Biometric Test

 My Princess, My Buddy, and me at a pumpkin patch in North Carolina Oct 2009

Oswald's job provides us some awesome health insurance, and because we are healthy people, we get a discounted rate. Recently, we got these forms in the mail telling us that in order to keep our discounted rate, we needed to have a biometric test done and to fill out a questionnaire on-line.

Upon completing the on-line questionnaire, my score was a 79. It asked questions ranging from how often do you exercise to are you a smoker. A point value must have been correlated with each different answer in order to give me a specific score. It never said if 79 was good or bad, but I obviously have room for improvement.

Then we woke up early one morning, didn't eat breakfast, and had our Biometric Test done. What is a biometric test, you ask?

According to www.kershwellness.com it is "The standard procedure collects height/weight, blood pressure and blood chemistry from individuals... The blood chemistry includes: Total Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, VLDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides and Glucose."

Basically, it's a snapshot of my overall health. After waiting for almost an entire hour to be seen at this Urgent Care facility is company had approved, I was called back.

I stood on the scale, and I am happy to report that since my 6 week postpartum Dr visit, I have lost 17 pounds! I have grown 1 whole inch since I was in High School. Maybe instead of shrinking as I get older, I'll be the rare case of someone getting taller!! My BMI is not exactly where it should be, but because I am a nursing mom I carry more fat on my body anyway. However, my bad cholesterol is High. My good cholesterol is Low. My sugar and all of the other things they checked were good.

Now my focus is on my Bad/Good cholesterol numbers. I am checking out the steps I can make to eat the right food to help this problem here. And I am also following this blog that gives good exercise advice, and has super yummy recipes!

About a year after Oswald and I got married, I had a health scare. I ended up having a full panel of blood work done, and found out that my cholesterol was high. I don't exactly know how high, but I will never forget what the doctor said to me.

He looked at me and scared the pants off me, "If you don't lose 20lbs, in 20 years you'll have a heart attack and die!"

That's all it took at that time to scare me to change my eating habits. With this biometric test, I have been shocked back into reality. Heart attacks are the #1 killer among women in the United States. I don't want to be one of those women. I have 3 beautiful kids and want to have more. I need to be healthy to be here for them and for Oswald because let's face it, what would he do without me?

I need to hold myself accountable for my health. I need to be my biggest supporter, and I'm trying!