I Feel Young At Heart! Do you?

Do you feel as old as your birth certificate claims you are? I don’t. I feel young at heart. In my head, I feel I am about half my real age, and I often marvel when I write down my birth year. No way, I tell myself. I am not that old. I believe each of us is an average of three “ages.”

Chronological Age: This is the age that is dictated by your date of birth. Are there eighteen candles on your birthday cake? Thirty-seven? Eighty-two? There’s nothing we can do to diminish the number of years we’ve been alive. (Well, nothing we’d want to do, anyway. A visit to the undertaker is something everyone wants to put off as long as possible.) Our chronological age is concrete and unchangeable. 

Biological Age: This is the age of our physical bodies. How well do your lungs work? Your heart? Your muscles? How much extra fat do you carry around? There are lots of things we can do to keep our bodies younger. Physical activity, aerobic exercise, strength training, stretching, yoga—all these things will help keep your body fit and lower your biological age. You don’t have to do them all, but keeping active is very important. Eating fresh, nutritious food is another good way to give your brain and your body what it needs to feel young.

Psychological Age: You might not believe it, but how and what you think affects how you age. Are you curious about life? Do you love to learn new things? There are plenty of ways to enrich your psyche—learn a new language or skill, travel, take a dance class, read good books, listen to music, cook a new recipe, meditate, develop a rich spiritual life, go out of your way to meet new people, smile and love more, frown less. Cultivate confidence by making a What Makes Me Unique list. Learn to forgive; the anger it takes to hold onto a grudge can contribute to cardiovascular disease and a weakened immune system. Avoid negative thoughts and live from a place of gratitude. Learn to let go of the things you can’t control. I’m sure there are many other ways to keep a healthy mind and attitude. If you have some ideas, please share in the comment section.

As many of you know, I’ve been exercising regularly for some time now. I’ve dropped some weight and I’m feeling fit. I’ve never lost my curiosity, I have always loved to learn new things, I laugh often (especially at myself), and I stay positive as much as possible. Because I’ve worked on lowering my biological and psychological ages, I’m sure that’s why I don’t feel my chronological age.

For those of you who don’t remember the classic song YOUNG AT HEART, it was sung by the unforgettable Frank Sinatra. He was famous during my father’s era. The lyrics include some great messages:

~  ~  ~

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you
If you’re young at heart.
For it’s hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind
If you’re young at heart.

 

Don’t you know that it’s worth

every treasure on earth
To be young at heart.
For as rich as you are,

it’s much better by far
To be young at heart.

~  ~  ~ 

So tell me, what do YOU do to stay young at heart?

New Release for just 99¢ every day:

USA Today Bestselling Author Donna Fasano brings you the first book in her A Family Forever Series.

A BEAUTIFUL STRANGER

When Sean Hudson arrives to claim his new daughter, he discovers the adoption hinges on the impossible. Unless he finds a wife immediately, the tiny orphan will be snatched away from him forever. But before Sean can abandon hope, a beautiful stranger proposes a surprising solution—marriage.

Sean swears the love in his heart is only for his soon-to-be daughter. And that is perfect for Nicki Willis, whose restless spirit yearns to have a family for just a while. But the tenderness of Sean’s touch soothes Nicki’s fears as well as little Sona’s. Now Nicki aches to become a family forever… and she refuses to believe she can’t make this dream come true.

About the author: Donna Fasano is a USA Today Bestselling author. Learn more about her at her website: DonnaFasano.com.

 

Let's Talk Snacks! 100 Calories or Less by @Donna_Fasano

 Let's face it, we all overeat now and then. Whenever I overindulge, I do what I can to get myself back on track as quickly as possible. Here’s a list of my go-to snacks when I’m focused on sticking to 1200-1400 calories per day:

1. 1 cup frozen seedless green grapes – 65 calories    
2. 1/4 cup wasabi peas – 100 calories
3. 1/2 cup of slow-churned ice cream – 100 calories
4. 2 stalks celery (about 7” long) and 2 tablespoons hummus – 100 calories
5. 30 goldfish crackers – 100 calories
6. 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and a small wedge of cantaloupe – 100 calories
7. 2 tablespoons PB2 spread on 1/2 granny smith apple – 90 calories (PB2 is powdered peanut butter that is 80% fat free. Mix 2 tablespoons PB2 with 1 tablespoon water.)
8. 1/2 of a medium-sized baked potato and a heaping tablespoon of salsa – 100 calories
9. 8 baby carrots – 100 calories
10. 2 Tablespoons PB2 spread on 2 stalks celery – 66 calories
11. 1 cup of tomato soup – 75 calories
12. 1/2 banana (sliced and frozen) dipped in 2 teaspoons dark chocolate chips (melted)  – 100 calories
13. 1/3 cup Greek Gods Vanilla Honey yogurt – 96 calories
14. 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon – 75 calories
15. Banana smoothie – blend 1/2 a banana, 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, and a handful of crushed ice – 100 calories
16. 2 long pretzel rods dipped in 2 teaspoons yellow mustard – 77 calories
17. 1/2 cup steamed edamame (shelled) with a splash of soy sauce – 100 calories
18. 16 cherry tomatoes sliced in half, 1/8 cup crumbled feta cheese, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice – 95 calories

What are YOUR go-to snacks when you’re trying to get your diet and your weight back on track?

~  ~  ~

This month, I'm celebrating St. Patty's Day by offering A REASON TO BELIEVE to Kindle readers for just 99¢. You save $3 off the regular price of this Irish fairy tale.

A Real Fairy Tale

It seems like a grand idea, temporarily trading her pixie wings for a womanly form to help handsome widower Paul Roland with his baby girl. And the moment she holds the precious bairn in her arms, Fern knows true happiness for the first time.

But Fern never anticipates the dizzying emotions she feels for the man who not only needs her as a nanny, but as a woman whose passion can heal his wounded heart. Suddenly the forbidden fairy rule she gently bends because of the baby is in danger of being irrevocably broken.

Some things are meant to be…

About the author: Donna Fasano is a USA Today Bestselling author. Learn more about her at her website: DonnaFasano.com.