If I am honest with myself, 2022 was not my most fit. I can make a lot of excuses but number one it was a difficult year. Now that most of that is behind us, my plan for 2023 is to get back to my health and fitness “routine”. And I don’t use the word routine lightly. I am a creature of habit and love a daily routine. I like to get up at a certain time, go to bed around a certain time and plan my days. It may be one of the reasons I missed my work life so much.

My Fitness routine has always been 5 days a week, morning workouts, Monday thru Friday. About 7 years ago, I started a weight routine 3x a week and saw the biggest change in my body composition from adding weights. I worked out on those days with two women, younger than myself and found that this pushed me. They also were very good about making sure my form and technique were on point. One of them recommended The Body Sculpting Bible for Women Book and it has been my fitness bible for years. In fact, I might need an updated copy.

I found my Bosu Ball on Facebook Marketplace.

“You should always check with your Dr. before starting any exercise routine to make sure it is safe for you. And if you are new to weights, enlist a trainer, or start with smaller weights and then gradually increasing the weights over time.”

I have always been self motivated till last year, and have not used a trainer. However, for women that need help with form, technique, and accountability, it makes perfect sense. I work out with a BOSU Ball (for balance) in front of a mirror at home, although I do prefer a gym. (Covid is surging again in our area, so my plan is to continue my home workouts for now.)

I usually do some form of Tabata or HIIT workout for 20-30 minutes Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. Peloton offers both on the bike, treadmill and rower. Tuesday and Thursdays are typically my yoga days and reserved for long walks (at least 2.5 - 3 miles). I use a flow (yoga) class for stretching, which I take on my Peloton app, but also love Hot Yoga and am looking forward to finding a new yoga studio someday soon.

I also added back jumping rope each day and am working on building up my stamina. There are so many women (of all ages) on Instagram and TikTok that are getting fit by just jumping rope. I am at two minutes of continuous jumping and plan to increase my time daily. I have linked a jump rope that counts for you, (which is a great idea) and a yoga mat to soften the impact.

According to my Dr. I am in pretty good shape, although starting the year with a few extra pounds. My blood pressure is good and I don’t have diabetes. After having two friends affected by heart disease in 2022, as well as my Mom’s congestive heart failure, I had a Coronary CT scan completed in December and my Dr and I were very pleased with the results.

I embarked on a Dry January which I do most years, as the daughter of an alcoholic father. It’s always a good “check” for myself and I look forward to it. I have been drinking Bubbly Rose Kombucha during the cocktail hour.

I am back to my clean fasting however, doing shorter fasts between 14-18 hours on most days. I am focused more on vegetables, low glycemic fruits, chicken and fish and red meat only once per week. I am trying to be conscience of serving sizes especially protein and filling up on more vegetables and salads. I have found that accountability is important to me, so I track everything on My Fitness Pal, including my water intake, which I am trying to increase. I try to stay under a certain calorie threshold that is right for me since everyone has a different set point. I have learned that carbs are not my friend and since I am gluten intolerant, I stay away from refined carbs and use ancient grains instead. And after the holiday season, am trying to tone down the sugar and using raw, unfiltered honey as an alternative. However, one thing that I will not be give up is my dark chocolate. Everything in moderation, as my Nana used to say, and there are some things a girl cannot live without.

I am not one for the quick fix so taking my routine nice and slow through 2023. My goal is to be healthier and more fit in 6 months as well as a year from now.

I have linked several items (below) that I use for my at home fitness routine, and may earn a small commission if you purchase. If I was starting over with weights, I would invest in the weights that you can select by Bowflex. They are pricy but it beats the need and space for various dumbbell sizes.

I hope that if you need a routine, accountability or some ideas for getting fit in 2023 that this post helps. There are so many amazing women to follow that have gotten fit at any age. Let me know if you would like my list as they are extremely motivating.

I definitely needed more motivation last year but gave myself plenty of grace… a bit too much.

As always, thank you for reading.

Aging Well: Planning for a Fit 2023

LTK