Fit At Sixty And Beyond!

Diana Livingston inspires us by sharing some honest moments in her life and by doing so challenges us to review our choices and align our goals.

Diana's Diary...

September 2009 marked the 2-year anniversary of the day we learned my husband of just 16 months had brain cancer. Four short months later, Mike died of that cancer while holding my hand, gently and sweetly as he had lived his life. Encountering all of the special milestones over the last 2 years; anniversaries of the day we met, the day of Mike’s unexpected marriage proposal, our joyful wedding day, holidays (especially Christmas as I am convinced Mike was one of Santa’s elves), this one surprises me with the intensity of my feelings ... so much fear and uncertainty at the time ... and now with knowledge of how things actually turned out, it is wrought with significance for me.

I have a clear memory from two years ago; standing in my kitchen, full of dread and anxiety, prepared to turn to food where I customarily turned when fearful or stressed or unhappy. And in the moment realizing I had a choice…turn to food and experience the inevitable weight gain and self-loathing, accompanied by the inevitable sadness and misery of losing Mike… or not. With one option I saw a very clear picture of my future; I would be both fat and sick at heart. I could control only part of that future and in that moment I chose not to turn to food. Instead, I made a grocery list.

Earlier in the year, February 2009, acknowledging that I would turn 60 that October, I decided I wanted to turn 60 and feel absolutely wonderful about it. I wanted to look good and feel good, too. So I launched a campaign with the support of my dear trainer, Liza, and close friends. I became very, very serious about what I ate and when I ate it and I upped the frequency and intensity of my workouts at the gym.

That summer of 2009 I actually passed the goal I set in February and for several months have enjoyed receiving the compliments and experiencing the pleasure of being at and buying sizes 6 and 8 and mediums, instead of 12’s and 14’s and larges. As I closed in on October 30th, I wonder just how absolutely wonderful could I feel if I continue my efforts and continue to improve? So I’ve set a new goal that requires keeping steadfast with my program beyond my 60th birthday and to, who knows, my 70th where I plan to feel absolutely wonderful about it, looking good and feeling good too.


 Up close and personal with Diana…

What was the most challenging part of putting your “campaign” to be feel and look your best at the age of 60, into action? What helped you?

Diana: For the past several years, I had been faithful with working out but hadn’t experienced weight loss. I was bewildered as I generally ate healthy foods. I joined WeightWatchers in February 2009 and things really started to happen when I finally realized the portions I was accustomed to eating were way larger than what my body needed.

What do you like about WeightWatchers? Is there anything in the program that you do not agree with?

Diana: The WeightWatchers plan helped me focus on what I was eating, how much I was eating, and when I was eating by tracking every bite that went into my mouth. That kept me honest with myself and faithful to the plan. Imbedded in the WeightWatchers literature are all good things about nutrition, portion control, and exercise. However, WeightWatchers’ marketing focuses on its own branded snacks creating a perception that you can eat snacks and lose weight (so long as you stay within a prescribed points goal at the same time - that's the part most people forget). I had to dig through the marketing to find the healthy messages and keep reminding myself that I wasn’t just on a diet, I was changing my life.

We all have "weak" moments... how do you stay on track when this happens?

Diana: Honestly, if I am really, truly weak and give in, I just remind myself that I am only as far away as my next meal or my next snack to get back on track. I just don’t fool myself into thinking I can give “in” every day or several times of day to weak moments. I find I have fewer weak moments when I set a goal and launch my plan to accomplish it. Once I start getting results and seeing results, it feels so wonderful, I want to perpetuate that feeling. It’s way better than anything tastes.

Will you please give us a sample day of your eating plan?

Diana: I eat about 6 times a day and can only do that if I plan, plan, plan. That means making it a priority to go to the grocery store, and a priority to pack my lunch and snacks for work, and a priority to have good things ready to make for dinner each night when I come home at night from a long day at work.

Breakfast:
¾ cup of Kashi Go Lean with ½ cup of skim milk

Mid-morning:
Handful of carrots, small handful of almonds or other nuts

Lunch:
4 ounces of smoked turkey, a whole tomato, 13 (not 14, not 15!) Wheat Thins high-fiber crackers, a cup of whatever berries are in season

Late-Afternoon:
Handful of carrots, ½ or a whole apple, a low-fat mozzarella stick

Dinner:
4 ounces of chicken breast quickly cooked on the stove top in a skillet sprayed with Pam, steamed yellow squash, roasted brussel sprouts, ¾ cup of multi-grain rice with a teaspoon of good olive oil  Note: I use lots of no calorie seasonings to make everything taste wonderful and appealing.

Evening:
½ multigrain, high fiber English muffin with a smear of peanut butter

Do you train weights? How much? Cardio? How much?

Diana: I train weights 3 evenings a week for 30 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of cardio. Plus cardio for 30 minutes 3-4 mornings a week.

What's the biggest change you see in yourself on an emotional level and physical level since committing to your training/nutrition plan?

Diana: On a physical level, I am healthier, leaner, stronger, smaller, and taller (really!), and more energetic. That’s a huge change. On an emotional level, when faced with sadness (and I have been faced with sadness almost everyday for over 2 years), I am more likely to face it with gratitude and optimism instead of bitterness and pessimism. That means I live my life more joyfully, focusing on how I can make the world a better place, and celebrating all there is to celebrate.

Have you set more goals for yourself in regards to your fitness and wellness?

Diana: Beginning on January 4th, I launched a new goal to move to the next level of fitness and am leveraging Liza Hughes’ expertise to help me do this. Workouts are more intense and managing nutrition more important than ever. While I made great progress in 2009, I can visualize looking and feeling even better and that’s what I intend to achieve this year!