Aging Begets More Happiness, Fitness and Health! How??

by Karen Elizaga | Posted: August 19th, 2010 | No Comments »

The other day, I wrote about my half birthday – 6 months to 40, or as my husband puts it, “you’re really on the downside of your 30s!” Ha ha. Who’s laughing? Apparently, a lot of people!

On this topic, I was talking to a client who said that she is happier, fitter and even healthier as she’s gotten older. In fact, she quite likes getting older! She’s more comfortable in her own skin and has more confidence to do the things she wants and to say the things she couldn’t before. The experience she brings to daily challenges makes life frictionless in a way she’d never imagined.

A good friend, Dr. R, hit 40 last year, and after a lifetime of McDonald’s, Spam and fried foods (not unlike my own diet growing up – we are good buddies from high school!), he’s been working out using P90X and has adopted a largely organic diet. Dr. R just texted that he’s dropped to an all-time low on the dreaded scale following a real struggle with weight plateau!

In fact, he said he was at the playground with his kids this weekend, and climbed a pole using only his arms, a feat he’d watched a big man on campus do in high school. Back then, Dr. R thought to himself he’d never be able to do that – ever. Meanwhile, he just kicked ass up there! Fit and foxy at 40! More fabulous than ever.

Meanwhile, I know there are countless people out there who just pack it in and think that it’s all downhill from here. It’s so not! How do you shift the mental attitude so that you can, like Dr. R, be fit and foxy?

• Call BS on yourself – it’s not over til it’s over! You don’t have to resign yourself to not feeling good, buying bigger sizes or watching your performance at the doctor’s office decline. Don’t give in to the hype that aging means lower energy, slower metabolism and less fun!
• Move your body – as Susan has said, it’s not a given that metabolism just slows down with age. You can do something about it! Exercise – cardio and some sort of strength training will kick you into gear.
• Think young – approach life like a preschooler… with zest, curiosity and excitement for the next step! Stop taking for granted the goodness in your life – pick up the gratitude! A great question to ask yourself constantly – “What’s good about right now?”
• Play - stop holding yourself back from the stuff that makes us all feel good… sing, dance, skip, be goofy. Get down on the floor and play some games! Sing in the car at the top of your lungs.
• Believe that you can – whether it’s a marathon or your first yoga class, know that you can take the steps to get there. You just have to take the first step.
• Eat for your health – yes, for sure, you can have your cupcakes or glasses of wine, but for the most part, see if you can eat foods that support your health. That means organic, largely plant-based fare. The average American diet won’t cut it. Food can make you happy and keep you young!
• Stick to it – commit to your health. You’ll find that the behavior above is addictive, and once you get into it, the harder it is to go back to feeling only, as the French say, comme ci comme ca!

All of this, together, will keep you happy, looking young and feeling healthy! What’s better than that?