Aging in Motion
Or is it Ageing in Motion?
My mission is to age in motion.
Photo by hiking buddy Katie Dyer
I have seen the consequences of not aging in motion in clients, friends, and family.
It can sneak up on you.
I’ve had people reach out to me as a trainer in their 40s and tell me they feel twenty years older. I find this alarming because I feel at least twenty years younger than my chronological age of 66.
As long as we keep breathing, we are going to age. It is literally happening every single day and has been happening since the day you were born. Remember when it was so much fun to have a birthday?!
What happens to the body as it ages is automatic if we take no action.
Our muscles weaken, our bones degenerate, and our joints stiffen. Our senses weaken, and our teeth get longer, but I’ll stick to the physical stuff.
I’ll stick to what we can do something about.
How does your body feel right now?
Do you remember when you first felt aging?
My memory is around twenty-seven or so. I woke up stiff. I had never felt anything like that before. I am still pretty flexible. But that morning, I remember thinking, oh, I must be aging.
My response that day and every day since was to get moving.
Our bodies are remarkable. If we do nothing, what I described will happen. If we take action, we can counteract the negative changes with positive ones.
The standard recommendation of the government is to move a minimum of 20 minutes a day and to strength train two to three times a week.
Those are minimums that I exceed six days a week.
I believe in taking a rest day, one day a week. That doesn’t mean I sleep all day. I will walk, garden, do housework, and the like, but I won’t tax myself the way I do on workout days.
How much are you moving now?
Note that you do get credit for NEAT or non-exercise activity thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is heat production. We burn energy by making meals, walking from room to room, getting the mail, etc.
But NEAT isn’t going to preserve your muscles, bones, or joints. You need to do more if you want to stay mobile till the end.
Purposeful weight-bearing activities have the twin benefits of improving your cardio and bone health. Pick something you like to do so you are more inclined to stick with it. Make it as fun as possible. You can invite a friend along. You can make an inspiring playlist.
Behavioral Scientist Katy Milkman recommends what she calls temptation bundling. The notion is you save the book you want to read or the show you want to stream for when you are working out. You can only listen, read, or watch when you are in motion. I prefer you to listen rather than read; people concentrate more on what they are doing without the added physical limitation of holding a book and keeping their eyes focused.
Strength training builds muscle and counter-acts bone loss. Don’t imagine you have to turn yourself into Arnold Schwarzenegger. There are many options, from resistance bands to dumbbells (1 pound on up), kettlebells, medicine balls, and TRX. Again, pick what you like, what you will likely use and repeat, and what you have readily available.
Along with picking your favorite activities, select an inviting location.
You might like gyms. Find one that suits you.
You may prefer to exercise outdoors. This works great when the weather cooperates.
You may like to work out at home. It is relatively simple to get what you need. There was a moment during the pandemic when I couldn’t buy a dumbbell, but those days are behind us now. You only need about a yoga mat and some room on a shelf for any equipment you buy. I did a blog post about equipping your space: https://www.mighty.fit/blog/blog-post-to-equip-or-not-to-equip.
What motivates you to exercise?
Do what has worked in the past with the added spice of trying something new.
I do a combination of things. I put my workouts on my calendar and stick to the appointment like I would a date with a friend. I put in my earbuds and play music. I practice several modalities, including strength training, cardio, yoga, Mat Pilates, and Tai Chi. I drink water before, during, and after. I fuel with food before and after.
What do you think works for you?
It is easy to get lazy. Whether you have work to do, family obligations, hobbies, or the like, there are a million things to do daily. It is easy to lose track of the physical.
The trouble is there are severe consequences if you don’t move.
Make a plan that works for you.
Feel free to share any guidance you can offer others here on what works for you.