Is self care / health more or less important to you as you age?

caroln said:
Be careful with that non-dairy creamer, Medusa. It can contain trans fats, calories and additives you don't want. 1% milk might be a better alternative.
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This is an almond-based creamer with very few ingredients from a store that does not allow products with trans fats. I can't do dairy.
I know some of those non-dairy creamers can be horrendous, though; so I get what you're saying.
I saw Bill Nye (such a crush on him) do a demo on those once. Yikes. :/
 
JustDave said:
We are not training for the Olympics anymore, so how carefully in our living should we be? I don't think it's time to throw caution to the wind, but a little carefully (whatever that is) wouldn't require an obsession with our health.

The obvious problem with "eat, drink, and be merry," is that none of us are going to die tomorrow. If I was going to die within the next 20 hours, then it wouldn't make much difference, but in actuality, I doubt that anybody on their death bed is focused on wishing they could have one last McDonald's Happy Meal supersized with a double order of fries.
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I agree with most of this on the face of it because it makes sense. Not that I'm sure I want to subscribe to it, but it does make sense. -- I don't know, maybe I'm going through some sort of, getting old, tantrum phase.

You know, I'd thought I'd heard something about death row inmates having McDonalds for their last meals. Don't quote me, but I could swear...
 
Yes, I think we are forced to make some changes regarding our health the older we get, to hopefully add a few years to our checkout time.
I try real hard to keep the calories down but do fall off the wagon. I know the old bod will certainly let me know when I've been on an ice cream binge.
 
Medusa said:
As I'm aging I'm finding myself vacillating on this subject.

Most of my life I've moved in and out of physical fitness regimes, focused, healthful eating, etc., It's generally my way, sort of, mostly, (or was) to eat well and try to exercise however, whenever.

Lately though, I don't know... sometimes I feel like, "You're 58.5; the hell with it. Relax and have some pizza." Others though it's, "You're 58.5! You must exercise, avoid gluten, sugar, dairy, high carbs, etc., count calories, blah, blah, blah."

But you know that old adage about people on the Titanic refusing dessert?

I know I should find a medium, but I don't do that well, moderate behavior. I wish I did; it would be less exhausting.

How's everyone else handling health maintenance as we age?
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Someone on my other forum (wherein I also posed this question) just made a really good point I hadn't considered. She said she is also addressing mental self care in that she is also trying to shed people pleasing fears and learning to listen to my her feelings more.

That is a really good point -- letting go of the thoughts, things, people that cause us stress or pain (which, to bring it around, will eventually also cause further physical discomfort and potential ailments).
 
Jackie23 said:
Yes, I think we are forced to make some changes regarding our health the older we get, to hopefully add a few years to our checkout time.
I try real hard to keep the calories down but do fall off the wagon. I know the old bod will certainly let me know when I've been on an ice cream binge.
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I've found myself struggling with that, the calorie/food intake thing. It became such an obsession for me I've now found it best to just try to be peripherally aware rather than keeping the graphs and charts I used to.

Honestly though, I'm not sure that's going to be enough, at my age and the level of exercise I'm currently not undertaking.
 
For me now, it's about being able to function. For example, daily gentle rebounding (mini trampoline) brought me back from being crippled. When I started having trouble getting up off my mattress (which is on the floor), I began doing 8 body weight squats every other day. I stretch daily, so my body won't seize up.

I do other exercises too. But if I tried to get really fit, I'd just hurt myself. Too many weak links.

I've developed a number of food sensitivities and eat accordingly.

I think I'll give up on trying to lose weight. Yes, it would be a good thing to do, but not worth the effort/sacrifice, in my opinion.
 
Medusa said:
I agree with most of this on the face of it because it makes sense. Not that I'm sure I want to subscribe to it, but it does make sense. -- I don't know, maybe I'm going through some sort of, getting old, tantrum phase.
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I actually understand this having gone through a similar phase a few years after I retired. I thought, I'm going to stop busting my butt and just do whatever pleases me, be it becoming a couch potato, or just letting myself go. But as it turned out, that's not really what I wanted. Of course, that's just a personal choice, and I didn't follow that plan to a Tee, but when I started feeling the ravages of age, I decided it wasn't a very good plan. But for my purposes, approaching the solution with a "no pain, no gain" attitude isn't necessary. I actually did start lifting weights, which I haven't done since high school, but I don't push, and its just fun. If it stops being fun, I'll make adjustments or give it up. It doesn't have to be hard work for what I want to get out of it.
 
NorthernLight said:
For me now, it's about being able to function. For example, daily gentle rebounding (mini trampoline) brought me back from being crippled. When I started having trouble getting up off my mattress (which is on the floor), I began doing 8 body weight squats every other day. I stretch daily, so my body won't seize up.

I do other exercises too. But if I tried to get really fit, I'd just hurt myself. Too many weak links.

I've developed a number of food sensitivities and eat accordingly.

I think I'll give up on trying to lose weight. Yes, it would be a good thing to do, but not worth the effort/sacrifice, in my opinion.
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Yes, at our age, we have to understand that we can hurt ourselves by pushing too hard. I'm not sure how we determine where the overdoing it line is. I just hold back a little. And losing weight is a lot different than when I was young. I have to cut back to a point I could never imagine at one time, and people say, "Oh you have to eat more than that," but then they told me that when I was young, trim, and fit. I spend a lot of time sensing the outcome of my dieting. If I don't feel better from it, then I'll change what I'm doing.
 
Self care has become more important to me the older I’ve gotten.

