Maintain strength as you Age

At age 35, I’m a very lucky man. I still have 3 of my grandparents alive. I have also watched what they have been going through as they age. I remember my grandparents about 30 years ago. They entered retirement with gusto. They toured Europe several times and spent winters in Florida where they eventually bought a home. They were in the “Go Everywhere” years of their life. About 10 years later, they were in the “Go Slow” years. They were doing everything they could to keep going, just at a much slower pace. We have now entered the “Go Nowhere” years of their lives. At ages 86, 89, and 90, they are spending almost every day at home.

What caused them to lose that gusto? Mobility and illness are to blame. All my grandparents now use some type of walking aid. One has macerate degeneration. Another has Alzheimer’s and diabetes. And another has survived multiple heart attacks, strokes, and more recently, a head on crash. We call her Wonder Woman for her continual bounce backs. Not much can be done about some of these dieses. The mobility, cardio vascular dieses, and diabetes are something you can do something about.

All of which can be helped by maintaining your strength and mobility. As we age, we lose muscle and build fat. You ultimately decide if this is true however. With good nutrition and exercise, you can prevent a decrease in your mobility by many years. Cardio exercises keep your joints moving and strengthen your heart. Resistance training prevents muscle loss associated with age as well as keeps bone strong. Good nutrition helps you prevent the buildup of fat and cholesterol in your system. All three of these work together to make your golden years vigorous and full of gusto.


The alternative is a nursing home. Start now and enjoy life.