A 70-year old woman, Carolyn Hartz, was addicted to sweets for 4 decades, when she finally decided to make a huge change in her life, and give up processed sugar.

Nowadays, this woman looks much younger than before, with a strong and tight bikini body, and a healthy, glowing complexion.  She maintains that everyone can decide to change, and 50 years is not too much to improve your lifestyle habits.

In her interview for Daily Mail Australia, she said:

“A lot of women post 50 think that it’s not possible to maintain a reasonable shape and weight when they reach 50 or beyond.”

She adds that “while it may be ‘a little more difficult’ to stay in shape for women post 40, it can still be possible if you really want to work at it. We know our metabolism slows down as we get older it just means we have to take control and make healthier choices and work a little harder.

I believe it is very important to be aware of the type of food you eat and the quantity of food you eat. Being mindful while you are eating is a huge factor. Mindless eating can lead to unnecessary weight gain. I say to my customers ‘taste and enjoy every mouthful’… it will help you slow down and you will be less likely to overeat.”

She believes that in order to look her best, a woman should focus on her attitude and diet. First of all, one has to have a positive and playful outlook in life, and second, to avoid sugar.

She says:

“I am an optimist even when I have challenges thrown at me I have learnt to stay positive. I have trained myself to remember the half the glass is always half full. You may laugh at this but I wish the weather presenters would say a partially sunny day, not a partially cloudy day. I think it would make the viewers so much happier.”

And explains:

“I have been sugar-free for 28 years. It was difficult at first as I was a sugar addict but I believe it is one of the most important reasons I have been able to keep myself healthy and keep my body shape. I make sure I eat protein with every meal especially breakfast. It stops the cravings.”

Yet, she claims that you should never deprive yourself of the food or drink you love, but you must take care of the proper “portion size”.

Her decision to overhaul her lifestyle came as a result of her being diagnosed with pre-Type 2 diabetes. This made her realize that her sugar addiction was a cause for concern.

She said:

“I could see what the effects of diabetes two were going to do to me. When you’re frightened of something you should change, and I did because I didn’t want to be unhealthy.”

Therefore, she replaced sugar with foods rich in protein, and in order to monitor her cravings, she started eating five small meals during the day. She started cooking using a natural sweetener called Xylitol, and her recipes inspired her to publish a recipe book called Sweetlife.

Moreover, Mrs. Hartz also sleeps for at least eight hours every night. In her interview, this beautiful 70-year old says:

“I have done this for most of my life and now the research shows that it is essential for good health to get this number of hours. It is when our body heals and rejuvenates.”

She attributes her wellbeing to meditation and gratitude as well. But when it comes to the health of her skin, she has been following the same skin care regime since she was 17, so she admits:

“I never go to bed without cleansing and removing my make-up and I moisturize every night especially around the eyes and neck. I wear sunscreen every day under my makeup and never sunbake. I am very aware of the damaging effects of the sun and I had this reminder when I had cancer removed from my nose when I was only 30.”

However, the most important thing a woman should remember is to never compare herself to other women:

“Be aware of what you like about them and let them inspire you but we are all individuals and we all have our own special traits…Be happy for your friends’ successes, enjoy them together. Never be jealous or resentful, both are wasted emotions and only hurt your wellbeing. Be happy for everyone and never worry about your age.”

In the end, she advises women in their 20s and 30s to enjoy every single moment in life:

“Don’t listen to the naysayers, be your own person. Attitude is your most important asset. Life is not perfect, accept this and grab it with both hands.”

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk