Are you too old for this?

When was the last time you said “I am too old for this”? Maybe when your inner wild child decided to join in the horseplay, tackling, running, jumping then becoming the bottom of the dog pile, all the while screaming youngsters thinking you are totally awesome? Could it have been when you were automatically selected for snow removal, being the owner of the house and all or maybe it was leaves? Maybe it was when you broke down and bought the concert ticket for your teens, finding out that you had to stay up late to listen to extremely loud music, you are pretty sure you dislike? Whether it was something extreme or a simple test of your body and mind, there has been several times you have said “I am too old for this” You might have even found yourself with your feet up, pain killers ingested and the heating pad. Hoping by a miracle there is such a thing as a delivery service to get you from the sofa to your bed.

There comes moments and situations where we need to do things that push our bodies past the body’s expectations.

Athletes warm up before jumping into the competition, dancers warm up, weight lifters warm up before lifting. When preparing to work out in the gym we do a warm up but....
We watch TV; work at our desks, drive our cars and then something comes up like snow, yard work, moving furniture or home renovations and we are stunned when we feel it all over in a very ‘wrong’ way.

You are not too old, you are out of shape. Yes, I said it! We get so tied up in our busy schedules that we become exhausted not realizing it is from our minds not our bodies. This allows us to feel like we are physically active all day by judging how tired we are. We rush around, getting things done then find we have no more energy.

How do we prepare ourselves, not to be ‘too old’ for those pressing moments of physical endurance?
We increase our daily physical activity:

Look for Everyday Opportunities - Short bursts of activity throughout the day make a difference.

• Use steps instead of elevators or escalators.

• Park your car in a distant section of the parking lot.

• Leave work five minutes later. Take a walk around the building.

• Get off the train or bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way.

• Take a walk during lunch.

• March, stretch, or do squats while brushing your teeth.

• Pace around the house or do arm curls with a can of food while talking on the phone.

• Jump rope, stretch, jog in place, or lift weights while watching TV.

• Be prepared. Keep walking shoes in your car or in your desk.

• Take your bike with you to a conference and explore the local scenery before driving home.

Plan a Daily Routine

Think about cost, convenience, and bad weather options when planning a program.

Look for creative ways to keep the activities enjoyable.

• Schedule time for physical activity. Write it in your calendar.

• Vary the physical activities. Plan to bike one day a week, jog two days a week, and go to the gym three days a week.

• Join a walking club, a biking club, and so forth.

• Add variety to the activity. Have several walking trails, ask a friend to join you in your walks, or listen to music or recorded books during your walks.

Plan Physically Active Leisure-Time Events

Look for activities the whole family can enjoy.

• Have a family baseball or soccer game.

• Plan a bike tour, mountain hike, or canoe trip.

• Explore a cave.

One thing I learned but find that I have to remind myself often, is something from my Grandparents. When I felt exhausted

and “I am too old for this”. I stop and remind myself …..

My grandmother learned to swim in her seventies, took clog dancing and entertained the ‘old folks’ at the ‘home’. Both my Grandfather and Grandmother walked every day, gardened, baked, drove and kept active all day. My Grandfather was never ‘too old’ to do anything. When he became ‘too old’ was when it was ‘his time’ at 86 years.

We may find ourselves exerting more energy than normal and being reminded of it from the sore muscles or back ache. We may find out that trying something new may be too much to handle at first. We will never be too old for anything as we take care of our bodies and minds with warming up with daily active living.