Over the last two weeks I have read several articles confirming the same report - women, as we get older, cannot eat a "normal" diet and maintain their weight without exercising moderately for one hour a day, seven days a week. This doesn't discourage me so much, because I know this to be true; you, on the other hand, might be discouraged if you are just starting an exercise program, or work full-time, or have kids at home (or ALL of it!!) and are doing good just to squeeze in thirty minutes 2-3 times a week. In fact, it can be very intimidating AND discouraging, which makes it even harder to make the effort.
The thing is, who do you know that eats a normal diet - and what is it? It used to be three square meals a day and heavy on the starches; then it was two light meals and one heavy one, all fat free, followed by eating six times a day, protein shakes, no carbs, and on and on. Point is, there really isn't a normal diet anymore, and most of us have made changes to our diet that, by choice, are healthier and better for us - most of the time. Because of this, and the more we do it, the less time we need to exercise for an hour a day, seven days a week - which, for a lot of people, is impossible to get. So, watch what you eat and how much you eat; put less on your plate, and make it all count. How much you can splurge depends on how much you can burn off, because that's how the weight is gained; your new "normal" is what you can do for yourself during the week that gets the job done - looking good and feeling good. Neither one comes without effort, and that effort does have to be made every day, but it all comes down to balance; if you don't have as much time to work off whatever extras you're putting on the plate, then don't put them on! Melissa
(BYW - this is true for the guys, too!!)
