10 Years Younger in 10 Days

Roe Gallo outlines a health plan that will leave you feeling revivified and rejuvenated in just over a week.

Do you look in the mirror and see a body you don’t recognize? Do you wake up with aches in muscles and bones you didn’t know you had? Are you just too tired by the end of the day to do anything but plop down on the couch? And are you beginning to believe that there isn’t anything you can do about it?

What makes you look and feel old?

I asked this question to many people in different age groups ranging from late 20’s to late 80’s and the answers were, surprisingly, very similar:

• People were concerned about their weight making them look older.

• They felt the stress in their lives showed through.

• They complained about poor skin tone, sagging muscles and aches and pains that they had never had before.

• They felt a lack of energy and a lack of enthusiasm. They felt dull all over.

I have great news. You can change all that, and in only 10 days see a different you. Yes, it’s true! You will look and feel younger. Your skin will look firmer, your body thinner, your jawline will sharpen, your eyes will brighten and you’ll begin to get rid of drooping eyelids, puffiness and dark circles. Your muscles will start to firm and strengthen and your energy will soar. The key to looking and feeling younger is taking great care of yourself from the inside out. You may not have complete control of things that happen in your life, but you do have control of how you are going to deal with them and how you take care of yourself. Try this brief, focused program. What have you got to lose?

Fat, flab and lack of energy is what. Ten days is nothing. You can do this! I’ll show you how your body can transform in a short period of time if you give it what it needs, and stop giving it the things that are keeping you looking and feeling old.

 

Let’s get started

 

For the next 10 days you will make simple changes that take off years. You will exercise, eat only enhancing foods, (fresh, raw fruits and green salads), and really pay attention to what you are thinking. I’ll give you tips that will help make this programme as easy as possible. Are you ready to go for it? Isn’t it worth 10 years?

 

DAILY PROGRAMME

 

Preparing for your day

Wake up early! Make your morning relaxed and make time to prepare for a great day. By the third day of the programme you will have more energy and wake up more easily, but for the first few days, get to bed early. When you wake up, think about your day and how great it is to be alive. I usually think about one of my core beliefs when I wake up: “Every day day above ground is a great day!” Wake up happy! If you are with a partner, a smile, a kiss, a “good morning” and an “I love you” (and anything else you have time for) is a great way to start another day of being together. Let him/her know how happy you are that you are together. If you have children, a smile, a kiss a “good morning,” an “I love you” and possibly a tickle is a wonderful way to get their day off to a great start.

 

As you get out of bed, stretch your entire body for about five minutes. Shower and get ready for your day. While showering, think of the things and people you are grateful for and how fabulous your day will be. Visualize the end of the day and how happy you’ll feel. Pick out something wonderful to wear; something that makes you feel happy and look great. Pay attention to the fashion and grooming tips on the right. Dress to impress yourself

 

Breakfast

• 16oz. of freshly-squeezed orange juice (squeeze it and drink it immediately)
• 1-3 pieces of fresh fruit, depending on how hungry you are.
• Yes, this is it. Now get out of the house – this is enough food! You are getting plenty of nutrients. Fresh fruit is high-water, high-energy food and will get you going.

 

Preparing for work

If you drive or walk to work, listen to a fun or uplifting book or music and if you don’t have a radio or an ipod, sing. If you work at home take at least 15 minutes preparing for your day in the same way.

• Think about what you love about your work and why you are doing what you do. If you don’t love your work, think about what you have learned from what you do (come on, I know you learned something!) that you can apply to the job you would love to do.
• Positive thoughts only! Plan your day. List your goals for the day and prioritize them. See yourself at the end of your work day with your list complete and feeling great.

Some time during the day

Read something current and interesting and talk about it with a friend, family member or colleague.

 

Several times during the day

Exercise your eyes. Here’s a simple, but powerful, one: Look at something close, focus, then immediately look at something at least 10 feet away, focus. Do this 10 times. Work your eyes and they will keep working for you.

 

 

The 10 simple secrets that dissolve away the years

• 1. Clean it up How you care for your body on the inside will show up on the outside. Just 10 days on fresh, raw organic fruits and vegetables is all it takes to jumpstart your body’s own recovery system. Adding more enhancing foods will make your healthier inside shine through.
  2. Visualize a great day Start your day with a positive attitude and a smile. The tips in the daily programme will help you cut down on the stress that makes us all look and feel older.
  3. Sleep on it Make sure to get your rest. Lack of rest adds years to your appearance. On the 10-day programme you will get a full night’s sleep every night. You’ll feel great and you’ll notice your hair, skin and body looking better for it too.
  4. Do something special and fun Make dinner plans, go dancing, see a movie, or go for a picnic or a family bike ride. Break that comfortable pattern. Staying active, involved and interesting gives you a youthful energy that shows.
  5. Indulge in an in-SPA-rational visit A relaxing facial can make a big difference in keeping that fresh young glow. A visit to a local spa is part of your 10-day plan. Take the opportunity for eyebrow shaping and unwanted hair removal while you’re there!
  6. The skinny If your skin looks old, so do you. Skin care should be about keeping your skin clean and feeding it with nutrients through your diet. So if gorgeous skin is your goal, be sure to get plenty of essential fatty acids and vitamins A, C, D, E and K.
  7. Making it up as you go A little bit of mascara goes a long way to make your eyes look brighter. Add a bit of colour and shine to your lips and a little drama to your eyes by lining them (but go easy as eyeliners can be harsh). My favourite brands are Dr. Hauschka for mascara and Jane Iredale for eye pencils and lips.
  8. Dress the part Clothing styles and colour can add unwanted years to your look. Have a free consultation with a personal shopper to get ideas for your body type and colouring. And remember – you can always update your look with smart accessories.
  9. Move it, move it Get your energy levels back to an all-time high with simple exercises to keep the spring in your step. You don’t need to be a gym rat; just make sure you move your body every day. Over the next 10 days you’ll see and feel the difference.
  10. Smile When you are happy you will look and feel so much younger.

