The Year I Stop Aging

I had a birthday a few weeks back and determined that this would be the year I stop aging. When I look in the mirror, I feel as though I aged more in the past year than I did in the past five years combined. I'm sure some of that has to do with stress--I was married last November and lost my father recently. Then, I read an article in Allure that said a woman's attractiveness peaks at age 36 and a 50-something dietitian friend told me we go through aging spurts, just like growth spurts, so I suspect what's going on is more than just life changes.  Uh-oh.

I realize, of course, that I can't actually stop aging. But just how I know it's time to cut back on chocolate and margaritas when my regular jeans start getting tight, I can tell it's time to take serious action. By serious action, I don't mean that I plan on pulling a Heidi Montag. Simply that I plan on eating those 5+ servings of fruit and veggies everyday, exercising regularly, using sunblock from head to toe (my arms and decolletage are particularly sun damaged), rigorously testing the many skin care products that get sent my way and occasionally dabbling in laser treatment to clear up my brown spots and a spot of Botox here and there. Follow along this year as I investigate how to stop the clock.

That's me, above, in April, about 6 months from my last Botox treatment.

Read about my current anti-aging skincare regimen that I already see making a difference.