Let’s face it, getting older is inevitable.
As long as you’re on the grassy side of the dirt, you have to get older.
And getting older means changes, particularly physical changes.
Muscle mass tends to decrease, thereby affecting overall strength. Joints start to stiffen up. Less flexibility. Aches and pains come seemingly out of nowhere. Issues with balance appear.
I was out for a morning walk the other day and I was crossing from one side of the two-lane asphalt road to the other side, and a car approached a little quicker than I anticipated. I started to pick up the pace and hurry across a little faster, but my legs did not answer the bell. Instead of dashing a few quick steps to get out of the way, I sort of shuffled over to safety.
Sheesh, when did that happen?
What kinds of physical changes are you starting to notice?
- When you get down on the floor or squat down to pick something up, is it harder to stand back up?
- Harder to get up and down off the toilet? In and out of the bathtub?
- More fear of falling and getting hurt?
- Avoiding stairs whenever possible?
- Harder to bend over and tie your shoes?
Any of those sound familiar?
LIke I said, there’s no stopping Father Time, but there are things you can do stay as strong, fit, and healthy as you possibly can.
Strength training: there’s this thing called sarcopenia, which is the scientific term for a decline in overall muscle mass. It happens to everybody. After age 50, muscle mass starts to decrease by 1 to 2 percent a year. A year? Think about what happens after 10 years, by age 60. The amount of muscle decreases by 10 to 20 percent? Good grief. This is why older people start having trouble with everyday activities, like climbing stairs, getting up and down from a chair, keeping your balance. This makes strength training, also known as weight training, all the more important.
Working out with weights — we’re not necessarily talking about heavy weight-lifting here — helps maintain and even increase muscle mass, makes it easier to move around, do the things you’re accustomed to being able to do.
It helps with balance, which is critically important as we get older. Injuries from accidental falls are the leading cause of hospitalization among the older crowd, and one of the leading causes of death. Everyone probably either knows someone or has heard stories about this. Injuries from falling are what led to my father’s slow decline and eventual death.
Along with stronger muscles, strength training helps keep our bones stronger, reducing the risk of fractures and breaks. It increases flexibility and range of motion.
Add all these things up, and what do you have?
A better quality of life and the ability to maintain an independent lifestyle.
Who doesn’t want that?
Isn’t that really what it’s all about?
Take a look at the home page of my website for more information on how I can help.
Have a great day!
