Follow up

You may recall that about a month ago I had a physical, my 1st in about 4-5 years.  The results were not what I was expecting.

So after a month of modifying my diet somewhat and increasing my exercise a bit, I went for a follow up visit and to talk with my doctor more about what I need/should do going forward.

The good news is that my blood pressure was lower than last time, although still higher than it should be.  He said that if I continued watching my diet and exercising, it may be in the normal range in 6 months, so I will go for another follow up visit then.

We also reviewed my blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight again.  He said my blood sugar level was 'borderline', and that if I continued to watch my diet, it would likely stay in that safe range.  My cholesterol number was also just slightly above normal, so he will check that again in 6 months when I return.  Again, better dietary choices will likely keep that in check.  

Then there's my weight.  While not "obese" in most people's eyes, according to that ridiculous chart I am technically 30 lbs overweight.  I told the doctor I have not been that target weight in 20 years!  He suggested that make a real effort to incorporate cardio exercise into my life routine.  Walking or running 3 times a week is my goal.  So far I am lucky to get 1 brisk walk in each week, but now that the weather is more pleasant I should be able to increase that.

So the good news is that my levels have improved since my last visit, and should improve even more if I don't get lazy.  The bad news is that every time I think about exercise it is followed by the thought of walking to Dairy Queen.