“We don’t stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing”
– George Bernard Shaw
What if I told you the way you look at things will change your reality? Huh? I know, right?! Kind of a mind-twister.
Here are a few examples that will get you on the path to Aging Well and jumpstart your journey into living your best life!
First up: Food and the four letter word Diet. When we want to lose weight, we immediately think about what we will be giving up! The go to comforting cupcakes, ice cream, bread, and chocolate will dance around your mind, and already before you have started the diet, your cravings kick in and you are left in a deprivation funk. You naturally think: ‘This is going to be HARD!’ And then the bargaining begins: ‘How long do I have to be on this darned diet?’ ‘It is going to be painful.’ ‘No fun!’ ‘I don’t like carrot sticks!’
This way of thinking is a set up for failure. The language that is not part of the process of losing weight or eliminating any habit that interferes with good health is what benefits you will be gaining! Here are a few things that will happen when you reach a target weight that is appropriate for your age, height and build: Lower A1C, more energy, better range of motion, less strain on your heart, blood pressure, knees, back, hips, legs and feet. Oh, and we can’t leave out the increased self-esteem for living your best life.
I heard a story once that was so tender and sweet. A father was markedly unhealthy: pre-diabetic, hypertension, lower back pain, and shortness of breath on exertion. He had a five year old son. He looked at his son one day on the playground, running around, throwing a Frisbee, and laughing joyously. The father had two immediate thoughts that hit him like a brick: ‘I might not be around to see him grow up!’ and ‘I won’t be playing soccer, baseball, or even tag with him in this condition’. The motivation to do these things with his son, and the gains that he would accrue were the motivating force to improve his overall health. With a healthy eating plan, not only did he lose weight, his blood glucose and blood pressure dropped to normal values. An added bonus—his wife started throwing admiring looks his way. Talk about win-win.
Age Well Tip of the Day: When choosing to eliminate a habit that does not align with your goals for healthy living, make a list of things you will gain instead of ruminating on things you will be giving up. This strategy goes for eating, drinking, or indulging in any habit that compromises your holistic health integrity and interferes with relationships with loved ones.