Aging Disgracefully
THE NEW SLOGAN
On the way home from the gym, my favorite radio station played a tagline that said “Aging Disgracefully—And Proud of It!” I laughed out loud! Immediately my mind started thinking of all the ways that could be applied, especially to you Defiant friends of mine. This is going to be part of my slogan from now on!
HOW CAN WE INTERPRET AGING GRACEFULLY?
How can we interpret this ‘Aging Disgracefully’? What is aging gracefully, anyway? Does it mean simply sitting back and graciously accepting the ravages of time? Does it mean meekly succumbing to the degeneration of the body, mind, and spirit without a fight? Does it mean never lifting a finger to hold off the effects of time–if indeed it is time that is our enemy? Is it? Or is it what we do–or don’t do–to our bodies?
Or is it more positive? Does it mean that we have to accept that youth is ephemeral and that nothing remains the same? The only constant is change. Does it mean that you love yourself no matter if you are ‘of a certain age’ or at the prime of your life? Does it mean that you accept yourself despite a few lines and wrinkles here and there?
My thought is it could be either positive or negative. As with anything in life, the ‘thing’ is neutral. It is how you interpret and respond to it that makes it bad or good. But in the way that the term is consistently used, I interpret it to mean that you accept the inevitable without resistance.
THE MARCH OF TIME
The reason the idea of Aging Disgracefully struck such a chord with me is my own natural Defiant nature. I don’t intend to grow old gracefully–I intend to fight it every step of the way! But by ‘growing old’ I mean old in spirit, too weary to fight the damages that occur to us every day of our lives through our environments, foods, chemicals, stress, and even the natural processes of our bodies. I don’t mean in terms of years. We can’t stop the march of time. We can only make the very best of the time we are given. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed, or how many years we have lived. I bet right now if I asked you to think of the youngest 80-year-old you know, you could think of someone immediately that inspires you. Now, think of the oldest 50-year-old that you know. Not such a pleasant thought, huh?
There are people very close to me who just frustrate me to no end with the age thing. They are so old–but not in years! They are old in spirit and their mental outlook. They couldn’t wait to hit a certain age so they could finally draw social security and get senior discounts. And all they talk about is how many maladies they have, how much they hurt, how old they feel, and how they wish they were younger so they could do things they want to do. In my eternal optimism, I have tried to help by demonstrating exercises–but they refused to try them. By making delicious healthy food for them and teaching them how to replicate it–but they just go though the nearest drive thru. I have been so frustrated I wanted to pound my head against a wall. But I decided to accept it and just be an example by my actions, and not try to force it down their throats. Nobody wants anything forced on them–THEY have to WANT IT for themselves. If your biggest goal in life is to get your AARP card, there’s nothing anyone can do to help you!
AGING DISGRACEFULLY
Here’s how I am aging disgracefully:
There’s nothing graceful about my workouts. Huffing and groaning under heavy weights in contorted positions is definitely NOT graceful. Jumping around like a frog or using cardio machines in ways that the manufacturer never intended is definitely not graceful, and I get more than my share of strange looks. But every one of those exercises keeps me young, healthy, strong, vibrant, and energetic. They are building the muscles, shaping them, forging them in the fire of battle.
Sweat is not graceful. Soaking wet clothes and hair plastered under my ubiquitous baseball cap is not graceful. But that sweat is burning off the fat that stores all sorts of nasty toxins, and makes us look older and feel tired and sick. That sweat is cleansing every pore and excreting toxins out of the body. I read recently that we all need to sweat an hour a day to help the body shed its load of toxins. Don’t go sit in a sauna for crying out loud! Get moving! (Although I must admit that my favorite way to sweat is lying on a float behind our boat in the hot summer sun, getting my tan and Vitamin D on!)
