December 11, 2007

The idea for a "health challenge" all started out as a lead in to promote the 1st Annual Men's Health event scheduled for February 28, 2008 in Fergus Falls. My original thoughts were to establish some personal health goals to be worked on over several months with the hopes of sharing positive results as part of Men's Health Night. While a worthwhile idea, it was suggested I consider going public with this plan for two reasons. First, you are likely to work harder at meeting your goal when you know others are watching. And second, it is harder to quit when you know others are watching. It was also suggested that, instead of going at this alone, I recruit others of various age groups. This is where Buzz, Rick & Joel come into play. All have graciously agreed (well, there might have been a little arm twisting) to participate and, over the next several months, will work towards achieving our own goals toward a healthier lifestyle.

Here's what to expect:

We will first meet with a doctor to establish some baseline health information. The doctor will ask questions to determine what tests he/she might order. I am guessing that some parts of the examination are standardized (i.e. weight, blood pressure, lab work, etc.) but the rest of the exam will be based on our answers. Is there any family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer? How much do you exercise? How often do you drink alcoholic beverages? Do you smoke? All are questions that might lead the doctor down the path to additional testing.

I'm 43 years old and, even though my insurance pays 100% towards preventative checks, I rarely go in to see a doctor. I don't recall the last time I had a physical though I'm thinking that it has been at least five years. How frequently I need to schedule future exams is one of the questions I'll have for my doctor.

Once we get our test results back it's time to talk about issues and areas to work on. Personally, I already know I have high cholesterol and that I could probably stand to lose a few pounds. Exercise and healthy eating are two ways to help improve these issues. I've previously been a member of 4 health clubs and have found little success in continuing to show up after the first couple months. Dieting has also not been my strong point as I like food, especially large portions and even second helpings of my favorite dishes. We'll have to see what I come up with.

The whole idea about this competition is that we're not in it alone. I plan to be there for the others, whether in the form of dishing out grief or words of encouragement. The person who most closely meets their goals will be crowned "The Biggest Loser" which, like in the game show, is a good thing. Fortunately, we'll all be winners just for participating.