New Goals, Same Old Dog: Continuing the Journey

So we’ve talked about the things you should do to gain back your youthful life, what about the things you shouldn’t do?  I’ve learned that getting fit over 70 is not as easy as getting fit at 30 or 40 or even 50.  Challenging as it may seem, remember always, new goals and YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Healthy Bodies

Ok, so we’re on our way to healthy bodies, logging all our food choices day in and day out.  Getting some much-needed exercise to not only help with weight loss but to help our body and mind feel good about ourselves.  What we shouldn’t do, ever, is give up!  Or get down on ourselves!  Or compare ourselves to others!  You are you and the other person is just that, the other person. 

Your body is never going to react to changes the way someone else’s does.  Maybe that other person can have that bowl of ice cream every night and still lose weight or maybe that’s you.  Either way, please don’t compare yourself to others. You’re on a life journey and are in control of all that’s surrounding you.

I’ve done a lot of soul searching as well as internet searching and have come to the conclusion that seniors nowadays are not only living longer but are living healthier.  I wanted to be one of those healthier seniors so my journey and decision to add new goals began.

Eating Habits, Healthy Choices, and New Goals

Let’s go over the eating habits, good and bad, to get this journey started.  Again, keeping a food diary is an important, if not the most important, part of this getting healthy mindset. I have started checking nutrition labels on the foods I eat. I especially watch the fat contents, total fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and most importantly saturated fat. 

Fats

Saturated fats are unhealthy and for a cleaner, healthier “diet” you will need to keep those at a minimum. An example of saturated fats would be any fat that solidifies when cooled, such as bacon grease.  Ooh, did someone say bacon?  You can still have that slice or two of bacon but remember to watch what your calorie count and fat percentage for the day is and eat accordingly. 

The dietary guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 states that senior men and women should make only 20-35% of their daily calories come from fat.  For example: A sedentary man should consume 44-78 grams of fat per day.  A sedentary woman should consume 36-62 grams of fat per day. *Quoted from shieldhealthcare.com

Caloric Intake

*Again quoted from shieldhealthcare.com:  A sedentary man over the age of 70 requires around 2,000 calories per day.  If you are an active man of this age, your goal would be 2,600 calories per day.  A female older than 70 years should eat between 1,600 and 2,000 calories daily if you are sedentary to active.

Start keeping track, believe me you will be surprised at how quickly you get to your calorie goal.  I am on a 1200 calorie budget, self imposed for sure, and it still surprises me every single day how quickly I reach that number.  Some days you will stay in your calorie budget some days you will not.  The goal here is to keep moving forward towards your goal.  Don’t lose faith in yourself or your abilities.  You’ve made it this far in life so there’s no giving up now!

Remember…every day is a new day with new goals, so smile and enjoy life!

This article is one of many written by my 71 year old mother who began transforming her health. Her journey is real and the struggles are hard, but she pushes forward every day. Here’s the first in the series! Please enjoy.