The 3rd Act: Cultivating a Mindset of Self-Care and Well-Being
I recently had a birthday and with a start, I recognized that I am getting closer to 70! Wow! It is quite a shock. At about the same time, I came across the books by Chris Crowley and Henry Lodge, Younger Next Year (there is one for men and one for women) in which they argue that with exercise six days a week , good nutrition, commitment and connection you can defy the aging process.
Part of the reason I was so shocked when I accepted my age revelation, is that I don’t feel as old as the calendar tells me I am. And as these books suggest, I feel better today than I did 10 years ago.
Crowley and Lodge are adamant about exercise every day and provide extensive documentation about how and why it is so important to hold the aging process at bay. Other books, such as Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine, support their arguments and explain in as much detail how nutrition can save your health. But most of us know how important these physical disciplines are…exercising and eating nutritionally. Yet we don’t always follow them.
For many years I let other priorities in my life come first, but I am learning now in my 3rd Act, how to put my health and physical well-being as a top priority. I am learning about how to guide my own motivation, provide structure and develop healthy habits. How about you? What works for you….or maybe what doesn’t work for you??
Link to Part II: “Growing Younger Part 2” by Bev Scott
Bev, congratulations on getting younger with what you eat, and how you exercise and what you teach: I love what you’re doing and think you’re on to something. Confidence and commitment help passion and purpose, and planning your workshops shows those qualities too.
Keep up the great work, and thanks for the mention of my most recent book.
Warmly
JL
Interesting! I find, after starting slowly, that I am now taking yoga classes 5 times a week, and have renewed ny old transcendental meditation daily. I have always been aggressive about nutrition & vitamins (irritating that the APA has now made caring about pesticides, GMO, and preservatives in food a psychiatric diagnosis called Orthoxic), but I have not been as committed to eating regularly and sleeping 8 hours a night… Amazing how hard itis to the latter to a more disciplined, but I am slowly making progress. Great blog article, thanks.
I felt two things when I read your blog, Bev–relief and shame, both at the same time! When I read (not for the first time) that exercise and diet are crucial to good health, I was ashamed to realize how much I’ve let myself go–I eat crap, I’m heavier than I’ve ever been, and my exercise consists of walking my dog. As often happens at mid-life, my life fell apart a few years ago with the deaths of my parents and loss of my marriage, and it’s been a slow recovery. Which brings me to the relief part of your blog–when you said that now, nearing the age of 70, you are in better shape than you were ten years ago (which would be “nearing sixty”) I felt relief because I’m 57 and I still have time to get my act together. It made me realize that I can start my return to health in a moment, and it consists of taking the first step. That makes me feel hopeful. Thank you so much for sharing your story!
Like Dorene, I let myself go in regards to health for numerous reasons, including being laid up for over eight months total in the past 10 years with broken leg(s). I’ve wanted to reclaim my body and a better attitude towards health for some years. I’ve always exercised some, but not enough in recent years. About 9 months ago I started to turn the corner and lost about 9 pounds by simply eating better and by giving up my 2 glasses of wine a day habit. Then I discovered the book, “Younger Next Year,” and it has really inspired both my husband and me. We’ve been exercising six days a week for about five months and following our own plan of counting calories. I’m not talking about stringent, feeling-hungry calorie counting, but a reasonable 1800 calorie a day plan. We’ve both lost over twenty pounds on this regime (over 30 total for each of us since last summer) and are feeling great. I think we’ll be able to stick with it because it is reasonable and easily do-able and we’re thinking of health as a “life plan,” not something we’re going to abandon when we’re at our goal weights. I have another 12 pounds to go before I am back to my normal adult weight (last seen when I was a slim 40-ish.) I am turning 57 in September and I am feeling better than I have in years. My 81 year old dad is an inspiration in the health department as he lifts weight three days a week and rides his bike in the hills of Auburn, CA. Another 83 year old friend still hikes in the East Bay Hills.
I have been away on vacation since this blog was published. Thank you all for commenting. John, your book has been very helpful and I am glad I could recommend it.
Doreen, you can do it! It is never too late to get our bodies back into health.
For Sharon and Karen…keep up the good work. It is well worth it! I am always inspired by others who are doing what works for them with diet and exercise. There are many ways!