Can you achieve fitness over 60? It’s never too late.
What is it about approaching another decade in life that makes you stop and think about your mortality? On my summer vacation, as I was anticipating my 60th birthday in the fall, I pondered the notion, “Can I achieve fitness over 60?”
You have to start somewhere
Weight was never a problem for me, but I almost never exercised. I mean really exercised. Where I actually broke a sweat. So I ventured over to the nearby LA Fitness when I returned from the beach with my goal: fitness over 60.
I was really motivated, received a fitness assessment and got a tour of the facility. I was excited to get started and dove right in. Knowing myself as I do, I knew if I didn’t go to the gym every single day, I would not be able to stick with it. And so I did. Every day for over a year.
Confidence is key
I divided my time between the treadmill and the weight equipment, It was easy to develop a routine .
After a while I got up the courage to try the exercise and weight training classes. That said, I was sure they would be filled with people younger than myself, and the class would be too rigorous. But I surprised myself! I was able to keep up and wasn’t the oldest in the class. Over the course of a year, I lost 20 pounds and developed some muscle.
But as soon as there was an interruption in my schedule, I fell off the wagon. While I was out of town for my daughter’s wedding, I missed a whole week at the gym and had a hard time getting back on track. I tried to justify why “today I have to …” or I was “just too tired” after work.
Perseverance pays off
But my good friend Chris kept me going. At least to the classes. She even got me to join Zumba!. Together we conquered Body Works plus Abs, Boot Camp and Power Circuit. We became “regulars”!
It really does feel good to be in shape. The weight loss aside, I have more energy and just feel better. Of course a good diet is essential and I continue to do my best in that area. I’m moving toward a plant based diet and starting with one meatless meal per week. I’ve made the change to almond milk and I’m trying to eat more superfoods, such as blueberries and dark chocolate. One step at a time!
This year I’ll be turning 63 and I’m happy to say I feel good about it! Try my favorite smoothie recipe!!
High Protein Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup Strawberries frozen
- 1 large Banana sliced
- 1 cup Almond milk
- 1/2 cup low fat Greek yogurt
- 6-8 ice cubes
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients into blender and process until desired consistency.
- Add more milk as needed if mixture is too thick
- Enjoy!
