maintaining your figure!!

Continuing plan for the summer determined to get to the gym to maintain my weight and to  tone.....this routine has become very much a part of my daily objectives.

my day also includes

scales
daily calorie count
making the right food choices
portion control

     I also treat my tape measure as my conscience - it doesn't lie!!

I have found that as I have got older I don't seem to need or crave the larger portions I would have had when I was young. We were brought up to "clear our plates" whereas now it is more sensible to say I am full - my body is telling me this so leave the food we don't need. Fortunately the friend I met yesterday has a similar approach to food and watches the carbs and portions size.  Maybe surrounding yourself with like minded people is the answer when socialising and then you are not tempted to order fatty calorific alternatives.

This may seem to be onerous and prescriptive and I understand if this is the impression that is taken from this.  However once you have worked out a healthy diet content which you find appealing you will be surprised how you will become happy with it and more comfortable and the bonus you will start to see a difference in your shape, energy levels and well being. 

I am no saint and like a glass of wine and a bag of crisps like everyone else - however these are acceptable so long as they don't become a frequent components of your diet.

Its a little bit like learning to drive - you never think you will get the knack of being competent so many things to think about .....however driving eventually becomes second nature to you and part of everyday life!

No reason why mature women in age category 50 and beyond can't have a figure which is beach ready!!

Talking of everyday life the rest of the day will be devoted to catching up on jobs in the garden....cutting back, pruning, planting bedding plants and praying that there won't be a frost!

Keeping active and busy for me now in my 60s is vital and hope that it will help in the future with my health and my mind!!

Time for a cup of tea!!

Busy Day!

Woke up at 6am this morning as usual - can't sleep beyond this time for some reason.  My husband gets me a cup of tea and some fruit.........as usual :)

I am meeting a friend today for lunch  so prepare a moussaka for my husband so he doesn't feel too aggrieved!

Then to the gym for an hour - half an hour cross trainer and 30 mins weights equipment.

11am catch train to St. Pancras and meet my Iranian friend who now lives in Turkey at my favourite meeting place... Searcys, opposite the champagne bar.  It is such a relaxed venue. Food is very good and you can linger as long as you like.  Such a bonus for a girlie lunch with so much to catch up on........

http://searcys.co.uk/venues/st-pancras-grand/#.U16YjV6aLwI

Called in at L K Bennett on ground floor and found pair of nude shoes I had seen on line in the sale.............good job I bought them from the shop as needed a whole shoes size less!

http://www.lkbennett.com/Shoes/Court-Shoes/Samira-Patent-Leather-Court/p/SCSAMIRAPATENTTaupeLight%20Taupe?nr=54&product=54&show=All

My husband collected me from station at 4pm and after a cup of tea and a little rest prepare food for evening meal.

Perfect day!   Time now for a relaxing night and tomorrow is another day.....................

Sunday Sloth!

Well its been an easy kind of a day!  My intent of being "summer ready" started at 8.30 this morning at the gym.  I spent an hour on cross trainer and low level bike.  I always feel so much better after I have done it!  Tomorrow I will do mainly weights to help with toning , muscles and strengthening bones.  Never ends does it?  

I got back home around 10.30 time for coffee with my husband.  The weather here in the south has been pretty mixed and there has been a constant threat of rain.....so I dodged the showers and mowed front and back lawns before preparing lunch.
Still watching the calories - stir fry chicken, courgettes, onion and carrot.

After lunch it has been wall to wall football.  My husband is a Manchester City fan and I decided to watch the matches with him as each one had a bearing on Man City"s success in getting to top of league. ......what am I talking about?!  It is a question of if you can't beat them join them. Anyway worked out well with convincing win against Crystal Palace!  So happy partner!  Thats what I call a result!

Just a quickie….on tights…..

Older bare legs don't look as good as younger ones sadly.  In the summer you can just about get away with bare legs if you have a bit of a tan.

So its good to have a bank of tights which fit the occasion.  I must confess that I tend to wear opaque black tights in the winter and "nude"tights in the summer.  I have spent a fortune in the past on glossy ones, fine ones, control ones………I can't say I have ever been totally satisfied with the fit and overall effect.  I have quite a long middle and it is rare to find tights which fit comfortably and end at the waist rather than the hips!

