Fighting Fat at Fifty!

The struggle with a weight problem has been a constant most of my life, even as a child. It didn't help that Hubby presented me with the first of many birthday gifts to mark this special milestone-CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES! Yes, he was trying to be sweet. But, I sometimes think he is "killing me with kindness". Does your spouse/partner do this, too? Is he/she an "enabler", meaning part of the problem, and not part of the solution?

However, I cannot blame him. This problem started in childhood. It is MY responsibility to change this scenario by eating less, exercising more, and cutting out sweets and starches.

A diet is simply eating food according to a plan, a method of living in reference to nourishment. With so many various diets on the market, all promising to make you drop the weight fast, it's difficult not to be seduced. Be careful, because most of the diets that promise it all are really very harmful, so don't get suckered in without knowing what is involved. The most important thing is to do it for yourself, and not for the sake of others, and to also be careful-get a physician's advice if you have any kind of health problems, or even if you don't!

To lose weight, all doctors agree that you need to reduce your calorie intake and/or increase their energy expenditure-preferably, AND, not OR. Whether you consume them or burn them - and whether it's protein, fat or carbs - every calorie counts, so learn to count them. Buy a reference guide that lists foods and their nutritional values, and then bring it to the table and look up the foods in your meal. An alternative resource is the web site www.fitday.com.
Gradually, you will make better food choices if you keep a journal, traditional or online, of what you eat. Once you do this, you will be on your way to losing weight

When a person becomes 50 years young, they are not exactly at the age in which the body's metabolism is a bullet train. The metabolism is more like the "Hooterville Cannonball", from "Petticoat Junction" a popular 60's show that most of us Baby Boomers grew up with. So, the trick is to give the metabolism a boost by including exercise in the daily routine. This can be as simple as walking the dog in the morning or in the evening- or both!

Swimming is a good exercise for anyone, especially those who are obese. The stress on the joints is less than walking or running. I live in Florida, and am blessed with an in-ground pool which I can use almost year-round. Yoga is also good for those who are just starting to get back into shape- gentle asanas -yogic positions- first thing in the morning help to focus the mind and energize the body, as well as getting the kinks out from being in a sleeping position.

Whatever form of exercise you choose to do- start doing SOMETHING every day!