Have you heard the saying "you can't train an old dog new tricks?" I often think this is how we view many things in life. Whether we're talking about our body, our children, our spouses, or even our own silly habits - we begin to believe it's just too late to change. Well, that's not true.
I'll be the first to admit change it hard. We are all creatures of habit in some way or other. Most of us sleep on the same side of the bed every night. We sit in the same section at church Sunday after Sunday. Even when I walk with my mom, I am always on the left and she is always on the right. We've even committed on how awkward it is when we start off walking on different sides - as if there was a right and wrong side to walk on.
The fact of the matter is humans don't like change. We are so stuck in our ways we begin to doubt our ability to change - and fitness is no different.
Most people don't realize how moldable we really are - especially physically. As we age and watch our body go down hill it affects us mentally. Then we let our emotions and thoughts talk us out of believing we can teach our body any new tricks.
In reality, our body's situation is not going down hill just because of the aging process but it's going down hill because a lack of use. As we age we quit doing things we used to do. When we were young we were active by choice. Then when we have kids our children keep us active whether we want to or not. Unfortunately though, once we are left alone, with no kids to keep us moving, we tend to fall in a trap of complacency and relaxation.
After years of being the soccer mom or little league coach I'm sure it's tempting to just say "ah" and relax. However, since we don't have something, or someone, forcing us to stay active we have to be more intentional about our activity. The solution is exercise.
Studies prove seniors can still get stronger and lose body fat with diet and exercise, despite their age or experience. Studies also show exercise can help prevent muscle loss which is another side effect of a sedentary lifestyle.
Exercise even helps maintain good joint health and prevents functional decline. Since many slip and falls are caused by muscle weaknesses and tight muscles, exercise can help prevent many injuries too.
In a nutshell, don't believe the old adage about teaching an old dog new tricks. No matter how old your body feels, exercise truly is the fountain of youth and your body has plenty of tricks left - it's just up to you to train it.