A Mommy Story

I’m now 35 years old.

Sure, that may not be a big deal to some of you, but it’s going to take some getting used to for me. I can now no longer claim to be in my “early 30’s.” Should I ever consider having another baby, I’d be given the label “advanced maternal age.” And I’m even in a new consumer demographic for all of those marketing surveys: just call me a member of the 35-44 radio button.

Age is just a number – that’s true. Well, sort of true. Each half decade I hit is just another reminder that I need to take better care of myself. We feel invincible in our teens and early twenties because we partially are. While no one is immune to cancer, heart disease or other health problems, they’re less likely when we’re young. As we get older, our chances of being affected by chronic health problems only increase.

So with each birthday, I’m reminded that I can’t be as carefree with my health as I used to be. I worry more about my future. I want to be a healthy old woman someday. I want to see my kids grow up and have children of their own. I don’t want to die.

The good news is I’m probably in the best shape of my life. I’m still hovering at my lowest adult weight, I have muscle tone that I’ve never had before, and I’m making efforts to eat healthier foods. Compared to bad habits from my past, I’m in fantastic shape and my risks for common health issues are shrinking with my waistline.

But I still have plenty of work to do. Losing weight is still a priority, both for vanity and for health reasons. I’ve got at least another 10 pounds to go to even make the upper limits of a “healthy” BMI. Eating more nutritious, less processed foods and trying to work more exercise into my life are neverending goals that I have to keep focused on as well. Taking more time to relax, rest, and reduce my stress level couldn’t hurt, either.

I hope that when I turn 36 I can look back over this past year and again proclaim to be in the best shape of my life. If I continue getting healthier with each year, then maybe birthdays will still be something to get excited about!