People often use the excuse of ‘age’ as being the reason they’re out of shape or overweight and unhappy with their fitness level and appearance. While age is a contributing factor and can make it harder, as muscle mass naturally begins to decrease as we age, which can throw off your balance as well as slow your metabolism, it doesn’t make it impossible. We just have to work harder and make adaptions if we have any limiting factors.

Look at the opportunity to help ward off chronic diseases, control excess weight and stay active for life as more motivation to exercise and to achieve results; by being conscious of what we eat, think and do. By consistently making smart choices in our lives and forming healthy habits it’s much easier to maintain results for life. Don’t believe me?!

I asked someone who is the perfect example; I’m fortunate to have my own gorgeous, fit and healthy Mom as my shining example of making it a lifestyle and not feeding into the diet fads or magic pills, instant gratification society. I asked her a few questions of how she’s stayed in shape all of her life not just in her youth; she shares her lifestyle and keys to success for the long-term here.

Q: Mom, what’s your earliest memory of being health and body conscious? 
A:In my youth processed foods/ready-made meals were a rarity in the UK. All the meat and vegetables were sourced fairly locally, and would probably be labeled “organic” now. The schools I attended instilled the importance of regular exercise, every student had to participate in physical training, dancing and a variety of sports. I took all these things for granted until the age of 15 years, when a pre-nursing course helped me make the positive links between health, nutrition and fitness. By then, a growing interest in boys escalated my own body consciousness!

Q: What do you do to keep fit?
A: Lots of walking helps me keep fit, I use the stairs instead of elevators whenever possible (until recently my work office was based the 8th floor), even on holidays I walk wherever possible. Zumba classes are my latest passion, as I love music and dance, this is an enjoyable way for me to maintain energy and fitness levels.

Q: What does your average day consist of nutrition-wise?
A: I usually have 3 meals a day and rarely want to snack between these. Porridge made with water is my ideal breakfast, I never get bored with this, I do sometimes add strawberries or blueberries when they are in season. Lunch tends to be a multi-grain bread sandwich, salad or oatcakes and cheese. I find it useful to keep a supply of oatcakes with me for when I am on the go, and miss lunch. My evening meal comprises of lots of steamed vegetables with fish or meat, unless I have salad. I rarely have a dessert due to a food intolerance to dairy cream.

Q: When going grocery shopping do you plan your meals ahead and write a shopping list or ad lib??
A: I found it helpful to have a shopping list when I first started to cook, to avoid forgetting items I needed for the meals planned for the week. Now I have more experience I no longer need a list (except when I have guests or host dinner parties), this has freed me to a more flexible way of shopping to maximize the usage of good local fresh and seasonal produces.

Q: What do you wish you were better about doing for your health and wellness?
A: I have rarely found it easy to relax, but am working on this by taking up art classes and joining a book club.

Q: How do you dress to flatter your shape and make you feel good?
A: I have always liked to dress fashionably, so I have not constantly chosen clothes wisely to suit my shape and coloring. However, it has been such fun experimenting. I doubt whether I get it right all the time, but I feel happy when I wear an outfit to suit the occasion. Feeling good in clothes, for me, requires the whole package this includes accessories, hair and when someone you care about says “Oh, you do look lovely”.

Q: What do you do to keep fit?
A: Lots of walking helps me keep fit, I use the stairs instead of elevators whenever possible (until recently my work office was based the 8th floor), even on holidays I walk wherever possible. Zumba classes are my latest passion, as I love music and dance, this is an enjoyable way for me to maintain energy and fitness levels.

Q: Any health tips, whether it’s body or mental health??
A: Take good care of your skin, cleanse, moisturize, and protect from the sun. Remember to exercise your mind as well as your body.

Q: Do you take any Supplements/vitamins?
A: As I have a reasonably healthy lifestyle I did not start taking supplements until advised during my first pregnancy to take iron tablets. However, on reaching middle age I began taking Glucosamine sulphate capsules daily, to maximize maintenance of healthy joints. Alas, as I approached my sixties, I decided nature needed a helping hand as my usually healthy looking hair, had started to thin and my nails had become brittle; I now take one Vitabiotics tablet daily, these tablets contain a range of micronutrients including vitamins, B2, B3 to maintain healthy skin, and minerals selenium and zinc for healthy hair and nails.

Q: Who inspires you most and why?
A: At various stages of my life different people have inspired me to fulfill ambitions that firstly shaped and helped shape a career in nursing and later to provide me with the confidence to diversify into rewarding social work. If I had to name one person it would be Florence Nightingale as my inspiration to do nursing. “She was a celebrated English social reformer and statistician, and the founder of modern nursing. She came to prominence while serving as a manager of nurses trained by her during the Crimean War where she organized the tending to wounded soldiers. She gave nursing a highly favorable reputation…” (Wikipedia)