Day 38 - Health Conscious

I have never been a health conscious person and have never bothered about taking care of my body or my looks. People who know me will vouch for the fact that I am a classic example of a non-looker who has bad skin and dracula teeth. My policy has always been that this is how I am. Like me or love me like this.

Over the years I have gone through some pretty horrific experiences of regular illnesses. My immune system, if it exists, has a tendency of taking an illness to its extreme. I remember getting malaria when I was a kid and I needed five razai (thick bedcovers) to stop me from shivering. I got chicken pox that left pock marks all over my body. When the world got mumps in one cheek, I got in both so my mouth was closed for a duration of 7 days. Some say that's a good thing...at least they didn't have to hear my voice! ;)

I was always a thin and lanky chap growing up. Across my eduction years and to some extent even when I started working, I was like a scarecrow with some skin thrown on top.

My 'growth' started only post my engagement to Ani when my mother-in-law decided to 'fatten' me up. Since then its been a 'paunchy' wide with my paunch growing from a small cycle tyre to a full fledged truck tyre that it is today. But I still did not bother too much about my health and was always of the opinion that you should enjoy eating. After all you only live once!

At the other extreme is a close friend of mine who is very health conscious. If you look at her today you will never be able to say that she is a mother of a 3 year old kid. Dressed in jeans and a top she can easily pass off as a teenager going to college. When we go out for lunches, she is very keen to ensure that she does not over-eat, eats properly and has 'health' food. I've usually made fun of her but at the same time envied her a lot.

My wake-up call came a few months back when I went for my company sponsored Annual Health check up. Till then I was always arrogant that I have had good health and my BMI is normal. The health check up threw up two things - by BMI, I was marginally obese and I had marginal cholesterol. This added to my fear that I spoke about on Day 13 was enough to trigger something in me. I still dilly-dallied for a few months.

Well......I've recently joined the band of health conscious people. I've joined a gym recently on a weight loss program and my target is to loose 10 Kgs by Nov end (incidentally, just in time for my 'health conscious' friend's birthday) and get back into the non-obese category. Its been 20 odd days now and I have been regular to the gym and have been following a strict diet plan. Its tough, especially after so many years of not caring and eating whatever is good to taste. I've had to cut down on food intake, spread my meals, give up fried and sweets and do a daily dose of gym or cardio. So far I've survived. The test will be to see if I can continue this for the next few months, loose the weight and then have the discipline to continue it for a life time. Temptations will be there but the willpower and motivation to live long healthily, beyond may family and friend is there.

Will I make it? Will I meet my target? We will circle back in December end to this post.

Wish me luck! And welcome me to the health conscious club!