age is catching up with me

Every half dozen years or so, my metabolism slows down. I wish I could hold like I was in my earl twenties, when I could eat anything and look great.

Now that I'm in my 40's, my metabolism is so slow that I struggle to manage my weight, much less lose it. I stay in shape, mostly eat right. I've been counting calories and doing my best to avoid all but natural ingredients--avoiding foods full of preservatives where I can. I've also become an avid tea connoisseur.

And I stay in shape. I'm not a runner, but 45 min to 1 hr on the treadmill (watching Netflix) five nights a week (or outside in the sun when weather is decent at least 45 F with low or no wind) at a brisk walk is just as good as a short run, imho. Besides cardio, I also do push-ups and sit-ups every night and dumbbells every other night. I'm proud of my increased strength and stamina. But for the longest time, I was STILL gaining weight.

My goal has always been to reach my pre-kids weight, which is over ten pounds away. I'm probably luckier than many in that I've always had the means to stay in shape and used it; motivation being all that changed over the years. I just haven't always had to feel like I was working at it *coughhorsecough*. But as I age, keeping weight off gets harder.

I read something a couple of weeks ago that I dismissed, something I dismissed long ago also. A week ago, I decided to try it, the simplest change to make and so easy--drinking far more fluids (mostly water) every day than I had been. A gallon a day, especially in these dry months. I still have to remind myself to have the equivalent of a glass of water every hour, but...it works.

In one week of increasing my water intake on top of all that I normally do, I lost five pounds. I'm sure things will slow down and I sometimes indulge in a treat, but that simple thing finally worked to break the upward trend in spite of doing everything right. And I'm sure my kidney's appreciate it also, like my skin.

I'm going to continue with the routine and keep this changed lifestyle. I'm older than I used to be and it is difficult at times, but changes get easier over time. Learning to live without concentrated sweeteners or foods high in preservatives has become easy and now they make me sick; and I believe this will become normal too as the habit solidifies.

Now, as I finish off my cup of white tea, my last tea for the day, I'm going to wrap up with saying it's time to hit the treadmill.

Aging still sucks, but at least I can make the most of it.