Aging With an Attitude!

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  • traceyc013
    traceyc013 Posts: 132 Member
    This thread is exactly what I needed this morning. So glad to find folks who are doing great things take life better. I am committed to not letting my chronic pain issues define me or my abilities. I will take off this weight and I will do ot for as long as it takes. Thanks for the pep talk friends.
  • Pinnacle_IAO
    Pinnacle_IAO Posts: 608 Member
    edited August 2015
    I decided that as a guy in his 50's, I did not want to be fit "for my age".
    Aging with attitude means peak fitness and optimal health - period!
    n36stu04z3tg.jpg
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    I decided that as a guy in his 50's, I did not want to be fit "for my age".
    Aging with attitude means peak fitness and optimal health - period!
    n36stu04z3tg.jpg

    I completely agree! When someone younger than me tells me I look good for my age I tell them they do to.... ;)

    My trainer tells me he uses me as an example to much younger women he's training in regards to what is achievable at any age......
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,213 Member
    For me, it's psychologically important to take control of what I can, to achieve the goals I set for myself. Excuses don't help me. Admitting I've (perhaps) not been accountable, then changing that, is more productive, in my opinion.

    There's a song that includes "To say that I've stopped changing, is to to say that I've stopped growing. To say that I've stopped growing, is to admit that I am dead." As a long-term (yay) cancer survivor, I have to say: Alive is a better start on the rest of the day, literally and metaphorically.

    I concur with avoiding judgement on others' paths. Nonetheless, it raised my eyebrows when, one day, I was sitting around with some art/craft friends, and one said "of course one can't lose weight at our age", and the rest nodded solemnly. Um, huh? (I hang out with rowers, and with artsy folk. Sometimes the differences are striking.)

    And it amuses the heck out of me when a 30-something shows up in spin class, and says "I need to do this now, before I get too old for it" or folks of say, 45, say "I'd love to learn to row, but I'm too old". (This year, the oldest student in my club's learn-to-row class was 81. He doesn't have the speed of the 20-somethings, but he did fine.)
  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 13,748 Member
    edited August 2015
    I just got back from vacation. I rode my Harley over 2000 miles to visit my parents. My daughter (age 21) joined me. We went out for coffee together.... Dad (age 78) rode his Suzuki 450, I rode my Road King and my daughter borrowed the Yamaha 250 my mother (age 75) rides as Mom had a previous engagement.
  • marekdds
    marekdds Posts: 2,233 Member
    I am fond of saying age is not an excuse! I have a friend on here that is 75 and I honestly don't think I could keep up with her. It doesn't mean I will stop trying. We may be slower, but we ain't dead yet.
  • fitotrim
    fitotrim Posts: 37 Member
    I like all the positive here! I do water aerobics with ladies in their 80s. I kayak and the leader of our group is 84
  • nikkib0103
    nikkib0103 Posts: 969 Member
    Age is mind over matter, if you don't mind, it don't matter.
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    fitotrim wrote: »
    I like all the positive here! I do water aerobics with ladies in their 80s. I kayak and the leader of our group is 84

    I love stories like that!!!
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    @ Ann.....(This year, the oldest student in my club's learn-to-row class was 81. He doesn't have the speed of the 20-somethings, but he did fine.)

    Another great example!

    Have any of you seen this 77 year old female body builder............she's pretty amazing as well! I don't think she really exercised until her 50's...............hmmmmmm

    http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18346128
  • Farback
    Farback Posts: 1,088 Member
    I continue to live every day as a gift. A friend of mine, a guy I fought fires with for years died of a heart attack this week at 51. He was in decent shape, a former paramedic and current first aid and CPR instructor. He recognized the signs, got to the hospital but died there of a massive MI. Another full uniform funeral service Monday. It makes me realize how lucky I was to survive my MI 18 months ago. You can't take your life for granted. I work every day to reset the time-bomb in my chest.
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    Farback wrote: »
    I continue to live every day as a gift. A friend of mine, a guy I fought fires with for years died of a heart attack this week at 51. He was in decent shape, a former paramedic and current first aid and CPR instructor. He recognized the signs, got to the hospital but died there of a massive MI. Another full uniform funeral service Monday. It makes me realize how lucky I was to survive my MI 18 months ago. You can't take your life for granted. I work every day to reset the time-bomb in my chest.

    So sad for his family.............we're glad you made it too!! I guess none of us really know what the future holds so all we can do is make the best choices we can right now, while we still have the time!
  • marekdds
    marekdds Posts: 2,233 Member
    Absolutely, you are a great inspiration! So sorry about your friend.
  • kjurassic
    kjurassic Posts: 571 Member
    luluinca wrote: »
    @ Ann.....(This year, the oldest student in my club's learn-to-row class was 81. He doesn't have the speed of the 20-somethings, but he did fine.)

