60, 70, 80 are so much more than milestone birthdays, yet I’ve heard many women say things like, “I don’t want to be 80! Don’t have a party or make a big deal about my getting old!”
My feelings are that, YES, we should be celebrated! Not because we’ve managed to live that long, but because in living that long we have gained wisdom, resilience, and we know ourselves better now. We know what we want and why!
However, having lived this long means that our bodies have changed. We have a slower metabolism and we’ve lost muscle strength, and maybe gained a bit of weight. Since muscular strength is an essential component of healthy aging, physical activity becomes even more important now, to combat the worries of aches and pains like arthritis, osteoporosis, dementia, heart disease, etc. that can come with our aging body.
BUT what is the right type of exercise for enjoying a life that is vital, thriving, and joyful during our golden years?
That depends.
My first questions are always:
Do you like to dance?
Would you like to attend an exercise class filled with others the same age who you have a lot in common with?
What is YOUR fun type of exercise?
These are the questions we need to ask in order to figure out the best, sustainable, exercise program for each of us at our current physical ability. This is why personalized fitness is the way to go!
When we enjoy something, we are far more likely to continue doing it.
Also, since many of us are retired and not interacting with coworkers daily, we need to find other social situations to help keep our minds as sharp as possible. Why not combine physical exercise and social connections? Classes can do that for you.
Classes that are designed for different types of flexibility and strength, with a teacher that modifies for different abilities, are an easy way to start! For instance, if you are afraid to do certain exercises, or you have a knee or back that needs a bit of extra help, or you’re worried that you’ll make your pain worse, there are exercises that can be modified to assuage your fear and give you the results that you are looking for!
If you’d like further information on how personalized fitness programs work, you can book a free 20-minute session with me here!
Don’t want to drive to a gym or community center? No problem! Many classes are now done live via Zoom! I open my classes a few minutes early so people can chat before we start. We also take a few minutes at the end of class for socializing. And, for some of my classes, we get together either at a café or for a pot luck at one of our homes several times a year to socialize. We have become a supportive, caring group of like-minded people!
If you’re new to exercise classes, no worries! You can schedule a private session before starting to make sure that you understand the exercises we’ll be doing and have your questions answered.
Personalized fitness programs are the way to go and they’re not just for 20-year-olds!
Meanwhile, here is a video of the many ways to modify a push-up so that anyone can do it!
Best of Health,
Kathi
