My Father went from Pre-Diabetic to Healthy and Fit

At age 82, he shares his tips for living well

Wishing all dads a happy Father's Day! And a special wish to my wonderful dad, who still lives in Vienna, where I grew up.

My dad instilled in me so many great values during my childhood. These values still serve me well today. The top three values that come to mind are: (1) be inquisitive and always keep learning, (2) put your best efforts into things you commit to, and (3) live with the highest ethics.

I'm very fortunate that my dad, at age 82, is healthy and as sharp as a knife. He trades his stock portfolio, stays on top of the economy and politics, travels frequently with his longtime girlfriend, hikes in the mountains, and walks at least 12,500 steps daily. He uses an app to keep track of how much he walks, which comes to about 1,900 miles per year. That is the equivalent of walking from Boston to Santa Fe! He walked the Camino de Santiago route (also known as the Way of St. James) from Vienna to Santiago de Compostela, Spain three times in his 70s.

My dad wasn't always that fit and healthy. During his working years, he was focused on his career, often to the detriment of self-care. His career lifestyle included working 6-7 days a week, having to make stressful decisions daily, extensive traveling (within Europe and trans-continental), eating too many restaurant meals with clients, and not getting any exercise. In his late 50s, he was at the peak of his business and academic career, yet found himself overweight, with high cholesterol, and his doctor warned him that he was pre-diabetic. Something needed to change!

At age 60 and looking back at 46 years of work-life (he started working at age 14!), he retired and decided to focus on improving his health. He was lucky that it wasn't too late for him! He switched to healthier meals, cut down his portion sizes, eliminated sweets, started walking every day, and took daily time for self-care. Within a year, he lost 45 pounds, his cholesterol was no longer elevated, and his doctor gave him the green light that he was no longer pre-diabetic. My dad was a changed man!

My dad has kept up, and even further intensified, this healthy lifestyle over the past two decades. And it shows! At age 82, he has an energy level of a 60-year old and he looks much younger than his age would suggest. People who knew him during his career days and who run into him now are amazed at the transformation. And so am I!

His transformation from pre-diabetic to healthy and fit is quite similar to mine. The difference is that I had my wake-up call in my late 30s rather than at 60. I hope that I will continue my healthy lifestyle well into my 80s, so I can be as fit and healthy as my dad is today! He's truly an inspiration to me!

Maybe he can also be an inspiration for you? Your body can only take so much stress before it manifests as illness. Don't let that happen to you. You can be in control of much of your own health!

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My dad's 5 tips for living well:

Tip #1: Know that everything has its time in life (from the Book of Kohelet of the Old Testament)

Tip #2: Think positively and be a lifelong learner

Tip #3: Strike the right balance between too much and too little

Tip #4: Have a good and fair relationship with your partner and the social environment

Tip #5: Live a reasonably healthy lifestyle (in/outdoor activity, quality food, alcohol, no smoking)

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Here is to all the fabulous dads out there! If you're lucky enough to still have your dad around, be sure to give him a big hug!

Best,

Christine

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