So, are you today??? Or this???

OK! So you’re not 25 anymore (or even close?)

So what do you do about it?
Sit in your chair and accept that you are getting older? There’s nothing you can do about it anyway (shrug) right?
Prayed! – Make every day count!
Penalty fee! – And how the hell do we do that?

This and similar thoughts have been nagging me at the back of my minutes for some time now and I find it increasingly difficult to sit back and wait for old age and, I swallow, take over. As I read, people tended to do it a long time ago.
Now, apart from any other reason, allowing this to happen is BORING. I get restless sitting on the couch too long, even when I have something creative to do while sitting there.

So naturally, being myself, I started researching as many ideas and suggestions as I could find. And I found so many that I thought I’d pass on a few in case there are others out there who would appreciate some ideas.
Here it goes.

De-stress – quite a popular expression these days, but it’s not always easy to do, is it? A doctor (Pablo Quintana MD) said in one of his reports that spending even 10 minutes at a time doing something you enjoy can, if you allow it, help you overcome some of the stresses many of us feel today.
So what is causing your stress? If it’s something medical, you may need to talk to your primary care doctor. But if it’s the stress that can come from managing while living on a very small budget; Living alone; meeting few people, perhaps due to moving to a new area; Feeling out of shape, but not knowing how to even BEGIN to correct any of these things, whatever is causing your own personal stress; You can make the difference.
In recent years, I have suffered from several of those listed. In addition to being on the ‘Not a Spring Chicken Anymore’ end of the age spectrum, AND a fairly recent widow, I was acutely aware that I needed to help myself first.
Forward and upward then, I decided.

The truth about metabolism and calories.

Is there such a thing as metabolism-boosting diets? -NOT
Although hot peppers and green tea can bring a short-term boost. A balanced diet with reasonable portions is much more important.

Can exercise speed up your metabolism? -YEAH
Muscle burns more calories than fat.
Strength training and cardio are good options.

Can eating many small meals increase metabolism? – NOT
Try small meals if you tend to overeat at mealtimes.
The number of meals matters less than the total calories consumed.

Is it common to have trouble losing weight due to slow metabolism? -NOT
A slow metabolism is rare.
If you’re following all the guidelines but still have trouble losing weight, talk to your doctor.

Low carb substitutes for bread, pasta, rice, potatoes.

bread exchanges

A lettuce wrap works great as a taco or burger bun.
Chinese cabbage makes a good wrap for sandwich fillings.
Cauliflower makes a good pizza base. Among other rich things.

pasta exchanges

Grated spaghetti squash, excellent as spaghetti.
Sliced ​​zucchini or eggplant make a great lasagna, noodles.
The cauliflower is just as good as the pasta with mac and cheese.
Use a vegetable peeler, knife, or spiralizer to turn the vegetables into noodles.

potato exchanges

Grated pumpkin can be made into hash browns.
Turnip or cauliflower work well as ‘mashed potatoes’
Jicama (Mexican potato) can be crunchy like potatoes
Rutabaga (Swedish) gives body to soups and stews, it can also be prepared on rice.

rice exchanges

Cauliflower in rice or in a blender.
Bulgar, quinoa, or barley are great substitutes for rice, especially as a side dish or in stir-fries and soups.

Should I add vitamin supplements to my diet?

First review your diet to see if there are any missing items that you need to add as a supplement. Unless you’re on a really unhealthy diet (fish and chips, burgers and fries, etc., every day), you may already be taking all the vitamins you need. Or you could, simply by adding or removing an item or two, fill your vitamin needs.
But if you are missing any necessary elements, can you add these foods naturally? If not, find a supplement for that section of your diet. But try not to overdo it with multiple supplements that may not be necessary. Also, keep in mind that too many additional supplements may end up down the toilet instead of staying in your system.

hidden sources of trans fat

One way to pack on the pounds isn’t always obvious, so checking food labels will be beneficial, but the following foods may contain that hidden fat.

