I will be 39 years old next week and I feel terrible. I am uncomfortable, have aches and pains, suffer from adult acne blemishes as well as wrinkles, have a terrible attitude and suffer from depression. Who would want to continue on knowing you have at least 30 -40 more years of this on average and in my family the women live until their 90's or later so that's another 60 years of this. So I have decided to get my act together and get fit. No more excuses, no more pretending I'm still in my 20's with a fantastic metabolism and no health risks looming overhead.
I know I am not the only person that wants to do this or has done it. I've googled "Fit at 40" and "Fit by 40" and have found several medical sites for staying active for people over 40, websites advertising exercise programs for getting fit over 40 and a couple of blogs from people like me that want to attain that goal. So it's not an original idea, that much I know for sure.
I remember my brother doing a bunch of health related goals as he approached 40 a couple of years ago as well as the story of a former co-worker who reached 40 and completely turned her life around. Prior to that she had been obese, introverted and had resigned herself to a solitary life, but after reaching 40 she changed her diet, her lifestyle and now is looking fantastic and feeling fantastic and is excited to share her life with others rather than hiding at home.
What I haven't found is a plan to get me there. I suppose in the next 53 weeks I will have the opportunity to develop my own plan to get me here. One new goal per week so 53 little goals to get me to my major goal of being in the best shape I can be in by the time I turn 40 years old. Today I'll share this week's goal:
Week 1: Goal - give up diet sodas
Sounds so easy. However, when I can go through 36 cans in a week at home and probably another couple dozen at the office during the week, this one is gonna be a doozy to overcome and maintain. BUT! (there's always a 'but') After reading that drinking diet sodas ups my chances for getting Type II diabetes when I have a family history of diabetes on both sides of my family, I am a little more motivated. Whenever I want to taste that fizzy deliciousness, I drink some water and keep that vision of my fit and toned body in my mind. And yes, I am only on day one of giving up sodas. It'll be interesting to see when I get over the cravings and the withdrawal symptoms. I did cheat a little earlier today when I took some pain meds that contain caffeine in them. We'll see how that goes. I know I can do this, as I have done it before, even if 'before' was 12 years ago and I gave it up for Lent.
Another reason to give up diet sodas - sodium. For all their non-caloric intake, they are chock full of sodium which causes your body to retain water and is dehydrating to say the least. I am looking forward to feeling and seeing the benefits of drinking water or non-carbonated beverages from now on.
And to think I was just mocking people that have water with lemon at lunch when I go to group lunches at work. I guess I'll be one of the mocked now....but healthier so that makes it all okay.
If you are like me and need lists to back up what you know is the right thing to do, here is a great list of the benefits of drinking water:
I am keen on #1 - weight loss, but clearing up my skin and getting rid of aches and pains are good motivators as well. I remember what someone told me once - the body needs water, when it doesn't get enough, it holds on to every drop it does get and saves it for a rainy day. When you give your body the water it needs, it lets go of what it has saved up and you will see the benefits immediately.
Another goal this week, and along the way, is to write daily of the experience and to provide motivation, not only to me but to anyone out there who needs help with getting over the hump of changing their lives for the better. Without being too cheesy, everyone can use some help and if I can provide a little to someone in need, it makes my life the richer. Yeah, that was pretty cheesy.
Well off to drink more water and pray I don't fall asleep in the middle of work as my body adjusts to it's new found energy source....my metabolism.
Annie
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