Well, Age really is a NUMBER!!! HA! 10/21/13

garlic7girl

When my mom was visiting I was talking to her (fussing sometimes) how she should still exercise. She made the mistake of telling me how her doctor was fussing at her too to go exercise. He told her for a 72 year old she is strong and should exercise in the winter not just the summer. I mean she completed a 5K this year walking! We all know she can do it.
It is funny how reading this article we must accept some facts:
You don't use it you will lose it.
We do naturally lose some of it due to age.
But we can keep what we can and go still push hard to stay fit and be strong! RAAAAAAH!

So get out there no matter the age and EXERCISE! Hey also do the challenge and get your mom or dad or grandma auntie uncle who is aging outside for a walk or to the mall for a walk...it really does do the body good!

http://shrinkingjeans.net/2013/10/getting-older-day-day-retain-youthful-fitness/

WW

aakaakaak

39 years old. Possibly the most muscularly fit I've ever been since boot camp. Of course, 39 isn't really old.

WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr

Probably more fit now than I was when I was a teenager, in spite of health issues that popped up as I got older. My dad has taken up kayaking and my mom is spending more time doing yard work on their property (they have a lot to do out there: 4 acres, two cleared and they want to clear the rest of it and landscape the cleared areas... she's working on that bit by bit.) And I have to credit exercise and healthy (for the most part) eating for not being sick often, yes I have asthma, yes I have a permanently injured ankle (doc said the tendon will never heal correctly because it's in constant use, it will get stronger, but will never reach 100%), yes I am now insulin resistant, and yes I am early hypothyroid, but if you compare me to my sister you see a night and day difference: she doesn't exercise, doesn't eat healthy, (her weight loss method is being on topamax for migraines and her current excuse for her weight is my nephew) she has asthma, is constantly sick with a cold, flu, or bronchitis (her husband is the same way, one of them brings it home and both of them get it and it just goes around and around in the house) and any time she doesn't want to do something she "has a migraine", she says her thyroid is shot because of the radiation treatment when she had breast cancer (true, but really? not even gonna try huh?) so she can't do this or that, she won't even try.
I have little sympathy for her because she doesn't try, but I do feel bad for my nephew, he's going to grow up in this household. I think it's so sad that she even said she wished I was closer so he could have the opportunity to try heathly food and get a variety of tastes rather than be limited by what they have (she has to often cook two meals because they don't like the same things.... ever, she won't cook new things and try them... how is this kid going to learn to like things if he a) doesn't get the opportunity to try them and b) won't try them because his parents don't like them (trust me, he will get exposure to other foods when he is around me and he will be playing in the yard with his auntie instead of inside playing video games)

verdemujer

I really tried to get my Mom to exercise before she died. But she had given up and from there it was a spiral to death that took 20 years for her to accomplish. I say accomplish because once she was diagnosed with diabetes, she thought of it as a death sentence and spent much of the rest of her life wondering why she was still alive. It made me sad to see her do this to herself. She never exercised most of her adult life after she had her kids. Not really - it was always hit or miss activities. I will soon be 50 and I have a 10 year old kid. I don't want my Mom's type of death to be something he has to deal with from me when he's in his 20s. I think of her from time to time while I exercise. My dad has a dog and he takes her for walks but it’s harder and harder for him to do with a bad hip. He's still hunting at 75 though this may be his last hunt. He was always more active than my mom and that choice shows with the activity he can still do now. On the other side of the age spectrum, right now, I'm beating my head against the wall of teenage-hood with my girls. I know that if they lived with me full time it would be different but they made other choices when younger. Right now, one of them won't go to a doctor as she is scared to be told she has high blood pressure or is a diabetic. They will be 18 and are both waiting to leave for college to deal with their issues as the struggle without support in their current living situation is too hard to deal with on top of the stress of senior year AP courses. I could scream! But I have to tread that slender thread of mom and role model without pushing them so hard they refuse to talk to me anymore. Being a parent with kids who have weight issues is a huge guilt complex. My son, I have some say in him still but my girls I don't and I have to do battle with that guilt often. Meanwhile, I push and push my son to exercise and that's a battle. It’s amazing how hard it is now to get a kid to WANT to go play outside. And I'm the mean mom since I won't allow a TV in the bedrooms. I may have had some minor eating disorders that took most of my adult life to overcome but if my kids ever point a finger at me to say it's my fault they have health issues, I just might slap them silly. I always encourage exercise and make it a part of our family life. They will have to take some responsibility for themselves at some point; and that’s a hard lesson to learn. Every adult is ultimately responsible only to themselves for the choices they make and live with – this includes our parents. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink. I will settle for encouragement and positive self-example.

garlic7girl

You guys did some serious sharing! WOW! I am floored! Ohand Ms Verde you made me crack up on the inside! LOOOL! Slap them silly!
I too have some frustration with family. The brother I told ya'll who came to visit me was always the skinny one in the family and the active one too. He was in Karate for years and due to his job changing times he had to quit then GM closed their doors so he could no longer afford any gym membership and he became depressed and no job and he has gained a lot of weight. When he is with me he exercises and hard too! But once back in Ohio he sits all day....it makes me sad because I know his potential.
My mom the same...she is strong for a 70+ year old but has low motivation.
God help our families! But I admire you all for knowing when to back off and allow folks to lead their own lives and just be the example!