How do you feel about getting older? What terms or phrases come to mind when you think about someone in their 50s? Golden years? Riding into the sunset? Old age? Senior citizens? Do you envision someone who is slowing down, plagued with aches and pains and mostly sedentary? Are they generally weak, forgetful, and battling multiple ailments and resigned to taking multiple prescriptions to keep them going? Or do you picture someone crushing weights at the gym, running marathons, hiking, and biking with their kids and thriving?
As a 53 year-old woman in the midst of perimenopause, I pretty much hate the phrases I mentioned above. They all make it seem like it’s time to slow down and fade away. I tend to see two camps of people who are currently in this phase of life. The first consists of people who are constantly moaning and groaning about getting old. They’ve accepted that pain, prescriptions, and decline in capacity is their destiny. They’re convinced it’s a natural part of aging and there’s nothing they can do about it (or they insist it’s too difficult to be proactive). Like an acquaintance who recently shrugged at me and said, “You’re just getting old,” as if there was nothing I could do about anything that was bothering me. That’s the furthest from the truth!
Camp two consists of people who are out there crushing goals while defying the stereotypes of aging as they run ultramarathons, set records in a variety of sports, or redefine themselves by taking on new challenges. Many of them didn’t even start exercising or running or weightlifting until they were well into the 60s or older. They refuse to buy into the lie that we have to slow down, play it safe and eventually fade away.
I don’t know about you, but I find the mindset of the latter much more appealing. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that changes are inevitable. I’ve accepted that I’m never going to be as fast as I used to be. But that doesn’t mean I should give up or that it’s all over. Too many people assume that they’re too old to try new things, or to rediscover activities they loved in their youth. That’s simply not true! There are countless stories of people who have taken up new sports and are currently setting records in Iron Man, track and field, marathons and ultras in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. Every single one of them will tell you that it’s never too late.
I love all the testimonies from people who got fed up with fatigue, pain, and having to rely on multiple medications, so they decided to completely overhaul their diet and lifestyle. As a result, they feel younger and more energetic than they have in decades. A common thread among them is that they chose to view this next chapter of life as an adventure and opportunity. We don’t have to run a marathon or climb a mountain (although why not?). But we could certainly make a commitment to move more, set a new goal, get stronger, or fuel ourselves properly. It inspires me to know we have the power to drastically improve our health span.
Sure, I notice aches and pains that never existed before (ones that tend to come with perimenopause as well as lupus symptoms), but just because it’s due to perimenopause doesn’t mean there’s nothing I can do about it. That’s the beauty of science. Women’s health and aging are finally being given their time in the spotlight. More and more research is being conducted, books are being published, and tons of podcasts are available to help us maintain a healthy outlook as we age. The science of what’s happening in our bodies as we get older is so fascinating and it’s incredibly empowering to learn about what we can do to feel BETTER and grow STRONGER – even (and especially) if we have chronic illness.
I realize I’m not going to beat my 5K personal best from when I was in high school, or even come close, but I can absolutely run farther than I ever have, get much faster than I am now, and build muscle. But it’s up to me to believe that, and take the necessary steps to ensure that it happens. It may take a little more time and patience, but we still get to choose how we’re going to approach it.
Since I started lifting weights consistently 16 months ago, I’ve noticed a big difference in how I feel and look. (I even flexed for my kids today and they were actually impressed!) It hasn’t happened as quickly as I like, and quite often I’d rather sit on the couch and watch TV instead of on the floor to stretch and foam roll. However, knowing how important it is for my bone and muscle health keeps me consistent. And once I start, it feels great to be taking care of my body. Yes, we naturally lose muscle mass as we age, but by lifting weights we can build muscle and protect our future selves from falls and breaks. (Check out the science in the books Next Level and Outlive.)
Wisdom we’ve acquired through our life should tell us that anything worth doing is going to be a challenge requiring hard work. Why should we expect anything different when it comes to health? It doesn’t mean we’re burying our heads in the sand and refusing to accept getting older. It means we accept that things change, but we choose to thrive and smash the stereotypes that say aging automatically equals weakness and disease.
Let’s face it – if we sit around allowing nature to take its course while hoping for the best, we are going to regret it eventually. Do I want to head down a path that will lead to visits in the nursing home from my grandkids? Or do I want to increase the likelihood that I’ll be participating in races with them? Why not do what I can now to stack the odds in my favor? Life is full of unknowns and things we can’t control. However we have much more control than we think. If we know that exercise, strength training, and nutrition have all been shown to combat ailments associated with aging (and most diseases), lengthen our health span, increase our joy, and sharpen our minds, shouldn’t we at least give it a valiant effort?
What’s one small step you can take TODAY towards a healthier future?
“Exercise has the greatest power to determine how you will live out the rest of your life. There are reams of data supporting the notion that even a fairly minimal amount of exercise can lengthen your life by several years. It delays the onset of chronic diseases, but it is also amazingly effective at extending and improving lifespan. Not only does it reverse physical decline, but it can slow or reverse. Cognitive decline as well.” Peter Attia, MD Outlive