to the amount of coffee and stress I was under at that time in my life. Over the course of that year, the numbers began to rise only to put me at stage 2 hypertension. I couldn’t believe I had high blood pressure. How could that be? I was in great shape, worked out on a regular basis and ate well. I was in the middle of jury duty when my Dr called me and asked if I had gone to a Cardiologist yet. I thought that was a little concerning to have received that call. It was an indication that this was more serious than I was willing to admit. I finally made an appointment to get checked out. In the meantime, I started tracking my blood pressure on a daily basis. The numbers were alarming! They continued to rise. Clearly I needed to be seen by a specialist to find out what was going on.

Around the time of my appointment, I had started my figure training and figure diet. I had been on the program for a few weeks prior to seeing the Dr. When the Dr checked my blood pressure, it had dropped from my last reading that I had at the drug store. She thought it was high, but put me at hypertension stage 1 and she recommended I be further tested. She scheduled an EKG, Echogram and a Treadmill Stress Test. These appointments were spread out over a period of a month. All I kept thinking was…I don’t want to be put on blood pressure medication. My thought was that would lead to other health problems over time.

In late August, I showed up for my final test, the Treadmill Stress Test. They start by taking your blood pressure and run you on the treadmill for about 10 or so minutes, increasing the speed and incline to see how your blood pressure/heart function during exercise. Toward the end of the test the Dr said this was a beautiful EKG and I asked why she thought that, she said because it’s perfect! I looked at them and said what does that mean? She and the nurses shared the best news of the day with me…my heart rate was at its all time low 110/61. I was so happy in that moment. I couldn’t believe it had all turned around. She asked me what I had changed since our visit in July. I told her the figure training diet I was on was strictly lean meat and vegetables….no fat, no sugar, no alcohol and very little caffeine. She said that explains why your blood pressure has dropped! I had always been an avid exerciser but admittedly I ate processed food like most. I ate relatively healthy processed food but nonetheless it all contains “stuff” that isn’t so healthy.

A clean healthy diet of lean meat (excluding red meat) and steamed veggies along with my workouts are the two things that helped my heart back to health. They always say follow a healthy diet and get regular exercise, but what does that really mean? It means to cut back on caffeine, alcohol, sugar, salt and fat. In other words NO processed foods. Looks like I my figure nutritionist and trainer have me for life!!!

I’ve had two encounters with my health; while minor they both could have lead to a much more serious problem had I not addressed them when I did. Don’t take your body for granted, get a check up!

Until next time…