OK, I stole this cool line, but it really spoke to me as I start traveling through my 76th year on this earth.
And it provoked me to think through – how deliberate have I been about how I train for and “play” this aging game. I think we all are looking for things that will help us as we age. But are we getting specific about it and, more importantly, what is it we are actually implementing?
Ooops….and what age should you start paying attention to the “aging” game? (i.e., if you still call yourself middle-aged at 55, are you really expecting to live to 110?)
Look back at the past week and answer these questions honestly (which means you don’t have to tell me your answer). Nope, don’t answer as you would LIKE the answer to be (but make notes, ok?):
- What physical routine(s) did you do every single day toward improving your health/aging game?
- What is the most strenuous, muscle-building activity you did –and how many days of the week did you repeat that activity?
- What foods/drinks did you consume that were healthy or good for your body (yes, you know which ones these are, and are not)?
- How many times over the week did you “cheat” ? (i.e. consume non-healthy foods/drinks)
- What did you consume in the vitamins/minerals/supplements category – daily?
- Can you identify a daily activity that improved your outlook, spiritual mindset or journey?
All right, now that you are really ticked off at me for bringing all this up…hang in there as I explain.
The words I “stole” were from Kevin Morgan, author of “How to Train for Aging: The Ultimate Endurance Sport”. You think I made you feel bad with my questions, just check him out.
First, he is so right with his analogy – “To keep your body moving as you age it pays to be aware of what you are doing. For instance, steering your body is in many ways similar to steering a car and the metaphor is instructive.”
I think of Dr. Glidden, supporter of Youngevity supplements, saying you have to put the right fuel in the car before it will move and perform as you want. (fuel = minerals & vitamins)
Kevin dodged several “bullets”, including severe vascular disease. His approach, he says, is to tackle problems head on, using education, patience and guidance where he can find it. The picture on his book is of him finishing the Lake Placid Ironman with an abdominal aortic aneurysm stent. He’s still training, over a decade later at age 78.
I’m not suggesting, nor is he, that you do Ironman – he just says he shared in his book about surviving the aging process. He saw aging as a battle between forces, Entropy (which is decay) and Syntropy (which is life force). Our job is to gird our loins to fight Entropy with all the tools at our disposal.
He and I want to inspire you to “get going” with a plan, one modified according to your particular circumstances. I agree with him that we are each unique, having our own specific challenges and desires.
His book covers a range of approaches to exercise, with an emphasis on developing body awareness, initially. Think balance, flexibility, mental and physical conditioning, posture, core strength, and much more. And I just received the Parker Recreation Guide with tons of options for fun physical movement – you have a similar resource, I am sure.
That is why I started with the questions – to start with awareness. What am I doing and what do I need to do, or get better doing? You really work (or play, really) at the pace that works for you.
I analyzed my own answers:
- 2 “really active” days per week in either pickleball or badminton (2 hours each time)
- Callanetics between 3-5 times per week (about 15-min routine) – on non-sports days
- But the day starts doing my kegel app before I get out of bed, every day – see blog on this HERE
- Using a Pomodoro timer while at my computer – so at the end of ½ to a full hour of sitting, I must get up and walk around as the bell goes off.
As I went through my list, I realized – that is just the exercise. What about the nutrition health side — and mental and spiritual health? I NEED that routine daily:
- Upon rising & dressing, as I hit the main floor deck to view the new sky God has painted for me, I speak my gratitude and let it sink down deep into my heart.
- On blessed days, I can do my breakfast and devotional time on the deck –but other days, I am looking out those windows to the mountains and the sky. The Lord speaks to me through the devotional books in my stack ending with the scripture in my Bible to which I am led – and then we talk. I wish I would listen more.
- The last item in my stack is a daily short journal – it helps as I write and recall what happened in the last 24-48 hours, what I gleaned from it, and how it impacted my perspective.
- Having mixed it the night before, I am sipping my supplement drink full of vitamins and good stuff (Beyond Tangy Tangerine – Youngevity) – that lasts throughout the morning and the follow-up supplements go with my meals plus at the end of the day, just before bed, more liquids (Osteo-Fx & other minerals – Youngevity).
As I looked back over my answers, the KA-POW hit! These are all good things, but if you don’t do them consistently, you won’t get the improvement & results you want. Accountability has to get built in (for me, at least) or I will realize that the activity I was feeling really great about was only once, two weeks ago.
I know as I coach people on the nutrition and supplements, I am often finding people ask “what are you taking/doing?” when they hear the good results I have had or my age or….whatever is their goal. But what they are REALLY saying is, what simple and one-time item can I take or do to get this benefit?
We all want the instant “snap your finger” – just one “capsule” – simple single action type of activity and we expect to get the miracle result. T’aint funny, McGee! It just doesn’t work that way – in health, spirit or life!
Think about Kevin’s auto again – you don’t just put in one gallon of gas and figure that’s all you need; or change the oil once and say “good enough”; or let go of the steering wheel and expect the car to stay on the road all the way to your destination.
Just like his training for the Ironman – and I think back to the training for a marathon I did in my 30’s – you must run regularly, fast sprints and slower paces (he had to swim and bike etc). And you don’t just do it for a few weeks before the race — it is graduated steps of activity building up over a period of time during which your body and mind and heart become tuned up and responding with strength and ability improving. Consistency.
I had to “pair” things I wanted with the things I needed to accomplish –
- can’t get out of bed until I do my kegels,
- can’t have breakfast if not doing my devotion time,
- sign up for pickleball/badminton so I get to know and enjoy friends who will hold me accountable if I don’t show,
- if it is a Callanetics day, I turn on TV show I want to watch as I do them
- can’t eat meal without my supplement capsules interlaced in the consumption
- can’t go to bed if I don’t take liquid supplements.
You get the drift – and you know yourself. What does it take for you to be accountable? What answers to the questions do you wish you could (or decide you WILL) change?
I’m not just poking at you – it’s me, too. But I am rooting for us in this game! Let’s play it together—and Journey Well!
Food and dietary supplement products sold by Youngevity are intended to contribute to the daily diet and overall health and are not intended for use in the prevention, treatment, mitigation, or cure of any disease or health-related condition. Individuals who have or suspect they have an illness or who wish to commence a diet or exercise program should consult an appropriately licensed health care practitioner for a medical history evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and health recommendations.
