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Reach for the stars
This year I am celebrating sixteen years of working out with my buddy Paul. Sixteen years is a long time. Of course someone asked if I were still going to the gym—perhaps because of my “advanced years” or “at your age”. In spite of being a wise-cracker I told them I was still going but added, “Why do you ask?” Apparently, if you are my age you should consider rolling over and playing dead or take up a moreg enteel “pastime”. I told them I have no intention of giving up working out—it isn’t a hobby or a pastime. Being fit doesn’t have a Best Before Date, nor does “becoming fit”. You’re never too old to up your game. But things have changed, physically, for me in sixteen years. I am, most definitely, not the spry youngster I used to be. Also, I have given up the idea of becoming a trophy-winning bodybuilder wearing a sequinned bikini, a sparkly bracelet and a Trump-load of spray tan. Okay, I’ll be honest, I’ve never wanted to be a trophy-winning bodybuilder, mostly because of the bikini-thing. However, that being put out there, I think I deserve a medal. Goodness knows, after sixteen years of chest presses I now have the chest that would support a great big golden medal. Perhaps one of the grandkids will make one for me out of cardboard and sparkles.
But enough about that, let’s say my focus of fitness has evolved over those sixteen years. As a kid growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, the image every media pushed our way was of women being very slim, constantly dieting while juggling a job, a home, a family and a social life. By the close of the sixties and into the seventies, women were able to “bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan and never let him forget he’s a man” or so we were led to believe—but we still had to be thin. Like a lot of young women in the 60s, I struggled with my image because of commercials pushing us to be anything, and everything, but ourselves. Oh, how I’ve worked to be fit and to clear my cache of those Mad Men images. Personally, I’ve always made fitness a very important part of my life. Now I just want to age well. I find I’m less focused on the amount I can pull-up or pull-down or lift or press and more focused on being able to climb the stairs without taking a coffee break halfway up. And now with a very active seven-year-old grandkid I need to be able to get down on the floor and get serious with the LEGO and Tonka Trucks. The getting down and getting up has made me keenly aware of the importance of working to maintain my balance and stability. And, most recently, I have learned to ditch the “D” mindset by replacing “diet” with healthy lifestyle and better choices. It’s my gift to me. I don’t do this for anyone else—except for the LEGO and Tonka Truck thingy. I do love my family, but I know they’ll love me no matter what shape I’m in. So, being fit, healthy and active is just a “me thing”.
And, to that end, the road to becoming a more fit person starts with exactly who you are right now—right this very moment. I know some of you are reading this and shaking your head. If you’re concerned enough about your health to become more fit, let me tell you this, “You DO NOT have to lose weight before you embark on that journey”. You start the journey with all of the baggage you’ve already got packed. Being fit isn’t about being skinny. Being fit is part of a healthy lifestyle and you need to own who you are. So, get yourself into some comfy clothes, some decent flat-soled shoes (and don’t buy a pair of $150 “supportive”, thick-soled, cushiony shoes from a kid at a sportswear shop) and go for a walk or do some yoga or “chair fit”. Drink a glass, or three, of water, everyday. Load up on the fruit and veggies. Learn about protein —the good, the bad and the waste-of-chewing-time. Be kind to yourself. Be patient. Be realistic about your goals. Be consistent. Don’t self-criticize. You deserve to be the best you. Like children’s song, “Bend and stretch, reach for the stars”.
See you out there!
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