COURSE CORRECT

Module 4.1 - Body

"...I finally realize that denial is no longer an option. The Universe has been trying to get me to take the blinders off and focus on my health, my life." – Debbie Ford, Courage

Midlife is an interesting, and sometimes daunting, passage. Gone are the days of mindlessly running yourself ragged without consequence. You suddenly realize you need the health, energy, confidence, and vitality to be your best now and into the years you hope to be here. It's no longer what you can withdrawal without breaking the bank, but what you deposit so that you have what you need later.

Let's face it, health and body issues plague so many of us. The desire to look and feel better physically is usually at the top of the fix-it list. It was a huge motivator for me in designing my "Course Correct" for myself.

Primarily, this is because I've found that the quality of my health directly impacts every other area of my life. When I take good care of my physical self, I have more motivation in every other area. I'm more driven to tackle personal and professional goals. I have the energy to give quality time and attention to my family and friends. Joy increases as I say 'yes' to life much more than I do when I'm not taking good care of myself.

Every single element of your life flows from this vehicle that moves you through it—your body.

My Story

I am no stranger to health and weight issues. My struggle with weight fluctuations started in my mid-twenties, right after I moved from the very body-centric and image-centric land of Los Angeles back to my home state of Nevada.

It was the promise (or bribe, if I'm being honest) of finally fulfilling my dream of becoming a pilot coupled with a recent job loss that instigated the move. My mother offered to relocate me to northern Nevada and help me get my pilot's license. At the time, we discussed the possibility of my becoming a flight instructor as a new career.

After the move, my weight steadily crept up and up over the years. I was a heavy bride and by the time I gave birth to my first child, I'd topped at 211 lbs—significantly overweight for my height of 5'6". I spent many years losing and gaining weight and being miserably unhappy with myself.

As happens with many big life changes, I got a wakeup call in December of 2007. I'd attended a good friend's 40th birthday bash at the Four Seasons in Westlake Village, CA. Idling in my room, I noticed the hotel had an infomercial on the television about their on-site health facility, The California Health & Longevity Institute.

Desperate to do something that would light the fire in me to change, I spent a large sum of money (okay, I drained my savings account) for two days of head to toe, comprehensive testing and screenings. Seriously, I had a full battery of blood tests, a "bod-pod" body composition screening, mammogram, dental check, skin check...you name it.

Y'all, my results weren't good.

At 37 years of age, I had metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes), high cholesterol and high triglycerides, weighed 184 pounds with my body fat accounting for 34% of my weight. In short, I was a mess on the inside and the outside.

So often, we have our random health screenings doled out over the course of a year (and that's if we're diligent about our annuals.) It's positively eye-opening, if not alarming, to have a top to bottom assessment showing the big picture of your health in one weekend. The doctor who counseled me for over two hours, going over every aspect of my results was blunt, "Change course now or you will surely have a future of heart disease and other health issues. That's the road you are currently on. But it's not too late to change it."