At a ToastMasters meeting today, I volunteered to give an impromptu speech on the following topic, “Your health is…” After a few seconds of thought, the first thing that came to this Baby Boomer’s mind was this: “My health is my gift to my grandchildren!”
Granted, in my profession I’ve always felt I need to “walk the walk and talk the talk.” But staying healthy has side benefits—it allows me to get on the floor and roll a ball to our 9-month old grandson, Loghan, play frisbee on the grass with (almost) 5-year old Keegan, and dig for worms with 8-year old Elly. It enables me to take the kids on walks around our neighborhood, push them on the swings at the park, and walk around with them at the ever-requested mall! It gives me the energy to attend evening swimming lessons and t-ball games.
In essence, staying healthy helps keep our grandkids physically active but most important, it creates precious memories!
How are you protecting your wellness so you can share time with the people who mean the most to you?
• Are you avoiding high-sugar foods?
• Are you eating lots of vegetables and fruits each day?
• Are you “dining in” most days of the week, versus eating a convenient fast food meal?
• Are you sleeping at least 7 hours each night?
• Are you standing and moving once an hour, breaking up sedentary time? Even better, are you monitoring your steps with an activity tracker (think FitBit)?
• Are you engaging in 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise weekly? Remember, this can be chunked down to three 10-minute intervals, 5 days a week.
• Are you scheduling time to do strength training at least twice a week?
• Are you having fun—walking your dog, harvesting the fruits of your gardening labor, listening to your favorite music while you create a tasty home-cooked meal?
• Are you smiling and stopping to be thankful for all you have?
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” Invest in yourself by protecting your wellness with the best lifestyle choices you can make. Then gift your time to your grandchildren so you can all can reap the benefits!
For more ideas about staying healthy, give me a call!
We can discuss some practical tips and discover if any of my programs or classes are a good fit for you. If you’d like to schedule that call with me, just CLICK THIS LINK, and let me know in the message that you would like a 1-on-1 call with me right away and I will be in touch to schedule that—oh, and leave me your phone number in there too since email is not as reliable as it used to be! Thanks.
Lisa Teresi Harris is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, and author of the book Building Your Enduring Fitness. A certified Geri-Fit Instructor, she helps Boomers and seniors to regain and keep muscle strength, mobility, and energy. Contact Lisa to inquire about a customized, in-home fitness program for you or a loved one.