My Healthy Motivation - Thanks Grandpa

I've always had goals about being healthy. And sometimes I've even worked toward achieving those goals. But, mostly I just make up excuses for why I shouldn't be exercising or being healthier (come on, some of them are pretty good.)

However, I was talking to my dad this weekend, and discovered a surprising bit of news. I found out that my grandfather died of a massive heart attack at the tender age of 34, leaving behind a wife and three small children. Now, I'm nearly 31, so finding out that he was so young (or really that I'm so close in age to him now) was very unnerving.

The doctor told me a few years ago that due to my high cholesterol I needed to lose weight, and probably start a cholesterol medication until it stabilized. She thought that losing weight would most likely fix the problem, but if I couldn't do it soon (a few years ago soon), I would need to start the medication. Well, I'll be honest with you. I never started the medication. And I did lose a few pounds, but I put them on again with interest when my job got stressful again, and I started losing sleep. I'm the kind of person that I like to think that I ought to be able to do this on my own, if it's possible to fix my cholesterol by myself, well that's how I want to do it. So, I've put off going back to the doctor until I can lose the weight I was supposed to, just to see if I could do it.

However, with this new revelation about my grandfather, I think it's time to stop putting it off. So, I've given myself 3 months (the remaining 3 months until my birthday) to work on getting to a healthy weight (because let's be serious, health nut or couch potato, I'm still not anywhere close). And no matter where I'm at then, I will go into the doctor, and do whatever I have to do to increase my chances of surviving past 34. Thanks for the motivation, Grandpa.