What do football, slow dancing, and muffin tops have in common with weight loss? These are things that all make me cry.
Out of nowhere emotions poured out through my eyes in the form of tears as I sat watching and listening to a music video today. Yes, it was a slow, sad melody, a Country Western song brought to life by none other than the famous, retired football player, Terry Bradshaw. Now I’m not particularly a fan of football, nor do I know all of the players by name. However, this guy is still on television as a commentator for the games my hubby watches each week so I recognized him right away.
First of all, I didn’t know he could sing like that, but he belted out “So Lonesome I Could Cry” like it was nothing. See for yourself.
Secondly, this was one of my favorite slow songs to dance to back in the day. A dear friend shared this video with me. The emotion that poured out was because of the memories the melody recalled. My first husband and her husband were best friends; and, the four of us used to go to the local fairgrounds where community dances were held. Boy, I hadn’t thought about those days in over thirty years. It was a different time in my life with no need to worry about weight loss, with different loved ones running in my circle that had slipped into the depths of my mind.
It reminded me that I’m not the same woman I was back then. I have grown emotionally, mentally, professionally and spiritually; physically, too. You see when I was a young woman I hadn’t developed any of the health issues like worrying about weight loss that I experience today. I could put on a pair of Wranglers, pegged to the knee, throw on pointed toe cowboy boots and cut a rug with the best of them. Today, if I even thought of dancing like that my back would lock, swell up and I’d be down for the count for weeks.
As a young woman just starting out in life I worked at the local bank. I had no goals, no dreams other than getting married, working at the bank and having a family. My parents never talked about college or careers, just a job to support a family with. Times sure have changed and I’m so thankful that I’m not one who chose to stay stuck in the old way of thinking what a woman’s job is. I’ve adjusted and shifted my thinking as a woman 50 and over to what is relevant to the world we live in today.
One such way I changed as I matured was in how I looked at taking care of my health and body. Back then as young women we ate what we wanted, drank, partied and smoked. Yes, I know…bad girl. But, I made a decision when I was in my early thirties to change. I quit smoking and drinking except for an occasional social drink. I chose to use alternative methods to heal my aging body and manage pain. Traditional medicine has its place, but for me and my body, a more natural treatment made a lot more sense.
I spoke above about my degenerating body. Along with that diagnosis came a lot of excruciating pain from being overweight. My body didn’t respond well to drugs prescribed by my family doctor. However, a friend shared a product that reduces inflammation and free radical damage as a way to manage both of my symptoms. After doing my research I found it an affordable alternative solution to healthy aging. Am I satisfied with the outcome of my health? Absolutely and I continue to use it to this day and no longer have the debilitating back pain I once did.
Another solution I found was in managing my weight problem. Changing the way I look at my body image in the mirror made a big difference in how I look at food. No longer am I a slave to the scale in the bathroom, either. Advertisers and manufacturers spend millions to convince us to eat “diet food”, “low-carb” foods and programs for weight loss. None of them are healthy choices for our bodies. My family changed our Morton Salt to Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, which solved the issue of swelling and retaining fluids. We changed from Country Crock to regular, REAL butter and found that our body processes real foods much easier without causing stomach and bowel issues. As for my weight loss, I took the word “diet” out of my vocabulary. I eat real fruits, vegetables, meat, and fruits. By adding a healthy whey protein smoothie to my morning breakfast, my body is reshaping on its own. The fat is burning itself making for more energy and less muffin top and jelly belly, healthy aging in the works. My jeans are being recycled…from a size 20W to a 10 Misses in just twelve months and still going.
Now, I’m able to dance a little more, play with the grandkids and actually have energy left to shop, go for walks, take the kids to the park or go camping. No more back issues, no more stomach problems, no more worrying about not being able to go to the bathroom regularly. The body image I now see is an encouraging sign to keep going, it says “you are worth it”.
If you enjoyed this look into my past, the life of healthy aging, weight loss and body image lessons I’ve lived…share with your friends. I want to get to know your story too. Reply in the comments below and share one thing so we can begin the process of becoming real friends.
Carla Gardiner is a mom of 2, the fiery grandma of 7 and has been married to her husband for 38 years. She is focused, and driven; a business owner who made a big move in her late 50’s which rocked her world. Transitioning from her native hometown to her new home 3 states away took guts, work, and dedication to get the job done while working at home. Now, she is focused on helping other women over 50 make choices necessary to improve their lifestyle; one they’ve been dreaming of instead of the nightmare it could become.
Are we connected on Facebook? – we really need to be, don’t you think? Click here to follow me then send me a message and let me know you read the blog post! I don’t add everyone on Facebook – only the snarky, sassy, sexy women over 50 who are friendly people who actually give me a few minutes of their time.
Love your authenticity, Carla, and your writing style. I’m also a country music fan, and especially classic country, and this is a beautiful, if sad, song. But then most are because they’re based on real life.
Like you, I did not have to worry about gaining weight when I was young, yet I remember each year two months or so before I got my new uniforms (In Jamaica we wore uniforms to work) at the bank where I first worked or later with another company, I’d make up my own crazy diets so that they would fit just right. Now I look at my daughters and cannot believe I was their size at one time. Yet we are thankful.
I enjoyed reading your post.
You know, Yvonne; it’s comforting in a weird way to know that other women are just like me. Why we do what we do is NOT beyond me. With magazines and the media and advertisers pushing what women should strive to be like…it’s no wonder we are never satisfied with our bodies. On another note, we were never taught how to properly eat and what we should stay very far away from. Thank you for visiting and sharing your story, I truly enjoyed reading about you.