What is up with the "too old" mindset (at least in the US)?

ninerbuff

Mouse_Potato wrote: »

I don't think it's just an American thing. Maybe a generational thing? I'm first generation born in the U.S. and grew up in an immigrant family where 50 seemed to be the deadline for any physical activity. There was never a time in my life when I wasn't hearing "you do this thing because I am too old." Consequently, by the time my mother was 60 she could no longer go up and down the stairs in her own home. She was dead at 63. That was a lot of my motivation to do better for myself. I'm 48 now and I lift weights, ride horses, train flexibility, and take pole dancing classes. I've even competed.

It's an American thing. Other countries where people have to be more active, work later into their lives to survive, etc. don't have the same weight issues at similar ages.

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ninerbuff

musicfan68 wrote: »

I'm physically disabled (walk with crutches), and have been told all my life to not do too much physically. I gained a lot of weight, and about 12 years ago I decided not to listen to the doctors, and started walking, 1/4 mile to start, every other day, and lost over 50 lbs. I need to keep up my strength so I can continue to live and do the things I want to do. So many disabled people give up and have pain, I think because they just sit all day doing nothing. I don't have pain, period. If I do, it is usually my lower back or hips, and walking helps alleviate it. So I lift weights and walk as much as I can.

My mother died this last February from complications from diabetes, because she refused to change her diet, do any minimal exercise (wouldn't even follow through with physical therapy after strokes she would have) because she just said it was too hard. If I get diabetes, it won't be because I didn't try everything in my power not to. People just want the easy way out, lazy way out, and won't even try.

I am currently training a client with cerebral palsy. He comes in because he's seeing strength gains and it makes him feel so much better about himself.
Kudos to you for not giving in.


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cwolfman13

I think things start deteriorating much earlier so that in many cases by the time someone is 40 it's pretty bad. Basically as soon as you get out of college you learn the fine art of sitting unless you happen to be in an active occupation. But for the most part it becomes, sit and commute for an hour in the car...work for 8-10 hrs sitting...sit and commute another hour home in your car. Get home and sit down and relax. Rinse and repeat 5 days per week.

I could put myself right there when I was 38 and started getting my stuff together. I actually had a lot of interests that involved physical activity that I engaged in regularly in my youth and in college but fell by the wayside once I started my career and ceased to make time for them. By the time I was 38 I was pretty well convinced that there would be a lot of things I'd never really be able to do again because I would try and it would just cause pain or I was out of breath. My knees were pretty creaky and one of my main hinderances to doing much of anything physically active, even though no Dr could really find anything wrong with them.

The hardest part was just starting out slow and allowing myself time to build up to things. But after some time I found that my aches and pains went away because I was actually using my body and slowly but surely I was back to doing those things that I very much enjoyed earlier in life.

I think it also must be more difficult for people who don't necessarily have interests that involve physical activity and perhaps never have. I have a friend that I've known since middle school and he's always been the same. He can't comprehend what could be so fun about going for a hike or kayaking the river or lake or mountain biking a trail, etc. Never mind going to a gym or something like that. I also find it interesting that most of my friends who are my age (48) and still active and fit and healthy are by and large just recreationally active...I'm actually one of the only gym goers in my IRL circle of friends...but they're all in very good shape.

californiagirl1969

I'm in the US and I don't know anyone in their 40's who think there to old for anything let alone exercise and when I was I did plenty of exercise, now in my 50 plus years I continue to exercise and eat right, so your stats don't apply to everyone in the USA. I've lost weight and even got fitter coming into my 50's. Can't speak for others in their 40's if that is truthfully their attitude but it's a poor one, it could have to do with having to work a lot just to survive here and afford to eat and when eating people choose to eat out alot and it's mostly just fast food which is not a healthy thing to do. They don't get exercise packs on the pounds and to tired to do anything about it.

ninerbuff

californiagirl1969 wrote: »

I'm in the US and I don't know anyone in their 40's who think there to old for anything let alone exercise and when I was I did plenty of exercise, now in my 50 plus years I continue to exercise and eat right, so your stats don't apply to everyone in the USA. I've lost weight and even got fitter coming into my 50's. Can't speak for others in their 40's if that is truthfully their attitude but it's a poor one, it could have to do with having to work a lot just to survive here and afford to eat and when eating people choose to eat out alot and it's mostly just fast food which is not a healthy thing to do. They don't get exercise packs on the pounds and to tired to do anything about it.

