What does Generation X want the most?

            To age in place.  We are not the ones to be sent to a nursing home, can you imagine?  Our generation was not meant to be put in a home, we need to roam free! In order to do that, you have to start NOW!  Stay flexible, stay mobile, manage your weight and keep your brain healthy.

            Staying flexible or maybe becoming flexible is not time consuming.  Spend a few minutes each day on the floor stretching and your body will thank you!  You can also do some short yoga sessions, there are lots of options on YouTube!  There are many places here in Florida where you can pay for a membership to get stretched by a professional, too!  If that’s not your jam, no worries!  Just get a yoga mat, or a nice rug and get on the floor!  A great goal to aim for is to be able to sit down on the floor and get back up without using your hands!

            You may think that staying mobile is the same as staying flexible, but they are different.  Staying mobile means that you can walk around on your own and still do the things you’ve always done like gardening, DIY projects or walking a lot on a vacation.  My husband and I used to joke that we would be ok in mobility scooters as long as there was a cup holder!  But now, that’s not a joke, I don’t want to be in a scooter, I want to be able bodied and walking around on my own for my entire life, fingers crossed!

            Need to get back in the gym but don’t know where to start? Get this workout guide!

            Managing your weight is another animal!  I am not a foodie, there, I said it.  I really could care less about food.  I always say if there was a pill that I could take three times a day that would fill me up and give me the nutrients that I need, I would be happy!  But, that’s not the case for everyone.  Some people really enjoy food!  The choosing, the shopping, the preparing, the eating, it’s all overwhelming to me, but for some, it’s the highlight of their day!  If you are one of these people, maybe that’s why you are overweight, maybe it’s not.  If you are a food person, try to find healthy swaps for the foods you love the most.  My husband has recently started his calorie counting journey and discovered that he likes fat free Greek yogurt with ranch seasoning and Frank’s Red Hot to dip carrot chips in.  He usually likes chips and salsa, but this was his healthy swap and he LOVES it!  So, try to find things like that so you can stay on track, but still enjoy what you’re eating!

            Brain health is not something that most of us think about.  However, as we age, and ladies, as we go through menopause, I’m sure we are all noticing some changes in that department.  I cannot remember one-third of what I used to be able to remember.  Thank goodness for the reminder app on the iPhone or I would have horrible credit, miss doctor appointments and forget about social engagements. Play games that use your brain, do puzzles, read, and most importantly, keep learning!  Studies are showing that if you can learn something new, it activates a place in your brain that we don’t use as much as we age.

            I want to be of sound mind and body for as long as I can!  The old mindset of you shouldn’t be doing that at your age, whatever that is, is outdated!  We can do everything at our age, and probably better than the youngsters! Get out of that mindset that you’re X number of years old and can’t do something.  You may not master it on your first go, but keep trying, you’ve got this!

            If you want to get into great shape, look and feel younger, download this workout program and get started!