    Another great example!

    Have any of you seen this 77 year old female body builder............she's pretty amazing as well! I don't think she really exercised until her 50's...............hmmmmmm

    http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18346128

    DAM!!!!!
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    Wow.

    There are no words.
  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 13,748 Member
    That's incredible!! She's amazing!!
  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 13,748 Member
    According to Wikipedia, she's been passed as the oldest active bodybuilder by another woman...

    http://www.ibtimes.com/oldest-female-bodybuilder-77-year-old-edith-connor-breaks-guinness-world-record-700529

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  • marekdds
    marekdds Posts: 2,233 Member
    Apparently these people have more time than I do. It is wonderful that they don't spend their time in a rocking chair. Kudos to them.
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    Wow, they're both amazing. I wouldn't mind doing the work but I could never stand up on stage dressed like that.....LOL

    There are also a lot of really admirable seniors in the Senior Olympics. They all give me hope......and attitude! B)
  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 13,748 Member
    I got quite a kick out of the BBC interview, especially when she talked about being "too prissy" to exercise when she was young... and how skimpy her posing outfit was... lol
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    I was the oldest one in the weights class today but used the heaviest weight! No, it's not a competition, but ..... just sayin'!
  • marekdds
    marekdds Posts: 2,233 Member
    Good for you!!!!
  • Farback
    Farback Posts: 1,088 Member
    I was the oldest one in the weights class today but used the heaviest weight! No, it's not a competition, but ..... just sayin'!

    Good for you. I tell the young firefighters who can't believe what I deadlift that I'm not all that strong, it's just that I'm old and have developed a lot of momentum.
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    I was the oldest one in the weights class today but used the heaviest weight! No, it's not a competition, but ..... just sayin'!

    I love that!!! My trainer tells me all the time that I'm stronger than most of his younger female clients!!!
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    edited August 2015
    I work full time but have been studying Mandarin on my own for the past 4 years for fun and hopefully to tie in to work. I signed up on the Internet for an intensive Chinese course and lived with a Chinese family in Beijing for a month in March and studied at a private school. Sort of like s high school AFS program. Or college abroad thing.

    When I got out of the cab from the airport my Chinese "aunt" who was 54 (I'm 60) stared at me and immediately asked me how old I was. Later her in laws who lived with them asked me if I still worked. (Many Chinese women retire at 54). I said I did. The family was very surprised that this "lau ren", elderly person, came to China to live with a family who didn't speak a word of English, just to learn Chinese.

    Carpe Diem. You only have one life. My rule is to never lay on my death bed and think "I should have..." (Shouldn't have is OK
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    edited August 2015
    fiddletime wrote: »
    I work full time but have been studying Mandarin on my own for the past 4 years for fun and hopefully to tie in to work. I signed up on the Internet for an intensive Chinese course and lived with a Chinese family in Beijing for a month in March and studied at a private school. Sort of like s high school AFS program. Or college abroad thing.

    When I got out of the cab from the airport my Chinese "aunt" who was 54 (I'm 60) stared at me and immediately asked me how old I was. Later her in laws who lived with them asked me if I still worked. (Many Chinese women retire at 54). I said I did. The family was very surprised that this "lau ren", elderly person, came to China to live with a family who didn't speak a word of English, just to learn Chinese.

    Carpe Diem. You only have one life. My rule is to never lay on my death bed and think "I should have..." (Shouldn't have is OK

    Wow.....you're so adventurous and I really admire that!!!!

    I've been thinking about the "bodybuilders" we've mentioned here and that's not really what I want......what I really want is to be a weightlifter...........that way I don't have to wear the bikini but I can still be strong....
  • 1299batman
    1299batman Posts: 23 Member
    PTSD Survivor and turning 55 next year. I say "Bring It!"
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,213 Member
    luluinca wrote: »

    I've been thinking about the "bodybuilders" we've mentioned here and that's not really what I want......what I really want is to be a weightlifter...........that way I don't have to wear the bikini but I can still be strong....

    And the Powerlifters compete in age categories, so go, you! Why not?

    I took up rowing at around 47, and have competed in in both water and indoor races - first consistent athletic activity, first team sport, and first athletic competitions of my entire life. (I'm 59 now.)

    Since cancer, one of my mottos is "There may not be a next year." That idea had me rowing in Masters Nationals after a couple of years of rowing - probably way before it was a rational thing to do so! ;)
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