I am now in my 6th week of working on my health and fitness as priorities. I have been combining many strategies to see what works best to help me slim down, firm up and generally improve my overall health in the process. It has been an interesting process and many experts have stepped in to help me with advice, encouragement and general support too.
Dietary: This week is too complicated with meetings for me to do a cleanse day. That is okay. I am eating a good healthy balance of food including Isagenix shakes, lots of fresh fruits and veggies and lean protien. I do allow myself small treats on the weekend and have not suffered too much hunger. I am working out more than usual and I get very hungry a few hours after my workouts. That can be a challenging time. I have been enjoying raw almond butter with celery or wheat toast to take the edge off. That is helping! Another nice surprise is that I have not been sore and I attribute that to my diligence in taking the extra antioxidants and fish oils supplements.
Fitness: What I am finding is that my aerobic status was pretty good to begin with, but now with all this weight and core training, I am getting really strong and what was once shakey is now stable. I love how quickly I am getting these results. I look around at all these younger people and realize I am one of the strongest ones. I’ve started using heavier weights and it has not slowed me down. Generally I am feeling really grateful that I was brave enough to try this new stuff. The biggest Ah Hah is knowing now that if I had never tried a few new things, I would have never known I had the capacity for such improvement.
I’ve tried classes that involved barbells, steps and handweights, Pilates, Power Boxing, Core Strengthening and I’ve just survived a new class called 3 Minute Drills (very sweaty and tired now). I am also still attending Jazzercise 3-4 times a week, but I am also upping my intensity there more than ever. Could it be that this weight stuff is giving me this added energy?
The downside? My weight is staying put. I have lost 5 pounds and holding and it is probably because I am building muscle. This is good for my overall metabolic rate, so I will be patient. I have taken measurements too and those are showing that I am getting smaller as I get stronger, so that is really what I was aiming for.
As for sleep – my plan for 8 hours a night is a reality I am truly enjoying. I figure I am getting an extra 30-45 minutes per night than what I was used to. I consistently awaken feeling better than ever. I recommend this highly. I’m not sure it is contributing to my weight loss, but it is certainly helping my general well-being.
Bottom Line: I am going to Florida on Friday and I feel great about wearing my shorts and bathing suit. I also look forward to taking my workouts outside for a few days in the sun and getting a natural dose of Vitamin D.
I am feeling very grateful for this half-century old body and all that it is still able to do. It is a miracle that function and strength can improve even at my age. That’s a limiting belief I have truly busted!
