When we were young, we took care of our families, worked hard, and lived super busy lives. There were always excuses for not taking care of our bodies. Some of them were even legitimate. Juggling families and work is challenging. We were busy people, and working out wasn't even on the list for many of us.
Kids grow up, and some of us moved into the caregiving role for our parents. And then there were grandkids. We love them, try to spend time with them, and some of us are even raising them.
Now, we're not so busy. Our kids are grown, and we've retired or will retire soon. If you've retired, you may volunteer or work part-time. But, unfortunately, It's as easy now as when we were younger to find excuses for avoiding exercise. And then there are the physical issues. You may have cancer, heart issues, stomach issues, or who knows what else. Your joints may be cranky, and your energy level might be nonexistent.
But here is what happens as you age. You either build strength, or you get weaker. You work on your stability, or you risk falls. With every Dexa scan, you maintain your bone density or watch it disappear. That's how aging works. And sometimes, life kicks you in the teeth, and exercise falls off the list. But if that hasn't happened yet, then it's time to get started before it does.
Remember, you're not working on running a marathon. Your goals may be standing up easier or longer. You might want to increase the distance you can walk for a trip to Europe. Babysitting grandkids takes a lot of endurance and strength. You might want to feel and move better than you do today, and you want to feel good for as long as you can. Possibly you have seen the devastating consequences of a broken hip, and you don't want that to happen to you. Maybe you feel weak for the first time in your life and don't like it.
You can put things off when you are younger, but you can't do it now. There isn't time. And I think you probably understand what I mean. I want every good moment I can find with my family and friends. I know that there may be a time when I will need help at home but not today. I work hard in the gym to make sure I push that day as far in the future as I can.
Things are different now. We get to focus some of our energy on ourselves so that we can live our best retirement lives. We get to do all the things we've been dreaming about for years. Or maybe we need the strength to take care of someone or to simply hold on to our independence. It doesn't matter why. What matters is you have the information to live your best life.
Training to live your best life is a journey, not a destination. Goals change, our bodies change, we experience setbacks, and we come back again and again. This is a different journey than when we were younger. And as far as fitness is concerned, it's more important.
I hope you'll read the book and learn about staying strong, building bone and muscle, finding stability, and building mobility and endurance. There will be blog posts helping you find the workouts you'll genuinely enjoy. The amount of new information on aging is astounding, and I'll share all the science I can find. And I need you to tell me what you'd like to see discussed! Things are different now. We have the opportunity to take this journey together, and I hope you'll join me.
Joni