This year I hit a milestone birthday which used to be known as when a woman started receiving the 'old age' pension. OLD AGE! Good grief!!
I don't like getting older; some people embrace it but the fact that I am going to be 60 fills me with horror! Okay, I know it's better than the alternative and the longer you live the more birthdays you have (or is it the other way round?) but it hardly seems long ago that I was feeling this way about my 30th birthday. I think I have skipped a couple of decades somewhere along the line and my 40s seem a bit of a blur to be honest. I just can't believe I have been on this earth for 6 whole decades!
There are some advantages to being older though I can't think of many! Oh yes, car insurance is cheaper! Don't get me wrong, I have a great life and feel blessed to have good health and a lovely family and friends but I just don't want to be 60! I want to stay at 59.
Actually the whole point of writing this post is about healthy eating and looking after oneself. Over the years I have reached a weight I am not comfortable with and want to lose 1.5 stones before my birthday in October. I can't do anything about the wrinkles or the grey hair (other than hide it with hair colour) but I can have control over my weight. I want to look in the mirror on October 28th and know that I look as good as I can for a 60 year old. I've never really had a weight problem until 'middle age spread' well, it spread! I've always considered that I ate healthily too but I have been following a regime from a personal trainer who advocates eating no processed food and no diet 'crap' (as he puts it). I have been doing this for 4 weeks now and love it because I can eat real food (butter, full fat greek yoghurt, olive oil etc. etc.) and still lose weight. I feel great and the weight is coming off (though slowly I have to admit). I always used to skip breakfast maintaining that it made me feel even hungrier rather than satisfied but now I have porridge with fruit and honey or greek yoghurt and granola.
I have never made granola before but this is the recipe I use -
300 ml apple juice
150g oats
150g sultanas
Pecan nuts (as many as you want)
Heat the apple juice till it thickens slightly into a syrup. Mix in the dry ingredients, spread this onto a baking sheet and bake until crispy. (I found this did take quite a while and I had to separate it into small bits).
''Ruth is turning 101 next month and she is looking forward to celebrating with all of her friends and family. She is a wonderful example for us all to take care of ourselves and to age gracefully".
This is another lady accompanied with a lovely quote from The Velveteen Rabbit
"Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes don't see as well and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. "But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand" The Velveteen Rabbit...
My teddy will be celebrating the big 60 with me as we are the same age....
...though I like to think I have worn better over the years!
Does your age bother you or are you quite content with your advancing years?
you're ahead of me by 2 years Ruth, but I know that creeping dread- it doesn't seem so long ago that we thought of 60 year-olds as REALLY old.
ReplyDeleteNowadays I tend to look at it this way...
you spend most of your life growing up, and then you get to the point where you can reach inside and grow down...and I love the freedom of being able to do that now- if age brings one thing it seems to be a shedding of the shackles.
Good luck with your target weight loss- if your blog pic is anything to go by you look fabulous already!
I've already passed that milestone and it really didn't bother me - I was glad to retire from my career and start out on working with my real love of vintage textiles and costume. I appreciate having time to enjoy researching my subject, truffling out treasures for my own collection as well as selling at fairs and meeting other enthusiasts.
ReplyDeleteI can also take as much "time off" as I want to visit my far flung family - though regrettably without that fat salary to pay for the airfares.
The only time I've really felt my advancing age has been these last months after my mother's recent death. I've suddenly felt old without my own mum at the end of a telephone or to go out 'girly' shopping with. Even though she was in her 90s, while she was around I was just a kid. I know that you also recently lost your mother too, and maybe that's part of what's affecting your outlook?
My mother never thought she was an 'old dear' - and she wasn't. Nor am I. And nor are you! (Agreeing with ted and bunny re your blog pic!)
I am just so grateful to have got this far! (I have friends who didn't.) I enjoy taking the time as you are doing, to look after myself better and love having the time to do things I want to do as opposed to have to do. But the crepey skin on my arms shocks me, and my diminishing eyesight scares me. Thank you for your hones post and for that wonderful photograph of the 101 year old! I will search for your Pinterest board - what a positive thing to do....
ReplyDeleteYou look amazing...Heidi
ReplyDeleteYou don't look 60 at all! Do you just see the personal trainer once or are you doing exercise with him? I have also found it true as you get older it is more difficult to remove the weight! I will try your recipe as I love granola and it contains all the ingredients that I love.
ReplyDeleteSarah x
Well, you spring chicken, I'm 65 this year! Not too bothered, really. Life's very good. I'm happier now than I was in my 40s - lots of relationship problems then. Though I don't like looking older - wrinkles, etc - and I don't have quite as much energy as I used to. But, doing the things I want, and loving it! X (By the way, you look great!)
ReplyDeleteFor me having a late baby at 40 helped fend off middle age let alone old age, but not everyone would welcome that! I believe in the wholesome diet thing too. I'm a few years older than you & still do everything that I did 30 years ago - maybe more! Please tell us how to find your Pinterest board - I love looking at photos of inspiring women even older than I am!
ReplyDeleteFor those who are interested here is the link to my Pinterest 'Fabulous Older Style' board http://pinterest.com/ohsovintage/fabulous-older-style/
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