Howdy all!
My name is Troy and I am 32 years old. But, according to my Health Risk Assessment (HRA), I am 33. The good news is that according to my HRA, I can be a chipper 26. I think. It has been a while since I looked at the paperwork, and I don’t know where it is right now.
Anyway, many of us try to make a New Year Resolution. You have all heard them… I am going to lose weight… I am going to keep my closets clean… I am going to run a marathon… I will spend more time with my family… …the list goes on and on, and they are all good intentioned.
I am not a fan of the New Year Resolution, but since my HRA last fall, I have decided that I want a better life. So, I set a goal for myself that by the time of my next HRA (in fall of 2009), I want my health age to be the same or younger than my actual age.
So, what changes can I make to accomplish this? There are several, but I am just focusing on a few right now. In no particular order, here they are:
- Get my blood pressure in check – thanks to genetics, my blood pressure is higher than it should be at my age. So, a couple of weeks ago I went to the doctor, and now I have a prescription for my “mild hypertension.” The lifestyle changes my doctor talked about don’t apply to me (lower salt intake, healthy body weight, stop smoking) because I am already good in all those categories.
- Eat breakfast – I love skipping breakfast. Well, I don’t love it, I just do it. Who has time, right? Well, I have been making time, and thanx to Melody, I am at least eating a hard boiled egg every morning. She has a bunch at home, and when I walk out the door in the morning, I grab one, and I eat it in my office. One of the questions in the HRA is do you eat breakfast at least 5 times a week. My answer was no. This fall, I plan to answer yes.
- Watch my food intake – There is nothing better than a double quarter pounder with cheese and a handful of chicken nuggets. While I feel this food hasn’t affected my weight, it probably will in the future. So, instead, just a normal quarter pounder with cheese. You know, I can’t just flip a switch here. Along with that, I have made a conscious effort to lower my mountain dew intake and drink more water. All good things.
To wrap it up, do you know what your health age is? I have 7 years to catch up on, and that is 7 more years with Melody, Kasimir, Augustus, Leverett, and the rest of my family that I get to spend more time with!