Aging
The thought of the word makes our whole face cringe with fear! Those facial muscles uncover the lines that verify the aging process has begun. You look in the mirror in disbelief because you do not recognize the reflection starring back at you. You move closer to observe the imposter starring at you in your own home! You investigate all those changes that have slowly been occurring but feel as though they changed overnight. You ask yourself, “Could this really be me? But my boobs didn’t sag this low yesterday. Or did they?” You begin to wonder… Did I not really notice that woman starring back at me all this time was me, the new but less improved me?
It’s a question many of us ask ourselves the moment we hit a certain age. For some of us that age is 40 for others its 60 but for me it felt like I immediately aged the moment I started having kids (mind you, I started in my mid 30’s). The lack of sleep and constant frustration because my children do not seem to not understand the language I speak to them, has had quite an effect in my appearance and of course, sanity. How is it humanly possible to have your appearance change so quickly as if the internal clock of imagery decided it’s time to AGE!
Aging tends to be such a touchy subject and for good reason because most of us don’t want to age. We want to maintain that eternal youthful glow that illuminates a room the moment you walk in. That flawless skin that shows no signs of sleep deprivation and mental exhaustion. Why is life so cruel we may ask ourselves; we start this life fragile yet perfect? A complexion that exudes beauty and freshness to only end up with a body and face that has depleted so much collagen it takes scotch tape to hold things back in place. Oh the cruel reality of aging…but it really doesn’t have to feel that way.
We have learned that the secret to maintaining our body and face youthful is simple: nutrition and exercise. Yes, some of it has been achieved with the advancements of cosmetic surgery and injectable but for others, it has purely been exercise, mobility, eating the correct foods and truly taking care of their given temple. Exercise is the secret to those bodies at the beach who everyone stares at despite their age. Solid biceps muscles ready to forgo an arm wrestling competition. Tight legs and glutes that show no signs of dimples or jiggles. Abs so tight that occasionally tease you with its 8-pack. Such perfection and youthful glow and it can be achieved at ANY age.
The anti-aging, feel good process of exercise is truly a gift given to our bodies to achieve the goal we set for ourselves. We just need to focus on the end result and know that it is not an overnight process but a lifetime commitment. If you decide tomorrow to eat healthier or make better food choices and incorporate 10 to 15 minutes of exercise, you would be surprised how quickly your body will respond to these tiny but lucrative changes. You begin slowly and before you know it you are running marathons, doing tough murder competitions and being showcased in the American Ninjas show. All that hard work and commitment has prized you with the gift of an eternal youthful body and mind.
Just remember to start slow especially if you have been inactive for a long time and get medical clearance. Begin with two to three sets of bicep curls, squats, lunges, push-ups, triceps dips and crunches/planks. Try to accomplish 6 to 8 repetitions of each set and each week adds a little more reps and or sets.
So, the next time you look at yourself in the mirror and see that beautiful older but younger-looking woman starring back at you just smile back at her. Get a little closer and notice the definition in her body, the glow in her face and tell her up close “I wish I looked this good when I was younger.”
And always remember work your hardest, love completely and just smile. Life is a gift, be good to yourself and to ALL living things.
