Born to be Fit

So last week I started using this website called Fitday (www.fitday.com) to keep track of everything I put into my mouth, how many calories I burn daily, what nutrients I'm lacking, how much exercise I get, etc. Stacy put me onto this site. I had used it before a few years ago when I first quit smoking, but had forgotten it existed. I'm using their online Diet and Fitness Manager. It's free to join. There's a paid version that you can download that has advanced features, like adding your own custom recipes. It's only $20 US. I'm considering getting it. Just because I eat a lot of complicated things like guacamole, hamburgers, homemade salsa, etc. Entering each component, every time, becomes tedious. Plus, making the purchase would solidify my commitment to a healthy active lifestyle. If I start spending cash on things like a computerized diet and activity tracker, then I know I mean serious business.

Weight loss is not my primary goal here. I think if I achieve a healthy balance of carbs, protein and good fat, if I'm getting all my nutrients everyday, and I'm not overeating, if I continue to walk everywhere I need to go and try to add more activity to my life, weight loss will follow. I'll naturally gravitate back to my optimal size. That's my feeling on it anyway. I don't want to get bogged down in the numbers, with regard to shedding pounds. Instead I want to be aware if I need more potassium or if I'm lacking in iron. This is important.

Before Christmas I took the Real Age test (www.realage.com) It's also a free tool. I actually didn't take all of it, just the nutrition part, and based on my eating habits they put me at about 39.5 years old (my REAL age in terms of how old my body feels), which is older than my actual calendar birthday. I was actually kind of happy with this number because it's only a couple years older than what I really am.

Years ago, before I quit smoking, before I started eating healthier, before I started walking everywhere, I took this test (all of it, not just the nutrition part) and I was in pretty bad shape, a good 10 to 15 years older than my actual age at the time. So, this number showed progress.

In the test results they tell you what you're doing right and to continue doing, then they tell you what you can do differently or better in order to make your Real Age younger. So, before Christmas I took this test and I took the suggestions to heart and immediately changed some things. Like I went out and bought supplements based on specific vitamins and minerals they said I was lacking. I've been taking them everyday ever since. I also added breakfast to my daily to do list. So I never forget anymore. I always eat breakfast now. If you've been reading for long, you know breakfast has been a concern for awhile. But I think it's finally starting to stick.

So last week I took the test again, and this time I took all of it--General Health, Medical History, Medications, Lifestyle and Safety, Stress and Social Support, Nutrition, Physical Activities. It's a pretty intense test. Lots of questions.

And now . . . My Real Age is 1.9 years YOUNGER than my Calendar Age! I'm doing it, folks! I'm reaching my health goals. I'm making positive lifestyle changes. And if I can go from a chain smoking, beer drinking, pill popping, french frie eating, inactive insomniac . . . to someone who eats veggies and fruits and breakfast everyday . . . well, anyone can.

Mood: self-satisfied
Drinking: coffee
Listening To: email dinging in
Hair: in my eyes