Happy New Year! Did you see my Instagram post yesterday? BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolate asked me what ballsy New Year’s Resolution I’d make for 2018. I resolved to get into good enough shape to model a bikini at the young age of 56! 🙂
Why in the world would I choose such a crazy resolution? To be honest, there were a couple reasons. First, it’s a personal challenge for me to break through some fitness barriers to be in the very best shape I can be! After surgery for a torn meniscus two years ago and a few muscle and tendon strains which were physically limiting to one extent or another, I want to see how well I can adapt and overcome.
Second, I want to prove age is just a number. Yes, the older we get the tougher it is to get and stay in shape, but it can be done! Just because you’re a certain age doesn’t mean you can’t be in the best shape of your life. I met with a trainer to get a fitness assessment, but I’m doing this without a trainer. Why? To prove fitness can be obtained within any budget, with basic tools and knowledge.
When I met with the trainer, the information he gave me was no surprise: I need to lose body fat, which will require diet and cardio. Yes, weight training will be important to tighten things up, but cardio will burn calories and diet, what I put in my body, is probably the most important component. I can work out for hours, but if I eat junk I’ll never reach my full potential.
I want my diet to be satisfying and sustainable. I did well with Whole 30 last year, but there are a few things off-limits on the Whole 30 plan that I’d rather not do without, like wine and chocolate. I’m giving The F-Factor Diet a try, which still promotes healthy eating but allows little indulgences if they’re enjoyed in moderation. the F-Factor is fiber, which keeps things moving throughout the body. Besides the weight loss potential, there are many other benefits to fiber consumption, including reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
I’ll chronicle my diet with you here, as well as my workouts. Please feel free to follow along and chime in with your progress. Even if you’re not planning to don a bikini, you can attain your best fitness level yet and I’d love to hear about it!
To start this week, I’m concentrating on cardio. My Bowflex Max Trainer features 16-minute workouts, so they’re great when time is limited. It’s important to mix things up so your body doesn’t get used to doing the same workout everyday. When that happens, your body becomes very efficient at that particular workout which sounds great, but it means you plateau, minimizing any physical improvement. It also becomes boring. Today I’ll do the Max Trainer and an arm and shoulder dumbell workout which includes two sets of:
- regular biceps curls,
- triceps kick-backs,
- shoulder lateral raises,
- military presses,
- bent-over lateral raises and
- single-arm front raises
In a future post I’ll have pictures of the each exercise, but these are pretty basic and you should be able to find examples all over the web. Even though women don’t build the same kind of muscular mass as men, weight-training can create a stockier look. For a lean physique, I use weights that allow me to do 12-15 repetitions per set. I’ve found I look bulkier when I use heavier weights with fewer reps. I definitely want to avoid that!
This week I’ll start each morning with a protein shake which includes Orgain Protein Powder, almond milk, frozen berries and 1/2 a banana. I usually need a mid-morning snack which will be chicken with fiber-rich fresh berries and broccoli. Lunch is either fish or more chicken with a plain sweet potato (including the skin). My afternoon snack will include a couple of hard-boiled egg whites and cherry tomatoes. If I’m still hungry I’ll add a protein bar. For dinner I’ll have more fish or ground beef and more vegetables. Asparagus and carrots sound pretty fabulous. I like the app “My Fitness Pal” to log the food I eat so I see how I’m doing with my protein and fiber goals. Talk about revealing!
So here we go with Day One of my New Year’s Resolution. I’m going for it and I hope you are, too!
Rubbermaid Food Storage | The F-Factor Diet Book | Cutting Board | Bowflex Max Trainer | Orgain Organic Protein Powder | Pure Protein Bars