How many times have we read on magazines , newspapers or even on google that women over 50s should start to take care of their diet no to gain weight due to their menopause and hormone changes?
Because of this I was really worried once my 50th birthday arrived, my life was drastically changing because I was losing that size 8 I have always worn since I was 30.
I must admit that I do not like cooking but I love eating Italian food in particular because I am originally from Italy even though I have lived in England since 2011 .
Italian diet
I still remember that when I was a child my mother and the two grandmothers fed me with good quality food and no MacDonald’s or takeaways were in my diet . Bread with tomatoes and olive oil , bread and margarine , pasta , pizza , fish , lots of vegetables and fruit were in my everyday life instead .The portions offered in my dish were quite large for a little skinny girl but I got used to it easily and soon after I was running and playing in the courtyards with my friends for hours .
In the late 70s and early 80s there was no fb , tiktok and instagram and healthy kids were used to spending the whole summer playing around after a large dish of good pasta with tomatoes and olives.
When I grew up , at 18 years old , I noticed I was getting a bit fat so I decided to reduce those large portions and be on diet for a few months ( included a short period of anorexia as a result to fight the instinct of my mother to feed me all the time with a large amount of food ).
Everything changes when i arrive in the UK.
In all my life I have always tried to keep a balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables but a few things changed when I arrived in the UK. Immediately I noticed the change in the quality of food offered in the supermarkets and in the restaurants. In that period I started to work in a MacDonald’s and for the first time in my life I appreciated the several products offered by that chain like mozzarella dippers or chicken wraps.
I was not worried about gaining weight because I needed energy to stand on my feet 8 long hours , 4 days a week while dealing with crazy or busy customers in a very busy restaurant in central London .
I was telling myself if I was gaining weight I should not get worried because my work was very heavy and I needed energy to do it . But it never happened because when I was arriving to choose my food in McDonalds I always tried to eat chickens or the healthier products avoiding ice-creams or milkshakes or sauces full of oil and sugar .
In my opinion if people do the right exercise every day and a healthy diet there is no need to pay a dietician to lose kilos .
I am maybe lucky to have a fast metabolism but I have trained it with long walks , swimming and doing some DIY at home . Now I use my new garden like a powerful gym , digging soil , lifting pots and moving heavy plants arounds. I try to avoid lifts and love stairs .
I am not a fan of gyms because I do not like gossip and too many people around me sweating , so I have always tried to use nature in my everyday life to keep me in shape .
At the moment I am going to work by bus in the morning and quite often , if the weather is decent , I leave the bus one or two stops before and walk around 30 minutes before arriving at my destination.
I am not using the bike because of the bad memories of an accident I had when I was 18 but if people are not scared , cycling is another good exercise to keep the legs slim and in good shape.
I try to walk an hour a day , I do some stretching for my back and neck once at home , I avoid all the British sauces like ketchup , brown sauce and watch the butter like one of my worst enemies .
I totally avoid the combination of carbohydrates in my dish.
For instance here in England people like eating pizza with fries or garlic bread . In Italy this is prohibited. If we have a pizza we can eat a salad soon after or an ice cream with fruit on top .
I do not use take away if I am not on holiday .People in the UK order quite often their food in these take away without thinking how unhealthy they are with their oil , sugar, and calories. I love instead cooking everything by myself and I can assure you that once you get used to it , cooking a dish of rice and pasta is faster than a delivery of Ubereats.
The only thing I do not like after my dinner is washing up my pans and dishes so I always ask my husband to do it for me . But I use the cleaning of my kitchen like a good exercise in a gym to lose some calories.
I advise people to look around during their routine to find any occasion to do exercise, avoiding long hours sitting in your car , chair , armchair or lying in your bed .
Aging and menopause must not be an excuse to gain weight.
Stairs , parks , roads , and gardens are a very good alternative to the gym .
If you like socializing, a zumba course , aquafit , yoga or pilates can be a good alternative for women over 50s .
If you decide to go out for a long walk all alone, check the weather conditions and try to avoid isolated paths .
Once at home do not eat crisps or chocolate. Prepare some salad fruit or vegetables or some nuts instead .
A good coffee or tea with no sugar can help you to find the right body temperature if the walk was in cold and windy weather.
Try to avoid many snacks during the day and have a regular breakfast , lunch and dinner instead .
Take care of yourself with a daily hot shower or bath , watching your body in the mirror . You will see that with a little attention you will get amazing results even if you are over 50… but do not forget to keep moving every day !
Thanks for reading
Laura Bernardeschi Nelson artworld and travels 