Healthy living at 40

Right now in my life I am the healthiest I have ever been in my whole entire life.
And I’m 40.
I’m at a healthy weight. I eat pretty healthy. I drink alcohol in moderation. I rarely have soda. I exercise regularly. My stress levels are fairly low. I drink a lot of water. I practice yoga almost every day.
I teach five cycle classes a week. That means I do about an hour of cardio five times a week. I have a home yoga practice where I practice the sequence I teach four to six times a week. (I squeeze in a yoga class as a student myself occasionally. Wish it was more often.)
I am not the lightest weight ever in my adult life. (I am about 35 pounds lighter than when I first started my quest to lose weight in October 2006.)
But just because you are skinny or thin doesn’t mean you are healthy. Ever heard of skinny fat? I believe I could have been skinny fat, when I could eat and drink whatever I wanted and not gain weight.
I wrote about skinny fat in the past titled, Skinny doesn’t mean healthy.
Skinny fat means a person looks thin but has a high body fat percentage. That can be dangerous.
Someone who ingests a lot of fat and calories and carbohydrates can have health issues. Someone who eats too much fat can be at risk for heart disease. Too many carbs can contribute to conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, according to Livestrong.
I feel good about how I look and feel. I know it shouldn’t be about looks. But let’s be honest, when we look good it makes us feel good. And I work hard to be healthy. It’s a lifestyle for me. It can be easy but sometimes it can also be challenging.
Did you see those guns in one of my “Now” pictures above? That’s all yoga, my friends.
I think working with weights is important. But currently I am not working with weights. Between my cycle classes and yoga classes there isn’t room for weights right now, which I am OK with. (And weight-baring exercises are easily taken care of with a yoga practice.)
I think variety is good. And cycle and yoga work for me right now.
I’m never going to have a six-pack, which I am also OK with. I like food. I like beer and wine and other adult beverages. I like to enjoy life. And as long as my exercise and life are in moderation I am good with it.
I am really happy in my life right now. And I am the best me I can be. Of course, life will always have challenges. But I enjoy teaching cycle and yoga and getting to know my students. I feel it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle for myself but also as a representative to my students.
Here’s to many more years of healthy living!