Posted in Fashion, Fitness / Health, Life Over 50

Workout Fanatic….Maybe!

Good morning to my TRIBE! So I wanted to talk about exercise, nutrition, and health today……and specifically mine. I get a lot of requests from women on what I do to maintain a healthy body. And before I start, please don’t think I have it down perfectly! Believe me, there’s always room for improvement! I feel like I’ve said all of this before, but there are always new-comers who want to know.

So ever since I was a teenager, I have exercised. I remember “jogging” as we called it then, around my block. I loved riding my bike, and always loved the challenge of riding it on Sunday to my grandmother’s house. I have loved hiking, golf, waterskiing, snow skiing, tennis, and always my normal workout in the gym. I’ve NEVER substituted any of these activities for a workout. What I mean is, if I have tennis that day, I STILL go to the gym for my workout. Tennis isn’t enough. Which I guess some would say then, that I’m a fanatic? I just function better each day if I get that hour of hard sweat in the gym! And the older I get, I have to WORKOUT MORE AND EAT LESS. That’s just the way it goes with your metabolism. I know……it sucks (excuse me if that word offends you)!

I weigh myself EVERY single morning! This is how I’ve been able to pretty much maintain my weight for years. My weight hasn’t fluctuated really at all…within 5 pounds that is. Now, has my body changed??? YES! I’ve gotten thicker in the waist, and droopier skin for sure! But my weight is basically the same. Some experts say to never weigh yourself that much, because then it can make you obsessive, feel bad, etc. But it works for me, and has ALWAYS worked for me! So I tell women, “Find what works for you and don’t worry about what someone else is doing or saying!” Simple as that!

There’s a statistic out there about your weight, and it goes something like this…your weight is determined by 80% of what you eat, and 20% exercise. And for me, I have the exercise part down!!! The diet part, could use some improvement! My weakness is sugar FOR SURE! I eat it every day! Addicted you could say!! It’s usually dark chocolate! I really believe that if you get too strict about your diet, you’ll eventually fall off of that bandwagon and binge. So I treat myself daily. A nutritionist told me a couple months back that the amount of sugar I ate versus my activity level was JUST FINE. But, I still need to get a bit better!

The foods I eat are basically the same all the time. My diet doesn’t vary, and I’m not a big “foodie”, so eating and trying new foods aren’t important to me. I hate to cook, and don’t! I hate the kitchen, the grocery store, everything! So the simpler, the better for me! I have cereal every day (high fiber) with lots of berries and walnuts. I use organic 1% milk. This is my favorite meal! I’ll have it either for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I eat lots of green apples with peanut butter (mostly before I play tennis), veggie omelets, avocado toast with an egg, salads with some kind of protein, nonfat yogurt, I love soup in the colder months (non-creamy type like lentil or tomato) and usually with soup I’ll have a grilled cheese on wholegrain bread. When I go out it’s a salad with protein, or salmon. So you see my diet isn’t very expansive! I try to watch the carbs and TRY to watch the sugar! Like I said, not so good at the sugar!!!!!!

My exercise routine goes something like this…

EVERY day I do 60 minutes of cardio, on the elliptical trainer, a treadmill, or a stationary bike. I try to stay mostly on low-impact equipment because I have titanium implants in my feet, and I want to save them for as long as possible! I like to get my heart rate up to the high 130’s to low 140’s. Three days a week I also do a weight routine. This will consist of upper and lower body routines working opposing muscle groups. Lots of squats with arm curls, or shoulder presses. I usually will do a circuit of about six exercises with 8-12 reps of each one. After my workouts I spend AT LEAST 10 minutes stretching (this is called my yoga)! I have tried and tried to fit yoga in to my routine, but it just doesn’t work! I don’t like to substitute it for my normal workout, and so with tennis several times a week and my gym routine, going to yoga too, is just too much! So that’s pretty much it! I probably should mention that I workout very first thing in the morning. Waiting until later is SO HARD FOR ME! And I’m a morning person, so working out at night is a very bad idea!

So…..for now this works for me! I change up the weight routine and cardio mix every couple of weeks. Mixing things up when we workout is extremely important, so your body will constantly be challenged! I believe as I said earlier……make sure you leave room for your treats, whatever that is for you! Being too regimented will just make life miserable. If I eat badly one day or one weekend, then I just make sure the next several days are good! It’s so important to ENJOY life and your family and friends. If you’re constantly thinking about what you’re going to eat and how you’re going to eat healthy in social situations, then too me at least, that’s not a fun way to live!!!!!! So figure out what works for you, make small changes that YOU CAN MAINTAIN, make sure you’re moving, and ENJOY!

I hope that helps some of you get back on track! Small baby steps is the name of the game! Don’t take things too seriously! Have a great week whatever your plans are. We are celebrating a holiday here in Utah, PIONEER DAY! It’s a special day for us as we honor our heritage!

SHOP CHIC OVER 50 TEE SHIRTS HERE!

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Shauna…..XO

 

 

 

18 thoughts on “Workout Fanatic….Maybe!”

