Fitness Over 50: My Best Advice

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So, recently my only daughter gave birth to a lovely baby girl, my very first granddaughter and I am in heaven. This little person is the light of my life and it just seems as though I can never get enough of her. Of course, ‘my’ granddaughter is the cutest baby ever and I just live for all those text messages with photo attachments. Unfortunately, the clerks in the local supermarket don’t have the appreciation I do for such beauty, but hey, they happen to be standing there ringing up my stuff when a picture comes through. What do you do but show it off? If they’re unfortunate enough to be the closest person to me when I get a photo, well, it’s their job to look at it, right?

 

The other day I had my annual checkup with my doctor who also had the privilege of looking at my pictures when she suddenly asked me the dreaded question, “Have you thought about changing your diet yet?” Okay, so I know I should be eating fewer trans fats and cutting down on the fast burn carbs a bit, but I’ve been celebrating the new birth – maybe a bit more than I should, but it’s my first grandchild after all!

 

“You have gained a few more pounds and this isn’t good at your age,” she continued. I take a look at her, all trim and slim in her late thirties, early forties and think to myself about what I used to look like at her age. Totally chastised, I admit that I have had my fair share of late night ice cream cones, an extra slice of pizza now and again and for heaven’s sake, what is a little extra butter going to do to me on movie night?

 

“If you want to stay around long enough to watch your granddaughter grow,” she warned, “I’d cut back a bit on the snacks and get back to your celery and cucumber yogurt dip, if I was you.” Well, this set me off big time! Yes, I know all abouthealthy living because that’s what I do! I blog about healthy lifestyles and tell everyone else what they should be doing. But I guess I just never heard the old proverb, “Doctor, heal thyself.”

 

This got me to thinking about all the advice I’ve given my daughter over the years. “Do as I say, not as I do,” kind of advice. No wonder she doesn’t always hear what I am saying! So today marks the first day of getting back to me, the me I once was, the me I keep telling other people they should be.

 

What I’m trying to get at here is the fact that my daughter gained way too much weight with this her first pregnancy and here I am telling her what she should be doing to take it all off as quickly as possible while maintaining her strength. She is nursing the baby but even so, it isn’t necessary to go overboard because it is a myth that she is feeding two instead of one.

 

If she is healthy, her body will produce the milk she needs to feed baby and perhaps she needs a few more calories, but like the doctor reminded me, the right kind of calories. A healthy diet consisting of anywhere from 1800 to 2200 calories per day is sufficient to produce the milk she needs and if she finds that she needs a few more, they shouldn’t be spent on cookies or ice cream!

 

So today I am going to start on a new course of action and actually put my money where my mouth is. I am going to get back to the park and walk the path at increasing speeds. I am going back to a high fiber, low fat diet and I am going to be an example for my daughter. No, she is not over 50 but that day will come sooner than she thinks. It does for all of us.

 

My best advice to grandmothers over 50 is to remember that your children will continue to need you even though they are married with kids of their own. Instead of telling them what they should be doing, show them that it can be done. Eat heart healthy foods, exercise regularly and take a helmet when you go to Tesco. If the cashier decides to bop you over the head for showing one too many pictures of your newest grandbaby, you’ll be ready for the attack.

Maggie Hammond