The Oaks at Ojai
Americans are living longer, working for more years than ever before and have more discretionary income. That’s the good news. Yet, Baby Boomers are fatter than ever, too.

Lee Roberts, a guest at a spa, and I talked a few weeks ago. Lee is typical of the Boomer generation, an attorney, a mom, and 25 pounds over her comfortable body weight. “I am here not to lose weight but to change my habits.” She’s not alone. If you’ve been neglecting your health and thinking, “Someday I will lose weight or get fit,” you’re treading on shaky ground.

Many boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are starting to realize the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. They’ve reached middle age and their waistlines are out of control.

At about 45, metabolism slows. Some of us remember exactly when that happened. One day the jeans felt great and the next day they were snug, or so it seemed. Right now, about two-thirds of all U. S. adults are overweight and those in their 40s and older are suffering from high blood pressure, fatigue, diabetes and will have shorter life expectancies.

While more boomers are looking at ways to become fit and reduce unwanted body fat, diet fads and frauds are much like a bulging waistline. They get to be bigger business by the day, now about a $40 billion dollar industry.

So what’s a Baby Boomer to do? Life is hectic, work is worse and food has to be fast and filling. There is good news here and it’s not going to endanger your health with diet pills or wacky weight loss schemes.

Change the way you think about your body. Treat it as if it’s precious, because it is. Let’s say you own a nice car and you want to make it last a few years. You’d never fill the trunk with garden soil or wet cement. You’ d be careful what you put inside it. More so, you would make sure that you have the oil changed and use the right products to keep it working well. Your body is a “machine,” too. So, put in premium fuel, such as low-fat proteins, lots of vegetables and fresh fruits. Wean yourself from the junk food habit. Raw veggies, apples and bananas are quick fix energy foods that will not weight you down.

Keep your body running right with a check up. Get your physician’s advice on weight loss, cholesterol and health risks.

Give you body a good workout, often. Make your ultimate goal to exercise for an hour every day, each day of the week. You may have to break up your “fitness time” into two chunks, if your schedule is as crazy as mine, but every extra bit of brisk walking, stair climbing or cycling will add up to a healthier, trimmer body.

Drink the ultimate “sports” drink: Water. Yes, you can get plenty of liquids from juices, tea and soda, but water is calorie free and quenches thirst like nothing else.

Keep snacks handy. I travel a lot and when I’m dashing through an airport or trying to get to a meeting on time, it’s tempting to grab some fast food and be done with it. But that fast food is like putting regular fuel in a car that needs premium gasoline. That’s why I have an emergency supply of snacks in my desk drawer and in my car. Health bars have been a lifesaver to me. But like anything that seems a really good idea, some health bars are loaded with fat and sugar. Some include milk products. Since about 20 percent of adult American are unable to digest milk, a snack bar eaten on the run that contains milk means a disastrous stomach-ache. Read the labels. Choose snack bars with care, try a selection and see what works best.

Making small, significant changes in your food choices while adding more activity may not turn you into a trim teenager, but you’ll be a Baby Boomer who is fit for life.