Are You Too Old?
Aging. As we enter our 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, we inevitably notice changes in our bodies. Are you too old to want to slow down these changes?
It is often true we still think of ourselves as teenagers or remember what we could physically do in our 20s, yet we know we aren’t that age any longer. We need to make changes in our daily lives and in our exercise routines to address these changes so we can continue to lead full, active lives long after we retire.
I remember when I was in my 20s and was working in the corporate world. It was a Monday, and I was meeting with two of my co-workers to review that week’s projects. Like many meetings, it started with small talk about what each of us did during the previous weekend. Steve was about 10 years older than me, and Walt was in his 60s. At that time, I was a newlywed and my husband and I were renovating a two-story house with a detached garage. I was telling Steve and Walt that the two of us had spent Sunday afternoon putting a new roof on the detached garage with only hand tools. We frankly didn’t have the money to invest in power tools, as all of our extra cash was being spent on materials for the renovation.
Anyway, I was proud of the work so I was sharing the story. Walt, still an active guy, laughed and agreed it was a lot of work to do in a day, and then – this is the important part – said in his mind he can still do things like that. He said he thinks of himself as being able to still run 10 miles, but he knows his body couldn’t do it now because it’s been a long time since he has run on a regular basis.
What should you do?
Why am I telling you this? Because Walt shows us how we can help ourselves. As we age, we need to stretch more, we need to warm up more, and we need to alter our workouts. Injury prevention should be an integral part of this as it takes us longer to recover from injuries too.
What should you do? Update your fitness program by choosing the appropriate types of workouts, and consider Personal Training to be sure you are performing the exercises properly to reduce the risk of injury.
Also important is your rest and recovery time. Start with 2 or 3 times a week and get acclimated first. Another option is to work with a professional.
Additionally, consider supplementation. Not all supplements are for everyone, so ask questions. Whey protein helps build and maintain muscle (or if you are vegan, take vegan protein), and is popular for seniors because not only do we lose muscle as we age, we also need to take in more protein everyday than when we were younger. Others to think about include glutamine to help with muscle recovery and soreness, creatine for muscle preservation and cognitive enhancement, multivitamins to fill the nutrition gaps in your diet, and greens powder to help with gut health.
Make your decisions as if your life depends on it.
