What is healthy?

During high school, I was extremely active, played every sport, ate somewhat healthy, but could get away with unhealthy stuff pretty easily.  My weight and blood pressure were fine.  It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with iron deficient anemia that I truly realized there was more to health than weight.  My hemoglobin, hematocrit, and ferritin levels were extremely low and I was constantly fatigued.  Playing an entire sporting match, which used to be easy, was now difficult.  I was always the fastest on the team, (and I still was J), but it took me forever to recover from running up and down the basketball court.  When the problem was finally diagnosed it was to the point that I got iron infusions in order to keep being as active as I was.  I only had two of them.  At college I tried to be healthy, but also didn’t care as much as I should have.  I put on the freshman college 15.  Thankfully I was always confident in myself regardless.

Fast forward to when my cousin got me into running.  I had done a few 5Ks and some smaller distances, but had the goal to complete a half marathon.  Mentioning that to Nicole gets you a training plan, complete with smiley face stickers for doing your workouts for Christmas.  I figured I would do one, say I did it and that would be it.  – Spoiler alert: WRONG.

I did my first half marathon in April of 2010, and did two more later that year.  In early 2011, I signed up for my first marathon.  Up until then, I was eating frozen meals for lunch and having a Coke every morning at work.  During the time I was training for the marathon, I started learning more about eating better and experimenting with cooking.  I also started getting more into working out and the gym

The proof is in the pudding…working out and eating healthy works.  I just got my numbers for this year today.  And everything looks good.

	Normal Range	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
Weight	140-145	143	145	142	140	158
Ferritin	10-220	18	43	19	16	30
Hemoglobin	11.5-15.5	12.9	13.7	12.2	12.1	12.7
Hematocrit	34.0-45.0	38.5	42.6	36.6	37.5	40.2
Cholesterol	<200	168	184	161	157	203
Hgb A1C (Sugar/diabetes)	4.0-5.6	5.1	5.4	5.5	6	n/a

My healthy weight range is what is healthy to me.  It is where I feel the best physically and emotionally.  I feel strong in my running and lifting between 140-145 and I am happy with how I look/clothes fit.  And most importantly, it is maintainable.  I got below 140 for a stretch and there was no way I could keep that up and be happy.  If I get below 140, gotta start watching it.  If I get above 145, time to lay off the snacking.

I think I earned some sherbet tonight.