The Gold Dress

I was excited to receive a wedding invitation from a lifelong friend who had finally found the love of his life.  I read it over for the details and got to the bottom where it said  “Attire – Sassy but Classy”.  I sighed. Most of you know why.

Shortly after I dropped that blog, I was approached by my trainer at the health club.  Yes, I had joined one about a month before that shopping trip.  She asked me about writing a blog for the clubs website about joining some challenge she dogged me into .   So I did (you can link to it here).  It took the writing of that for me to fully understand, that I had in fact, committed not to a membership, but to myself.  I love starting new things, I love the newness of a project, they excitement of a launch, the change of routine, learning something new.  It is keeping that interest  and new feeling alive that has always been a shortcoming  of mine.  Some of you may  know what I mean – scrapbooking; bread makers; p90x; Thighmaster; Rosetta Stone, guitar; piano lessons; jewelry making; crystals, etc.  My friend Elaine Soloway did a great blog on  “Abandonment Issues”,  which made me aware, that I too, was motivated by the excitement of “new” that sets me on my journeys, but the boredom of driving eventually steers me off the freshly paved road.  After reading my own blog for FFC I realized I needed to actually do as I wrote.  I was going to develop “sticktoitness” if for no other reason than it was going to be good for me, and well I had written to the enitre membership of the club, how great it was. I was sort of on the hook.

Let me say, the cost of joining the club is one thing, the newness  of the classes, new shoes and clothes was exciting, but wore off quickly.  The personal trainer, not so much.  Now I know you are all saying “oh it must be nice to afford that..” those were exactly my own words for many years before.  But I have come to understand, with some examination of my finances (cutting and moving some stuff around), and the strength and confidence I gained, brought me the realization that I can’t afford not too.  My health, my head, and my heart deserve it. I am that person, if I don’t have an appointment I don’t show up at the health club.  I admit it.  I quickly discovered that practical strength training is almost a must, at least for me, who wasn’t blessed naturally with great muscle mass or tone.  I have to work at it, and as I get older, now realize I have to really work at it. Why? Did you ever notice when you were around an older person, you sometimes offered a hand when they were getting up from a chair or in and out of a car? Or spot them on stairs? Or they crouch down to get something from under a sink, and can’t get back up? Maybe you can relate to that personally? Well over the past twelve weeks, I have come to learn that has a lot to do with a lack of their muscle strength and coordination.  I noticed sometimes I would avoid an “activity” because of the lack of strength or endurance.  At my training sessions I found myself using the words “I am old I can’t do that”.  Honestly I couldn’t do a push up at 32 and I never would have said I am too old, it would have just been I can’t I am not strong enough.  Right there a change in mental attitude toward aging was worth the price of personal training, since there are studies that say staying physically active and strong can reduce the chances of dementia by half!  Woo hoo I strengthen my brain too!  Oh and working on increasing muscle mass and strength also helps keep bones strong, something as we age that is a problem, especially for women.  So I have learned that I am not too old or it is never too late to start doing something good for myself, the simple act of being active has shown me that.  So the designers didn’t hear my plea, but unwittingly, I in many ways re designed myself (without losing one pound).

So you  might be thinking, well that works for her, but I can’t do all that .  Here’s the thing, of course you can. The first thing you have to do is take down that mental road block.  Then you start by just being a bit more active.  Walk around the block, around your house if you have to. You know the drill, park the car farther away, take stairs (if you can)  simple things like that. Just start by moving more than you do now and building on it a little more each day and week.  If you have to,  just say “I’ll walk to the end of the block”, literal baby steps, but please just start moving more.

This was never supposed to be a blog about exercise or activity But, here we are.  It was supposed to be about changing attitudes about aging how we are  perceived.  Somehow  it  turned into how we perceive ourselves and how we can learn to be better to ourselves and be the be the best us. Feeling better and embracing where we are. That it is never too late to be who you have always wanted to be.

Oh, that gold dress? You are probably wondering about that. and here is the upshot.  I did have to go shopping for this “sassy but classy” event.  I of course meandered to the black dresses, when a dress seemed to reach off the rack and say, “get back here this instant and try me on!”.  It was a gold sequined number, you know the kind they wear at awards shows.  It came to the middle of the knee and had.. LONG SLEEVES.  I slung it on my arm, handed it with the others to the sales associate, Anna, to start a fitting room.  Once inside I quickly whipped through four no go’s, all some form of dark or black, all ill-fitting. I was so

#becauseican

discouraged, I sent Anna back out to search for more of the same and she said, “did you try on the gold one”? I shook my head no, and she said “well try it while I look for more”.  I slipped it on and much to my surprise it fit like a glove and was very comfy and so so sparkly.  The door opened and Anna said “wow I guess you found one that works”.  I quickly said, “what about the lumps and bumps it will show everything”! “what are you talking about, there aren’t any come to the three-way mirror”.  I looked and looked again, peeled it off, and ran to the cash register.  Never in my wildest dreams of 12 weeks ago did I expect to saunter to a wedding wearing a gold sequined dress, and looking so sassy but classy.  But I did, thanks to that redesign I took on, and stuck with. Oh and if that isn’t enough I caught the bouquet!

Disclaimer:

** I am not a fitness trainer. I can not tell you what to do. These are exercises I did, and that worked for me in the beginning. As with all exercise programs, when using these or any video, you need to please use common sense, .  To reduce and avoid injury, you will want to check with your doctor before beginning any fitness program.  By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk.  4Broadsdish.com or any individuals associated with, paid or not,  will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain as a result of these videos, or information shared on our website.  This includes emails, videos and text.  Thanks for your understanding.