If you are like me, you like food. Eating is not just for sustenance, it is also a pleasure. And if you are like me, you find that the older you get, the easier it is to gain weight, making you wonder whether all the talk about people having difficulty losing weight after 40 is fact or fiction.
My job kept me active. I spent less time sitting than on my feet and moving. So, I found that when I retired and was spending long hours at my computer writing, the weight came on more easily. If I wanted to stay in shape, I had to accommodate my new situation.
The answer was simple: Eat less, move more.
Knowing I was not about to start taking long power walks through the neighborhood or become a hiker or a gym rat, I looked for a solution that would fit my needs. A treadmill now resides in my living room, and when I get to a given point in my writing each day, I indulge in my favorite recorded TV shows while powering through on it. 45 minutes a day allows me to still indulge in the foods I love – reasonably – while maintaining my weight and a level of fitness that I enjoy.
I know I am never going to be twenty-five again. I’m never even going to see 60 again. But because I want my body to keep up with my mind, I stick with my routine. And as a side benefit, the endorphins I generate on the treadmill give me a better outlook.
Sometimes it can be difficult to get started. Baby steps are OK. Consistency is the key. Five minutes today, ten by the end of the week, twenty by the end of two weeks, and you are on your way.
And for some it is the buddy system. If that is you, get a friend to walk with you briskly for forty-five minutes a few times a week.
Long days at the office, social commitments, family time, cooking meals, dealing with the kids – the reasons for avoiding exercise as part of our routine are too many to count. But the reality is that consistent exercise enhances our productivity in all aspects of our lives. So, just like you make the time to care for others, make and take the time to take care of yourself. Set the day, set the time and, get fit.
