It's 90, not 30 ...

days that make a habit.

 

Yes, back to working out on my Gazelle again. Still working on the lifestyle change in eating habits too. This time the whole family is following though. My husband has sleep apnea due to his weight gain. The doctor urged gastric bypass surgery.

 

I wish he'd talked about diet and exercise first. To me bypass surgery is the end-all-be-all-can't-do-it-any-other-way solution, not an easy answer. But the doctor was an overweight guy too, so I guess he realized the difficulties of living healthy. Especially when no one can agree about what makes a good diet. But he doesn't know my husband very well.

 

Actually, he only just met him and spent the fifteen minutes with him during the appointment. So how could he know how strong my husband can be? He quit smoking cold turkey before the birth of his second son. It's been two years living a cigarette-free life. Living long enough to see your children grow up is strong motivation.

 

Surgery is risky and it's not a quick fix. I've have loved ones I'm very close to  who've had it and know it's a life long battle, even after surgery. I'd rather we knocked out this health-stealing demon now. I'd rather we tried everything within healthy reasons first. 

 

I quit smoking in February 2000. It was much easier to quit smoking than eat right. Really it was. It took me six years and my dad's second heart-attack (he's had four and still ticking) and my great-grandmother to die of cancer to finally, really, forever quit. I can't just quit eating. Would be so much easier if I could. I can quit tater tots, doughnuts (did that three years ago), French fries and white bread. It's a start.

 

It's going to take my whole family to make this happen though: The food we bring into the house; the eating habits we create with our kids; our dinnertime routines; the things we make for special holiday celebrations. We need to create a more active lifestyle too. More than parking our butts in front of the TV or computer with the boys. It's more than just that though - it's a mind and spirit thing too.

 

I don't have any answers, just the will to try and to keep trying. I've got more than that though, I've got my husband and his will to try too. Together, like with everything we've accomplished and succeeded at, we can figure this out and beat the odds. Together we'll create healthy habits as a family. Here's to the next 90 days!