"Below average"? Not for long!
Written by
weightwatchers.com editors
on
2/8/2012 12:58 PM
Yesterday, at Weight Watchers headquarters we had a health and wellness fair. Every employee had the option of getting all sorts of health screenings done. I got my blood pressure, glucose level, and cholesterol checked. Luckily, my results all came back normal.
Then, moving on to the more physical components, I took a step test (to measure my aerobic fitness) and a handgrip strength test (to measure my body’s general strength).
For three minutes I stepped up and down on an aerobic stepper. Immediately after, a technician checked my heart rate. Not to toot my own horn, but being a semi-regular runner, I wasn’t surprised that my aerobic fitness level result was “excellent.”
However, the strength test, in which I had to squeeze a hand grip as hard as I could,
came back “below average.” What an eye opener.
The more I thought about it, the more it bothered me. Am I really that weak? So I decided that afternoon that I’d start doing more than just running—starting with my arms. I’d do at least 30 push-ups a day for the remainder of February. Who knows? Maybe I'll get up to 50 per day (but let's not get ahead of ourselves). I even hung a little calendar by my desk to keep track. At the very least, that’s 690 more push-ups than I would have done this month. I’m currently on day two.
Before the health fair, I would have never thought my strength was “below average.” This got me thinking about Transformation Nation and how “health” isn’t just about the number on the scale.
This week I’ve been chatting with a few participants of Transformation Nation about what they’ve learned about themselves while following the program and how they’ve been making positive changes in their lives.
One woman, Chris, decided to connect with her doctor—one of the seven steps of the program—after not having a checkup in three years. She found out she had health conditions she never would have imagined. More of her story is coming out later this week on the Dr. Oz Transformation Nation blog, so stay tuned.
What are some health-related eye openers you’ve experienced and how have you worked through them?
-Mary Elizabeth Hurn, associate editor
If you’re feeling inspired, it’s not too late to sign up for Dr. Oz’s Transformation Nation: A Million Dollar You! Click here for more info.
Categories:
Health