Getting Fit!

I am on a quest to get fit! After all I have a couple of Weddings to get ready for! :) I have good reasons for being out of shape, I've had 4 children, and my last pregnancy I carried Twins to term! (We wont bring up the fact that that twin pregnancy was 16 years ago!) But I'm tired of looking like I have 4 children! And my biggest motivation of all . . . I turned 49! 

I remember as a Teenager spending my Summer in Michigan with my cousins, we were decorating for my Aunts Birthday, and this was one of my Aunts who was fun & hip, and she was turning 40. I vividly remember thinking Wow! 40 is old! I couldn't imagine ever being that old! Oh to be young & naive!  Now my new Motto in Life is: 50 is the new 30! (And you know if Oprah said it it has to be true!) And I would much rather look 30 instead of 50!

So I did what any intelligent woman would do, I got on Pinterest! :) Now It used to be my biggest issue was my Hips & Behind, but when I was doing Hula years ago, it really toned those areas up. Now it is hands down my stomach. So that's where I started. I found this 30 day Abs challenge, I printed it out but knew just starting up that I was not up to it, so I also printed a blank one, so that I could start where I am & work up from there! I started with 7 Sit-ups, 7 Crunches, 7 Leg Lifts & a 10 second Plank. I started on Monday, it's now Wednesday and I'm already up to 10 of each! Starting small & reaching milestones will keep you going forward! To start out saying I'm going to do 20 everyday, then when you can't, you give up. I'm trying to be smart about it!

My son Zach ran track in High School & is now doing a regiment for training for a 5K. And wanting to  add some Cardio to my Ab workout as well, I told him I'd walk while he runs. He runs 3 days a week, since he rides his bike (5 to 6 miles each way) to school the other 2 days. So I decided since my girls have bikes I would ride one on the other 2 days as well. My walks & bike rides are only about 30 minutes maybe. Riding a bike is hard. My legs (& butt) were sore even after the first ride! But it's fun!

My husband John is joining with me, he walks with me those 3 days before he goes to work & does the Ab workout everyday as well! The only time I'm alone is on the bike. He downloaded some of my favorite music on my phone for me and whats good about being on the bike is I can sing out loud & no one can hear me! (Which is a good thing, believe me!)

As a family we decided years ago that we enjoy eating The Mediterranean Diet way. John loves to cook Italian, and Greek food is my absolute favorite. And the people who live in that region of the world are among the healthiest on the planet. So though we always eat that way somewhat, we're trying to get more back into that. We're not supper strict about it, but it's not really hard to do as you can tell from the food pyramid above.

This is my year of Hope, and I'm really hoping that by the time I turn 50 at the end of the year, I'll be looking and feeling more like I'm 30! Proving that 50 really is the new 30! :)  Wish me luck . . .