Today I was given a new reason to get in shape.

[morethanjustamom]

I got called to the ER today. My mom, who's 50, was in for high blood pressure and chest pains. After many stressful hours of tests, monitors, IVs and medicines, she was sent home. Testing will resume tomorrow.

Before I left to go pick up my children from school, my mother said to me, "I'm not ready to go yet. I have seven grandchildren to watch grow up."

That's right, Mom. I have five children and two nieces/nephews to watch grow up. They deserve my best...someone with energy, strength and positivity. I won't be in a hospital bed at 50 hooked up to monitors and wires due to high blood pressure and cholesterol. I will be strong, I will be healthy...I will be fit.

[Y-Not]

This is something I always think about as I look at my obese mother with more health problems than anyone else I know. I don't want that life. I want to see my future children grow up. I hope your mom gets better and maybe starts making more healthy choices in the future.

[Book]

Yup... my father suffered a heart attack at 55. I'm 42.

Now... he lived 'hard'. But still. My mother now has high blood pressure. Diabetes runs in my family. It's way beyond time for me.

[AKLulu]

Definitely a reason to live! I've had this same thought while watching my aunties hobbling around on their bad knees and hips all these years... and sweating while they eat. I promised myself I'd never be like that and now I'm finally working to change. My family also has a history of cancers, heart attacks, heart disease, diabetes and probably much much more. If nothing else, I want to be able to play with my nieces and nephews as they get older and I want to live to be the crazy old lady dancing and flirting with everyone on the cruise ship!

[Morrigainz]

Yes! What a powerful reason. I hope your mom recovers soon and recognizes her wake up call! Thoughts are with you.

[Arashi]

I hope things get better with your mom, and I hope she takes better care of herself from now on. Mine is about that age, too, and I'm worried about her because she's always complaining about one pain or another, is always tired, and is an emotional eater. She's super overweight, but is convinced that people just don't lose the amount of fat she has without plastic surgery - even after I showed her several people who lost much more weight that she'd need to.

[mandy75]

My unhealthy parents and brother and also my reasons for getting healthy. My mom had a stroke at 55 and lives in a nursing home, my dad at 62 just had to have a valve replacement surgery a few weeks ago, my brother at 39 has been a Type 2 Diabetic for the last 10 yrs or so. Dad and brother both had high cholesterol, all 3 of them take insulin, mom and brother over weight, although my brother has lost a lot recently. I just don't want to be like any of them.

[Thrillho]

I often wonder if my 'indestructible' family has given me a false sense of security. My grandpa died at 88, which is quite young for my family. Most everyone else lived well into their 90's. My grandma at the age of 90 would go walk over TO the Pizza Hut and pick up her pizza, and bring it back, rather than get delivery.

Of course, they all eventually succumb to stroke and heart failure, but we're an extremely long-lived family, for some reason. For years, I think that just made me think "So do what you want."

[saretta]

Your mom is 50? And has these problems? I am so sorry to hear that. I hope that she makes a quick recovery!

Her age and health issues shock me because I am 50 and sometimes get all depressed because I have asthma, or because I can't run outside like I used to because of my allergies. Or because I haven't got my first chinup yet. Or I can't do more than 10 pushups... Hearing about your mom kind of puts things in perspective for me.

My thoughts are with you both!

[leighanne1941]

I'm sorry about your mom. i hope that it becomes a good reason for her to change some habits as well and she sees her grandkids have babies

[DaveSix]

I think a lot of us are on the road less traveled (health & fitness) because we've seen the devastating effects of unhealthy eating and lack of exercise.

All we can do is lead by example and try to motivate those around us to get healthier.

[LRB]

I hope your mom is doing better - and am glad you're taking it as a wake-up call not to be like that when you get to 50.