Never too old!?

Never, ever too old! I have seen some amazing people in their 80's+ at my gym and they are AWESOME! Often it nail it more than some of the younger folk too.

Hello, and welcome!

There's a tyranny of low expectations around aging in our culture. Sometimes those even become low self-expectations, which is sad. We can be strong, fit, healthy and independent for a long while, with some sensible life choices and a bit of luck.

I'm 68, female, quite active, reasonably fit, and - with MFP's help - at a healthy weight for the past 8-ish years after being overweight/obese for most of my adult life. Healthy weight and reasonably fit is much, much better than out of shape and obese, for me, in quality of life terms. I feel better, stronger, and more energetic than I did at 45, honestly.

I'm cheering for you - the results are worth the effort!

ninerbuff wrote: »

I'm 60. And can guarantee if you work on your health and fitness, you'll be so much happier because you lessen restrictions on what you can do physically. Oh and much less pain.



A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

100%. And a thing I think is ironic: Some of us lessen restrictions on what we can eat, and have more discretionary spending options.

I have a range of friends around my age (late 50s to late 70s, generally). Some are active and at a healthy weight, some are overweight/obese and unfit. I value and care about them all. But there are general tendencies in the groups that underscore the importance of working on health/fitness.

Most of the active/healthy-weight subgroup can eat treat foods when they want them, even drink adult beverages within reason. The overweight/unfit frequently have dietary limitations because of health conditions, or drug interactions (need to minimize sugar/carbs always, can't touch alcohol, maybe need to manage fiber intake carefully, can't eat certain foods such as avoiding certain veggies that conflict with blood thinners, and more).

More commonly, the overweight/unfit group need to spend more money on heath-repair things: Drug co-pays, OTC drugs, etc. (They tend to be sick more often, illnesses last longer, and they can have more severe symptoms. The need more surgeries, recover slower, have more complications.) They also tend to need family help more often - or pay service contractors - to do routine home chores that the slim/active people still do themselves, like flipping mattresses, moving furniture, pruning shrubs, digging in the garden, and sometimes even deep cleaning.

Noticing some of this as we aged was part of what sealed the deal for me to commit to weight loss and staying active.

AnnPT77 wrote: »

There's a tyranny of low expectations around aging in our culture. Sometimes those even become low self-expectations, which is sad. We can be strong, fit, healthy and independent for a long while, with some sensible life choices and a bit of luck.

Absolutely this.

Living proof of both, right here. 56, obese, sofa-bound, unhappy, constant joint pain, GERD, out of breath doing the least little thing.

. Be 62 in a few weeks. Not the same person at all.

I’ve already walked the dog a mile and half, am on my recumbent typing this, and will shortly walk the two miles to the gym to swim laps and then do aquafit with my husband.

That’s just my morning lol.

I’m not a unicorn. I was just tired of “me” and resolved to do something about it.

Calling yourself old is just rationalizing sucky life choices.