Rant: But I'm too old for...

2

Replies

  • ziggy67
    ziggy67 Posts: 351
    Well..I'm 55 years young and I seriously believe that I am a lot healthier and fitter than a lot of twenty and thirty year olds I know!
  • jill5280
    jill5280 Posts: 117 Member
    Adding to all the comments that negate this as an "excuse" for not doing something. There is NOTHING that is off limits to me and fortunately my husband and sons encourage my exploring new avenues for fun and fitness. I am biking 25 miles per day every day that it isn't storming after work. (I will start a new fun thread on that topic after this! :tongue: ) My son is in Peace Corp and we were chatting online the other evening when I commented that I was starting to think about a ride up "the canyon" but I wasn't sure if I was ready for it. This is a mountain canyon with lots of hill climbing and other environmental challenges. Hills are my nemesis and I won't feel like a real biker until I can meet that challenge and conquer it. My son told me in his typical gentle but pragmatic way...mom, if you are thinking about it you are ready...go get started NOW. Even though that was only a couple days ago they are words to live by for sure.
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
    There are people in their upper 70's who are in my running group. I am still getting faster. Last year, one of them beat me in my PR 5k. I'm not considered slow. I'm not breaking any records, but I do well in my age group standings.

    Age is what you make of it.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
    You guys should check out Ernestine Shephard. She's a weight lifter in her 70's.
  • Stephanie08
    Stephanie08 Posts: 1,023 Member
    Just to sum up your rant...a body in motion stays in motion. So I'd assume that it doesn't matter what age you start, as long as you keep up with it, you're going to want to do more :happy:
  • curvygirl512
    curvygirl512 Posts: 423 Member
    I think people who say such things are just jealous. Jealous because they have physical impairments that keep them from participating in such activities, or mental impairments like depression, anxiety, or lack of motivation to get moving.

    I come from a long line of women who don't do sit-still well, and I'm proud of my family's collective accomplishments.

    Kudos to those who keep moving, whether young or young at heart.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    As someone in their 50's I will tell you this. It's all relative. If you've led a very sedentary life up until age 50 you will have trouble beginning a lot of activities after 50. Doesn't mean you can't, just that it will be harder. But if you've always been active and have avoided injury, age doesn't make a lot of difference. I rarely think about my age until I look in a mirror. :wink:
  • k8edge
    k8edge Posts: 380
    Nice post!!!

    My husband and I are great friends with a 50 + couple and they are more active than us... They kayak, mountain bike, and rock climb! I want to be like them when I get older... Having fun and enjoying an active lifestyle!

    My husband also bikes with a 80 year old man who rides his bike more than 200 miles a week. He is one awesome dude and has a certain zeal for life that I think we can all learn from!

    :)
  • LondonLad
    LondonLad Posts: 31
    I am 57 and I still go off road cycling, play golf, go running, regularly attend rock concerts and festivals.

    My wife is 51 and has a figure and body to die for and she works very hard to keep it that way, it's her example and badgering/help that got me back in the saddle and helped me to lose 27 pounds (so far).

    if I had a motto it would be "18 till I die"
  • RachVR6
    RachVR6 Posts: 3,688 Member
    I always throw Tony Horton in their face. He's what....54 now?? And I just watched a recent video of a 3hr workout he did on the beach. Awesome!
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,358 Member
    How about Denise Austin? Yes, she is annoyingly perky and postive but she looks AWESOME and she's probably 53 or 54 yo this year!
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    Isn't there a HIMYM episode about that very topic?

    The best is the OP's screen name - Barneystinson. The episode was "Im getting to old for this Stuff(*kitten*)" using The Murtaugh List!!!
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    How about Denise Austin? Yes, she is annoyingly perky and postive but she looks AWESOME and she's probably 53 or 54 yo this year!

    She's on HGH....google it
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    Totally agree with the OP. I have a coworker who is his 60's that tells me all the time I may need to stop running and start walking. I'm 28!!

    The thing that I got LOTS of comments about though, is 1) when I got married people "joked around" saying I would let myself go...gain weight...all that good stuff...and 2) when I was pregnant with my son "Oh you just wait, you won't have time to run and workout when he gets here!"

    Needless to say, at my lowest adult weight, breaking my PR Saturday at an 8k run, I **LOVE** proving people wrong! :)
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    I'll certainly have to cut back a bit on what I do when I get much older. I'm a figure skater. Jumps, and the potential fall, will not be so cool when I'm, oh, around 60 or older. I'm going to enjoy them now. Oh sure, I'll still be able to skate. Just may not be able to do all the jumps I once did.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I always throw Tony Horton in their face. He's what....54 now?? And I just watched a recent video of a 3hr workout he did on the beach. Awesome!

    Or, God rest his soul, Jack LaLanne. He lifted the front end of VW bug on his 80th birthday. And remained an endorser and example of the benefits of exercise and healthy eating till his death. I don't know if he truly was the first exercise "guru", but he's the first I ever remember.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    My husband and I were speaking about this recently. We fully intend to continue hiking, riding our ATVs, snowmobiles, going snowshoeing, having fun on the lake in our 50s, 60s and beyond. The more active you are the longer you live. The more active you are the less health problems you have (helps with your mental health too!).

    I've seen many people go downhill starting at age 70 the minute they retired and stopped being active.

    Don't listen to people complain. You should see how active both my father and father-in-law are well into their 60s (my FIL still races cross country skiing). :)
  • RoseBlanc
    RoseBlanc Posts: 140
    "Yes well I'm old (50), you're only 23 you have no excuse!"

    - My Paternal Aunt, to me, after a conversation a group of us were having about how hard it can be sometimes to stay in shape, in which I agreed.
    I just stared at her. This woman is healthy, retired, and nowhere near 'turn out' age. My Matenral Grandmother was kicking a*s and taking names in the senior Olympics as a swimmer back in the early to mid 1990s. Would have made her 1-5 years older than my Aunt was when she said that.

    I agree, it's just a cop out because they either didn't take the time to eat right and work out as youngsters or they let themselves go as adults and never took the responsibility for it.
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    :laugh: I am 60+ and hunt the elk in the mountains of Colorado. I also hunt the plains for deer and pronghorn and bring home meat every year. I plan to do this until I cannot walk

    Alright that's bad@$$ !
  • BAMA66
    BAMA66 Posts: 240
    My dad is 56 and still plays basketball with me and my brothers and I'm 30 now. Age doesn't matter if you stay active. It may hurt worse the next day but you can still do it.
  • skinnyhappy
    skinnyhappy Posts: 152 Member
    My dad's 57, rides his bike anywhere from 30-60 miles a week depending on his schedule. Was running 7 miles a day until the heel spur caught up to him. He lifts weights, he goes to yoga. He'll tell you something strange happens at 50 but whatever it is didn't get him down (HE TRIED RUNNING THROUGH A PULMONARY EMBOLISM, the man is nuts).

    Also, all the folks in my yoga classes are easily 45+, most 50+...and they stand on their heads :)
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    My dad's 57, rides his bike anywhere from 30-60 miles a week depending on his schedule. Was running 7 miles a day until the heel spur caught up to him. He lifts weights, he goes to yoga. He'll tell you something strange happens at 50 but whatever it is didn't get him down (HE TRIED RUNNING THROUGH A PULMONARY EMBOLISM, the man is nuts).

    Also, all the folks in my yoga classes are easily 45+, most 50+...and they stand on their heads :)

    This sounds like my boyfriend's dad - still rides his bike after a lung & liver transplant AND after having a cardiac episode while on his bike.

    If ya love something, don't give it up! (But don't be a stubborn man and call for an ambulance when you're in need! lol!)
  • jessradtke
    jessradtke Posts: 418 Member
    I agree. Age is a cop out. Your body WILL change as you get older, but you just have to make adjustments. You don't have to lie down and wait to keel over. Personally, turning 40 pushed me to get even more active than I ever was because I realized that it could very well be my "half way point". I want to do as much as I can for as long as I can, so I need to get a move on! I can rest when I'm dead.
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
    I think when people say this it is an excuse! Sometimes they're legit and sometimes they're just excuses!
  • hazelnutflav
    hazelnutflav Posts: 391 Member
    i plan on working out and staying fit until the wheels fall off bury me in my running shoes & jog bra for sure!

    & i truly believe if you dont use it you WILL loose it.

    check out this link of ernestine shepherd she is a 74 years young body builder/personal trainer she is awsome and has no intention of slowing down any time soon.





    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XZMQTZIOS8&feature=related
  • brnsgrsbody
    brnsgrsbody Posts: 254 Member
    Got alot of older people in my class. They love it! It not only makes their health better, they feel good about their progress and the way they look.
  • ladydove5
    ladydove5 Posts: 23 Member
    LOL! I am 62 years old and have osteoporosis and a chronic kidney disease. Life's too short!! Get up and move!! Everyone can do something to be active....I am fixing to start doing zumba:happy: I am doing everything I can possibly do to stay active. I am also helping my husband to remodel and paint the outside of our house, work the garden, and have various hobbies I enjoy. If you look for an excuse people ......you will find it! If you look for possibilites to keep active....you will find it !
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    I wanted to add:

    My dad is 85 and does water aerobics 3x per week. Age is only a number.
  • Louiselesley
    Louiselesley Posts: 166 Member
    My Father turns 61 in about 2 months and the other day we had a very amusing push up competition. My Brother, a competitive cyclist who generally does upwards of 200miles a month could do about 10 before dying (which i don't really understand given his weight training but heh, it runs in the family apparently) My Mother a gym rat at 56 still, could do about 20. I did about 1 (AHA if even) and my Father who hasn't worked out a day since he gave up hockey for the RAF mechanics school at about 20 did nearly 50 without even loosing his breath.

    Needless to say, if you look after your body and live life to the full, you can never say it's too late for anything.


    (I'm only 22 and the amount of times I get the whole 'you'll understand at this age' speech DRIVES ME CRAZY. It comes from my Aunt who is actually younger than my Father and still is pretty adamant she can no longer do anything because of her age)
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I agree. Age is a cop out. Your body WILL change as you get older, but you just have to make adjustments. You don't have to lie down and wait to keel over. Personally, turning 40 pushed me to get even more active than I ever was because I realized that it could very well be my "half way point". I want to do as much as I can for as long as I can, so I need to get a move on! I can rest when I'm dead.

    Same here. Yes, I have accumulated injuries over the years that make it tougher than it used to be. Yes, I need more sleep than I did in my teens and 20's. Yes, I need to make sure I stretch or else I'll be hobbling around the next day. But...when I can do more crunches than the 25 year old guy next to me, YOU BET that makes me feel great! In my opinion, as we get older it's even more important to work on our fitness because we are battling the natural deterioration of our muscles and skeletons.

    Just because it's hard doesn't mean it's wrong!

    My dad did a 5 mile swim on his 70th birthday. Go Daddy!!!:drinker:
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