Have I been fighting my heredity?

As I take a look back in my life and then look at my parents and grandparents, I start to realize that I alone am the reason for why I reached 210 pounds. I used to be skinny, probably a bit too skinny. When I joined the Navy, I was around 160 pounds (72.57 kg). I was active in high school, playing baseball and wrestling (just to get in shape for baseball, because I sucked at wrestling) and I was active out in the neighborhood all the time. My high school’s cross country coach (our gym coach) wanted me to join the team after I did a few laps around the track for a Presidential Fitness test. I declined that offer because I couldn’t see the point of getting up early in the morning in the summer to go for a run. Who knows, that may have been a poor decision. Thinking about that now, it may have got me into a running routine that I might have enjoyed and stuck with. Regardless, I used to not have weight issues.

I look at my father, mother, grandparents and great-grandparents and see a lot of healthy people in my family that have lived a long time. My great-grandmother passed away just a few years ago at the age of 101. She was still mentally sharp and up until the last few years, was still getting around pretty well. My maternal grandfather, who I just met for the first time 3 or 4 years ago and who I now see a few times a year, is in fantastic shape and has more energy than I ever did. For a guy in his 80’s, he’s amazing. He golfs a few times a week when the Ohio weather allows. He travels the world with his wife and enjoys life to the fullest. He likes to pat my belly when he sees me and make some smart comment about how I’m letting myself go, and he was right. My maternal grandmother is in great shape too. She still takes walks, stays active and still seems the same to me now as she was when I was just a kid.

On my father’s side, my grandmother is still going strong into her 80’s as well. She’s had some problems with her eye sight (macular degeneration), but she’s still an active, healthy woman that has no off switch. One of the biggest lessons she has tried to teach me since I was a little kid is the idea of cause and effect. I’d listen to her and then promptly forget about it. Now, I can see exactly what she means. My crappy diet and lack of exercise has caused me to get fat which has had an effect in many areas of my life. And I’m the one who started the cycle.

My mom and dad are both in great shape. My father is a cop so he kinda has to be, but still, he could probably run circles around me up until this month. I still wouldn’t try taking him in a fight (fair or not, he’d still win). In fact, a few years ago for Halloween, I decided to wear a uniform of his and go as a cop. HUGE eye opener. I barely fit into my father’s uniform. It was very snug and it’s a good thing I only had to wear it for a few hours. That should have been enough to motivate me, but it didn’t. My mother is also very fit. She’s a massage therapist and into a lot of the holistic health stuff and still as skinny now as she was when I was a kid. I had her metabolism before I messed it all up by venturing out into this great big world all on my own.

It wasn’t until I did get out on my own that I started eating like crap and drinking soda and diet soda instead of water. When I was stationed in California, it was normal for me to go a few weeks on just pizza and beer (usually lots of beer) or soda. I was amazed when I was able to scarf down 2 fish filets, a 6-piece nugget and large fries from McDonalds when I lived up in Alaska. Heck, I was even impressed with the amount of food I was able to eat in one sitting, how wrong was that? Veggies, what the hell were those other than a nice garnish. Sure, when I was in the Navy I had to pass a physical fitness test each year. But honestly, those weren’t that hard and I blew off our mandatory PT each week or just goofed off during it.

I was still skinny, but I could see the weight starting to increase slowly. I remember seeing pictures of me at different times and thinking to myself “man, you have to lose that gut”, but not doing anything about it. I may have started a weight program that lasted a few weeks, or I’d run a bit, but nothing lasted except my belly.

So, as I look back at how I used to be and what I’ve done in my life as far as health, I’m not surprised I reached the point I had before making this decision to get healthy. But, I can look to my family and see that there is hope. My parents and grandparents are great examples of what I am supposed to be and what I can be when I make the right decisions. It’s a lesson that has taken me 20 years to learn but one I’m not going to forget.