I haven’t always eaten healthfully. When I was younger I felt like I was bulletproof, gonna live forever etc. I know I’m not alone in having felt that way as a young person. I ate whatever I wanted in whatever quantities, never exercised (though I have always been physically active) and maintained a healthy weight and slim physique and enjoyed good health

Menopause changed all that. I ended up 40 pounds heavier than I had ever been and it took several years and a lot of time and research and experimentation to get most of that off and keep it off, and along the way I realized I was not, in fact, bulletproof, I WAS getting older, and didn’t want to be like many of my friends who had begun dealing with obesity, health problems and mobility issues.

I focus on my health every day. I take supplements, eat mindfully, and exercise in some form daily, though recently I’ve realized I need to strength train because muscle mass decreases as we age, and the more muscle we have the more calories we burn at rest.

I follow the 80/20 rule. I eat healthily 80% of the time, and eat more freely with the other 20%. Sometimes that means 80% of my daily intake, sometimes it’s a percentage split meal by meal, but either way it allows the kind of freedom of choice I require to maintain a healthy eating regimen. For me that’s no sugar, no processed food, few carbs in the form of grains (though I eat lots of fruit) and little red meat, and vegetarian meals once or twice a week.

We cook all our meals from scratch and I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with different ingredients and different ways of preparing foods.

The more I see my friends aging and see what they struggle with the more I realize I’ve been blessed with good health and no longer take it for granted. I don’t just want to be around a long time for my kids and grands, I want to ENJOY that time by remaining vital and active and mobile. I love to play with the grands, roll around on the floor with them, do the active things with them that they love to do, and I want that to continue as long as possible!

I consider all the things I do to maintain good health an investment in my future, one I make mindfully on a daily basis.
 
More important! I want quality of life.
It was a shock to find out I was prediabetic. I'm starting to believe that my mother and grandmother were also and likely led to their dementia. Neither were overweight but had a belly which I inherited. Belly fat is not good.
In their day they didn't go to a Dr often or only in emergency so would not have known this. They call it diabetes III now and hopefully is preventable with a good diet. I'm trying to reverse insulin resistance. I'll test in June and see how it stands.
 
JustDave said:
I actually understand this having gone through a similar phase a few years after I retired. I thought, I'm going to stop busting my butt and just do whatever pleases me, be it becoming a couch potato, or just letting myself go. But as it turned out, that's not really what I wanted. Of course, that's just a personal choice, and I didn't follow that plan to a Tee, but when I started feeling the ravages of age, I decided it wasn't a very good plan. But for my purposes, approaching the solution with a "no pain, no gain" attitude isn't necessary. I actually did start lifting weights, which I haven't done since high school, but I don't push, and its just fun. If it stops being fun, I'll make adjustments or give it up. It doesn't have to be hard work for what I want to get out of it.
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I think this is probably where I am too currently, that I'll eventually blow the dust off my treadmill, yoga mat, weights, and find my easement.

At this place in time in my life though, I'm having a little rebellion, sort of, on some days. 🙃
 
charry said:
Yes absolutely essential when getting older
More so than when your younger
Keep the joints well oiled and exercised
That’s my motto

And was also my parents

Dad was like a whippet always walking and being busy he died in 2020 aged 95

And mum was a busy housewife and she’s still with us age 97 in June
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My husband's parents have enjoyed similar longevity and I'm hoping my children have inherited it as well.
Though I see that it must be combined with good practices.

Ugh, I just don't wanna right now. lol
 
Medusa said:
You know, I actually had a Big Mac the other day and fries. I don't eat like that, normally, but I just really wanted it.
I didn't feel well afterward.

And just a few days ago I had Taco Bell Tacos (see? the waffling. I don't normally even eat red meat let alone fast food.)
I'd like to say I didn't feel well after that either, but no, it was just a big party.
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I don't eat gluten, not because it's a passing fancy, a fad, or a bandwagon I jumped on yesterday, but because I can't. It's a medical necessity that I avoid it.

I have no desire to eat a Big Mac, but if for some unfathomable reason I did, I'd have to call 911 if I was able to.27Even at the rare times decades ago that I would eat one, I always felt sick afterwards and swore I'd never eat another one. So, there's really no appeal. I'm not even tempted.

When it comes to avoiding certain foods, it's become easy because of my mindset. When I see something like gluten-filled baked goods, yeah, they might L👀K good, but in fact, I see them for what they truly are for me... poison. That immediately kills any remote desire for it. Besides, I know I can make whatever yummy treat I want gluten-free, and it won't kill me!

I don't diet. I've been able to maintain my weight because I'm careful about what I eat. I eat everything—meat, fish, plenty of veggies, and carbs—in moderation. I don't formally exercise as much as I should, but I do all my own inside cleaning and most of the outside work myself and will do so as long as I'm able, so I count that as exercise.

Bella✌️
 
hearlady said:
More important! I want quality of life.
It was a shock to find out I was prediabetic. I'm starting to believe that my mother and grandmother were also and likely led to their dementia. Neither were overweight but had a belly which I inherited. Belly fat is not good.
In their day they didn't go to a Dr often or only in emergency so would not have known this. They call it diabetes III now and hopefully is preventable with a good diet. I'm trying to reverse insulin resistance. I'll test in June and see how it stands.
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Damn. :(
I think, seriously, if the universe worked at all like it freaking should, if there was such a thing as cosmic fairness, which there isn't but still, this sort of thing should not happen, @hearlady. :(
 

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