Being a freelancer is tough at any age. Ultimately you only have yourself to rely on so you can end up working long hours hunched over a desk or keyboard, taking in far more energy-boosting coffee and carbohydrates than you know is good for you. And that’s without smoking, stress, and alcohol. Over time all can be hugely punishing on the body and mind.
When you’re over 50 things can be even worse. It’s not that you slow down or are any less capable than you ever were (in fact many people are far fitter and more productive) – it’s just that your body has less resilience and, if mistreated, will take much longer to recover.
Obesity can also lead to diabetes, heart disease, strokes and other circulatory problems at this age so start by checking your health with your doctor. You shouldn’t have any problems if you start to make gradual changes, but it’s better to be safe and sure.
Get regular checkups and screenings. This can be the age where things start to go wrong, but even serious illnesses and afflictions can usually be treated successfully if detected early enough. So don’t ignore unusual symptoms in the hope that they will go away or hide behind the ridiculous excuse that you ‘haven’t got time’ to see a doctor.
In terms of losing weight, there are, unfortunately, no ‘magic’ foods or ‘wonder’ regimes that really make a lasting difference. And, the whole point about being on a ‘diet’ is that it is a short term programme that often has little effect on your long-term eating habits. By all means, try a diet to kick-start your new eating habits, but keep it sensible. The easier it is to follow, the more you’re likely to stick to it.
You may also need to restrict your alcohol consumption. For most of us alcohol is an indulgence rather than an addiction but drinking too much, too often can have severely detrimental effects on your health, weight and wallet – so take control and cut back. Restricting alcohol will make you healthier, more energetic, slimmer and often, a much more interesting and amenable person.
We often think about improving fitness purely in terms of ‘joining a gym’, but many people find gyms boring, unrewarding and expensive. As a freelancer you’re in the lucky position of being able to be more flexible with your time so consider some of the other options – tennis, badminton, dancing, cycling; skating, swimming, riding, boxing, yoga – the list is endless.
Essentially your chosen pastime should be something you enjoy, something that is relatively accessible on a regular basis, and something which ideally also brings you into contact with other people. And don’t forget that mundane tasks such as gardening, housework, and washing the car are all good exercise too!
We hear so much about the negative effects of stress that it’s easy to forget that it’s a natural and positive force in terms of motivation for action. But if you’re constantly stressed, you need to do something about it. Start by improving the quality of your everyday life. Aim to achieve a balance between work, leisure, family and friends, and giving back – and allow some time for your self-development and spirituality, whatever form that takes.
Getting enough sleep is also important. Sleep is a great mental and physical healer and enables us to cope better with the stresses of daily life. At this stage in life some people start to experience difficulty sleeping but talk to your Doctor and try changing your lifestyle before you turn to sleeping pills (you’ll almost certainly find that once you starting exercising more, eating better and drinking less, you’ll sleep better too).
With all of these changes it’s important to start small – don’t try and do everything all at once. You’re in this for the long term so make gradual changes and concentrate on persistence and steady progress rather than sensational speedy results.
By Dianne Bown-Wilson, www.inmyprime.info
