Friday, August 20, 2010

Better Late Than Never?

As an aerobics insructor and the owner of Trim Up #1 while in my 30's, I had a pretty easy time managing my weight and with the exception of skin cancers, had no
health concerns. Every year I got glowing reports from my physical with weight, cholesterol, blood pressure etc. and even through a turbulant divorce was always mentally and emotionally stable. I took great pride in "never" getting sick.

Fast forward to age 42...when all hell broke loose... aka MENOPAUSE! It seemed like in just over a few months, my whole body shape changed and I no longer
had a waistline. During that year I gained over 20 pounds! Part of the problem was that I was no longer teaching aerobics and had slacked off on the intensity and amount of exercise. I tried every kind of diet but the bulge didn't budge. I felt tired, old, miserable and grumpy in wearing too-tight clothes (but determined not to buy a bigger size, although I eventually gave in).

Emotionally, I was riding a roller coaster with regular bouts of anxiety, depression and weeping. Physically, my knees and hips ached, and my cholesterol and blood sugar tests were elevated at my 43 yr old physical, which was very embarrassing. This was not ME - Miss Fit!!

Fortunately, my ob/gyn specializes in female sexuality and put me on natural hormone replacement which gave almost instant relief from hot flashes and the erratic emotions. However, I still struggled with the extra belly fat.

Although I tried to workout 3-4 times a week by walking, the eliptical and an occasional aerobics class, it wasn't until the fall of 2007 that I started seeing positive changes in my physique.... when I decided to reopen Trim Up and began working out seriously with free weights and higher intensity cardio.

Once I started teaching classes again and working out at Trim Up almost every day,
my body slowly got stronger with less joint pain. I am still on HRT but feel even
better since gradually improving my diet over the past few years. My cholesterol is back down and no blood sugar issues.

I feel like I'm back to feeling as good as I did in my 30's but I imagine it would
be a different story if I had not (1) gotten on hormone replacement and (2)opened Trim Up.

There are so many health issues that arise in our later years that can be prevented with proper diet and regular exercise in our earlier years. Even 20 extra pounds on your body, over time, can cause back or knee problems that may prohibit normal activity years later. Lack of weight-bearing exercise, estrogen and a proper
diet can lead to osteoporosis. A poor diet, extra weight, especially around the belly, and no cardio exercise means high risk for heart disease, and damage that forever changes your health and life. Type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis are other
diseases that could be prevented with a fit lifestyle.

Many busy women juggling work and family don't make time for nutrition and fitness
until the kids are grown and/or they start seeing signs of poor health. It can be
uncomfortable and at times downright HARD, but it is never too late to start taking
better care of your body! Although some conditions can not be reversed, exercise and nutrition can make a huge difference in managing your health concerns.

So don't wait to exercise...sooner or later!