This year, on the morning of my 39th birthday, I woke up with a feeling of dread.
There I was, in the last gasps of Thirtysomething. And there it sat: 4-0. But not just 40. The next part of life.
There were good things about being in my forties: I wouldn’t be bouncing a baby on an exercise ball at 2am or chasing a toddler around Target. There were also bad things: I wouldn’t be bouncing a baby on an exercise ball at 2am or chasing a toddler around Target.
In my forties, both kids would be at school all day. In my forties, I wouldn’t be at the playground on an Tuesday morning in October. At some point in my forties, I wouldn’t need to wipe anyone’s nose but my own.
I can already sense my boys needing me less. That’s both a slight relief and a terrible heartbreak.
But this much is true about the next chapter: I will no longer have an excuse for wearing mismatched shoes to the supermarket (yes, it has happened). More importantly, I won’t have an excuse for not taking care of myself.
Ideally, I’d like to wake up on the morning of my 40th birthday knowing that I’m doing all I can for my health. Dare I say, I’d like to look and feel better on my 40th birthday than I did on my 30th.
Right now, I’m in okay shape, but not great. I’m at a healthy weight, but parts are pooching and bulging in ways they didn’t before. Lately, I’ve been blowing off exercise to work (read: watch TiVoed episodes of “What Not To Wear”) and eating cereal for lunch because I’m feeling lazy. In short, it’s possible that I’ve let myself go a bit.
I turn 40 in six months. So in these next six months, I’m turning it up a notch. I’m recommitting to regular exercise and refining my eating habits. I’ll be posting my fitness plan and explaining how I’m changing my diet.
Who’s with me? If you would like to start your own Project 40 (or Project 34 or 52 or 29 or whatever age you choose) leave a comment and let me know. I’d be thrilled to have some company.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey, check out my website, it tells you how many calories are in common foods. It’s really helpful if you’re trying to lose weight! Good luck with the project!
Ok Sally, you have inspired me…my last year of being in my 30′s is going to be great! Recommitted to myself and my family in all aspects.
Thanks for the nudge,
Amy
I am with you: looking at 40 next year and wanting to look my best. I love pilates but repeatedly fall off the wagon of doing it on a regular basis. So I’m committing to make that more regular, but trying to walk and bike more. And always eat better.
Yay! Great to hear, Amy.
Falling off the wagon? I’m a repeat offender? Here’s hoping public shame will do the trick this time.
Thanks! Interesting website.
Well past 40, try 72. I found your page in Octobers issue of Ladies Home journal. Would really like to have more ideas on how to change my eating habits in a more nutritional way. Diabetic, Arthritec,& high blood pressure. I would like to feel like I was in control of something! Thanks for some new thoughts.
Terry, thanks for reading the blog! I recommend the DASH diet for high blood pressure, and since it focuses on whole grains and lots of fruits/veg it’s also ideal for diabetes control as well. You can read the plan free here through this link: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf
Good luck and keep me posted! Would love to hear if you change your eating habits and how it’s going.
I’m in! Been slacking off too. Still having problems with my knees…currently going to physical therapy. I should be able to ease back into exercise soon, although probably not much Jillian in my future. My eating habits have been less than stellar lately and I need to change that. The big 4-0 has been on my mind as well. I have until July 5th. My goal is to be 40 and fabulous and muffin top free!
I’m so in! This is just the nudge I need to get back to spin class & off Cap’n Crunch!
Awesome Dawn! I didn’t know you were having knee problems. Is Jillian to blame?!
Yay!
So glad to have you all on board!
Sally, What a beautifully written blog post. The paragraph about the good and bad brought tears to my eyes. Though sometimes I DO wish for a toddler-free Target visit
It is time for me to take care of myself, I have officially run out of excuses. My “baby” is almost three, that’s no longer ‘post-partum’. That’s just ignoring my own health for far too long. I’m on board to make changes.
I am thrilled to have you with me on this project Wende! Please start thinking about the specific changes you want to make–I’ll be posting mine next week and hope everyone will chime in about theirs as well. Hooray!
Sally, YOU READ MY MIND! Just this past weekend, I was talking to Troy about doing something similar but I don’t know where to begin. It’s been too long since I was on any program so I need support and motivation. I will be 40 in January so let’s get started. Thank you so much for all you do and for putting this out there for all of us to share. – Renee
Awesome Renee! As I told Wende, start thinking about what you’re going to do. I’ll post my fitness/diet changes next week–then anyone who wants to can do the same. So happy you’re on board!
Sally – Yes, Jillian is partly to blame. Underlying condition that all those squats , lunges and jumping around aggravated (plus I don’t think I was doing the lunges properly). I have a condition called chondromalacia patella (easier for you to google it than for me to explain) which has created a Baker’s cyst in my left knee. My PT consists of a lot of hamstring stretches and exercises that strengthen the inner thigh and quads. Boring and slow but necessary. Just got clearance to do my elliptical for about 10 min every other day to see how I do. I of course could be doing strength and ab exercises right now, but have I been? Nope.
I have to laugh at your exercise ball comment because I have an 8 month old who loves to be bounced at 2am and various other times in the middle of the night on occasion. I’ve recently gotten back on track with exercise…took signing up for Crossfit. Now time to get back to making eating priority. As a fellow dietitian it will be fun to follow along!
I turn 40 in 6 months too and have a date with myself this week (post jewish new year) to create my own 6- months-until-40 plan. Will be interested to see what you have in store!
Sarah–yes, that exercise ball was a lifesaver for us. We would even deflate it and take it with us when we traveled. That Crossfit looks intense! Please keep me posted on what you’re dong and how it’s going! Thanks for following along.
Rebecca–please let me know your own plan! Maybe it will give me some good ideas and inspiration. Thanks for reading!
I am reading these posts in reverse order but sign me up for Project 25! You’re probably laughing…but the 9 to (always later than 5) grind has really taken its toll in my first year as a career woman. Perhaps this can be the inspiration for my next blog post and I will totally link back to yours! No matter the stage in life, support from others is a gift.
Welcome, Katie! I love how you say “No matter the stage in life, support from others is a gift”. Those of us approaching 40 definitely have some tricky obstacles (young kids, older muscles!) but the early 20s have their own set of challenges (working late, eating out a lot). Good luck with your efforts and I’m looking forward to checking out your blog!
Sally, your blog post was really inspiring to me. I keep working at the weight loss/eat right/exercise thing. Temptations here and there, holidays or excuses to eat around every corner, and busy, sometimes stressful life as a mom of two preschoolers/part-time teacher = falling off the eat nutritiously/exercise enough wagon. I am really excited to join you and others and hoping the “community aspect” will motivate me to consistently, or at least 70% of the time – make better eating choices. Hooray for your idea and hooray to everyone who felt the “nudge” to treat themselves to a healthier lifestyle.
Meghan–I’m so glad you’re finding inspiration in these posts. You are so right that holidays, excuses, jobs, and the stress of being a mom and juggling life–they all add up to making eating healthfully and exercise very hard at times. It is much easier said than done. I would love to hear what your own goals are. (My October goals are going so-so, but more on that later!)