Changing Our Destiny

I'm in Indiana today, attending the second funeral in two days.  Two different extended family members passed away late last week, so I drove my parents to Indiana yesterday for the first funeral, then went directly to the visitation for the second family member.  His funeral is this morning and after the service and luncheon we'll head back to Michigan.

It's always good being with family members, even under such difficult conditions.  Many of my extended family members are overweight or obese - it's hard to find anyone related to me who isn't overweight.  A couple of my relatives have had weight loss surgery and are now at a healthy weight, but I'm about the only member of my family at a healthy weight without having had surgery.  It's a pretty sobering thing. 

Being around my family, I am painfully aware of my genetic disposition and of how easily I could still be in the same place so many of them are.  I see relatives younger than I who are out of breath just walking around.  As I've shared before, most of my relatives are diabetic or pre-diabetic.  My mom is now the oldest of her surviving cousins and she is the healthiest, even though she's almost 80-1/2.  Two years ago my mom was in the same place as many of our relatives - overweight, diabetic and in declining health.  Today she is a different woman after going on Take Shape for Life/Medifast and losing 40 pounds.  She now rarely takes any insulin injections and she is much more mobile than she was.  Many family members remarked at how good she looked - she looks (and is) healthy!

I talked with a couple of family members today about this program and I continue to hope that I can help to change what many of my family believes is a predetermined health future.  It's scary to see how many are resigned to being sick.  Some of them are still in their 40's and just think that being overweight and diabetic is their fate - part of the "family curse."  I'm on a mission to change this thinking - wish me luck!

We have the power to change the future of our health - we just have to make the choice to do so.  We don't have to make a lot of big choices all at once, we just need to start with the simple choice to stay on plan today. 

What kind of choices will you make today?