Baked goods: cookies, cakes, and crackers.
Popular Snacks: Microwave Popcorn, French Fries
Fried food, especially in eat-out and take-out places.
Dough products, including frozen pizzas and cookies
butter bar
coffee creamers
Vegetable shortening – lard, dripping

The term “Partially Hydrogenated Oil” found on packages in fine print is another name for artificial trans fats.

Another kind of unhealthy option, of course, is sugar, which is often used like a condom these days. Some of these hidden sugars, often by different names, are:

• Has syrup – corn syrup, rice syrup
• the word ends in “ose” – fructose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose
• “sugar” is in the name: unrefined sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar.

These are also often hidden among the ingredients on the package.
working out
If you’re not in the habit of exercising (as I certainly was), just go for a walk. It doesn’t have to be long, ten minutes is doable for most of us at first. For me it was a very short walk around the block (20 minutes in total) but the return part had a small hill. The first couple of times, I was exhausted when I got back home. But within a week or so, I was willingly extending this.
Walking outside also exposes you to vitamin D, which is good for anxiety problems, sociable, helps sleep, helps you feel good, helps focus, helps the immune system, increases creativity, helps control the weight. But remember to ‘slip, slap, slide’.
Before beginning any exercise plan, discuss your health with your doctor. Weight gain can negatively affect your microbiome, encouraging the types of microbes that get energy from food and help your body store fat, possibly setting the stage for weight gain.
Fiber-rich foods: vegetables, whole grains, fruits, feed colon bacteria; also discourage the growth of some harmful ones. Probiotics like yogurt and pickled vegetables also help your gut. Getting enough sleep, relieving stress, and exercising can also improve your microbiome. Be careful when taking probiotics, especially if you have some health problems, check with your doctor first. Peppermint oil has been shown to have some beneficial effects.
Regular physical activity can improve your balance and improve or maintain your health and fitness. It might help improve your mood, help manage or lessen the impact of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression.
So, what are you waiting for? If the weather is dry and not freezing, get outside and walk, even if it’s just for 1 minute. I have a friend in a nursing home, octogenarian, who goes out regularly, with her walker, and walks. Even if it’s just around the perimeter of the building. Sometimes it embarrasses me, so I always try to remind myself that…
you are never too old
Recommended for Mature Adults.

Well, being one of the above, I couldn’t help myself, I had to search for more information that would help me have a HEALTHY, hopefully long life. Here are my findings.
Despite what many of us believe, as we age, stamina, balance, strength, and flexibility are vital to both health and mood.
Walking fast, dancing, etc. improve the health of your heart, lungs and circulatory system. It can also make it easier to mow the lawn, climb stairs, etc.
Strength exercises, including lifting weights, which don’t have to be very heavy, or using resistance bands, can definitely build muscle strength, which in turn will help carry groceries or lift the grandkids.
Balance exercises can help prevent falls. Stretching or flexibility exercises can help with freedom of movement. The weights will help tone your muscles. Kegel squeezes for other muscles, fast and long (10 seconds) 3 times a day.
Social activities, reading, games, crafts, indoor computer use can also help keep your brain active and a good mood. A fairly recent experiment with about 30 people found that dancing is not only good for most muscles, but also improves mood. Like singing in a group, I am in a local choir and we practice weekly for our concerts. Most of us go home excited, so singing works too.
The Mediterranean diet is also useful for controlling our weight.
Try to always keep sidewalks clear, clean up spills right away, invest in good lighting. Find activities like Tae Chi, Yoga, etc. to help improve your balance. It should lower your blood pressure. Eating well contributes to good health, as does cooking with raw, unprocessed foods, thus limiting the hidden sugars in our diet that are found in so many processed foods today.
Well, those are the results of my research, so far.
But I will continue to spend time finding ways to help me stay healthy and, even on a very small budget, I will figure out how to delay the time when I need help.
SO – Onwards and upwards for all of us over the age of 25. Did I say 25? Why discriminate? From the age of 21, catch your bad habits early, and you are more likely to have a healthy and fit old age. Very good luck and clothes to all of you