Travel to the midwest and southern states and you'll see a different type of population of people who in their 40's are in the high 200's +lbs

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HoneyBadger302

ninerbuff wrote: »

californiagirl1969 wrote: »

I'm in the US and I don't know anyone in their 40's who think there to old for anything let alone exercise and when I was I did plenty of exercise, now in my 50 plus years I continue to exercise and eat right, so your stats don't apply to everyone in the USA. I've lost weight and even got fitter coming into my 50's. Can't speak for others in their 40's if that is truthfully their attitude but it's a poor one, it could have to do with having to work a lot just to survive here and afford to eat and when eating people choose to eat out alot and it's mostly just fast food which is not a healthy thing to do. They don't get exercise packs on the pounds and to tired to do anything about it.

Travel to the midwest and southern states and you'll see a different type of population of people who in their 40's are in the high 200's +lbs

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Yes, this mindset was less prevalent on the west coast, but the entire midwest (north to south) and southeast - there are always exceptions, and plenty of folks who don't succumb to it, but there is still a pervading mindset that because you're over 40 you can't do x, y, or z (I see it all the time in my sport and that community - some folks definitely buck that mindset, but the general attitude is that you are pretty obsolete past about 35 (even though a number of people have proven that to be incorrect even on the world stage).

ythannah

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I think it also must be more difficult for people who don't necessarily have interests that involve physical activity and perhaps never have. I have a friend that I've known since middle school and he's always been the same. He can't comprehend what could be so fun about going for a hike or kayaking the river or lake or mountain biking a trail, etc. Never mind going to a gym or something like that. I also find it interesting that most of my friends who are my age (48) and still active and fit and healthy are by and large just recreationally active...I'm actually one of the only gym goers in my IRL circle of friends...but they're all in very good shape.

I was one of those people, other than walking. I've always been an avid walker. But there are 4 or 5 months of the year here where walking isn't pleasant so it's very seasonal.

Hated sports as a youngster so avoided them as much as possible. I was (still am!) clumsy and uncoordinated and not the least bit competitive so I didn't try harder as I had absolutely no interest in winning. Didn't take PE in high school. Had a couple of years of a semi-active job during undergrad but after uni I've been at a desk. The only things that saved me were a) not being overweight b) owning a house and doing all the regular maintenance like lawn mowing and snow shovelling, plus things like painting and minor renos.

I was 48 when I finally decided I had to take on some deliberate exercise, specifically resistance training because I had to look after my bones.

TLDR; it's never too late to start being active.

John772016

When I was 50 I mentioned to a friend I was sick of being fat and was told 'You wear it well, you don't look fat. Besides at your age, no one is ever going to look at you.'

I didn't lose weight until 52. I told myself no excuses.
I lost 110lbs.

I didn't start running until I was almost 54 a few years after I lost the weight.
I ran 1 my first public run that year, a 5K, and I was so proud.
Now I run 5K most days, often 8-10K a day.
I do it for fun.

I was 'too old', not in body, in mind.
For decades.
I changed my mind, then changed my body.
Now I'm still too old but do what I want anyway. I hope I'm too old for 30 years or more. I'm looking forward to retirement so I can be more active because I have more time.

My grandfather died at 54.
I started running at 54.
I know I'm not better, I made a different choice.

IAmTheGlue

I think some of that is regional. I used to live in the Midwest, central Indiana all my life. We have lived in Florida for the past nearly 6 years and the amount of old, old people who are living active full lives is just lovely. I see them when I’m walking my dogs riding their bikes, running, walking their little dogs… It wasn’t like that where I’m from. Actually maybe it’s the concentration of that elderly here? I don’t know but I like it. I like to see people out gardening and biking and laying out in the sun…. just living their lives instead of waiting to die.

I am almost 46 (in a few days) and I refuse to go down the path of my mother who has made every wrong decision for her health. I absolutely REFUSE to do that to myself or my husband or my kids . I am working on my fitness every single day. I tell my kids that when I’m old and you are looking for me, look at the Tia Chi class at the community center or
Water Aerobics… I am not doing what my mom is doing because it’s heartbreaking and you feel absolutely helpless to watch someone destroy themselves with food and inactivity.

10-12 years ago the doctor told my mom to get up once an hour, maybe between television programs, and walk down her little hallway, not even 10 feet total. She literally told him no. She was too tired to get up and walk 10 feet. Fast forward a decade + and guess what happened… it pisses me off.

You have a choice. It affects a lot of people besides yourself. I’m not denying that aging sucks or anything. I’m saying you can still improve. I have two rare autoimmune (bile duct)liver diseases. I’m already in cirrhosis so while that sucks and I can’t necessarily fix my liver I can and am building wellness in my body. I’m making sure I’m living a heart healthy, bone and muscle building lifestyle. I’m building wellness so should it come to a liver transplant, I’m as healthy as I can be. I’m down well over a hundred pounds and I am not stopping.

I don’t want to fit in a certain size or a cute outfit. I just want to live. I want to be strong and fit.