I’m 65 but I still try to stay feeling as young and sexy as I can. There are times though when it’s a struggle. I keep telling myself that old age is really only in my head but there are days during the winter when the aches and pains settle in as much as I try to avoid them. My first thought is why am I here and not in Mexico or the Caribbean where it is warm?
Let The Sun Shine In - 5th Dimension
Then there are some instances when stress makes me feel older than I am. I’ve allowed an event to control me for a number of months instead of advocating for myself. As a result I dealt with my first ever panic attack and ended up in the hospital thinking it was a heart attack. Thank goodness it wasn’t but it was a wake-up call. I still get panic attacks out of the blue but they are much less severe now that I know what they are. I’m also using my medical resources to work through the stress that is causing them.
It’s work staying young but it’s worth it in the long run. My life is full and enjoyable. I have good family connections, great friends, and a fairly healthy lifestyle. I try to keep a smile on my face and do fun things occasionally. Even though I’m dealing with these new health issues I’m taking time to enjoy life. I was out with girlfriends at a party awhile ago. We had tears rolling because of the laughter and that felt so good.
I see friends going through health things much more frequently as I age. I remember a much older friend of mine said to me a few years ago that once I was over 60 I’d better make some new friends under 50! He was in his late 80s at the time and I was 45. Our Baby Boomer generation is going to start dealing with some major health issues the next few years. I’ve tried to put some things in place to keep as healthy as I can.
6 Steps to staying healthy and sexy in our 60s
1. Let go of the stress
Identifying the stress is difficult but once you do deal with it however you can. If you have someone in your life that is causing havoc, ask yourself, "What can I do to change things?" We bring the messages of the past with us. That can include those old 60s messages that say be nice to everyone. Sometimes the old messages and the energy that goes with them has to be thrown into the recycling bin!
2. Put the music on and/or dance!
Remember when life was much simpler during the 60s? We talked and visited and partied. There were no computers to hide behind but even in the computer age we can embrace connections with people. We need to have the physical connections too, especially as we age.
3. Eat healthy
Breakfast is a big thing for me. I eat ¾ cup of bulk rolled oats (watch out for the individual packaged kind – they can be loaded with sodium and sugar) and it takes 2 minutes to prepare in the microwave. Just add water.
I like to cook up a pot of brown rice every few days to have on hand. For lunches and suppers I just vary my veggies and rice and protein. I also cut up fresh veggies to have on hand as well as a low calorie dip for them.
The other thing that I changed was getting rid of the white stuff in my diet. I got in the habit of staying away from anything made with white sugar, white flour, white rice, white pasta, etc. It’s amazing how dropping these products from my diet made a difference to the way I felt.
I also downsized the portions. I found the easiest way to do this was to downsize the size of my plate. Instead of using a full-sized dinner plate, I switched to a luncheon sized one. Everything I put on the plate is no bigger than the size of a deck of cards. By the time I have added my pasta or rice and veggies and protein, the plate is full! Salad can be served in a separate small bowl with a tablespoon of olive oil mixed with ½ tablespoon of vinegar and spices for taste.
I try to eat only when I’m hungry. Right now with a lot of stress in my life, I have many small meals during the day rather than 3 big ones. I also try to make 8 PM my cut-off time.
I like to cook up a pot of brown rice every few days to have on hand. For lunches and suppers I just vary my veggies and rice and protein. I also cut up fresh veggies to have on hand as well as a low calorie dip for them.
The other thing that I changed was getting rid of the white stuff in my diet. I got in the habit of staying away from anything made with white sugar, white flour, white rice, white pasta, etc. It’s amazing how dropping these products from my diet made a difference to the way I felt.
I also downsized the portions. I found the easiest way to do this was to downsize the size of my plate. Instead of using a full-sized dinner plate, I switched to a luncheon sized one. Everything I put on the plate is no bigger than the size of a deck of cards. By the time I have added my pasta or rice and veggies and protein, the plate is full! Salad can be served in a separate small bowl with a tablespoon of olive oil mixed with ½ tablespoon of vinegar and spices for taste.
I try to eat only when I’m hungry. Right now with a lot of stress in my life, I have many small meals during the day rather than 3 big ones. I also try to make 8 PM my cut-off time.
4. Keep smiling
The old saying that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile is true. My 65 year old face appears a lot younger when I’m smiling than when I’m frowning. Even when I’m struggling to feel happy I try to smile and make eye contact. It’s amazing the people that smile back and it does get some sexy looks occasionally!
5. Believe
I have a few good years left and I still have some wisdom to impart to others. If I don’t believe in what I stand for and what I can offer to others, who else will?
6. Let the sunshine in!
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