An Ordinary Day...

Wednesday, April 12th started off as an ordinary day. The alarm sounded off at 6:00 a.m. like it always did. Reggie did his work day morning ritual, showering, grooming, selecting a suit and accessorizing with the perfect accents for Read more

Why are some people mean?

Why are some people mean? I'm not talking about a little mean, but bazaar, go out of their way to be mean. Recently I've encountered a few mean people, I remind myself that these situations will make me a stronger Read more

Maldives

Our last trip of 2016 was to the Maldives. Last year was one full of excursions, We traveled to Cameroon, Paris, Bali, Hawaii, New Orleans, New York, Chicago, Lake Tahoe, Atlanta, Napa, San Francisco, Dubai, and I must say Read more

Quote

It's okay to venture out of your comfort zone... Lately I've been doing it quite often. This weekend is going to be one of renewal, my personal Super Bowl. What are your plans? I will be working today and tomorrow. Happy Read more

Do you enjoy yourself?

Both of my kids are in New York, my son is in school in the Hudson Valley and my daughter is living in Brooklyn and working. So we are officially empty nesters, and have been so for a while Read more

50 plus workout

Keeping my sanity …

Posted on by Gigi in Fitness Comments Off on Keeping my sanity …
Chair Pose

Gigi yoga

Today I am recommitting to my workout. January was crazy with my 3 trips, totally interrupting my exercise schedule. Of course, I brought workout stuff on all of my trips, but it stayed neatly folded in my suitcase.

Exercising is big for me, I feel much better and overall happier when I work out. Negativity can sneak up on me when I don’t exercise and I get these periods of irritability that I know are from a lack of exercise. At my age a few weeks of being inactive shows up on the body right away, another one of the many side effects that came along post 50.

So I set a few obtainable goals, like drop maybe 8 pounds or so, work on some of the jiggly areas, and work on my flexibility by returning to a regular yoga practice. Of course I want the aesthetic results, like gracefully gliding into my 57th birthday with a nice taut body, strolling on the beach sans a cover up.

So- what is my plan? Basically setting my intentions, putting my workouts on my calendar like any other appointment, sticking to my routine and really watching my diet. Wearing my fitbit, that is just sitting in my drawer collecting dust.

When I think about my life in regards to fitness, I have always been active, the 20’s were easy, things stayed in place, I worked at Jack La lanne, (does anybody even remember that gym) taught aerobic classes at Nautilus Plus (another gym that went under) worked for Jim Kelly, he had a little private gym back in the 80’s and I lived by the beach and rode my bike a lot- those years were good.

I worked for Jim Kelly during the 80's

I worked for Jim Kelly during the 80’s

The 30’s came along with marriage, and the babies…things were still okay. I Discovered running, did a few marathons, fell in love with spinning, did weight training- the body was good.

LA Marathon 1998

LA Marathon 1998

40’s came along with the major diet shifts, no more meat, chicken, fish, it was a slow transition but by 50 all the animal products were eliminated. I discovered bootcamp, Pole dancing, yoga and pilates- the body was good.

Gigi @ 40

Gigi @ 40

And then came the 50’s- things started trying to shift and my waist was becoming a traitor. My diet is mostly vegan, with some slip-ups with cheese here and there, especially when traveling. I joined Equinox, worked on and off with trainers, did classes here and there, hot yoga, pilates, barre, pretty much all over the place- periods of being real consistent and then slip ups- the body just okay.

50's Gigi

50’s Gigi

Fast forward to now, I know that for my curvy body type I need lots of cardio, i.e. “sweat”, strength training and yoga or pilates to keep my body together. Cut out all the obvious things, and just eat “clean” whole foods in their original state…and I would be okay.

Do a variety of workouts so I don’t get bored and most of all make it fun.

This month as I recommit I will be mindful of my workouts and focus on being the best version of me.

Did you make any challenges or resolutions for 2016? How do you stay motivated with your workouts? How do you stay on track?

equinox

equinox

Xoxo,

Gigi


Quote

Posted on by Gigi in Aging 2 Comments

“I don’t like to throw things away, but I also have the ability to end chapters of my life.”

– Helmut Lang

I came across this quote yesterday, I’m getting better at the “throwing things away” but every since the big “5-0” I’ve been able to “end chapters of my life” and keep it moving. Perhaps at the half century mark there is a sense of urgency to do it now or never. I have permission to to stop doing things that don’t enrich my life and to figure out what does work.

Closing chapters in my life allow me to move on to the next book. Some of the past books are best sellers, some are classics some are really bad…and some are unbelievable. All these “books” the good and the bad make up who I am today, I can’t erase this history, or pretend it does not exist. There are lots of characters in these books, some are in all the books and some have mysteriously disappeared.

I’m on a quest to discover the “best” me and let her shine, polishing some rough edges. I’m human and far from perfect, but if I work on “best” I know I will have a lot of “good” that will come to the surface and I’m okay with that. The consistent effort is what I am aiming for, developing habits that keep me on point. I want to be the character in the book that you love and admire, but at the same time you find her interesting, daring, a little racy, unpredictable and not boring at all.