Then by chance I thought I wonder what they have in the supermarket and had a look in Sainsburys - the inner snob in me thought they can't possibly be any good……well serves me right to think I haven't even considered them in all these years.

I went for ladder resistant and found what I was looking for in the sale - additionally I bought a pack of 5 nude tights for £4.50. All are excellent and the pack is remarkable value!! 

NHS Health Check

So we are going to talk about us mature ladies preparing ourselves for the summer………..

How better to start with health check up?  Must admit it wasn't at the top of my list but an invitation came throughout the post for a free NHS check up. Apparently these checkups which are available every 5 years are targeting the 40-74 age group.  (What happens to you after 74 is a mystery!!) .

The information said….

The check is to assess your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease or diabetes. If there are any warning signs, then together we can do something about it.

By taking early action, you can improve your health and prevent the onset of these conditions.  There is  good evidence of this.

Put in these terms its an offer I can't refuse!

They  have already booked me in for a blood test next week to measure cholesterol.  Then the following week I will meet with Health Care Assistant who will make the check based on questions and measurements such as age, sex, family history, height, weight and blood pressure.

The comforting thing to me is that my lifestyle, exercise, weight, diet are fairly healthy and I do practice what I preach in past blogs. The  only concern I have is around blood pressure - I only have to see the BP monitor for the BP reading to rise alarmingly.  I know its called "white coat syndrome" but it does unnerve me!  In the past I had to have 24 hour monitoring to establish that the BP does eventually settle down to an acceptable level.

Anyway it will be worthwhile I am sure and clearly when you move into the mature years its more imperative to take heed.

So this is my first step to the summer ….getting my house in order! Will provide feedback in due course :)

Are you ready for a check up? This what is available in the UK on the NHS - maybe if you are not from the UK you will have some provision in your own Country - now's the time to do your homework - makes sense!

Easter Optimism!

Hope you enjoying the Easter break!  Such a wonderful time of year with all the spring flowers and shrubs coming into their own.
The blossom on our tree is in all its glory and is so uplifting and provides for an extra impetus to get out there and get on with some gardening!!

When I was working I used to look forward to the public holidays as you knew that just about everyone else was also not at the workplace……and therefore you could fully relax as the chances of "issues"  arising would be seriously diminished!!!

Now I am retired the changes in the days are quite subtle…in many ways everyday is a holiday as you can do whatever you want when you want….you are in control within reason!

Easter does tend to make you indulge more than you would - eggs, sweets and extra food.  Visiting our supermarket before the break was quite enlightening - almost a siege mentality!  The quantities people were buying were incredible, almost as if we have been programmed to equate the holiday with volume.

So if you have been one of those who have "gone the extra mile" maybe time to get back on track.  Good to have these moments but it is long term indulgence which does the damage.  So back to normal portions and a general awareness of the healthy foods and the calories!!

So enjoy Easter Monday and will be coming back with thoughts around us mature ladies getting in shape for the summer !!!


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Easter Saturday we went to see "Good People" with Imelda Staunton at the Noel Coward Theatre, St Martins Lane, London. We didn't know what to expect …billed as a comedy - we would say it did have comedic moments but there were some quite serious aspects which we all found quite thought provoking.  All the cast were excellent.  Imelda Staunton was particularly superb and so believable ……reminds me of the quote from Joan Collins when someone praised her for her performance and she said something to the effect…."Its called acting, darling!"

Really recommend - it only has a short run so need to book quickly!

http://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/Tickets/GoodPeople/GoodPeople.asp

Time for Change

Hope you found the last few blogs useful and maybe encouraged you to review your image and get the best look?

It is never too late to make changes.  For a lot of 50s, 60s 70s, 80s…..they become invisible.  Don't let it happen to you!  They say that those in their 2nd half century are the ones with the buying power and yet retailers don't really target this group.  I mentioned that dresses and skirts can be too short and dresses invariably are sleeveless.  There has been a little movement to accommodate the slightly different needs of the older group but progress is slow.

It is a matter of being selective and making sure that whatever you buy ticks your boxes and……….don't be tempted to buy on impulse!  Its worth taking a little time.

If you need further inspiration check out this link which features a remarkable 88 year old!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2601939/How-stay-sexy-splits-88-She-affair-Errol-Flynn-gave-Sophia-Loren-lessons-seductive-younger-lover.html