Fitness Is Important Even At Age 76

Yes, I still go to the gym three days a week just as I did when I started working out at 16. Holy mackerel that was 60 years ago when my doctor recommended I go to the gym to work out in order to get healthier. I was that skinny kid who had sand kicked in his face at the beach. I know most of you do not remember the famous Charles Atlas ad, where a well built bully kicked sand in the face of a skinny kid just like me. That was a very famous ad back then and one I could relate to. Like the ad that was pretty much me, sick most of the time and very skinny. I was five years of age when a bout of bronchitis turned into asthma, which I have had ever since. I did not allow asthma to stop me from winning my high school letter in field and track. Boy could I run. (Especially if someone was chasing me.) As I think back on those years I had very little self-esteem. I was highly motivated to get rid of that scared skinny kid image that plagued me. My doctor felt that body building in the gym was the answer. That turned out to be one of my best undertakings ever. You better believe it was a confidence builder for me. Evidence today shows that individuals who exercise regularly do show improvements in self-esteem.

The many hours of sweat and hard work in the gym paid off big time for me. I am still dedicated to working out, perhaps without the same fire and burn I had when I was younger, but the desire is still there in spite of the arthritis in my left shoulder. I truly believe your body talks to you. My advice is to listen to your body. It tells you what you can do and what you cannot. Keep in mind, you need exercise at age 76 perhaps more than when you were 26. Sometimes I have to push myself to get to the gym, but after a two hour work out I feel like a million bucks! Don’t have a misguided perception that because you are older you can’t do what you could when you were younger. Older adults who increase their activity level benefit in their overall physical well being and reduce anxiety and depression. It doesn’t take much to make a huge difference in reducing the risk of illness and death in us older individuals.

The best fitness program is one that you will stick with for a long time. Use whatever motivation you need to get the proper exercise to keep you fit and healthy. My I-Pod gets me through my workouts and keeps me motivated. Listening to my favorite music helps the time fly by. There are other forms of exercise if you aren’t in to working out with weights and machines. You can swim, walk, run, golf, play racquetball, tennis, whatever it is that you enjoy. Like Nike says, “Just Do It”! Don’t forget the older we get, the more important it is to stick to a fitness program and to remain active. Being out of shape does not mean that you can’t get into shape at any age. The body requires some form of exercise to help reduce the risk or even to postpone the development of arthritis, osteoporosis and heart disease. At the age of 76 I choose to go to the gym and ride my bike as a means to fitness and health in my daily life. Almost anyone of any age can participate in physical activity. Don’t make excuses, get out there and engage in the physical activity of your choice for better fitness and health.

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