The wake-up call

Voluptuous, thick, curvy, fluffy, healthy: These are all words often used to describe a so-called big-boned girl like me. Over the years, I've worn those badges comfortably, sometimes even proudly. But once in a while, I take issue with "healthy" in this context. To me, healthy means just that--physically fit and toned and trim, just being in good shape. I've spent quite a bit of time over the years chasing what I thought was "real health," mostly by working out and caring right. But I would get lazy, bored or injured and fall off the healthy wagon. Then I got a wake-up call that changed my life, and it all happened on live television.

I now work on the new NBC show In The Loop with i Village. We cover topics from fashion and style to celebrities, parenting and health. When Dr. Martha Gulati, a cardiologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, was a guest, I sat there with the audience looking on and the cameras rolling, and I literally left my body. As the doctor discussed the symptoms of heart disease in women---obesity, high cholesterol, fatigue, stress, chest tightness and palpitations--I felt my heart sink. Dr. Gulati said that many women ignore the symptoms and that you could be at risk even if you arc so-called "healthy." Then came the staggering fact that one in three women will die from heart disease, more than the number of women who die of cancer. By the way, African-American women arc even more at risk. There were three of us sitting there: my co-host Ereka Vetrini, who is slender, exercises daily and cats salad; the doctor, who obviously practices what she preaches; and me, the overweight, African-American woman who has been having palpitations. I thought, "Oh, no! I'm going to be the one in three who dies."

Sometimes a message comes in a whisper; this one hit me in the head like a brick. I thought the reason I moved to Chicago was my new job. The people are wonderful and the city is fabulous. They say Chicago is a walking town, but, honestly, I have only been walking to restaurants. (Oh, my goodness, the food here is amazing and plentiful.) There is a lot of stress in launching a new show in a new city and starting a new life. And so I ate, and I was too fired to work out. In a two-month period, I only exercised three times. I was fatigued, sleep-deprived and eating too much. To top it all off, I started having tightness in my chest. But I was still having fun until the palpitations started. Then I got worried. But the work schedule was intense and there was little personal time to exercise, let alone see a doctor. Besides, when I had extra time, I needed sleep, and frankly, I needed to get my braids touched up. I said nothing to anyone.

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I told Dr. Gulati off-air about my symptoms, made an appointment and asked my producer to make this a segment for the show, thinking I could help myself while helping others. My test results were scary: high bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol. Who even knew there was such a thing as good cholesterol? I was also at risk for diabetes. Then I realized these were the same results I got three years ago when I was on VH-1's Celebrity Fit Club, on which I lost 24 pounds in 12 weeks and gained it all back. My parents have no health issues and take no medications except aspirin, so I might be the first generation to take heart medication and live with self-inflicted diabetes.

I was relieved when the doctor called to tell me there were no blockages slowing blood to my heart, but I knew the hard part was to come. I had to make life changes: set up an exercise program, take fish-oil supplements, eat more veggies, fruits and fish, and lay off fried foods (bye, bye, potato chips!). So now I'm working out with a trainer who has me doing things I've never done before. I lost 4 pounds the first week. It may not be easy, but it is necessary for the life I want to have. I feel great, I'm making better food choices (ok, potato chips occasionally fall into my mouth), but I'm sleeping better and trying to keep stress down.

You must put yourself first and get educated on what real health is. You must love yourself, love life and think about the quality of life you want to live. I do not want to avoid staircases because I might huff and puff I do not want to take unnecessary medications. I want a long, prosperous, amazing life, and I want you to have one too. Consider this your wake-up call.

--Kim Coles is a comedian, actress and now co-host of NBC's In the Loop with iVillage.

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