27 degrees out and there is no where I'd rather be than on this mid morning trek.
Half way there and the incline is about to begin with one right turn.
As I hike my mind is cleansed and rejuvenated at the same time.
As I begin to enter the "senior age category" of life I find myself grateful that fitness and nutrition have always been a major habit in my lifestyle. I haven't done this hike in a while, and it was honestly a personal test of my level of fitness. LOL! Aside from the cold air making it a bit hard to breathe on the steep inclines, and a few new aches in my hips, I was truly pleased with my fitness level.
At the top I'm inspired and filled with energy as I look out over our City of Trees: Boise, Idaho.
I found myself reflective on my own healthy habits.
Here are my top routines of keeping in shape both mentally and physically:
1. Exercise Every Day:
Mine takes the form of muscle strengthening exercises five days of week and moderate exercise every day. Moderate exercise is important at our age. I'm also finding you don't have to go all out, we just need to move. My favorite is a two mile walk after my workout giving me a healthy hour of pure exercise. In the winter months, walks get traded out for 8 miles on the indoor exercise bike. (But it's in front of a window, so I can watch it snow as I workout) My FAVORITE is in the Spring and summer when walking can also mean nine holes of golf or a longer bike ride outside at our mountain summer home. I'm COMMITTED to an hour of exercise at least five days a week no matter what form it takes. Truth be told, I'm LESS achy when I exercise. And I don't forgo the stretching!!!
2. Mental Health:
Exercise is BIG for my own mental health. I also ENJOY keeping a travelers journal. It fills my need to goal set, helps me get things out of my head and minimizes my over thinking. It has five sections: monthly calendar, my budget book, daily morning affirmation doodles, my journal and a project book. I'm committed to living an authentic life that is CREATED with purpose on purpose and this helps me accomplish such.
Socially, I find myself becoming more of an introvert as I age. I use to be energized by socialization and collaboration but now find myself ENERGIZED by my time alone and prefer social settings with much smaller groups. I'd like to think of this as WISDOM lol...but never the less, I truly find myself relishing this peaceful transition. My blog is really my only social media and lately that has been pretty minimal. I mean, okay, I love Pinterest....but I think of that as my "filing cabinet for the internet". It's a place that stores the ideas and INSPIRATION I find. Social media is overwhelming for me. I don't like the time it sucks up and honestly my life just isn't that interesting. LOL I enjoy my blog because it documents my quilts and I enjoy our quilt community of bloggers but overall, my mental health is FUELED by the solitude in my life.
As we enter this pre-retirement stage of life, I have also found list making to become a thing of the past as I'm finding that solitude in the SIMPLICITY of our day to day routines . I just told my husband the other day: "I feel like we are living a life we don't need a vacation from!" I love that feeling!! And, emotionally, this is an EXCITING transformation. I live in GRATITUDE for all the memories of raising a family that fill my heart but find myself relishing in the FREEDOM of this stage of life where obligations are minimal and life is full of new adventures for my husband and I.
3. Water: WHY oh WHY is this soooo hard? I've RECOMMITTED to this, which for me means 10 8oz. glasses of water a day. Luckily my lemon and peppermint teas count! My MOTIVATION is I know this habit with flush my body of toxins, lubricates my joints, helps my skin be more toned (I hope!!!!) and it helps my digestive system.
4. Clean Eating:
This one is easy for me as I've never been a foodie person. I do enjoy my wine in moderation.
I hope if you too, find yourself on this pre-senior path of life, that this peace is finding it's way into your heart as well and you are finding the gifts meant for us in this stage of life.
I'm curious about ways you are intentional about your emotional and physical health?
Feel welcome to comment and share your inspiration with us.
With Smiles, Val
