It’s A Struggle To Stay Active As A Senior
Finding an exercise that you like is the key… Crows Feet Writing prompt 44
Let’s face it: these days, we tend to think of life in terms of “before COVID” and “after COVID.”
Before COVID, I was obese but active. I attended Tai Chi classes, went to exercise classes for seniors three times a week, and went to the gym the other days. During the summer, I liked to spend hours in the pool doing exercises. Now, I can’t force myself to float around in there because I feel like I have to be moving.
I had a little bump in the road when I had knee replacement surgery. I dropped out of the exercise classes but continued to swim and go to the gym.
Then came COVID. The gym closed so at first, I tried to keep up the exercise. I walked every evening. I hate walking with every fiber of my being, so as soon as it got cold, I used it as an excuse to stop.
Then, two months ago, I faced the reality that I had gained twenty-two pounds. Those were pounds that I couldn’t afford to gain. I was horrified and wondered if some reality program was going to call me and offer me a television show to exploit my weight. Can you imagine the title of such a show?
These days, it hurts to walk, and I’ve developed arthritis. Fortunately, last spring, I started swimming earlier than usual. My pool’s temperature is only comfortable starting in June. Despite that, I started swimming in May even though the water was freezing. I could only take it for about twenty minutes at a time, but I was determined to start exercising again.
All summer, I exercised in the pool every single day. I dreaded the coming of September. Traditionally, I can swim through Labor Day, but the water quickly gets cold once Labor Day passes.
At the end of August, I made the decision to buy a pool heater. It was not an easy decision to make due to the expense. Here in Georgia, we can have perfect weather up until November. For example, today, the highest temperature will be in the mid-80s.
The installation of the pool heater developed some issues. Several years ago, a man working on our pool had inadvertently cut the power line to our detached garage. We had put off making that repair since the line was under concrete. Now, the only way we could install a heater was to restore the power to the garage which doubled the cost of the heater installation.
But my husband didn’t complain. He gets lights in his garage, and I can continue to exercise in the pool. The heater will allow me to get an extra three to four months of pool use each year.
I feel tremendously guilty about the cost of the pool heater, but overall, I don’t regret it. I’ve already been able to swim most of September and part of October. My husband and I watch the weather reports and turn off the heater if the temperature drops lower than the high 70s.
Meanwhile, I have joined Weight Watchers and have lost ten pounds since September. Exercising in the pool has helped, and I’ve returned to the gym as well. Sometimes, I’m even able to talk my husband into going with me.
It’s important to keep active. Before COVID, I always felt energetic because I exercised so much. After COVID, I began to feel sluggish and lazy. That’s not how I want to spend my remaining days.
I don’t want to be that person who stays home because going out is uncomfortable. I don’t want to be that person who dies early due to complications due to obesity. That’s what happened to my brother. He was only 56.
My kids are young adults. I want to be around for as long as possible. I don’t want them to have to take care of me, either. The answer is to be more active and to lose weight.
Wish me luck.