Shout Out to My Fam!

Okay, this is a shout out to my siblings and my cousins!

Over the past couple of years I have worried about the heart disease and the diabetes (type 2) in my family and how that might affect me as I get older. It has recently hit me that I am getting older now! I know I'm not "old" but I am getting older. It is a fact that at age 53 my mother had a doube bi-pass surgery to save her life. I'm 37 now; 53 is right around the corner. Another fact is that I've gained 40 pounds over the last 10-years. Problem! When I look in the mirror I'm not so unhappy with what I see, not unhappy enough to get up off my butt and exercise and not unhappy enough to pass on the Cheetos anyway. Another fact, I have a child that is going to inherit my medical history and she already has type 1 diabetes-she's starting out with one strike against her already.

It is my job as a parent to be a good role model and to teach my daughter how to live a healthy life. I never want my daughter to be obsessed with her weight or her appearance, she is perfect the way she is and besides that little diabetes thing she is perfectly healthy. I want to teach her to embrace herself and to love herself completely. What I have realized is that embracing and loving myself does not mean being content with being unhealthy.

My mother has seven siblings and I do believe that each of them have already received some kind of medical treatment for heart disease or diabetes, our generation is already seeing it too. I know at least one cousin has had a scare with her heart and my brother has medical issues as well. I may not have been raised with my cousins or even all of my siblings, that doesn't mean I love you all any less and I want all of us to realize WE have to teach our kids how to be healthy. We have knowledge our parents didn't have and now is the time for us to take control of our lives.

I don't know about you all, but I plan on being around for my grandkids, and being able to ENJOY them.

That being said, I have been working really hard on eating better and exercising more and I have seen results. I'm not on a "diet", simply watching what I eat and walking or doing my workout video several times a week and I feel so much better. I hope you all will think about yourselves and your family and decide to make your health a priority.

Love you all.

Rose