“It’s [old age] not a surprise, we knew it was coming – make the most of it. So you may not be as fast on your feet, and the image in your mirror may be a little disappointing, but if you are still functioning and not in pain, gratitude should be the name of the game.” Betty White
“Father Time is undefeated.” ESPN Sports Announcers, referencing NFL quarterback Tom Brady
Aging brings experience, wisdom, and sometimes forgetfulness.
It can definitely bring on the aches and pains!
Apparently the decline in our minds and bodies is inevitable. Unfortunately, that darn fountain of youth has yet to be discovered.
Or has it?
How would you categorize your current health?
Can you do the things that you want to do: travel to exotic destinations, play with your grandchildren, dance with your friends, and go for long walks in a beautiful park?
“It’s not how old you are, it’s how you are old.” Jules Renard
You will lose some balance, some strength, and some endurance. But do you have to lose all of it? The answer is NO!
There is something close to a fountain of youth — it is physical Exercise.
“People have been looking for the secret to a long and healthy life for millennia. It turns out the most powerful intervention is exercise.” Neil Resnick, MD, chief of the division of geriatrics and associate director of the University of Pittsburgh Institute on Aging.
What? Is it that simple?
Yes.
Health care practitioners from many different philosophies are in agreement.
The research shows this to be true.
The best thing that someone can do that suffers from the aches and pains of aging, from the progressive loss of strength, balance, and endurance, is to exercise regularly.
Many things, some of which are not in your control, determine “how you are old”. But exercise is well within your control.
You may not be as “fast on your feet” as in younger days, but with a properly designed and executed exercise program you can stay fast enough to have an enjoyable, physically and mentally active lifestyle that certainly flattens out the slope of our inevitable decline!
Exercise is often thought of as just for weight loss or for improving sports performance thing. This is fine, but it can do a whole lot more than that.
Even if you have aches, pains, or chronic disease that plagues your quality of life, exercise is still some of the best medicine to turn that around.
Take it from Lloyd Black, the 91-year-old featured in The Today Show blog, “The fitness center is something you don’t enjoy, but you enjoy having done it. You realize how much it helps.” (1)
Talk with a certified exercise professional to get started on your personalized, and appropriate, exercise plan.
Regular exercise may not be a fountain of youth, but it certainly is a reservoir of vitality!
Co-written by Charlie Rowe and Greg Mack.
Charlie Rowe, CMSS joined Physicians Fitness in the fall of 2007 after spending 9 years as the Senior Personal Trainer at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. He has also worked within an outpatient Physical Therapy Clinic coordinating care with the Physical Therapist since joining Physicians Fitness. Charlie has earned the Cooper Clinic’s Certified Personal Trainer, the NSCA’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, the American College of Sports Medicine Certified Health Fitness Specialist, Resistance Training Specialist Master Level, and American Council on Exercise Certified Orthopedic Exercise Specialist Certifications.
Greg Mack is a gold-certified ACE Medical Exercise Specialist and an ACE Certified Personal Trainer. He is the founder and CEO of the corporation Fitness Opportunities. Inc. dba as Physicians Fitness and Exercise Professional Education. He is also a founding partner in the Muscle System Consortia. Greg has operated out of chiropractic clinics, outpatient physical therapy clinics, a community hospital, large gyms, and health clubs, as well operating private studios. His experience in working in such diverse venues enhanced his awareness of the wide gulf that exists between the medical community and fitness facilities, particularly for those individuals trying to recover from, and manage, a diagnosed disease.
Reference
(1)“91-year-old Inspires his whole gym, works out in his ‘comfortable’ overalls”. Meghan Holohan Feb 10, 2020
