My Journey to Better Health

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This past year, my husband had several health scares. Last December, I decided I needed to see the doctor, for what my hubby and I jokingly called a "tune up". Well I found out that my blood pressure was very high, at dangerous levels on a consistent basis. We also found out that my cholesterol was also too high, very unsafe. So my doctor put me on low doses of medications for each issue, and I made up my mind that with my husband's health risks, and because we have two daughters with rare diseases and special medical needs, that I needed to do something about my health. I started using a nutrition tracker and start keeping track of everything I eat and drink. I like Lose It -- there is a free version but I pay a small fee monthly so I can use all the features and analyze all my nutrients to make sure I am on track. I started walking for exercise. I like Walk at Home by Leslie Sansone. I like it so much that after I wore out all the free workouts on YouTube, I subscribed to her app. I do at least one Leslie Sansone workout every single day. I also like Brand Fitness, Up to the Beat Fitness, JessicaSmithTV, and Richard Simmons. I do those for free on YouTube. So today, my weight has gone down 37 pounds. My blood pressure is normal every day with just an occasional spike. So I still need my medication but my healthy choices have worked against the persistent high blood pressure and kept it at bay for the most part. My cholesterol was 491 in early December; by mid-February it was down to 109. Still not the best it could be, but so much better! My doctor will recheck it next February and maybe, just maybe I can go off of that medication if my body is ready. When I started my clothes were a 3X-5X. Today I wear a M-XL but usually a Large size fits best right now. I mentioned virtual walks in a previous post -- I tally up my miles each day and add them to tracking apps, in which I've signed up to earn medals doing virtual walks in various locations. It's like getting to learn about and "visit" new places without ever leaving home (unless you walk outdoors, of course, which I do once or twice a week). I've explored the Great Wall of China, Dubai, the area around the Taj Mahal, the Ring of Kerry in Ireland, and more. It helps keep me motivated. Do you try to keep healthy? What exercise types do you enjoy, if any? Is there a new type of exercise you'd like to try if you had the chance, that you haven't done yet?