I'm overdue for an update on my challenge of becoming fit by the time I turn 50 years old. It's been nearly three months since I first announced my attempt at establishing a routine of regular exercise and a modified diet. 

Here's what I'm learning:

• I'm not alone.  After blogging about this phenomena of adding on the pounds more easily as I age, several people (all women) talked about the same experience. People mention the post when they see me at networking events, in random emails on other topics, and on Facebook pages.  Photo by daveynin

• Modifying my diet has been easier than I expected.  Maybe it's because I have a love of fruit or that I don't mind eating green vegetables.  Cutting back on meal portions doesn't seem onerous if can eat large amounts of cantaloupe and other fruits throughout the day. The key for me has been choosing differently–at restaurants, at home, at an event. I realize now that a lot of my previous eating was on autopilot, whether or not I wanted or needed the food.

• Regular exercise is as much about planning as it is about commitment. If I can schedule an activity on my calendar–whether it's running at the end of the day or starting off the day with a kickboxing class at the gym–my chances of doing it increase dramatically. With even the busiest days, knowing that I have exercise time scheduled ensures it gets done. In the more than 100 days since I started an exercise routine, I've missed just a couple of days. 

• Use metrics that matter to you. I don't own a scale, so weight is not what matters to me.  How I feel and how my clothes fit are what matter.  A big win for me was when my husband remarked last month that he thought I had lost weight. No, he didn't figure out how to get me on a scale while I was asleep. He noticed how my clothes fit.  I noticed it as well.  How do I feel?  Most days, I enjoy the good kind of tired that comes with a rigorous workout.  An added plus is the thinking time that comes with running. Some of my best ideas have come on the jogging trail. Photo by Josep Ma Rosell

• When you have a clear goal, it changes what you see. Honestly, would I have noticed the magazine with the cover story, "Meals Under 400 Calories," while waiting for a haircut without the Fit By Fifty challenge?  Probably not.  I used to skip over a regular section in the Wall Street Journal that details different workouts that professionals have created for themselves. Now I read it every time. And lately, I've been reading the nutrition labels, finding out just how many calories are in a single serving of Nutella or chocolate ice cream.

• Keeping up with the Joneses is unrealistic. I have noticed the regulars in my exercise class that seem to have boundless energy and tight abs.  My ego says, "I want to look like that!"  And secretly, I want to ask these people (usually women), "How old are you?"  I would then take pleasure that I'm at least two decades older, knowing that it's natural to slow down as you get older. By the same token, I admire a woman in her 70's in my zumba class, still exercising and young enough at heart to be pounding the gym floor to the beat of a Latin salsa. Photo by Mike Baird

 

The bottom line is I'm on track to be fit by the time I turn 50 (next May).  It's been doable with good weather for running and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Heading into cold weather, holidays, and a love of food that sticks to your ribs in the winter, things may get a bit harder.  Stay tuned.