This year, I will take better care of my health

The new year stretches out like an unpainted canvas, awaiting our broad strokes, our splashes of colors. I've never been much for making resolutions, but 2007 is different.

For the first time in my life, I feel, well, vulnerable. Until now, no birthday ever bothered me; not turning 30, 40 or even 50. Midlife — how exciting! When you work with 80- and 90-year-olds, as I do, four or five decades seem like a trifling.

But something changed at age 60. My creaky body and brain began telling me I was reaching the "long last stretch" in my life, not yet twilight but perhaps early evening. It's not a bad thing — I could be pushing up daisies somewhere. But it's a vulnerability I haven't felt before.

I don't want to live forever, but I also intend to be as healthy and independent as I can for as long as I live, and that's what was feeling compromised. Research says successful aging requires good luck, good genes and good health habits, only the last of which I can control. I've been wonderfully healthy all my life, but I've had more medical care in the past year than in all previous years put together. Nothing too serious, but I want to get on top of it.

So my resolution for 2007 is to stop taking my good health for granted and work harder at retaining it. Experts say if you tell a lot of people about habits you want to change, you're more likely to succeed, so here goes!

The first order of business: lose 15 pounds. I weigh more now than I ever have, the clear product of too much food and not enough restraint. Looking around at how many of us are packing too many pounds, I'm convinced that food is as addictive as cigarettes and drugs — and darn hard to kick, since we need it daily to survive. It's so much fun to chew (the crunchier, the better). The problem is volume.

It doesn't take much to get into trouble. Most Americans gain 10 pounds for every decade they live, starting at age 30, said Michael Hewitt, Ph.D., a physiologist and exercise researcher at a conference I attended in 2002 in New York. "This breaks down to eating just 9 ½ more calories a day, or the equivalent of six Tic Tacs."

Which suggests a strategy, but in reverse. Rather than lose weight by starving (which won't work, because I'll give up), I've decided to go at a slow, steady pace, losing 1 to 2 pounds a month. I'll try to become more conscious about what I'm eating and why. I'll chew more slowly and put my fork down between bites. I'll "right size" my portions by serving meals on a salad plate. I'll drink plenty of water. My friend Peggy and I are "diet buddies" to keep each other accountable. Losing weight is a process, one that takes time. I'll have setbacks, but I intend to keep trying.

Next: Change my exercise regime. For years, I've walked 30 to 60 minutes a day — great for heart, stamina, optimism and lower-body strength. Loathing exercise, my motivation has been Abby, my dog and favorite nag. But it's no longer enough. I've become as stiff and achy as a rusty hinge on a garden gate. I don't want to take medication, so perhaps other exercises will help. I've joined a gym that offers core strengthening, flexibility and balance classes — Pilates, yoga and tai chi. Santa brought me a workout outfit, so no more excuses.

It's time to update my advance directives. The ones I prepared years ago (Durable Power of Attorney for Health and a Health Care Directive) are the standard fare that haven't kept up with medical technology. Plus, they list someone who's moved away. Last weekend, I invited friends to dinner to sign and witness new, improved documents (you don't need a physician or attorney to do this). Created by Compassion & Choices of Washington in Seattle, they're a critical step in my commitment to have some control over my future. It's another check off my to-do list.

I've been concerned about my eyes — my dad had macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in people 60 and older. Still, I did nothing about it. Then fate stepped in: During the recent power outage, I dropped my contact lens and stepped on it. Oops! A few days ago, an eye doctor gave me a clean bill of health: no eye problems detected and, soon, new contact lenses.

A new year is a measuring stick by which to gauge our commitment to doing the things we want to accomplish (or not — it's our choice). For an excellent list of things to consider for your new year, go to the "Ten Ways to Achieve a Healthy, Happy New Year" by the International Council on Active Aging www.icaa.cc, then scroll down to "Consumer Section" and hit "welcome back to fitness."

Liz Taylor's column runs Mondays in the Northwest Life section. A specialist in aging and long-term care for 30 years, she consults with families and their elders. E-mail her at growingolder@seattletimes.com or write to P.O. Box 11601, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. You can see all of her columns at www.seattletimes.com/growingolder/.