Please help me welcome my friend Patti. She’s an amazing and active woman and a great inspiration. Enjoy her guest blog post below.
Hi! I’m Patti Winker of RemarkableWrinklies.com. I’m in my late 50s and, by virtue of my age, I have a good deal of hindsight. Now, you know what they say about hindsight – it’s 20/20. Sometimes hindsight makes you regret things, but that’s not what this is about. I want to share a valuable lesson that I learned in hindsight, so you don’t have to wait until you’re in your 50s.
During most of my life, I did the normal things we all do concerning health, wellness, and weight control. In other words, I watched my figure. I didn’t go overboard, but I maintained. I exercised somewhat routinely. I ate healthy most of the time. And, my weight was okay for the most part with a few familiar ups and downs. That was then. Pretty standard stuff. Until…
I turned 50.
If you are a younger woman, you may be tempted to close this window right now and go find something else to read. But, wait. This really DOES apply to you! Let me explain.
Exercise differs through the decades of a person’s life. The MOTIVATION behind exercise in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond, changes drastically. Since I’m in my late 50s, I can now speak from some experience.
In our 20s and 30s we are active by nature. Most of us are getting some exercise because we want to look great. We’re keeping fit because we know we have to in order to look a certain way. Sometime during those decades most of us are also struggling with getting our figures back after childbirth. We’re trying to find time to exercise so we can fit into our jeans again. Right?
Then we move into our 40s. We start exercising a bit more and we’re finding it more difficult to see results – aka fitting into our jeans again. Maybe we start shopping a bigger size or maybe we just buy looser tops hoping to cover the stuff that’s now spilling over our jeans. Do we give up? Sometimes. But, we always come back to that desire to get back “in shape.” We’re still striving to get our figures back.
Here come the 50s. That girlish figure has drifted about through the decades. We’ve been working on it, we keep working on it, but it never quite comes back. And each year after 50 it seems to get further and further away.
Sad, right?
Absolutely NOT!
You see, all those years of exercising and eating right to try to lose weight and get in shape has set you up for a healthy life. Every time you exercise during your 20s, 30s, 40s, and yes, your 50s, you are gaining ground so that, as your body ages, you can still enjoy the life you want… and deserve!
So, I’m not here to tell you HOW to exercise – Angie’s got you covered. You can find all the exercise tips and tricks you need right here. What I want you to know (because I have the hindsight to prove it!) is that every time you exercise you are BANKING strength, endurance, and good health for the future.
Each time I did crunches in my 30s to flatten my tummy, I was building up my muscles, my bones, and my strength so that when I reached my 50s (and beyond) I would have a core to hold me up and support me. Each time I walked in my 40s to slim down, I was strengthening my lungs, my heart, my back, and my bones so that today I can ride my bike with confidence, or walk up that flight of stairs, or swim out to the raft.
I know from experience how frustrating it is to look in the mirror and think “Where did that girl go?” But I also know the sheer bliss of being able to ride my bike for miles and miles without tiring, or to walk a whole marathon! Most importantly, I know the joy of being able to play with my grandkids down on the floor… and get back up again. I know the joy of climbing up to the top of the boulders in Central Park. I know the joy of climbing to the top of the Tybee Island lighthouse. I know what it feels like to feel GOOD!
So, what is fitness? Is fitness a goal? And if fitness IS a goal, then when does “fitness” happen? Can we check fitness off our “To Do List?”
My answer to that is (go ahead and guess)… NEVER! Fitness is a FEELING. Fitness is part of your daily life, whether you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, or far far beyond.
Hindsight is 20/20. I am grateful for every moment I spent exercising and being active during all my decades of life. Those moments yesterday created a healthy and fit today… and tomorrow!
Thank you, Angie, for letting me chime in. It’s been a pleasure.
Patti Winker
RemarkableWrinklies.com
I so heartedly agree with Patti. Having hit 60 I see when I look around that I am so much better off than my contemporaries that didn’t bother to do the exercise thing. Its not about being skinny, its about being fit and healthy and doing what you want to do, when you want to do it. Not about what you can’t do. There is a big difference after 50.
I specifically think of Sue, my high school contemporary. When she kept seeing me walk past her house, she asked me: Is it worth it? YES! I am sure that I am at least 30 pounds lighter and 30 times more active than her! Yeah….that’s worth it.
Thank you, Gretchen! Yes, we really learn the truth about health, wellness, and fitness as time goes by. And, the more time that goes by, the more we realize the truth! Aging is NOT for wimps! You gotta hit it head on, and staying active is the way to do it. My Gramma and my Mom were active women. I credit that activity for both of them being able to do what they wanted to do into old age. I can only hope to do the same!
Thanks again, Gretchen, for commenting and sharing your experience.
I am in my 40’s and although the gym isn’t as appealing as it once was I agree that I still find it easy to get back to training and revitalise my muscles from all the years of hard work I put in in my younger days!