Is it ever too late?

[bigjetplane23]

I know this is a dumb question…
But do you guys think it’s ever too late to change your health lifestyle around?
I have never, ever had a healthy diet. If I’m being honest, fast food is the meal every other day.
I have no motivation to cook for myself and just find it easier to go buy out.
I drink a lot of soda, might be addicted to it as well.
I don’t drink a lot of water. Don’t exercise.
I have anxiety and mild depression.
Haven’t been on meds for thyroid control for years due to being afraid of going to the doctor, so I haven’t gotten a refill.
Haven’t been to the doc for a physical for a long time or gotten the recommended screenings that I used to be on schedule for.
This all wires down to health anxiety, and I know most of you know and understand me.
Do I want this to change? Of course, who doesn’t. But don’t know when I’ll build the courage to make a doc appointment.
But I wonder if all the damage I have done to my health or diet could be reversed or is it too late?

 

[Jonathan123]

I know this is a dumb question…
But do you guys think it’s ever too late to change your health lifestyle around?
I have never, ever had a healthy diet. If I’m being honest, fast food is the meal every other day.
I have no motivation to cook for myself and just find it easier to go buy out.
I drink a lot of soda, might be addicted to it as well.
I don’t drink a lot of water. Don’t exercise.
I have anxiety and mild depression.
Haven’t been on meds for thyroid control for years due to being afraid of going to the doctor, so I haven’t gotten a refill.
Haven’t been to the doc for a physical for a long time or gotten the recommended screenings that I used to be on schedule for.
This all wires down to health anxiety, and I know most of you know and understand me.
Do I want this to change? Of course, who doesn’t. But don’t know when I’ll build the courage to make a doc appointment.
But I wonder if all the damage I have done to my health or diet could be reversed or is it too late?

Absolutely not! It is never ever too late to change no matter what age you are. I have seen people with life long anxiety come out of it given the will and perseverance in acceptance. If we say 'that's it, I can't ever get better' then that thought will stick in the mind and make recovery more difficult than it need be. It is a common problem in anxiety to put ourselves down. Our self worth takes a knock, and if we are not careful we can regard anxiety as a weakness. It is NOT a weakness by any means. It takes courage to begin the process of recovery. Courage is not something everyone has but you.. We all have the same amount, but putting it into practise is what it's about.
It does sound as if you need change your lifestyle because, by the sound of it, you are not doing yourself any good. Never despair. Hope is always there and can be tapped into at any time. But the will has to be there. Apathy can set in and that just drags us down all the more. You don't have to 'build courage', but it does require determination. When I said to myself many years ago that I had had enough and was going to get better no matter what I began the process of recovery. Anxiety taught me so much about myself. It may be doing the same for you if you listen to it.

 

[MATD]

Agree with Jonathan. We need adversity in order to learn courage and courage is built by doing in spite of how we feel. In another post I used learning to drive as an analogy. If we don’t put ourselves behind the wheel, we never learn how to drive. It’s that simple.

 

[SB2017]

It’s never too late. I’ve been an unhealthy eater most my life, and my weight always fluctuates. I would gain a ton, then eventually get fed up and lose it. After I had my daughter, I never went back to my pre baby weight. Recently I decided I was fed up again, and have changed the way I eat. I’m down 10 pounds so far and I’m so excited to keep going. But of course all my appointments are in the way and I’m thinking this is all for nothing and I’m just going to get a horrible diagnosis anyway. It’s always something!

 

[bin_tenn]

I agree with everyone else, it's never too late. I stopped smoking cigarettes a couple months before I turned 35 (2022). Shortly after that I began being regularly active, and around that time I also made significant dietary changes. I do share some of your concern occasionally, wondering if I waited too long. But then I remind myself that if I hadn't made those changes, I'd probably feel so much worse than I do these days, and I'm glad I don't.

 

[JustMe]

I know this is a dumb question…
But do you guys think it’s ever too late to change your health lifestyle around?
I have never, ever had a healthy diet. If I’m being honest, fast food is the meal every other day.
I have no motivation to cook for myself and just find it easier to go buy out.
I drink a lot of soda, might be addicted to it as well.
I don’t drink a lot of water. Don’t exercise.
I have anxiety and mild depression.
Haven’t been on meds for thyroid control for years due to being afraid of going to the doctor, so I haven’t gotten a refill.
Haven’t been to the doc for a physical for a long time or gotten the recommended screenings that I used to be on schedule for.
This all wires down to health anxiety, and I know most of you know and understand me.
Do I want this to change? Of course, who doesn’t. But don’t know when I’ll build the courage to make a doc appointment.
But I wonder if all the damage I have done to my health or diet could be reversed or is it too late?

It's never too late!!! I've watched so a few documentaries of people changing their diets and lifestyles at an older age and reversing so many chronic conditions it was amazing.

 

[Ms.Honey]

I agree, it’s never too late!

 

[Sweet T]

What can it hurt to be healthier? There are many examples of older people on YouTube etc that are very inspiring. Best of luck!

 

[kammie72]

It’s never too late to change. You’ll be surprised how much better you’ll feel. When I’m in a carb and sugar hole combined with social drinking I hate myself but I keep indulging because I feel stuck. But once you start trying you quickly feel better and focus on longevity. It’s worth a try!

 

[PieFan]

Re. your thyroid med concern @bigjetplane23 some years ago I was told that I would need thyroid meds 'for life', I think it was something they said then and don't now. Anyway, I stopped taking them after a year because they made my hair thin and fall out as a side effect. I've had blood work and many dr appointments since and never once has low thyroid function shown up as a concern! So if you're having no symptoms maybe you don't need them after all.

Good luck with your lifestyle changes, have fun with it! And don't worry about missed screenings- the screenings themself are not without risk factors, so you avoided the radiation, stress or whatever too.