Turning 50 is often a line in the sand for women. On one side is youth, on the other is the decline into old age. But that doesn’t mean we have to look old or act old — in fact, it’s quite the opposite. In our 50s we get the best of both worlds – the spryness of youth and the wisdom of aging. It’s the perfect decade to live our best lives and Maria Sabando has cracked the code on doing just that.

Through loads of fun, delicious, and healthy recipes sprinkled throughout, Maria motivates women to make food their friend, not their foe, and do it with pizazz as they entertain friends and family.

Maria loves yoga, and she introduces readers to a new pose in every chapter – encouraging them to find their own “yoga” – the exercise that feels like fun rather than work, helping to maintain a healthy weight with ease.

Along the way, she inspires readers to come to peace with their bodies. She helps women find a balance between enjoying food but not overindulging. Yet she’s no stranger to letting loose and having some fun, expressed in her quirky saying, “Indulge or you’ll bulge,” which means giving into temptation a little bit now so you can ward off the temptation to binge.

Through clever quips and true wisdom, Maria encourages women to embrace and enhance what makes them beautiful and release the rest with good humor. She goes well beyond giving tips to adopt a healthy lifestyle, eat well, and maintain a healthy weight. To Maria, these habits simply set the stage for readers to live the exact life they want to live, right now — one where women feel fully alive.

Yet, this is not just a self-help book. It’s also a memoir. Along the way, readers find a friend in Maria through personal stories that will make them laugh out loud at her mishaps and successes. It gives them a glimpse into what it was like growing up Italian in America, and being a bit of an Ita lian diva, today. Like listening to a familiar tune on the radio, women who grew up in the 60s and 70s will relate to her reminiscing and feel like they’re in a car loaded with friends, taking a ride through time with the top down.

This book is for every woman who could use a big shot of inspiration, a little boost, or simply a chance to laugh out loud as they step into their 50s and beyond. By the time readers turn the final page, they will have hundreds of clever ideas on how to craft a life of love, happiness, and meaning.