Nothing but love...

Now I know you are all thinking dang she was MIA for like a month now she's posting every day :-) but I guess I have been slacking on my journaling so this blog acts as a substitute for that. I felt compelled to write about the untimely death of rapper/actor Heavy D. I like many others of my generation loved and admired Heavy D! Our Mr. Big Stuff.

He was big and seemingly proud or at the very least confident in his size and stature. He carried his weight well, had a great career, and could dance like no body's bizznezz. He was so light on his feet you almost forgot his size. He had a good personality. I didn't know him personally but I did friend him on facebook and one of the last things I remember was him commenting that he could find everything in Walmart maybe he could find his wife there! I did offer to stop in since it was my favorite place to go too lol

Yesterday facebook went all a flurry with the news of his death and although I didn't join in I was deeply sadden to hear about his passing.

Heavy D was only 44 years old.

That's crazy.

That's when one hits their prime! I often say I can't wait to be 40 and that's not just something to say! I expect to be at a certain place in my life and I know now that I am taking that for granted. 

I heard Ricky Smiley say (something to the effect) this morning that he wants to get into a fitness routine but it seems like people end up dying and it frightens him. Now he aint lying. Big Pun and Luther Vandross are two examples that come to mind. It did seem like as soon as they got the weight loss under control they passed away.



Before and after

 Heavy D did lose a lot of weight too. So I understand Ricky's fear but I was troubled by Smiley saying that on a national radio station that has a wide audience of African American listeners. A majority of us who need to lose weight and/or get an exercise program in our lives! Of course I'mma write him a letter! Because the fact of the matter is all three of these men spent a good portion of their lives morbidly obese.

That makes a difference.

Being overweight, especially that over weight shortens your life expectancy, and even if you lose weight the damage has been done by abusing your body for years. Now that's not to say you should stay overweight and not eat right. I am saying the opposite START NOW do what ever you have to do to get your health under control.  

According to TMZ (who now has more reporting street cred than CNN) Heavy D was 6'4' and 344 pounds and he lost over 100 pound some years ago and people in the hospital say it was a heart attack that took his life. That's tragic. 

I am going to get off my soapbox but needless to say as someone who spent a number of my "good" years overweight it struck a cord with me for more reasons than just losing a great artist. Our health really is our wealth.

Invest in yourselves people and encourage those you love to invest in themselves as well. Tomorrow is Day # 2 of bootcamp and while I can't say I am going in with a big smile I am grateful for this journey to wellness as I often call it. I am grateful that I get another day to get it right and stay on the path to a longer, healthier, and happier life.

Heavy's last tweet on twitter sums up this post for me. "Be Inspired"