Last fall, my husband returned from vacation exhausted. His time away included a hiking trip with my parents. He complained that hiking around with a heavy pack in the steep wilderness may have been more of a vacation if he weren’t trying to keep up with my 70+ year old dad and our 30 year old son. As he shared his woes, I thought back to how much easier things seemed when I was 30 and how much more difficult it would be when I’m 70 if my current trajectory continued.
When I grow up, I want to be like my dad.One might think that being a parent of a child in his thirties would make me a grown up but my attitude has never quite kept up with the aging process. I believe that all of my middle age peers feel this way too. Living in the new Middle Ages (age 40-60), I’m experiencing the joy of being an empty nester (sort of), having disposable income (except for all those bills), AND the new realization that I have 24 hours each day to spend on my priorities.
This fall, I will get join my family on their annual outdoor wilderness adventure. I have roughly 50 days in order to prepare. In my head (the same brain thinks that I’m still waiting to grow up), I feel like that I’m ready to step into this new adventure with grace.
In reality, I will groan when I stand up the next time as my hips and knees remind me that I’m packing a heavy load just by being me. As the eternal optimist, I’ve made the assumption that my risk for osteoporosis is lower due to every move being a weight bearing activity but I know I would feel better, creak less, have more mental clarity, have cuter clothing options and feel more comfortable in the small folding chairs at so many summer events if I were to drop 100 pounds by moving more and eating less.
I’m starting my transformation today so that I can keep up with my day in September. How does one change a lifetime of eating and moving habits in just 50 day? All ideas are welcome!
