Why and How I Workout

At 65 I had to learn a whole new way of looking at life

On my 65th birthday, I went to Ireland with my family. It was in many ways a wonderful trip, full of fun and time spent with my daughter and grandchildren.

However, it was also, in many ways, a challenging trip.

One of the most challenging things I did on that trip was a climb to the top of Queen Maeve’s tomb. The path was rocky, and often very steep. I was proud of myself when I made it to the top. I passed many other people on the way up and back down who stopped before reaching the end of the journey.

All in all, and the key point is, it wasn’t fun, it was an ordeal.

As good as I felt when I finally staggered to the top of that hill, the fact was that it took me at least twice as long as it took the rest of my family. They often had to wait for me, and eventually we agreed they would just go ahead and wait at the top while I climbed with my partner. I had to take frequent stops to catch my breath.

All in all, and the key point is, it wasn’t fun, it was an ordeal. The climb took its toll. When I made it to the top, I felt good about what I had accomplished, but the truth is it wasn’t a joyful climb, it was mostly just hard work. I was in pain for days afterward, cranky, and unable to enjoy much of the rest of the time we had together.

When I got home from that trip, I knew something had to change.

I was 65 years old, and that trip was a wake-up call. Along with the physical stress of the climb, while I was traveling I learned of the death of my personal attorney, who had been a close friend for over 40 years. He was younger than me by a few years. Unlike my friend, I don’t have an underlying chronic illness, however, we shared some issues in common, including being overweight and having a very sedentary lifestyle.

My lawyer’s death reminded me of the death of another close friend and colleague, more than five years earlier. Her last words to me were about her two beautiful grandchildren and the fact that she wasn’t ready to leave them.

I have two grandchildren.

I was unwilling to allow my physical condition to deteriorate further, negatively impacting my ability to spend time with my family, and keeping me from living a life filled with health and joy.

I knew I needed to do something, and so, I did. Here are the things I started doing when I returned from that trip.

I called my doctor.

We all know this is what you’re supposed to do before starting a workout regime, but how many of us actually do it? I know I didn’t in the past. This time was different. I was at a point of no return, realizing that if I didn’t do things the right way this time, there might not be a next time.

Having turned 65 made it easier in many ways. I was newly enrolled in Medicare and had selected an Advantage Plan that included the SilverSneakers program. SilverSneakers gave me a free membership to a gym near me as well as free access to classes at the gym and online. If you want to find out more about the program, follow this link.

My doctor cleared me, and in fact, strongly encouraged me, to start a workout routine.

I signed up for free personal training sessions

My gym membership included up to three free sessions with a personal trainer. I decided it would be a good idea to get some advice on how to use the machines, as it had been a long time since I had used a gym.

It turned out it was a great idea. The trainer they assigned me was knowledgeable and understood my unique needs as a senior citizen.

I decided to keep working with the trainer

After those first free sessions, I realized that working with a trainer could really help me. Being accountable to another human who is expecting me to show up meant that I actually went to the gym at least twice a week. Working with a person who was knowledgeable and patient with me made a huge difference in the quality of my results.

Over a year later I am still working with her. When the gyms shut down and I could no longer work with her in person, we began doing zoom workouts. Occasionally she and I would meet at a local park and do socially distanced workouts. Most of the time we’ve done those workouts once or twice a week, although when I was quarantined in London for two weeks we did three per week.

I measure results by what I can do, not by the scale

My goal has always been to increase my health. Weight loss is part of my goal, but not the primary one. Although I have lost some weight, I still have quite a way to go, and probably would have given up by now if the numbers on the scale were the metrics I was using to determine my success.

Success, for me, looks different this time than any other time in my life when I went on a “fitness kick.” That fall, I went on another trip with my daughter and grandchildren. We spent a week in France, hiking around, and having a load of fun. This time, I was able to keep up with them and rarely had to ask them to slow down for Nana. I smiled more. I wasn’t cranky or in pain at night.

I came back from that trip energized and more committed than ever to working out.

My grandkids came to visit for two weeks in December. I went to the gym while they were at my house because it was part of my regular routine by then. When I made my New Year’s resolution for 2020, it was about keeping my physical health and well being at the forefront of my daily life.

I learned to include measures of success like being able to easily rise from a chair, or walking for a mile without needing to stop and rest.

Then, in March, I got sick and down (but not out)

Although it was not confirmed with a test, as they were not readily available, my doctor and I believed I had COVID19. It was more than a month before I was able to start working out again, more than three months before I could walk a half-mile without stopping and gasping for breath.

Once I was feeling better, I wrote about my experience and thoughts on staying healthy during the pandemic.

I haven’t given up

I’ve continued to work out during 2020, finding that every time I do so it adds to the quality of my life. As I finish the first draft of this article, I am also preparing for a scheduled session with my trainer.

It isn’t always easy to schedule workouts, but after a year and a half, I know that the strength training I do at least twice a week is making a noticeable difference in the quality of my life.

You can do it too

There are some simple things I have found work for me that might work for you as well. These are the things I do to make sure I prioritize my health by working out at least twice a week:

1. Schedule the workouts. I do workouts on Tuesday and Thursday because that’s what fits into my overall schedule.
2. I fit some workouts in on other days by aiming for 15-minute sessions.
3. I treat working out, whether with a trainer or not, like an appointment. I get ready in my workout clothes and I put the phone away.
4. I do full-body workouts including weighted squats, biceps and triceps, and a variety of other exercises.
5. On most of the days when I am not doing strength training, I make sure to do some form of cardio. This can be walking a mile, dancing, or riding my recumbent tricycle.

These days I easily walk up to a mile without difficulty, can get down on the floor to play with my grandchildren, and smile more than I frown when we are together. It hasn’t been an easy path, but I can attest it has been well worth the effort.

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