2026 Becoming A Healthier Me

A Wake-Up Call: Choosing Health, Hope and a New Chapter

By Debbie Crouch

January 2026

Episode 1: Choosing Health at 60+: My Wake-Up Call

As 2025 drew to a close, I experienced what I can only describe as a real wake-up call.

Over time, several things had been quietly building up — until I could no longer ignore them. A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Navigating menopause and its many stages. Weight that simply would not shift, no matter what I tried. Clothes no longer fitting comfortably, my size creeping into a place I didn’t like and felt restricted by — not just physically, but emotionally too.

I had to face a difficult truth: I comfort eat. Food had slowly become emotional support during times of stress, grief and overwhelm.

For a long time, I was juggling too much all at once — building a business, managing mental health challenges, supporting family, and grieving the loss of elderly loved ones while watching dementia gradually take parts of them away. Alongside this were other family life issues that required emotional energy I didn’t always have.

Somewhere in the middle of all of that, I paused.

For the first time in a long while, I felt in a place where I could begin to make changes — not driven by guilt, shame or pressure, but from a place of care.

Turning 60+ has made me reflect deeply on the future.
How many healthy, active years do I have left?
And how do I want to live them?

The answer felt very clear: as well as I possibly can.

I live with rheumatoid arthritis, which affects my back and hips and has led to muscular issues in my arms. My mobility had declined more than I wanted to admit. Stairs became difficult — I often relied on lifts. Getting off the toilet or into the car was painful. Everyday movements that many people take for granted had become small but exhausting battles.

Even the things I love most were becoming restricted.

Walking in nature. Spending time outdoors. Being active in simple, joyful ways.

I could still walk on flat ground and manage decent step counts, but I found myself constantly assessing routes — How far is it? Are there inclines? Are there steps? How long will I cope before the pain starts? Gradually, the walks became shorter, slower, harder. What once felt freeing was starting to feel limiting.

And that’s when I realised I had a choice.

I could do nothing — and slowly watch myself fade away.

Or I could focus on losing weight and see how that change might improve my health, mobility and overall wellbeing.

This blog is me choosing the second option.

2025 – An Honest Snapshot

I’m sharing this journey partly as a record for myself — something I can look back on with pride, to remind myself where I started and how far I’ve come. I want this to be honest and open, without shame or perfection. It’s also a way for me to stay accountable.

But if my story helps or encourages even one other person, then sharing it will be worth it.

Looking back, I think often about 2018. After getting married, I was looking my best and feeling fantastic — confident, comfortable in my clothes, more mobile, more at ease in myself. That version of me matters, not because of how she looked, but because of how she felt. That’s what I want again.

I’ll be sharing a small gallery from that time — moments where I felt strong, happy and well — not as pressure, but as inspiration.

Life can be incredibly challenging as we age, especially as women. Menopause and its side effects — brain fog, hot sweats, low libido, aches, fatigue and so much more — aren’t always talked about openly. Many things you simply don’t understand until you’re living through them yourself.

This isn’t about chasing youth or unrealistic expectations.
It’s about quality of life.

It’s about being able to walk outdoors without fear of pain.
To move with more ease.
To feel confident in my body again.
To enjoy the years ahead with more comfort, freedom and self-respect.

So here’s to a new year.
A new start.
And a commitment to my health, my wellbeing — and myself. 💛