   

  Breaks and snack

  1-2 pieces of fresh fruit. There are different ways to take a break, but make sure that you
  take at least two every day. A break should be pleasurable and relaxing. Maybe a quick email or call to someone you love just to tell them you love them. Or listen to music, read
  a chapter of a great book or just take a few minutes to centre yourself and quiet your mind. Or perhaps you would prefer something active like taking a walk.

  Work

  Work with passion. If you don’t have passion for your work have passion for how you do your work and start planning to transition into work you have passion for!

  Lunch and dinner

  Choose either an all fruit meal or a salad. If you choose fruit, have two to three pieces and if you are still hungry after that wait an hour and have more. For a salad choose organic greens with one or two of the following: raw and organic avocado, tomato, carrots, zucchini, or some other raw fruit or veggie. Example: avocado and mango over a bed of rocket (arugula) is a delicious salad. I usually like my salads without dressing but you could use a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and/or a drizzle of olive oil

  Eat simply

  It is best to eat as simply as possible: preferably one type of fruit at a time or a salad of leafy greens with one or two other ingredients. Eating a mish-mash of food combinations, even if they are raw, will give you indigestion and will hinder the assimilation of necessary nutrients from your food.

  Exercise

  Make sure that you allow at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. Walk (briskly), dance, run, bike, take a spin class, or work out with Billy Blanks (I love his “Boot Camp” workout). No matter how busy you are, you have time for this. Have walking meetings and take the stairs. Lunch could be a few pieces of fruit and a brisk walk or a spin class.

  Don’t forget your weight-bearing exercises. If you can’t or don’t want to go to a gym, use your body as a gym. Do push- ups, pull-ups, crunches and yoga. You can also do isometrics (isolating muscle contraction without the use of weights) in your car, at your desk, waiting in line – basically anywhere. There’s always time to work your muscles. No excuses!

  Play time

  Remember to allow for play. Hang out with people that you love and enjoy. Do things that are fun. Laugh. Down time from work, even work you enjoy, gives you more energy
  to do an even better job. During this 10-day program make sure to get out at least twice for play time.

  You time

  This is time just for you. Give yourself (or treat yourself to) a facial, a manicure and/ or a pedicure. Get a massage. Meditate. Take a long, hot bath with candlelight. Read a romance novel. Whatever makes you feel happy. You don’t need a lot of money to make yourself feel special, but doing it makes you feel like a million dollars. On the 10-day program, I recommend a good exfoliating and hydrating facial. You’ll feel rejuvenated and you’ll love how good your skin will look. I also suggest you make an appointment with either a personal shopper or make-up consultant. Tell them you want a new, fresh and younger looking you, and ask them to make a couple of recommendations.

  Rest and sleep

  It is so important to get adequate rest. A good night’s sleep can definitely make you look and feel years younger. Before you go to sleep, take time to rest from the day. Think or talk about all the good things that happened throughout your day and what you are grateful for. If you have a partner, kiss, make love, cuddle and talk about positive and loving things. Go to sleep happy.

  A word about detoxing

  When you stop eating non-nutritious substances, your body starts to detox; to “clean house” on a cellular level. When you stop ingesting stimulants, such as coffee, tea, or chocolate, your body takes the stored caffeine and theobromine out of the cells, throwing them back into the bloodstream for elimination. This chemical imbalance usually results in a headache. So when you begin a new, healthier dietary regimen, it is common to feel worse before you start feeling better. This may happen to you on this 10-day programme. This is not a fast, so the symptoms will not be too bad. It is quite common to feel headachey and tired by the second or third day, but to feel great by the fourth day!

  Go for it! This program is not designed to change your behaviour permanently - you will need more than 10 days to do that – but it’s a great beginning; a great jump start! It’s a small commitment of your time so that you can see and feel significant results quickly. Go to my website for more ideas and sign up for the free web version of the “10 years in 10 days” programme.

  That great body is inside you; don’t miss the opportunity to let it out!

   This article was published in the Autumn 2008 issue of Get fresh! Magazine

  is Roe Gallo, PhD is an author, motivational speaker and life coach. She lectures and writes on health, nutrition, fitness, sex and personal power. She is the author of Perfect Body and Overcoming the Myths of Aging. She also offers health coaching for individuals, and for companies wishing to revitalize their workforce with healthier diet, exercise and attitude. For more information see roegallo.com