The thrifty tribe – how to #ageamazing on a budget
We all want to look our best and feel fresh, radiant and energised. But all too often as we get older you look in the mirror and see a tired, stressed face which shows the sins of one too many drinks, too much sun too, or the dramas of the menopause.
It’s easy to become overly optimistic and believe every promise expensive and shiny skincare products tell us, in hopes we look younger. Only to find out a few weeks later that they made no difference at and we’ve lost a small fortune.
Pro-ageing doesn’t need to be expensive.
Small lifestyle changes can make a big difference. The good news having a healthy glow is more about attitude than cash.
If you’re short of cash and time, there are some simple alternatives to flashing the cash to age amazing. Address the cashflow issue head-on with some free alternatives and lifestyle swaps.
I often feel the pressures of working hard, being a single parent and being financially independent. At times it can leave you completely exhausted, but I found with a positive attitude and re-juggling of how you live your life, some wonderful things can happen.
1. Positive mind
It all starts in the mind, replacing the ‘anti-age’ with ‘pro-age’. A positive vibe is the best place to begin. Growing older is part of life and every age has its bonuses.
Tip: Try some simple positive thinking exercises. They can really help to channel and negative thoughts and have a more positive outlook. Replace negative words with positive words when you’re talking to yourself, replace ‘I can’t run’ with ‘I’m going to try running’. A very popular approach is to include and repeat ‘positive affirmations’ on a daily basis if your dating for the first time again think, ‘ I’m going to meet someone wonderful’ and ‘ I’ve got so much love to give’.
‘Brillant Positive Thinking’ By Sue Hadfield is filled with great tools to help. It’s available on Amazon.
2. Hydrate
Your body is composed of 60% water and keeping hydrated is even more important to ensure all your system performs well as you mature. Drinking water helps reduce aches and pains by keeping your cartilage soft and hydrated, it improves the texture and colour of your skin, helps your digestive system to function properly, prevents headaches and boosts your mood.
Tips:
- Carry a bottle everywhere with you as a reminder to keep drinking.
- Eat raw fruits and vegetables – they are dense in water.
- Use your urine as a reference. If you’re sufficiently hydrated it should be a pale straw-like colour.
3. Fight the damage
Leading busy stressful lives can age us prematurely, with pollution in cities and the damaging free radicals in every breath affecting the way you look and feel. Protect yourself from external pollutants with lots of antioxidants. They’re rich in fruit and veg.
Tip: Eat healthy on a budget, porridge, apples, sweet potato, chicken, spinach, dark chocolate
4. Fitness buddy
We all know exercise is good for us, especially from our 30s when we start to experience muscle or tissue loss, which can lead to sagging skin and weight issues. Exercising with a friend or group improves the quality of life more. A new study compared the group with individual exercise and found those doing a group exercise class experienced significant improvements in all quality of life measures: mental (12.6%), physical (24.8%) and emotional (26%), with a 26% reduction in stress levels.
Action: So why not find a fitness buddy to help keep you motivated? It doesn’t need to cost. Start a new routine, go for a 10-minute brisk walk with a work buddy once a day. One of the easiest ways to maintain healthy activity levels is a brisk walk each day.
Tip: Download the ‘Active 10‘ app.
5. Be flexible
Having a flexible mind and body helps make life a lot easier as you are able to adapt and embrace new circumstances better.
Deepak Chopra advises “the way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30 to 50 years.” Flexibility is all about opening up to new ideas you are never too old to take up yoga or a new hobby or embrace flexible working. Keeping an open mind that listens to new ideas and people will open up new opportunities and keep life fresh.
Tip: Download the Pocket Yoga. It’s perfect for beginners and guides you through all the movements needed to stay flexible in each body part.
6. Skincare
The secret to great skincare is to include lots of nutrients in your beauty regime both inside and out. Eat a healthy diet and using skincare creams with pure ingredients, try The Ordinary, The Bodyshop, Aldi. All have very affordable yet quality skincare products.
Tip: Give yourself a deep facial massage and relieve some of the built-up of pressure and boost the supply of blood to the skin. Try a body brush to stimulate the lymphatic system!
7. Host a Style Swap
We all have wardrobes full of things we do not wear, so why not have a clear out and host a swap party with a few friends? Ask them all to bring a minimum number of items and a mix of items, from handbags to t-shirts to jewellery and scarves.
8. Sleep
It often gets harder to sleep as you get older. However, research shows we still need a healthy sleep pattern of 7-8 hours, and it makes a big difference to the ageing process.
Tip: Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake-up time, even on the weekends. Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid naps, especially in the afternoon. Exercise daily. Have a clear bedroom free of devices.
Looking at the glamorous images of #over50 celebrities and Instagram bloggers its easy to think you have to spend a fortune to look good as you mature. Luckily the truth is looking and feeling great at every age is more about attitude, anyone can do it!
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