On the physical note, I’ve recommitted to my body, this post half century body needs a lot of care like an old vintage car. Every since I was diagnosed with osteoporosis I have these nightmares of being a hunchbacked lady, so I have become obsessive with my strength training. My workouts are like doctor appointments, I have to go, I can’t reschedule. I don’t want the to be the hunchback heroine in my next book.

Have you closed any chapters? Working on a bestseller? Happy Tuesday!

Xoxo,

Gigi

Gigi

Gigi

 

 


Sometimes I Really Do Feel Old…

Posted on by Gigi in Aging 1 Comment

Sometimes I really do feel old. It’s not everyday, but sometimes I will glance at my reflection in the mirror and I will see a woman that I don’t recognize. A woman who has hyperpigmentation on a complexion that for 40 plus years was flawless, who now reaches for concealer before venturing outside. A woman who now takes a second glance at those “filler” and botox ads that grace some of her favorite magazines. A woman who has to spend more time at the gym just to maintain some sort of figure that can still fit into her clothes. A woman who sometimes answers the phone and the caller is talking, the voice is familiar, but the woman has no clue who she is speaking to. A woman who is among the oldest in her workout classes, but is still sporting her lululemon.

Yes, age is just a number, but there is no denying this aging thing, it can be brutal and unfair in our youth obsessed society. I don’t wish for a younger “me”, I just don’t want the aches and pains of the older “me”. I want to be the best that I can be, but that is becoming increasingly more difficult. Everything takes more time, gone are the days of quickly pulling myself together and looking like a million bucks. It is a process now with numerous steps and formulas.

The other day of friend of mine made an observation that she noticed that young women who are half our age were sporting the same clothes that we used to wear we we were their age and they are looking like we used to “look”. The cycle just repeats itself all over, I remember wearing crop pants and my mom telling me that she used to wear those when she was my age and they were called peddle pushers and clam diggers. Perhaps that is why the shopping bug is not as exciting, because nothing seems fresh anymore…

Just as I am aging, my hubby is as well, but it seems different for him. His concerns are longevity, maintaining his business and being healthy. His only cosmetic issue is his grey mustache that he regularly colors. It’s nice to be on this “age” ride together and I am fortunate to have a partner that is accepting of me and all my vintage parts. One that I don’t have to explain the constant need for my reading glasses and the panic that sets in when I can’t find them. One I can call on the phone and he will talk to me and is not expecting me to text exclusively.

Starting my family later in life also has its disadvantages, many of my friends have grandchildren already, I think about by the time I have a grandchild I’m really going to be old. But I can’t worry about that right now…just gotta keep doing me and embrace each day to the fullest.

What are your thoughts on the aging process? Please share and tell me I’m not the only one with these feelings.

Happy Friday,

XOXO,

GIGI

Gigi

Gigi

 

 

 


I’ll never be a Size 2, Butt …

Posted on by Gigi in Well-Being 1 Comment

I’ll never be a size 2, Butt…

Nor would I want too, “butt” I do want to be the best “me” , and this post 50 body is a full time job. I recently stepped up my program and I am really eating clean, I am determined to drop 10 pounds, which would put me at my “market” weight, the one on my drivers license. I think menopause tries to play a cruel trick  on a women’s body by attempting to take away our waist and making everything a little plumper. It’s like my Mimi kitty, once she got spayed her little figure changed as well getting thick in the middle, and nothing else changed, same food, same routine.

My Babies...

My Babies…diva Mimi in the front

menopause

menopause

For me I noticed rather real or imagined that after my birthday, I gained a few pounds- granted I did go on vacation, had a little more wine than my usual, a few more desserts etc. and now I am paying for it…

So moving forward, the key is to recognize, acknowledge and put a plan into action and do the work! So this is what I’m going to do:

I don’t like the term “diet”, I like to think of it as my “lifestyle” since this is what I should be doing all the time. Eating natural food  in its natural state, drinking lots of water, juicing, and portion control- even to much of a good thing can backfire.

Bump up the workouts- cardio, cardio and more cardio, I’m digging the dance workouts, strength training and of course finish it off with some yoga or pilates.

I’m also wearing a fitbit device , which I am loving, it will definitely keep you honest. I had to get used to wearing a rubber “thing”, but I just mix it in with a few bracelets. Tori Burch has designed a fitbit bracelet, that I may have to splurge  on when it comes out.

gigi's fitbit

gigi’s fitbit

Tori Burch Fitbit

Tori Burch Fitbit

It is recommended that you get in 10,000 steps in everyday, so I will be working on that as well.

Of course we all have a little bit of vanity, yes I want to look nice in my clothes and without them too, but more importantly so many health issues are attributed to excess weight, even 10 pounds can make a difference especially on your joints.

So friends, what sort of things to you do to keep on track– do you find it difficult to stay in shape as those birthdays come and go? Share your techniques on keeping it together.

gigi

gigi

Happy Friday,

Xoxo, GIGI


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