  1. Thank you. That was very informative, detailed and inspiring. I feel and experience some of the same situations and conditions as you. You, in my opinion are VERY active. I too try to be as fit as time allows. Some days are better than others. Some meals less nutritional than I want. You also need to live and enjoy life. As long as you keep thinking “healthy, nutritional” thoughts, your more apt to make wise choices. And if you don’t, there’s always tomorrow to try better. ??

    1. That’s what I say!!! There’s always tomorrow to DO BETTER!!!! Thanks Cheryl!!!!! XO

  2. I felt like I was reading my own story! Everything you said is me! Even down to the I hate cooking and I don’t! 🙂 I’m 58 and my weight hasn’t changed very much either since I was married 40 years ago but my body had changed since menopause and just getting older. But it’s okay and doesn’t stop me! Love following you on IG!

    1. Hi Diane! A healthy and positive perspective IS KEY!!!!! Thank you for your comment!

  3. Hey, Cutie! Love that pic of you holding the chocolate! Cud be me only if have a Dove dark choc square! I, too, weigh myself every day. It’s the only way I can maintain my weight and feel in control, since menopause whacks you totally out of control. It’s truly a numbers game. Calories in equals pounds gained or lost. I keep it between 1200 and 1400 calories most days. Of course the splurge which makes life, life. As we age we not only lose elastin in our facial skin but our bodies as well, which is one of the reasons we get a bit “wider “ even while maintaining healthy weight.
    You are an inspiration and so much fun. Carry on just being fabulous!

    1. Thank you Cindy! I don’t ever really count my calories, so I think it’s awesome that you can do that! So kudos to you!!! It comes down to whether or not YOU FEEL GOOD!!!! XO

  4. I’m 53 and find it so hard to loose belly fat! I too have issues with sweets, I try not to go crazy but it’s hard. I do exercise but I have a problem with consistency. I liked that you didn’t throw any crazy diet at us, everything you wrote sounds doable. Thanks for that

    1. You’re welcome Joanne! CRAZY DIETS are BAD…..OH SO BAD!!!! Making “lifestyle” changes I think is the best approach! XO

  5. I Love this post !!! It gives me hope.
    I’m 52 and have such a hard time loosing this belly fat and extra menopause weight. I’ve always been so active but when the dreaded menopause hit everything got whacky. I had never had a problem loosing weight before, but now it won’t come off no matter what I do. I realize some of it has to do with my sweet tooth, but I rarely eat sweets these days.
    Your my inspiration !! I’m going to get this weight off somehow ☺

    1. Hi Mich! THAT’S A GREAT ATTITUDE!!!!!!!! Good for you…..don’t ever give up! As long as you do your best every day, you’re doing AMAZING! XO

  6. Hi Shauna , great Blog love it, I’m 74 and very limited what I can do I have two Titanium Rods in my lower back so it’s limits me , but I can walk slow also I’m not very self disciplined. I also love sweets just bout any kind of it, don’t like to cook but do it at least 3 times a week.I don’t weight my self very often don’t want to know what I’ve done wrong I think I’m lost, do you think there is hope for me??? Love all your Blogs, your so sweet.

    1. Hi Rita….there is always hope, always a way to improve (even if it is baby steps), and always a way to do it so it fits in to your lifestyle!!!! You just need to find ways to work around your limitations! If you like sweets, then only have them 5 days a week instead of 7. If you can walk, walk an extra 10 minutes a day! There’s always a way to do things better! BEST WISHES friend! XO

  7. Shauna, I weigh myself EVERY day. It just keeps me in check. If the scale starts to creep up, I just back off of all that I am consuming for a few days. It hasn’t always been this weigh in my life, having struggled with my weight in my 20’s.

    Our workout routine is quite similar (although you do 30 more minutes of cardio than I do) but I giggled when you commented that stretching is your yoga. I feel the same. because whenever someone suggests yoga to me I always think “Well, I stretch so …”

    1. Yes Jamie…..stretching IS yoga! 🙂 I just do it for 15 instead of 60!!! I just finally realized a couple months ago, that it wasn’t for me and IT’S OK!!!!!! Thanks for your comment! XO

  8. Shauna…was curious as to what was wrong with your feet? My doctor says I need to have foot surgery as well…the joints need to be replaced. Like a knee or hip replacement. Thanks for sharing!!!

    1. Yes Neah, my joints were gone as well! I kept getting a build-up of bone spurs. I had surgery on them a couple of times before they finally put the implants in. I have chronic pain, but I’m so used to it now that I don’t even think about it. The doctor has told me I have so many miles left in my feet, and I just need to choose how to use those miles…..that’s why I mostly choose LOW IMPACT! Good luck! XO

  9. Thanks for the info!! I stopped smoking January 1 2018. And to date I have gained 20 lbs..now keep in mind I have never been a very big person so this 20lbs is making me miserably. It’s got to go but i have never had to diet and i dont really know how. So thanks for the info it was awesome.

    1. Hi Elizabeth! CONGRATULATIONS on making such a HUGE improvement to your health!!!! I can’t imagine how hard that was!!! I’m sure that an extra 20 lbs is way better than smoking!!! Remember to think baby-steps so it doesn’t seem as overwhelming!!!!! Best of luck! XO

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