In just a few short months it will be January 1st, marking my 65th birthday. Holy moly. Like so many others my age and beyond, I don’t feel 65! For the most part, I have never felt better, and have never been as fit as I am now. This is the result of healthy habits, motivation, and consistency, for the past ten years.

I don’t claim to be a fitness expert, but because many of you have asked, here’s a bit about my approach…

1 – Diet matters most of all. Eating healthy foods is always a way of life for me, but that does not mean that I never indulge, because I often do. But when I feel that it’s time to drop a few pounds, I actually write down a diet guide and stick to it. Because I write it down and make a commitment to myself, that makes it easy when others around me are having ice cream, pizza, etc…it is simply out of the question, there is no internal struggle. Another example would be breakfast: on my ‘plan’ I have egg whites with spinach and veggies, and a side of fruit, yet allow myself yolks and a slice of buttered wheat toast twice a week…(this is all written down)…the last time I had the whole egg and toast I felt so naughty that you would think I was having a glazed doughnut! 🙂 The bottom line: Eating healthy and eating less needs to be a way of life.

2 – Working out with weights is essential to being toned/shapely. I exercise with weights 5X/week for just 30 minutes. My workouts are early in the morning (after coffee!), in my bedroom, with a few sets of weights and a resistance band…once I complete 100 jumping jacks and a 3 minute plank, it seems like the worst is behind me! Most of my exercises focus on abs/core, glutes, arms, and shoulders, always doing three sets of ten reps…I change up the exercises that I do, and am often inspired by finding new things to try on Instagram. Some mornings, working out is the last thing that I feel like doing, but I do it anyway and always feel better afterwards!

3 – Determine what motivates you and keep it top of mind. It might make me sound like a shallow person (I’m not!), but VANITY motivates me. I enjoy looking my best and fully appreciate others that do as well – regardless of age. And – while ‘full-figured’ gals can also look fabulous, I feel my best when trim and toned. Not resonating with you? Perhaps you may be motivated by improving or preventing health issues or by being physically strong…maybe being fit keeps you psychologically balanced, and/or gives you a sense of control in this crazy world. What really matters is that you know yourself, and remind yourself regularly of what makes YOU feel good.

When I was a teenager, I can remember cutting photos out of magazines of models that I aspired to look like, if only I could lose ten pounds…at the age of 64 I now see how ridiculous that was – completely different body types!

Now in 2022, I definitely admire the fit bodies on social media, but know better than to think that routine squats will give me Sofia Vergara’s booty! Don’t compare yourself with any ‘body’ on Instagram! We are all so different, it only sets you up for unrealistic expectations…instead, focus on YOU and the actions you can take to make improvements over time. YOU CAN DO IT!

Glad to answer any questions!

Work hard. Play Hard. Enjoy every day.

Candy