Eating like a horse isn’t graceful. Keeping my kitchen in a perpetual mess through constant food preparation isn’t graceful. But that beautiful, wholesome, raw living food is the key to supple skin, shining hair and fewer wrinkles. It holds the key to brighter eyes, smooth skin, and rosy cheeks. The food is the fuel that builds the full round muscle tone that gives a body a sexy youthful shape. And that food is so pure that it cannot be stored as toxic waste in white adipose tissue, better known as ‘fat’. Instead it is broken down and nourishes every hard-working cell in our bodies.
Being different isn’t graceful. No, I don’t eat like everybody else. I smile and talk to everyone at parties, without touching the food. I turn down the offers of alcohol and toxin-laden processed food. I bring my own food wherever I go. I irritate the crap out of servers at restaurants. I stand up for my health and try to educate others to do the same. I don’t agree with everyone, and I let my opinions be known. Going along with the crowd and avoiding taking a stand will get you exactly the same thing the crowd is getting. Is that really what you want? Don’t get me wrong–I am not contentious, and I try not to call attention to my lifestyle choices, but everybody wants to ask me what my secrets are. And then they don’t like the answers! They want the results without the work. Sorry–life doesn’t work that way!
Being Defiant isn’t graceful! I will not go gently into that good night. I am definitely the one who will be raging against the dying of the light. I am on a mission to prove that we can all be in better shape in our 40’s than in our 20’s, when we didn’t know anything or care, because you could eat pizza and drink beer every day and still look relatively hot. But a few years later, we pay the price for those youthful indiscretions. We know better now. Science is so much better now. We have weapons available to us in the fight against aging that no other generation has had. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT SURGERY OR MAGIC PILLS! I mean the internet, books, studies, videos, and all the other media that provides us with an overwhelming amount of information. We were not born with an owner’s manual. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves on how to take care of our bodies. Yes, there is conflicting information. Yes, it is confusing. Keep studying. Find what’s right for you and your body. The path will illuminate if you keep shining the light of knowledge.
Being selfish isn’t graceful. What??? Why Christy, whatever do you mean? Society wants us to put ourselves last. Wanting to be healthy, attractive and vibrant is often looked upon as selfish, because you have to spend time exercising, eating right, and focusing on your inner needs and desires. Especially mothers–the more you focus on your family and the less you take care of yourself, the more you are lauded and praised by society while you wither away inside. If you take time for yourself, you run the risk of a lot of disapproval. I feel for you. But remember what they tell you on the plane before you take off—put the oxygen mask on yourself first so that you will be able to help others. Put the ‘oxygen mask’ of exercise and nutrition on yourself now, before it is too late! How can you serve others when you are so sick that you need someone to take care of you? It is NOT selfish to hold your health in the highest regard, to want to be beautiful inside and out, and to strive to build the best body that you can. What better example can you set?
Shopping in the juniors section isn’t graceful (i.e. appropriate for someone my age). But if the clothes fit and look great, then who cares how old I am? A beautiful lady, exactly my same age, commented on the fact that I was wearing a really wicked-cool Bulzeye shirt, denim Ed Hardy miniskirt (with my favorite skulls of course) and funky glittery boots. She said, “I thought I was too old to wear things like that, but it looks great on you!” I told her I didn’t see an age limit on the clothes, they certainly weren’t Garanimals, and that as gorgeous as she is she should wear whatever makes her feel good. She headed out to the mall. My point–do what makes you feel good, and look good. Wear the bright color instead of grey or black. Wear the cool shoes or the racy cocktail dress. Dress for how you feel, and how you WANT to feel. Push the limits. Have some fun. After all, what do the young do? They PLAY!!! Don’t take age seriously, for crying out loud. Have some fun with it! Your assignment for today is to GO OUT AND PLAY!!!
BE DEFIANT!
So, in closing, my dear friends, I want you to start ‘Aging Disgracefully’! And be proud of it! Fight the good fight. Take up the weapons at your disposal and defend your one and only body. Feed it right, keep it moving, and maintain it to perfection. Fiercely guard your precious health!
Stand up, misbehave, play, have fun, get moving, and most of all–change your history today!
Be Defiant!
Christy
“Aging Disgracefully–and Proud of It!”
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