Sharing is Caring...Do you care?

Okay, I am going public! How much more public can you go than a blog, you ask? Well, I have only mentioned in passing to a few people that I started this blog. I really didn't want to admit that I spend so much time thinking about how I look, weight, etc. Well, the truth is that you have two choices after 40: you can care about your weight or not. If you do, unfortunately, you have to be mindful of what you eat and how active you are. If you don't, eat what you want and wear elastic waistbands. I was recently at a comedy show with a very funny lady preforming (http://www.pattyross.com/). She joked that she was 50 and had basically given up. She got tired just thinking about all the mind games she played with herself about her appearance. She didn't have the energy any more, didn't give a crap, and was now happily wearing elastic waistbands. As I was laughing, I was torn inside: Did she really not care? Would I be too tired to care when I turn 50? Even now I find it exhausting and find myself devoting way too much time to examining what I eat, workout plans, etc. It's such a catch 22: When I do devote the time to all of that, I feel really great. When I pretend it's not important, and I fall off the weight management/healthy bus, I feel awful. I should say I feel bad. Which brings me to my next point. In our society (and it others) women are always describing a diet slip as being bad. I hate that. Men absolutely do not call themselves bad if they eat too many chocolate chip cookies. They just are not programmed that way, either internally or socially. But, in defense of the feeling bad description, if I eat unhealthily, I do feel bad physically. That is what we should be focusing on-the not caring for our bodies that make us feel lethargic, etc., and not that we were naughty. I think this is a very important distinction.



Change your thinking...



So, getting back to that comedienne, I do think she cared. She had a hip hairstyle and nice makeup. I think that we all have to change the way we think about fitness and nutrition. To stay in shape, we don't have to deprive ourselves of everything we love. Just have smaller portions. You would be amazed that once you start doing this, your stomach will actually be full with the smaller portion. I've noticed that if I eat a lot, then I feel hungrier the next day, like I stretched my stomach and need to fill it again. If I eat less for a day or two, then if I listen to my body, I get fuller faster. As for fitness, I used to think that if I didn't do "official" workouts, then I wasn't really burning the calories I needed to. Well, remember, just like every calorie you eat counts, every calorie you burn counts too. I realize now, you don't have to do 40 minutes, 5 days a week of repetitious, exhausting, and boring workouts. Yes, do the cardio/fat blasting workouts 2 or 3 times a week for 40 minutes. Just vary them. When you are on the treadmill, skip for a few minutes, then run, then walk up the incline. It will be much more bearable and fun that way. With any workout you do, try to vary it to make it fun. On the other days when you don't have an "official" workout planned, try in some way to work up a sweat. This can be done by vigorously cleaning, (sweeping for 30 minutes burns 100 calories), but I think the most rewarding, is to play with your kids! It's fun, and at the same time you are developing a closer bond with them. So, lately I have been jumping on the trampoline with them, not just watching. I have been playing hide and seek, tag (makes you run!), kickball, hopscotch. I have been doing this in an experimental way to see what my weight would do considering I haven't been exercising as much lately. Guess what? Although I felt I haven't been controlling my portions enough, I have not gained any weight, and in fact, am on the lower side of my range. Awesome! Today I am going rollerblading while my girls ride their bikes and scooter.



Have you tried...



Covergirl Simply Ageless foundation with Olay Regenerist? Ellen Degeneris (is it Ellen Degenerist :) is the spokeswoman. Olay Regenerist has been the recipient of many awards in the beauty magazine contests. When I run out of my present foundation, I am going to try it. If any of you have tried it, please write in! Or, if you have found a anti aging product that really works for you, please pass it! Sharing is caring, after all.