Age is just a number. It’s how you feel that counts!
I’ve never been one for stereotypes. The notion that because you are a certain age you should feel or act a certain way does not rule my life. Women over 40 should not wear mini skirts or sport bikinis at the beach? Ideas like that are just a big load of Bull!
I’m here to show you that age is just a number. How you feel is what really counts. The other day, I had another aha moment. I’m about to turn forty-six and so I’ll actually be closer in age to 50 than I am to forty. Well that’s when it hit me, age is really just a number because I feel like I’m twenty-six! Now some people would say, “Oh, you are just lucky.” or “Oh, you have good genes”, but I know the reason that I feel so much younger than my chronological age has everything to do with a lot of hard work – exercise and a healthy lifestyle. What made this aha moment so profound was that as I entered my 40s, I had not always felt young and full of life. In fact when I was turning age forty, I did not feel that young at all.
Back when I was turned 40, I was a new mother of two. My son was age five and my daughter was age two. I was more than 20 pounds heavier than I am now. It was left over baby weight from my second pregnancy. I wanted to feel youthful and energetic, but I did not. I was tired, sluggish and easily agitated. This was not the “me I wanted to be”! I had to make a change. Up to that point, I had always felt energetic and youthful. I was not ready to let that go, but I was starting to think, “maybe you do have to slow down after 40?” In my heart I knew that was wrong, but I didn’t know what to do about it. During that time I kept encountering senior citizens who would say to me, “You are so young.” I would think, “but I don’t feel so young anymore.”
So how did all of this change so much? How do I feel twenty-six when I’m turning forty-six? For a moment, let’s go back to the not believing in stereotypes. I’ve never been one to latch onto ideas that manifest from misguided group think. Notions such as “adults should be serious”; “teenagers are all irresponsible”; “boys are rough and break things all the time”; or “all girls love pink” are gross generalizations. Ok, I do love pink, but it is totally by choice. For all of these notions, there are many examples of those who put these ideas to shame. I would rather you entertain the idea that we are all snowflakes. We are all made from the same matter, but are all very unique in our own way. Then we can start to let go of the stereotypes that surround aging.
So, back to the question at hand. What is the key to feeling twenty-six at age forty-six? Well, I knew with the way I was feeling a change had to be made. I knew that if I wanted to enjoy life again, keep up with my kids as they got older, and just feel my best I need to do something different.
At the time, I was doing pilates and spinning class three times a week, but was not getting the results I wanted. That was when I started reading about various transformative workout programs including ones you could do at home, since I was (and am) a busy mother of two. That’s when I discovered Tracy Anderson. I read several articles about her method and how it kicked people into shape and was designed for women — I was sold. Tracy Anderson had just launched a home 90 day workout plan called Metamorphosis, and I ordered it. I was nervous about working out at home. I had always belonged to a gym and enjoyed group fitness. However, once I got into it I enjoyed being on my own schedule. I was a busy mom with a toddler at home and a son in kindergarten. It was great that my daughter could play next to me while I did my workout every morning.
I started the program the day after Mother’s Day in 2011. I remember thinking before I started, “I really hope this works.” Little did I know how deep and profound the results would be. To start, I lost 6 pounds in the first 10 days and my energy level was way up. I was hooked! I completed the 90 day program and went on to complete all 4 years of the Continuity DVDs. After that, I started Tracy Anderson’s streaming workout program in March of 2015. Over a year ago now, after letting the workouts slack off a bit, I began not feeling my best again. For the past year, I’ve been doing Tracy Anderson streaming workouts 6 days a week. I know that sounds like a lot, but the energy I have and the amazing results I have achieved make it all worth while. The workouts rejuvenate me, clear my head, and give me tons of energy. I have gained so much strength and stability through the Tracy Anderson Method that I have greatly improved balance and core strength. My back and knee pain is gone, and my skiing has improved too. I feel as though I’m a better mother, wife and friend because of these workouts. The time I dedicate each day to me, provides the energy I need to do a better job loving the ones around me. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it is true. To keep in top form, I do stretch after working out and go to an amazing chiropractor every so often for tuneups! I literally could sing the praises of Tracy Anderson and her method all day long, but the important thing is that you find a workout that you love. One that works for you. If you love your workout it will become a joy to do and a highlight of your day.
My eating habits have drastically changed over the years too. Exercise coupled with transformed eating habits are the one two punch I needed to feel my best. With regard to eating, I have done a lot of research both primary and secondary about how to eat and what works for my body. More on this can be found in my blog post called Clean Eating Transformation. For now, please know that that age is just a number, it is how you feel that counts. If you don’t feel the way you would like to feel, take steps toward making a change. To help you feel your best from a daily eating perspective, I invite you to discover what is your unique healthy spectrum for foods. The foods that work best for you to fuel your body.
Please, please, please know in your heart that you can make a change! If you don’t feel your best, if you feel older than you want to feel, or long for the energy you once had, don’t accept the status quo. You can find it again! It won’t be easy; there is no magic pill, but if you put one foot in front of the other and show up for yourself each day you will get there. Just don’t give up on yourself. I promise, if you put in the time to exercise each day with a workout you love and commit to discovering which foods work best for you it will happen. You will feel better and younger than you could imagine. This is a journey into a new you.