“Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of our Lives.”  Some of you are reading that thinking “What the heck is she talking about?”  Some of you are smiling.  Some of you just quit reading!  If you did not quit, journey back with me…

When I was a kid, Mum worked at home.  She took care of the house, and my brother and me.  At some point during the day, the television was on and she watched her favorite soap operas.   Back in the day, “Guiding Light” and “Days of Our Lives” provided an hour of escape from the day into a fantasyland.  It was part of how the household routine rolled 50 years ago. 

Today, I read a story line that started “Do you work with older clients?  How many of your clients are over 50?”  Shit!  When did I become “OLDER”?  Reality check.  I am over 50.  I AM older.  Older than yesterday…Older than last week…Older than last year…Older than a decade ago.  Or five.

As I mentioned before, a big component of this coaching program is working on habits.  I am working on changing behaviors that have been in place for decades.  There were mealtime messages engrained in my head: “Clean your plate.”  “You cannot go out and play/have dessert until you finish your meal.”  As kids, those responsible for feeding us were trying to assure we took in enough nourishment amid distractions to feed our growing bodies.  As adults, some of those habits may need refined.

As a nurse, I honed my eating habits to assure I could eat (a) in record time as break time was always in flux depending on the work needing done (b) amidst distraction and multitasking, and (c) while moving.  I built upon the habits of my childhood with these new and improved habits.

Here I sit as an “older client”, with my “older” habits in check, well honed and rock-solid.  I have learned to eat what is on my plate, even if the portions are now more than my body requires.  I have learned to eat quickly, speeding past the point of satiety and winding up more than full.  After years of keeping fit with exercise, I eat “on the clock” feeding myself every three hours or so, and have lost track of what “hungry” really feels like.

This week I am challenged by the habit exercise.  I have been tasked with making my mealtime last 15 minutes, and any snack time 10 minutes.  I set a timer.  I check the timer.  The minutes click by at what seems like a snail’s pace for me.  It is painfully slow! 

What is the point?

The point is that I am learning that my old habits no longer serve my body well.  I need new habits.  The longer I take to eat, the less food I find I need at any given time.  The more I think about that, the realization comes that I am not always hungry when I sit to eat.  When I AM hungry, it does not take as much food to satisfy me.  Over the years, I have eaten in such a way that my body has taken on more than it needs. 

Through all of this, I am learning to be patient.  I have had more years to hone my habits than those younger than me.  I am learning that whether I hit the mark or fall short, it is a success.  Why?  I am learning about me each step of the way.  Every opportunity provides me with insight.

Here is the funny thing.  As a healthcare professional, and now fitness professional, I KNOW all of this. I KNOW how to steer clients on the path of better health and fitness.  I KNOW what habits hamstring my progress.  I know I have fallen short despite all of my knowledge and experience.  I have not taken care of ME.

Fortunately, Strongest You Coaching has provided an opportunity for me to have a coach.  I have a person leading my team, and a group of women who are all working on their own habits.  We share experiences, successes, and insights.  Coach Jen is a patient, caring, and determined woman.  She too knows what it is like to struggle with change. 

I am working my new habits.  It will take some time.  It will not be perfect.  Heck, I am not perfect.  I AM better than I was yesterday.  I am worth taking my time.