The Year We Finally Did Our Annual Blood Test (And Why I’m Glad We Did)

So, a few years back, my husband and I had this brilliant grown-up idea:

“Let’s do an annual blood test together! You know, to monitor our health like responsible adults.”

It sounded so simple and mature. Except... we never actually did it.

Every year, it became a sort of running joke. I’d say, “Shall we go this month?” and my husband—usually while staring lovingly into his coffee—would say, “Next month, dear. This month is a bit busy.” And of course, I didn’t want to go alone. Partly because it felt less scary with him, but also because I imagined us sipping tea afterward, going over the results like two doctors on a medical drama. The more, the merrier, right?

Finally, this year, we did it. We made an appointment, fasted the night before, 8 hours of sleep, and walked into the lab hand in hand, and our 3 children. Honestly, I felt oddly excited. Like we were on a quirky date, except instead of dessert, we got our veins poked.

Now, if you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know I started my healthy lifestyle journey in 2023. I became that woman who actually drinks water (a lot!), watches her sugar, and even gasp loves weight lifting. My BMI? Finally in the healthy range. My energy? Up! My mental health? So much better.

So yes, I was feeling rather smug about the blood test. I thought, “They’ll probably want to frame my results on the wall.”

And the verdict?

Mostly good. My cholesterol? Normal. My kidneys and liver? Doing their jobs like pros. But—and there’s always a but—my blood sugar was borderline. Officially, I’m pre-diabetic. And my uric acid? Slightly above the normal range. The doctor wasn’t alarmed, but gently reminded me that even with a healthy routine, there’s always room to do more.

At first, I’ll admit, I felt a bit deflated. After all that effort, after choosing oats over cake and going on sunrise walks instead of extra sleep, it was still... not perfect. But then it hit me:

This is exactly why we do annual blood tests.

Not because we want gold stars from the lab, but because prevention matters. Knowing your numbers means you can adjust before something becomes dangerous. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about staying proactive. No matter how much good our looks, how many weights we can lift. That is not the ultimate measurement of health.

And doing it together? That made it even better. My husband and I sat with our printouts, comparing notes like two nerds in love. We even planned small changes together—like we skipped breakfast and less rice during dinner (which, I confess, he likes more than I do).

Reflecting on this, I realised something important:

Healthy living isn’t a finish line; it’s a lifelong partnership—with yourself and, if you’re lucky, with someone who’ll hold your hand through fasting blood draws at 8 a.m.

So if you’re reading this, wondering if it’s time for your annual health check, let me say: do it. Bring a friend, a partner, or your sibling and maybe your kids. It will be fun. Turn it into something positive rather than something scary. Because catching small issues early is the best kind of self-care there is.

And as for me? I’m doubling down on water, movement, and joy. Because health isn’t only about numbers—it’s about how we feel, live, and love.

To strength, sweat, and showing up every day —

Finding power in motherhood and muscle