Christie Brinkley…Janice Dickson…Lauren Hutton…Cheryl Tiegs…Cindy Crawford….these uber super models were my personal role models growing up in the 70 and 80’s. They represented all that was desirable and considered beautiful back then and gave me the blueprint of how I wanted to look; of how I should look. And oh how I fantasized about being them. They were all so incredibly gorgeous and of course all so very tall and skinny…tall and skinny being the operative words as beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, I was never to be like them because much to my chagrin somewhere around puberty I came to the sobering realization that I would never, not in a million, trillion years ever be tall and skinny. It became painfully apparent I would never grow beyond my 5’4 3/4” and that I had what some might call a curvaceous figure. A figure with boobs, hips, ass and thick legs. That was the hand I was dealt. So when I was 20 years old I decided instead of wallowing in my sorrow – as now I had to figure out a new definition of beauty – I would make the most of what I had, what I was born with and I joined a gym. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do in this gym as I was NOT by any means an athletic child, in fact quite the opposite. I just knew somewhere in the deep recesses of my brain that this was the answer, my answer.
Not wanting my curves to turn into cellulite I instinctively knew I had to train hard, very hard which I did (and still do to this day) with free weights. I immersed myself totally into fitness. I thought if I was going to do this I would do it all the way and as a result of this mindset, today in my 50‘s I have the body of a 30 something year old. What gives me this more youthful physique? Muscle! And lots of it.
And as you can clearly see in my photo it’s not the kind of muscle that looks overdone or unnatural. That look is just not possible for a woman without some black market “drugs” if you know what I mean. No, no it’s the kind of muscle that keeps my weight in check. It’s the kind of muscle that helps my clothes fit better. It’s the kind of muscle that helps me appear thinner than I really am. 🙂 We like that. And let me say having this younger looking, muscular body is only the half of it. For starters it’s because of this lifestyle of almost daily workouts, healthy eating and vitamin supplementation that I can pursue whatever goals I choose without limitations. I have no health issues therefore nothing prevents me from packing up and moving 3000 miles to Los Angeles to pursue a new career which is what I am about to do in the next few months. And the best part? I’ve discovered this lifestyle is actually slowing down the aging process. Now that is what I call aging gracefully. And girlfriend we ALL want to slow down the aging process. Lord knows.
So here’s the hard reality that we all face and no one is exempt: As a woman ages she either becomes overweight with unsightly bulges and cellulite everywhere or she becomes so thin and frail she borders on anorexia and appears as though a strong wind could literally blow her down to the ground. If she is overweight her risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes etc increases exponentially. If she is frail and thin her risk of osteoporosis among other health issues is almost a guarantee. Both of these possibilities can be avoided with intense, consistent exercise AND a consistent healthy eating program. Easy for me to say…ha not really but knowing the alternative I am compelled to get to the gym most days of the week and to maintain my healthy eating habits. It becomes easy once it’s just what you do, once it becomes who you are.
By now you’re probably wondering what you have to do to make this a reality for your own life. Here are the broad strokes to making this happen for you right now, as in today:
#1: Find an activity that you like, that you enjoy so much that you can’t wait to go do it again.
If it’s not weight training figure out how to make the weight training part of your routine. Because it’s the weight training that can change your body from average to va va voom!!! And my lovelies it’s the weight training that keeps your weight in check and your bones, tendons and ligaments strong and healthy.
#2: Start eating tons and tons of veggies and salad greens every single day and for the most part say bye-bye to pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, butter and mayonnaise.
Unfortunately all those good starchy carbs make you fat and we already know what butter and mayo can do to a girl’s figure. Sorry but that’s the reality. And oh yes legumes…as good as they are for you eat them on a very limited basis. Again eat tons and tons of veggies and leafy greens. As well include several servings per day of lean protein and of course drink lots and lots of water, all day, every day. And it’s best for you to cook your own food and bring it with you wherever you go. Food bought in restaurants or elsewhere is a gamble. You don’t know what you’re getting. For someone who works out and trains hard it’s important to get 40% of your calories from carbs, 30% from protein and 30% from healthy fats. Now go and find your happiness because looking good is the best revenge 🙂
And if I’ve said this once I’ve said this a million times… “I don’t make the rules, I just live by them.”
How do I know all this besides living and breathing it? I am a Certified Health Coach from the American Council on Exercise and also a Certified Senior Fitness Specialist from the National Academy of Sports Medicine plus I have competed in Fitness Figure and Bodybuilding shows – with several trophies to show for it.
Til next time…Victoria xox