My whole life I have been overweight. I am currently 27 years old and for most of my adult life I have been trying to eat better and become more active. The amount of illnesses that run in my family surprised me as I filled out a questionnaire during my last visit to the doctor. My family history is characterized by alcoholism, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol and depression. Most of these conditions are preventable with the help of a healthy diet and exercise. I am grateful to have access to healthcare. About 2 years ago I started going to a chiropractor and he introduced me to a whole new approach to getting healthy. Every week I adjusted my spine and he taught me new exercises to keep my back strong. When I started taking care of my back, I started feeling better overall. I started making better food choices and started walking more. In addition to back problems, I have other problems related to being overweight. Being overweight has made me less active in my daily life. Because of my weight I have back problems and I can't stay as active as I would like. My weight also inhibits my ability to walk as far and fast as I would like. I think the biggest thing my weight inflicted was the depression I developed. Being overweight, my confidence isn't as strong as I would like. This makes me feel demotivated. These are all things that may affect me as I get older. As people age, primary aging-related changes occur. These changes are called “primary changes” and include: wrinkles, gray hair and presbyopia (Abushakrah). Most people will go through these changes. In addition to these changes, there are “secondary changes” that include: cancer and...... middle of paper ......ble compared to traditional cardio workouts such as running on a gym machine. There is great music and instructors. It makes me want to go every time. Finally, making time to take extra walks has worked for me too. When I have time between classes, I put on headphones and listen to an audiobook or music. It passes the time and helps me do some extra exercise. All these things I'm doing in my life are realistic. Sometimes I wish I had started sooner, but I wasn't ready to commit to my health. In addition to taking this course, I learned a lot about my personal health. The act of writing this essay has helped me see the work I have done to change my life. Additionally, taking this course helped me understand that we need to take care of ourselves physically and mentally as we age to live a happier life.