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Getting Fit (Again) at 50-something
In 1994, at age 30-something, I weighed 165 pounds and was as fit as I'd ever been in my life. It was the height of the "Jane Fonda workout" craze, and I worked out every day at the local YMCA. I even had a personal trainer because it was included in the membership fee! How different things are today.
Middle age crept on, as did 35 extra pounds. In 2008, I peaked at 202 pounds and knew I had to do something about this. My cholesterol was elevated, I didn't like how I looked, and I ...
In 1994, at age 30-something, I weighed 165 pounds and was as fit as I'd ever been in my life. It was the height of the "Jane Fonda workout" craze, and I worked out every day at the local YMCA. I even had a personal trainer because it was included in the membership fee! How different things are today.
Middle age crept on, as did 35 extra pounds. In 2008, I peaked at 202 pounds and knew I had to do something about this. My cholesterol was elevated, I didn't like how I looked, and I had no energy. By calorie restriction alone, I managed to lose 25 pounds that year. I was able to celebrate my25th wedding anniversary looking thin again.
With my weight loss goal (my anniversary) gone, I again gained weight. In 2012, I discovered Spark People. This time, I committed myself to getting healthy FOR LIFE. While it's nice I'm getting thinner, and people are complimenting my figure, this journey isn't about vanity. It's about health. I want to enjoy my middle and old age without the infirmities so many others suffer from. I want to climb mountains when I'm 80. No, seriously. I want to be able to climb a mountain when I'm 80. Is that so unreasonable?
In a moment of serendipity, I was scheduled for a cholesterol check right before I started this new fitness journey, and my levels were slightly elevated. Since then, I've lost 15 pounds and have been exercising regularly. I can't wait for my annual cholesterol re-check!
I want to take a moment to recommend SparkCoach. While I had been doing OK on the regular, free SparkPeople program (mainly just using the trackers), joining the SparkCoach Consistency & Motivation Team is the best decision I've ever made. I'm skeptical about paid weight loss programs, but this is really working for me. I'm watching the scale tick downward every week, right on track. It's pretty amazing. Check it out.
Everyone on this site inspires me. I hope something about my story with resonate with you and inspire you, too.
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| current weight: 160.9 |
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Profile
Member Since: 2/25/2012
SparkPoints: 10,586
Fitness Minutes: 4,877
My Goals:
Exercise three times a week. Meet my calorie and nutrition goals every day. Work some weight training into my routine. Dream goal: hire a personal trainer.
Goal #1: Consistent fitness activity every week on schedule.
Goal #2: Hit my target weight on schedule.
Goal #3: Give myself non-food rewards along the way
Goal #4: Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into my diet for fiber.
Weight milestones:
178 - done
175 - done - reward new earbuds for tunes while running
173 - done
171 - done
170 - done 9/9/12 - reward = heart rate monitor system
168 - done 3/12/13 - reward = fitting back into skinnier jeans!
165 - done 4/20/13 - need to think of a reward!
163
160
158
155
153
Goal weight: 150
My Program:
I try to eat my own hybrid of a glycemic diet and a high fiber diet. I'm going to start leaning more toward the Mediterranean diet, but without the daily glass of wine (gives me a headache and disrupts my ability to sleep). I walk or do indoor rowing three times a week for at least 30 minutes per session. lately, I'm trying to incorporate more strength activities.
Personal Information:
I'm a professional freelance medical writer and Registered Nurse. I cover health, healthcare, wellness, and history for various outlets. In 2010, I won an Online News Award for my blog "Dad Has Dementia." I currently contribute regularly to WebMD.com and History.com/news, among many others.
Other Information:
I love to cook. I love to eat. I'm married to the world's greatest guy. We celebrated our 30th anniversary in 2012!
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Hope your day is going well and that your weekend is filled with healthy choices and fun. Barb
