“I don’t want to look like a 25-year-old anymore,” [the 41 year old Brooke] Burke-Charvet tells Health magazine. “I want to be my best, healthy self.”
Yeah.... Umm, I don't know about that. Several years ago, I had this same attitude. I think I only had one child then and nothing had headed South yet (bless my dear husband who thought that if pregnancy had not taken place, they would stay in place). I could still use temporary hair color. I had no aches and I could sleep through the night simply because I had no pain. My forehead was smooth and I still worried about the occasional unsightly pimple. And best of all, I was still eating pretty much what I wanted. Sure, the scale would slowly creep up and I'd be concerned but, I was still pretty much at a healthy weight.
Now, after two kids, one of which is particularly "active" and "challenging", shall we say,all of the above is no longer true.
I really started to feel the aging thing during the last couple of years. Muscles I once used easily started chronically aching. I had to make a switch to permanent hair color because the six-week stuff just wasn't covering the gray anymore. Of course, there was more gray to cover, so that shouldn't have been surprising. I slept so poorly that I had to nap in the afternoons before the kids came home from school. The Office was on at 9 PM and there was no way I could even stay up for it. My arms ached so much (and still do) from holding kids and having them pull at me, lugging grocery bags for our growing family, and carrying a ridiculously heavy pocketbook. You know the kind: no money, but socks, sunglasses, cell phone, bottled water, and snacks that will never be eaten but you need them "just in case."
Then the worst happened. I now agree with Billy Crystal's Fernando who said famously "It is better to look good than to feel good." I reached a weight that was more than I ever thought possible. Didn't only overweight people hit 200 plus pounds? Oh, I am that person. I looked terrible. Clothes looked terrible. And of course I felt terrible. I never could shake off that post adoption weight,
So, I decided aging gracefully was not for me. I started taking Melatonin and ended up sleeping again. I had been having migraines and they stopped because I actually slept. Now, I only need it occasionally.
I am working with a nutritionist, Danielle, from South Bay Wellness and am eating healthier. Our family is considering a more vegetarian lifestyle now. We are really loving all our veggies!
I just learned about and started Reiki with Shannon at The Suah Center I have felt calm and less stressed all week. My positive energy is flowing!
I love my permanent hair color even though my attempts at a more youthful appearance left my hair much darker than expected. Think Morticia with some golden highlights, But not a hint of gray, thank you very much!.
My forehead is wrinkly and the girls are swinging but, unlike the song Do Your Ears Hang Low? I can NOT throw them over my shoulder like a Continental solider. If I had the money, maybe one of those "Mommy Make-Over" things would be in order. Little pull here, a little sandblasting there.
And of course, the Change is upon me so I feel that I may be in for even more fun. As my eight year old said, when overhearing us discuss the possible symptoms I've been having said, "Now you'll be wrinkly and DIE soon!" Don't worry little man, menopause doesn't mean your dead. It simply means I'll be more sweaty. And will want to drive with the windows down in February. And reference such episodes as my "personal summers."
So hooray for the positive attitude of the bikini clad, four times pregnant Brook Burke-Charvet! I'm glad she has such an outlook, especially since she is recovering from thyroid cancer. I, on the other hand, DO want to look twenty-five again. I was 65 pounds lighter. I was smooth and perky. The only thing I lacked was knowledge. And I guess for that reason, I'll grow old gracefully because I would rather have the knowledge and experiences I've gained, than the body I lost....
...or not.
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