THERE comes a point in life when we all face the consequences of our daily choices — especially when it comes to health. Often, we tend to put off prioritizing our well-being, convincing ourselves that there's always time to make changes later. We focus on our careers, families and social lives, and before we know it, our health takes a back seat. But sometimes, it takes a powerful wake-up call to realize that our health is the most important investment we can make. For me, that moment came unexpectedly and changed my perspective forever. Three years ago, I was at 176 pounds, my pants were at size 36, my clothes XL, was smoking and drinking heavily, with no physical activity. Meals were at least one-and-a-half cups of rice, finishing off with large soft drinks, and of course, dessert. But I had always wanted to go back to the gym like when I was still single. But family life, career and social life always had a bite of my time, so going to the gym got pushed over and over, and over. Believe it or not, I started off with size 28 pants — before getting married — and it seems that I have been adding up 2 inches to my waistline every year until I reached the career high of 36. Until that one fateful day. I was doing the rounds as a lay minister giving Holy Communion to homebound persons when I visited a neighbor of ours. They had one of the largest houses in our village with so many cars — but when I saw him, he was just in a wheelchair, paralyzed because of a stroke he had. He could hardly control opening his mouth, and his body was practically unmoving. Then it hit me: here is a very rich and successful person, but wheelchair-bound ... paralyzed for the rest of his life. His money — all of it — cannot take back what he has lost; actually, no money in the world can! So the luxury cars, the big house, all the money did not matter at all. He cannot live his life to the full: enjoying the fruits of his labor, enjoying his family, enjoying his grandchildren...enjoying his life. These hit me hard: no money can ever replace a healthy body and the life fully lived with it. Add to that, I am at risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes due to family genetics. I want to enjoy life, I want to enjoy my kids as they grow up, I want to enjoy my grandchildren, actively, in a body that can move and play with them. And I don't want these while bound in a wheelchair, paralyzed. So I went around our gyms near our home and even near our workplace to check out the best package, and I enrolled. I eased out the bad habits and eased the good ones: I worked out regularly, cut out slowly the high-sugar foods like rice, cakes, pastas and went for lean meats and complex carbohydrates, and did active weekend activities such as hiking, Spartan races and swimming. And after three years, slowly but surely — no crash or fad diets or whatever — I lost 40 pounds (lbs), now at a stable 148 lbs, size small and size 29 pants size, and can now say that I am at the peak of my health — even at age 37. I have been in banking and asset management for more than a decade already, and we have stressed the importance of building and protecting wealth. But our bodies, too, are our primary tool in achieving that and losing it in the process is expensive, if not deadly. Health is indeed wealth — just ask around how much would a heart bypass cost, or the life-long cost of dialysis. That, on top of the loss of the quality of life, a life that is meant to be lived fully. As for me, I want my life to be lived fully and enjoy it to the full, that is why I made the decision to be physically fit. I hope that you, too, can enjoy it and live it to the full. In the end, the journey to better health is not just about losing weight or fitting into smaller clothes — it's about gaining a new lease on life. It's about having the energy, strength and vitality to enjoy the moments that truly matter, from playing with your children to simply feeling good in your own skin. The effort I put into transforming my lifestyle has not only changed my body, but also my mindset, my habits and my outlook on life. I encourage you to take that first step, no matter how small, because the rewards are far greater than you can imagine. After all, your health is your most valuable asset, and it's never too late to start investing in it. Rienzie P. Biolena is a registered financial planner of RFP Philippines. He's also chartered wealth advisor (CWA) and chief financial planner of WealthArki and Consultancy, a financial planning firm. Learn more about personal financial planning at the 108th RFP program in October 2024. To inquire, email info@rfp.ph or text to 0917-968-9774.
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