At 43 I am the strongest I have ever been in my life. I did it by shifting my mindset (and working seriously hard). I find talking about weight loss/ getting in shape right now, pretty tricky – mostly because I want to be careful not to promote the wrong message. And because one of the biggest pitfalls I see being “sold” in the world and on social media about fitness/weight loss is the idea that you can “start this program or that one or follow a certain diet” and you will look completely transformed in X amount of time. The problem with this is that – 1) I really believe there is no one fit all approach to health and fitness, what worked for one person may not work for all and 2) the people promoting these transformations I can bet you, are often times doing way beyond what they are sharing that they do. This is often leaving people that don’t get the results promised by some programs felling like they failed or they must just lack the discipline to change (trust me I have been there). And that can be very demotivating. For example, I can share with you what I have been doing to get in better shape, if you ask me , I would say “teaching 4-5 barre classes a week ( now online I actually do the class) and lift weights twice a week, and eat healthy. Great- sounds simple right? But what is missing is on top of that – I physically practice the class before I teach it, I am active pretty much all day with my kids, I take my dog on long walks, I eat very strategically based on the amount of exercise I do each day ( this is to make sure I am eating enough) . I am moving way more than my workouts. I am sharing all this because it is the whole real picture, not a packaged wellness program. And I am really enjoying it. Side note: Joy is a secret ingredient to sticking with a program long term (More on that another time).
Real health should always be a number 1 priority- and looking good does not necessarily mean you are healthy. Take it from someone who had a stroke at 36, at time when I appeared young, fit, healthy. Prior to my stroke health to me was all about the number on the scale. I had spent over a decade fad and yo-yo dieting to get to a “target weight”. After the scare of a stroke, I embraced a quite different and more serious perspective on what it means to attain good health. I focused on combination of eating the right foods, exercising safer and “smarter” , monitoring my own health data (e.g. blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar) and did some real tough work on my mental health, also I tried to be more mindful and purposeful about life. All good – right? Except I never could quite get to where I wanted to be with my fitness goals (this is so personal and applies only to me, doesn’t reflect any judgement I have on what others should do/look like).
I personally believe that Barre fitness is an great choice for individuals over 40 who seek to maintain their fitness levels and embrace a healthy lifestyle. As we age, it becomes even more crucial to prioritize strength, flexibility, and overall well-being, and that's where Barre truly shines. The low-impact nature of Barre exercises is gentle on joints, making it accessible and safe for individuals of all fitness levels. With a focus on controlled movements and isometric holds, Barre effectively targets specific muscle groups, helping to sculpt and tone the body while improving posture and balance. Moreover, Barre engages the core muscles, enhancing stability and reducing the risk of injuries. The combination of ballet-inspired movements, Pilates principles, and elements of yoga creates a comprehensive workout that challenges both the body and mind. By incorporating Barre into your fitness routine after 40, you'll experience increased strength, improved flexibility, enhanced muscle tone, and a renewed sense of energy and vitality. Embrace the transformative power of Barre and unlock the secret to staying fit and fabulous at any age! You can move with me anytime and access over 100 on-demand workouts on here!
To sum up my point in sharing all this is that the road to wellness isn’t clear cut for every person. It is not always as simple as just eat less, exercise more. You may be like me -and the road to better health is confusing and bumpy. But – no matter what, it is worth investing the time and effort into yourself to find the path that feels right and moves you towards better health and well-being.
I hesitate to share all this because (as many of you who know me know) by the time I post this – I may be on to doing something new. But I guess that is what evolving is about- it is being open to trying new things and in being ready to sometimes having to do the tough work, which might mean taking a hard looks at things in your life that aren’t working, even when it is really uncomfortable to do it. Though, in this case, I am pretty sure I am going to stick to what I am doing right now (at least for while)😊.
