You May Think You Need to Take It Easy As You Age, But the Opposite Is Actually True

Lots of truth in that. .....Broke my back two years ago in 6 places and you learn real fast you have to pace yourself just in day to day duties in order to remain independent. It’s a constant job of working thru the pain as you go.

The level of endurance is quick to evaporate so you push just a bit further and consider it a victory of you complete one project all the way through. Too often that doesn’t happen as you strive for.

So yes old injuries and general wear and tear on the body do slow one down. You become very specific on what you spend your time doing.

Totally agree-I grew up on a small remote ranch in a family of naturalists/health nuts-so the healthy diet and physical work was just a natural thing to me-fresh fruit and veggies, grown at home or at least locally, grass fed, free range meat, no processed food at all, including sugar or packaged bread-and snacks were not a regular thing-alcohol once in a while-and no prescription, recreational drugs, seldom even an OTC one...

We did go to the bakery in “town” and get pumpkin empanadas a few times per year, but no candy or any of that stuff, so I never developed a taste for sweets-I still only eat fruit if I want a sweet taste-I still follow a paleo type diet-high in protein, low carb-that includes yogurt and “real” cheese, no bread, only brown rice, all organic produce, no processed food of any kind-not a lifestyle choice for everybody-but it works for me-folks in my family who follow that diet and stay working and active usually can count on seeing their 90’s, barring accident, using drugs, etc.

I am 72-I live in a rural area, manage my business-work on jobsites outdoors as much as I do working customer service and paperwork. I have bought my own free weights, resistance bands, bench, etc and i work out 3-4 times per week. I weigh the same 105 lbs that I did at age 17-my BMI is under 18, but I have good muscle mass and definition on a small frame-I take a lot of vitamins and supplements on a regular basis, including L-Aginine and Citrulline-more D3, zinc, quercetin, etc in flu season. I do not take any drugs, and since even a simple flu shot will send me into anaphylactic shock, I don’t do any vaccines, either-I’ve had a mild case of the wuhan virus last year, which is the best immunity. One size does not fit all-this one fits me, but everyone has their own idea of healthy for their purposes...

“It’s the pain from old injuries and general wear and tear that keeps people sedentary.”

And it doesn’t help that they cut off everybody’s pain meds.

Now they offer you snake oil or hipster-doofus woo woo, and pretend they’ve treated your pain.

“Get on your feet and move, for at least 10 minutes every hour.”

That’s a trip from my recliner to the water closet and back.

“Get up off your fat a$$ and move!”

Perhaps it’s a mite hasty to assume that everyone is capable of doing that.

I recently bought a twist stepper and it really is a workout just ‘walking’. The stepper goes slightly side to side.
It really helps as I do not always want to go outside in the weather and walk around.

It also folds down and with the handle collapsed it tucks in most anywhere. I can keep mine tucked next to the side of the desk I use without having to collapse it.

When I move I will be in a bigger place and will get a treadmill and a elliptical machine.

"I fondly wish that you never experience pain of a severity that keeps you in that armchair."

Thanks. I've come close on a couple of occasions, including just earlier this year when I went through a month and a half of sciatica that followed some other medical problems I was having. Utter torture. The only pain meds that would work were things like Hydrocodone, which doctors used to toss around like candy and now don't dispense even if you're dying.

I've always stayed in shape; I feel out of sorts when I'm not. At 60, I've got it worked out to a standardized routine that covers all the bases. Keeps me operational, and avoiding many of the minor and not so minor medical problems that creep up as we get older.

I've been thrown from vehicles, bicycles, motorcycles both street and dirt, fallen from trees (hitting branches on the way down), fights, etc. That was when I was young and indestructible. Now it seems it's three times easier to get hurt and it takes five times longer to heal.

That sciatica episode did get me some x-rays and an MRI which shows my lumbar spine is a bit of a wreck, but through persistence, discipline and testing the limits of my pain tolerance, I have worked through it all and am back on track, I'm glad to say. No, there's no guarantees that all that effort still won't see something happen that lands me in a recliner anyway -- such is life. All we can do is our absolute best, and then let the cards fall where they may.

Be well.

grandchildren are great exercise !!

After a week or so of babysitting the first few ties My muscles were all sore- like after a good day at the gym Bt after that I felt better than I had in a long time and am losing weight.

ALSO STOP EATING WHEAT!!!!!!!

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