How Strong and Fit Will You Be in Your Retirement Years
How's this for a sobering thought? How would you feel if you had worked for upwards of 50 years, are really looking forward to retirement but in the end your body fails you? You may not be able to take that trip you always dreamed of, or play golf like you thought you would.
Play golf, swim, hike, exercise or just work around the house - maybe? Or even if you don't plan to be that active in retirement will your remaining years be upset by chronic back or hip pain or you have a nagging disability that demands much of your time, money and attention? Even worse what if you fall victim to some serious disease or illness that threatens to cut your life short? If you have left all of this to "Lady Luck" or in the "Lap of the Gods" you could be in for a big shock.
Years of inactivity combined with work commitments and family obligations being given top priority may mean you have neglected to take care of your physical functioning and therefore your health and wellness.
There is no getting around it, without exercise all of the essential elements of functional fitness will decline as we get older.
But it is not the passing years that are the problem but the inactivity that is to blame.
Much of what was earlier thought to be just a natural and inevitable result of the "aging process" research has now proved to be the negative result of a sedentary lifestyle.
Exercise becomes critical as we age to keep our body and mind functioning at a level that allows us to accomplish all the things we have planned to do after we retire.
A body that doesn't function well and hurts is an intrusion in our lives.
If it hurts when you go to pick something up off the floor or go up or down stairs it sucks the very life force out of you.
Even if retirement is years or even decades away, it may pay to ask ourselves the question - "am I doing what I can to assure a functional future for myself? Where does my health and wellness fit into future planning?" Just as we prepare for our financial future, we need to plan and prepare for our physical wellness and take steps to ensure our future is disease proof.
What we do now has an incredible impact on our health and wellness later in life.
Unfortunately, many of us focus so much on the present, just getting through the day, then the week, that we don't even consider how our exercise decisions will affect us down the road.
What our goal should be is a strong, fit and functional body that doesn't hurt, one that can cope with any activity that we wish to do.
So, don't think of it as "Oh well, I am just getting older I should be taking it easy" as it is "I sure am getting lazy I need to get myself moving, get myself motivated and participate in a proper exercise program".
An exercise program that incorporates strength training not only benefits us today, but it is an investment in our future.
If you are living your life now just moving from bed, to the desk, to the car and to bed again you are inviting movement and health problems down the road.
This sobering fact should give us all a kick in the pants and spur us all into action.
Play golf, swim, hike, exercise or just work around the house - maybe? Or even if you don't plan to be that active in retirement will your remaining years be upset by chronic back or hip pain or you have a nagging disability that demands much of your time, money and attention? Even worse what if you fall victim to some serious disease or illness that threatens to cut your life short? If you have left all of this to "Lady Luck" or in the "Lap of the Gods" you could be in for a big shock.
Years of inactivity combined with work commitments and family obligations being given top priority may mean you have neglected to take care of your physical functioning and therefore your health and wellness.
There is no getting around it, without exercise all of the essential elements of functional fitness will decline as we get older.
But it is not the passing years that are the problem but the inactivity that is to blame.
Much of what was earlier thought to be just a natural and inevitable result of the "aging process" research has now proved to be the negative result of a sedentary lifestyle.
Exercise becomes critical as we age to keep our body and mind functioning at a level that allows us to accomplish all the things we have planned to do after we retire.
A body that doesn't function well and hurts is an intrusion in our lives.
If it hurts when you go to pick something up off the floor or go up or down stairs it sucks the very life force out of you.
Even if retirement is years or even decades away, it may pay to ask ourselves the question - "am I doing what I can to assure a functional future for myself? Where does my health and wellness fit into future planning?" Just as we prepare for our financial future, we need to plan and prepare for our physical wellness and take steps to ensure our future is disease proof.
What we do now has an incredible impact on our health and wellness later in life.
Unfortunately, many of us focus so much on the present, just getting through the day, then the week, that we don't even consider how our exercise decisions will affect us down the road.
What our goal should be is a strong, fit and functional body that doesn't hurt, one that can cope with any activity that we wish to do.
So, don't think of it as "Oh well, I am just getting older I should be taking it easy" as it is "I sure am getting lazy I need to get myself moving, get myself motivated and participate in a proper exercise program".
An exercise program that incorporates strength training not only benefits us today, but it is an investment in our future.
If you are living your life now just moving from bed, to the desk, to the car and to bed again you are inviting movement and health problems down the road.
This sobering fact should give us all a kick in the pants and spur us all into action.