Day: February 10, 2026

By Sara Barr
Media and Publications Vice President

Several years ago, soon after I turned 53, I suddenly faced several new medical diagnoses. None of them serious, but it was a wake up call to focus on my health and aging body.

Intermittent Jogging
I’ve never been one to work out much other than riding a bike and taking step classes in the ‘90s. Low impact (yoga and tai chi) are the only classes I’ve taken since early adulthood. While those activities are great, they weren’t doing enough to keep my heart healthy. I wanted to find a way to get my heart rate up and get a better aerobic workout.

I’ve always enjoyed walking long distances, and I decided to use that as my stepping stone into fitness in my 50s. I asked my teenage daughters to start taking long walks with me. I enjoyed the one-on-one time as much as the fresh air and exercise.

Soon enough my daughter, Emily, a natural athlete, encouraged me to add jogging intervals into my walks. In the beginning I couldn’t jog further than the length of two houses. I slowly built up my endurance. Fast forward to today, and now I’m jogging about four miles a few days each week, with just a few walking intervals in between.

Here’s the thing: What I do is less like jogging and more like slowly falling forward. In case you think I’m joking, here’s proof: my daughter Emily won’t go with me anymore because she can’t jog that slowly. It’s like trying to ride a bike very slowly. One day recently she went with me and (literally) walked beside me as I jogged.

But I’m proud to be out there and moving. It allows my clothes to fit differently and it helps me sleep better at night. And I’m sure my body is getting the heart benefits I was looking for.

Intermittent Fasting
During every annual visit to the doctor over the previous 15 years, he had mentioned my weight, and I left with handouts telling me things about diet and exercise that I already knew. A few years ago he suggested I try intermittent fasting. I’ve had family members who had a little success losing weight with intermittent fasting by basically starving themselves on fasting days. I wasn’t interested in that.

But I soon learned that the most common way (and the way that shows many people long-term success) is having hours of fasting within each 24 hour day. The goal is to eat all your foods within 6-8 hours of the day, then fast the other 16-18 hours. Obviously, no late dinners or evening snacking. This allows your body’s digestive system the time it needs to do its work, and then rest. It allows cells to repair, reducing inflammation in the body and improving metabolic health. The reason it encourages weight loss is because your body shifts from using glucose (from food you eat) for its fuel to actually burning stored body fat for fuel. (Exercising during fasting hours pushes that process even further.) 

My cholesterol and blood sugar numbers are okay, but intermittent fasting can help lower those numbers. (Disclaimer: I’m not a trained medical professional, and you should always talk with a doctor before starting any major change in diet or exercise).

The fact that I rarely snacked in the evenings gave me a jumpstart for success with intermittent fasting. I basically skip breakfast, try to eat a big healthy lunch, enjoy sweet treats in the afternoon, then eat a sensible dinner. I decided not to worry about liquids at all, so I still drink my pot of tea every morning and occasionally enjoy a beer or glass of wine in the evenings. I also enjoy a cup of Sleepytime tea each evening, which was another game-changer that greatly improved my sleep.

Stock up on the Healthy Foods You Love
When I started changing the way I eat, I wanted to make it sustainable for the long run. That means I didn’t want to ever feel deprived. To feel satisfied, I decided to focus on lunches and dinners that are healthy and that I truly love. I love many hummus, fruits and vegetables, so I stock up on favorites. If I’m full on healthy foods, and drinking extra glasses of water throughout the day, I’m much less likely to crave sugary snacks and carbs.

That means sometimes fixing myself something different for dinner than I cook for the rest of the family. Sometimes I eat a yogurt and fruit parfait with granola (definitely a favorite). On taco night, I cook fish so I can enjoy fish tacos (my favorite), while the family eats their seasoned ground beef and refried bean tacos (their favorites).

During this time, I also cut back on sugar. I switched to a low-calorie Greek yogurt, although it took me trying about 10 different types before I found one I loved. Trial and error. I love sweets, and I eat chocolate and other treats every day, but I’m smarter about saving my sugar allowance for my truest loves.

Intermittent Weigh Ins
I stopped weighing myself every day and instead starting paying closer attention to how I felt in my clothes. How my body felt after eating certain foods or having a second alcoholic drink. Eventually I hid away my biggest clothes because of course I’m most comfortable in them, and wearing them wasn’t motivating me.

Trial and Error
As with anything in life, we get better with practice and learning what works and what doesn’t. Before I started intermittent fasting, I tried losing weight by eating protein in the mornings. That backfired because for some reason I was famished for both lunch and dinner, so I ended up gaining weight.

As an avid reader, I listen to a lot of audio books. But I learned through trial and error that I jog further when listening to pop music rather than a monotone voice reading an audiobook.

Everybody — and every body — is different! I encourage you to try different things until you find what works for you. Consistency is key as is showing yourself grace. Set up a system that offers success while not making you feel constantly deprived or hungry. Overall improved health, rather than a number on the scale, is the end goal.