10 O’clock Scholar, and why its never too late to start

So, the photo doesn’t have much to do with fitness, unless you count that I took it with an old school camera, and at Bug’s baseball game, where at least one of us was being active last sprint. Yesterday I saw a post of a 91 year old woman doing work on a set of parallel bars. I love these kind of stories because they defy the typical idea of aging.

Granted there are somethings we cannot predict or prevent. Some are inherited and others are accidental. But on the whole the idea of what it looks like to be 90, or 60, or 40, is rapidly changing.

We know now that the smallest amounts of regular activity and attention to how we fuel our bodies, and rest physically and mentally, nets huge long term rewards. When I first started to take my physical health more seriously I was largely overweight, with stroke level high blood pressure and horrible sleeping habits, as in i seldom got more than 4 hours at a time.

And that wasn’t the reason I started to make changes. I began making changes because I was intensely interested in brain health, and everything I read on the subject pointed to the absolutely necessity of three things, exercise, food, and rest.

I am several years past that now, having then been in my early 40’s, and I continue to study how best to serve my self, my family and my personal training clients. There is no cookie cutter approach, no one size fits all, no magic cure. But what I can say beyond all doubt is this, improvement is within reach of anyone who is willing to set a small reachable go and work for it.

I started with olive oil, and not going to fast food when I was in a hurry, and I built on that.

There is no such thing as it being to late to start, you can start right now, from where you are and move forward!

I don’t know if I will be capable at 91 of doing gymnastics, ( I can’t do the now, so maybe not)  but I plan to be active and useful, and enjoying life to the fullest at what ever age I am now and what ever age I reach, and I hope to see you there, happy healthy and whole.

And I have science to back this but I ran out of time, so will make anther post soon.

Do What You Can Where You Can

I was thinking today about the excuses we make for ourselves, especially as regards to working out, which most of us will agree is good for us, and once begun, somewhat pleasurable. Its not singularly related to exercise, any growth related activity will sound the procrastination needed alarm.

This morning we were talking about how you don’t always want to go to the gym to work out, and how doing what you can where you can will net a good beginning.

Special equipment is nice but not always needed, nor the expense of traveling to point B to begin what can be done at point A. Cardio can start on the door stoop. weight training can be done with body weight and in fact in some cases is whats best suited to the closet goals.

What little thing will you do for your well being today, take a walk, read something you fear will be tedious, make a payment on that bill even though you cant manage the whole thing.

Fitness, or well being is holistic. Physical fitness, or the journey too, is vital to emotional and mental health. Doing the things we dread develops the WILL power muscle,  making the next fright easier to face.

Have a great day, eat an extra veggie. Start small, maintain each step, and above all, don’t give up. Restart, regroup, reevaluate, but keep trudging!