Contemplations and Life Expectations for the Over 40...well, for me, at least.

My friend Pam will be thrilled to know I'm updating this blog. Finally. She's lectured and threatened but I know she's non-confrontational so I wasn't worried. Now had she threatened something akin to eliminating all of the Snickers in town, I'd be concerned. That is a scary possibility!

There's a lot to update but not much of it is interesting so if you have more important things to do, just close down the page now and move on. Otherwise, sit down with a cup of coffee and enjoy.

Let's start with me. After all, this blog is all about me so that's a good place to start, don't you think?

I turned 43 this month. Four-tee-three. Wow. How the heck did that happen? It just baffles my mind that at four-tee-three I still think like a thur-tee-three year old. Sort of. Maybe. Anyway, considering the fact that I bawled my eyes out when I turned the big four-de, this didn't go so bad. I guess it's good to add a year than to stop, right?

Needless to say, I was fairly sad on my birthday. It was the official start of the 'firsts' for me. The first birthday without my mom. The first next year of my life without my mom. It made me feel lonely. She was the only one physically there to share the my life from day one. My father was at home watching TV (actually, probably sleeping since it was 2:30 AM but he likes to embellish a bit), so it was just mom and I and while I haven't spent a birthday with just since, it was sad to think I'll never talk with her again on that day. Or any day for that matter.

Then I had the first Thanksgiving without my mom a few days ago. It was a good holiday. I was busy cooking and cleaning and entertaining so I didn't have a whole lot of time to be sad. I thought of my mom a lot and I talked to her, giving thanks for the times I did have her close. My dad and 'step' mom (I really hate that title) were here and that was great. My father is 81 and lately I've seen his mortality. I'm sure it's because of my mom dying but it is still hard to think that in a few years I will likely have lost both my mother and my father.

I learned a big lesson with the passing of my mom and I wish I could have learned it earlier. My mother had many problems and I had many solutions to those problems. Most were health issues and I constantly told her what she needed to do to be better. She complained and got frustrated and I got frustrated with her. She had no intentions of doing any of the things I suggested and I continued to attempt to get her to change. What a waste of time. It created frustration for both of us and if I could go back and change that, I would. Now I watch my father make decisions for himself that harm him; he smokes, he doesn't move, he doesn't eat enough, etc. It frustrates me but I have learned that saying anything is pointless. He's not going to change at my suggestion and I'm not going to make him feel bad or frustrated because I don't like what he's doing. He's 81 and his life is his to do with as he pleases. What right do I have to try to change it just because I think it will keep him around longer? No right, actually. Instead of harping, I'm choosing to just let him be him and while that can be sad at times, it makes my relationship with him much easier and non-combative.

Sadly, with the onset of the holidays comes the onset of more poundage. It's time to take it seriously and start to move more. Actually, the moving more isn't the problem as much as the eating is. I found a diet in Health magazine to lose 5 lbs in 5 days so on Tuesday I start that. I say Tuesday because that will give me time to get to the store on Monday morning. It's got stuff I don't like on it but eating isn't for pleasure, right? Yeah, I know. That's my problem, too. I eat for pleasure.

Most of the holiday decor is up and 99.99% of the shopping is done. It was ALL done but my husband decided to up the budge for it, so I have more to do. Not much, which is good. I hate shopping and hate it even more over the holidays.

Indoor Lacrosse for my son starts this week and thus I'll be driving around town for a few hours a night a few nights a week again. Oh well, it could be worse. My daughter could be back in competition cheerleading. Yikes.

Oh, one more thing. Let's play a little google game here. I'm going to type a name here and see if it pulls up from google when I google it. Here it goes. "Gracie Ridder Aspenson".

Happy Thanksgiving! Pam, let's walk this week on my new greenway.

Fitness & Nutrition Principles of Carolyn

I've been working on this for some time...the exercise plan, that is. So I'm posting what I'm going to do...let's hope I have the gumption!

Fitness & Nutrition Principles

Fitness Principles

Cardio: 45-60 minutes six days a week (mix it up so as not to do the same type of cardio daily)
Weights: (see exercise plan below)

1.Three days of full body compound exercises supplemented with smaller muscle exercise in superset/cardio interval style with four sets of each exercise.
2.1 minute rest between sets
3.Keep a journal of progress

Nutrition Principles

1.Drink eight 8oz glasses of water daily (not including replenishing of water loss during work out)
2.Eat five small means every 2-3 hours
3.Eliminate sugars except for one snack daily
4.Maximum of 1200 calories daily (approximately 200 calories per meal plus sugar snack)
5.Eliminate soda
6.Eliminate whites (flour, bread, pasta) stick with whole grains only
7.Eat a protein and complex carb at each meal
8.Reduce processed foods as much as possible and increase veggies
9.Take multi-vitamin and calcium twice daily
10.Take Flaxseed or Fish oil daily
11.Keep a journal

 


Monday (approximately 45 minutes)
EXERCISE
Bench Press
Lunges
Crunches
Squats w/Bicep Curls
Military Press
Back Extension
Push Ups w/One Arm Raise
Plank
Dead Lifts


Wednesday (approximately 50 minutes)
EXERCISE
Bent-over Rows
V-Sits
Lunges w/Side Shoulder Raise
Captains Chair
Leg Press
Chest Press
Inner/Outer Thigh
Push Ups
Leg Extension
Oblique Twists

Friday (approximately 50 minutes)
EXERCISE
Cable Row
Walking Lunges
Tricep Pull Downs
Lat Pull Down
Barbell Shoulder Press
Cable Crunch (Abs)
Barbell Bicep Curls
Squats
Bent-Over Low Pulley Side Lateral
Leg Press