As an advocate for the importance of maintaining personal fitness, here are Carolyn Broomfield’s top tips on how to be Fit, Fab and Fifty
Incredibly active? Yes, I was! In my younger years, I was a sprinter and competitive hockey player and then…Well, life got in the way. Ever been there? In my early thirties, my energy levels along with my desire to exercise (and my health) just plummeted.
I traded in my active, youthful lifestyle for my overweight, out of shape twin. Ugh! Alcohol, sleeping pills, depression, laziness, and isolation consumed me.
So, when was my big “A-HA” moment? My pre-menopausal epiphany: I suddenly realized my insecurities were holding me back from living life…MY LIFE! I was overdue for happiness…overdue for a change!
And, as they say, the rest is history. I changed my eating / drinking habits, started exercising, and lost OVER 30kgs. I loved the new me – and thus I wanted to inspire other women – just like myself – to start their new life journey…towards health and happiness!
Changing your life is truly a challenge – and that’s why I created New Horizon Fitness. The “new me” is passionate about sharing my journey with other women and inspiring their life changes.
Knowledge and accountability is power, right? So, you’re less likely to throw in the towel if you have the dedicated support and guidance of another woman (especially a feisty one like me)!
Be organised – plan every meal, including snacks, three weeks in advance for you and your family. Put your menu plan where everyone can see it. Rotate your weekly plans. This helps you avoid straying from a healthy menu.
Create a shopping list – working from your menu plans, make a shopping list of everything you need for each week.
Some meals can be prepared in bulk and stored in individual portions and frozen.
Always eat breakfast – this gives your metabolism a kick-start each day.
Rest – schedule in rest days, particularly if you are starting a new exercise and nutrition program.
Tell your close friends – they can help support you and give you extra motivation to commit
Eat wholesome foods – choose foods that are as natural as possible. Be sure to check sugar and fat content. Where possible choose organic foods to avoid chemicals and pesticides.
Keep a food and exercise diary – this will ensure you are being true to yourself about the type of food you’re eating or amount of exercise you are doing.
Include the family – having your family’s buy-in ensures that you will commit and they will also benefit from your new lifestyle.
Lift weights – the more lean muscle you have, the faster your metabolism is. There are many reasons to strength train.
Have Fun! – think about taking up your old favourite sport or get out there dancing!
I know you’re probably reading this and feeling ready to get out there and look and feel your best- you can keep in touch with me on any of the avenues below or purchase one of my E-books as a guide to set you on the path towards fit and fabulous.
