As you age, you will begin to notice a lot of small changes that become bigger by the day – gray hair, dimpling, puckering, sagging of the skin, a few lines that were not there before, a widening waistline, perhaps even lowered levels of energy, slower reflexes and health issues.
As a culture, we do not celebrate aging. We do not recognise growing old as a privilege. But it really is. It is one of the greatest privileges to be able to live fully all the years of your life, engage actively and grow old.
With the passing years, you can either focus your energy on what you are supposedly lacking or be afraid of how your body will continue to change with time, or feel blessed to be alive and make the best choices for yourself. I believe strongly that where your attention goes is where your energy will flow. Making conscious choices towards building a healthier body will not only make you stronger physically but also in mind and spirit.
Many men and women in their mid thirties often wrestle with the uncertainties of the ageing process and even dread it or live in denial often concealing their real age. Take an honest look at yourself and ask yourself whether you really want to do something about it or are you just adapting to being unnecessarily pressured in your mind about growing old.
Age can’t be warded off but yes, you can look and feel good at any age. Ageing requires flexibility of thought. You need to take charge of yourself and develop a positive self image. And as much as you may dread another birthday, do you really want to be stuck in any one age… use each year as an opportunity to set new goals, have more adventures and build new dreams; and do it with courage, humour and self-love.
As a fitness professional, I cannot but stress the importance of exercise through all the years of our life. Exercise is not the fountain of youth, but staying on an exercise program through the years adds vitality to life. A good regimen influences all the various systems in our body. The most significant benefits are prevention and progression of diseases.
Exercise is also critical in maintaining muscle mass, healthy levels of fat, a good immune function, metabolic health, bone density, healthy body weight besides oxygenation which helps your skin look younger. Here I would like you to especially note that it is never too late to harness your body’s capacity to get stronger and more functional.
Exercise does for you what no pill can ever do. Whatever your age, and even if you have never exercised before, try it. Do get a clearance from your doctor before you start.
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