And the doctor said …. does weightloss really improve inner health?

The view I got to enjoy from my run this morning - thought I'd share it with you a;;

Back in November I sat in my doctor’s office … Nervous about what he would say.
I’d blurted out that I was motivated and ready to start my weight loss journey.
But, when you make an announcement like that – while people generally greet you with enthusiasm and encouragement, it’s hard not to notice the flicker of doubt in their eyes. They hope you don’t fail, but they believe there is a good chance that you will.

For my doctor sitting across from me – he was really rapt. With a list of health issues from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) to Type 2 Diabetes – both of which I was diagnosed with at the young age of 23 – what doctor wouldn’t want to hear that from their patient? While my cholesterol was never in a danger zone – it could be improved.

But, like many people who embark on trying to lose weight – and while what I am about to say may seem really crazy – the health benefits weren’t necessarily front of mind.

But, regardless, my doctor came up with a great idea. He handed me a piece of paper with a list of blood tests to get done once I had shed some weight. His theory was that we could compare them with the current blood test results I had on file. He hoped the new results would show an improvement in my inner health and act as additional motivation to keep going.

At the time, I didn’t think much if it. I wanted to lose weight for many reasons – my inner health was one of them – but I suppose my priority was to drop a few dress sizes and to improve my outer image and therefore my self-confidence.
So, I popped the slip ordering the blood tests in my bag, and headed off on my journey – which also saw me attend Weight Watchers and to the gym to enlist a personal trainer.

Four months on, many things have changed. I have learnt about how to eat – and realized that despite the fact I have been consuming food for 28 years of my life – I wasn’t doing it very well. I have also learnt about exercise – the great benefits of it and how hard it can be. I have also learnt about injury and how bloody horrible it is and how challenging it can make things.

I think the biggest thing of all that I have learnt is that this is a journey of ups and downs and a battle of the mind. Injury, frustration, fledging motivation and temptation being the lows, and weight loss, great work out sessions, the great support of my friends, family and blogging community being the highs.

A few weeks ago when I had officially lost 12 kilos – I was having a handbag clean out and found the slip my doctor had given me ordering the tests on my inner health. Suddenly – I was very interested in knowing if I had done anything to improve my less than impressive health for a 28-year-old.

As I sat back in front of my doctor – I was suddenly quite nervous. At the end of the day, these test results now felt like a real indicator of success – more than the somewhat vain goal of reducing dress sizes and therefore looking better.

The results? While my cholesterol had not been really bad – it was now at 4.1 – a brilliant result. But, best of all, my blood sugar is now well within normal range. You could go as far as saying that I am no longer a diabetic! Just incredible! I was nothing short of thrilled. We also went through some other tests, all of which had improved on last time.

My doctor, with a big smile on his face – told me that I could live an extra 10 to 15 years thanks to my weight loss and the fabulous improvement in my inner health.

At the end of the day, I love my life and, more than anything, I want to be around to enjoy it for as long as I can. The results spur me on to continue my healthy lifestyle and to never give up!

This week I’m aiming to shake things up. So, I’m hitting the pool! They do say change is as good as holiday!

How much do you think about your inner health? Does it spur you to eat in a healthier way, or do you think more about how you look on the outside? Share your experiences and tell us what keeps you motivated in the comments section below.