Secrets to Late-in-Life Health and Vitality
By: Julia E Hubbel
Tags: Healthy Aging, Fitness, Life, Aging, Health

Deposit photos

Secrets to Late-in-Life Health and Vitality

A treatise on getting your sh*t back together at sixty

Getting old sucks.

Getting old is magnificent.

Who’s right?

Well, as with all things, it depends.

Part of it is whether you and I are fully engaged in life, which includes eating well, taking care of our body’s need for work, have friends, and a purpose. I would add the seat to that four-footed stool: a GREAT sense of humor. And kindly, regular stools.

Kindly if you don’t find that shit funny, and getting old is, find another writer.

Photo by Analise Benevides on Unsplash

For one simple reason: the older I get, the funnier I find most things, even the awful stuff that befalls me. That is a super power. It’s honestly the only one I have. Interestingly, anyone and everyone has access to it. And damned few of us develop it. But here’s the hint: boy does it keep you youthful.

There was a wonderful cartoon some years back. Three guys sitting on a bench. These days, that would be a Gen Zer, a Millennial, and forgive me for skipping a Generation (kindly, Xers, you’re not quite there yet). They’re all smiling to themselves and thinking.

Young guy’s thought bubble:

I got so righteously laid last night.

Millennial’s thought bubble:

I ate such a great meal last night.

Boomer’s thought bubble:

I had such a good shit last night.

The secret to life, if you don’t mind my simply trying to make a point, is that again, with all things, it depends. If you don’t want to be the old fart whose entire life revolves around relieving himself, read on.

Robert Roy Britt wrote a great piece that I think really speaks to the reality that so many of us, as we approach our later years, face:

I loved that he spoke so personally and was willing to reveal his challenges. That humanizes his story and it really emphasizes how unique each of our journeys can be. Since I write on this topic, and I very much walk my talk, I wanted to both acknowledge and expand on some of his points, especially for those of you who are, like Rob, barking at sixty, past it, or hold out little hope for ever being able to get out of your La-z-Boy recliner without the help of a crane.

Photo by Damir Spanic on Unsplash

At 67, I am a lifetime bodybuilder, some 46 years. I do NOT look like this guy. Nor should most folks, because this kind of look, while completely appropriate for the competitive aspect of the sport, is only paid for with extreme drugs, extreme dieting and unbelievable commitment to the gym. I am gobsmacked at how many men and increasingly women assume on one hand that they should aspire to this kind of look (NOPE) or that by lifting a two-pound dumbbell they will suddenly sprout muscles like this (NOPE).

Fit is as unique as a fingerprint. Functional fitness, which is a very reasonable goal that we can all aspire to in some way, is a very different matter entirely. That’s what Rob is after, at 58, as he rides bikes with his son and changes how he eats and exercises to accommodate his lifestyle and his aging process.

I have been stick thin and obese, as my regular readers know. At 31, I worked hard to dump some 85 pounds. With the exception of about the last 16 months including quarantine, I have kept it off. I’m now back to pre-quarantine weight, but it was due to stress and illness. I don’t recommend those.

But still.

It’s not about the weight or being thin. Again, it’s about being fit.

Photo by Peter Conlan on Unsplash

Rob writes:

Though we can’t outrun time, the more we try, the more we huff and puff or lift and bend, the better we feel and the greater the odds are we’ll spend a few more years on this planet — and be healthy during that time. Exercise prevents the brain from shrinking. It keeps the heart healthy and cuts down on the risks of, well, practically any bad medical condition you can think of. It even improves sex.

Physical activity is so good for the body and mind, experts say it should be prescribed by doctors.

This is so obvious and so oft-repeated that one writer barked at me in a popular piece of mine…

…that I was effectively writing about cliches. Okay. Cliches. Eat well, exercise, blah blah. Cliches?

Really?

Look, the stuff works. Yet very few of us do it, particularly later in life, and end up bitter and angry and pissed off and resentful that our bodies let us down.

No. We let our bodies down. We let ourselves down. For your body, my body, is incredibly well-designed to not only stay the course but to do it pretty damned well (that is of course barring accidents, disease or illness, which we can’t always control).

People fail spectacularly. I’ve done it myself, and like Rob I also climbed back out of that hole.

Age is not the bad guy here. Kindly, age alone is NOT responsible for the shape you’re in.

For those of you who would like a little inspiration, the simple and gorgeous truth is that no matter when you begin, no matter how old you are, you will reap benefits. There is no “I’m too old for this shit” when it comes to moving more, eating better and finding your funny in the dumb stuff that happens when we get after it.

So, with the absolute commitment to bloody well Make Your Day, I am going to hijack some terrific stories from the comments on the above article. I am so overdue to thank these good people, and the best way I know how is to share their successes with all of you. (Note: some posts are edited for various reasons. I want to stay on point here, and some folks I can no longer find on Medium, but I list their comments anyway).

Joseph Geary:

And we’re consistent. Fitness is a daily choice, not an afterthought. To my younger male colleagues at work, I counsel— “treat your body like a cathedral, not like a frat house.”

Lawrence DeVore:

Two more tips:

Learn to tell a niggle from an injury. Work through the niggle and see if it goes away. Stop at first sign of an injury to fight another day. Just because you have an injury doesn’t mean you do nothing. Devise some exercise for the non-injured part of the body until the injury is healed.

Jeffrey D. Pulis:

...At 69 I just danced in five performances of contemporary dance at my local University, with 20 something dance majors. Never letting myself get out of shape was the key.

Steve Burton:

...My wife and I have been working together to practice similar strategies as older adults and it has been tremendously rewarding and satisfying for our health, well-being, and our marriage. We’re very engaged in social and ballroom dancing which not only keeps us physically and mentally fit but expands our social experiences to a broader and diverse group of people with similar attitudes....

Stephen Moon:

...I’m 62. Last year was my best year for miles on the bike. This year I’m working with a trainer on mobility and core strength. Keeping it fresh and being open to experimentation. Age isn’t a blocker, although the mind can be if we wash along with stereotypical views of being sixty and over.

Maxine Rojas-Saunders:

In a nutshell,not taking care of our bodies is similar to when we have anything new — car, shoes, clothes — and we don’t maintain them it falls apart. At 60 I run faster than I ever have, deadlift, for now, 150lbs, sprint hills; however, I do cover up the grays. In all fairness, I am quite genetically lucky in that I have a wide range of genetic make-up (English, Irish, Indian and Sub-Saharan) that my skin is that of a 20 year old. ...I have been preaching this for years.

Ted Jones:

I would like to put in a word for moderation. Mountain climbing and marathons are all well and good but if you just do a steady 25 minutes of cardio and some resistance two or three times a week you can stay in good shape without having to devote your life to this. At 67, my part-time work is physically demanding, so I keep in good shape but don’t kill myself. I’m in as good shape as I’ve ever been.

Timothy Stebnicki:

started working on my health when I turned 19. Diet, intermittent fasting, exercise, building my intelligence. The key is not to think about whether you want to or can but to just do it from the moment you think of it to the moment you die I’m 26 but I’d look 18 if I shaved. Start early for better life long results.

cecile anderson:

Yes! At 66, I have been practicing. Vinyasa and Iyengar 5x/week for close to six years now. Feel great and have (probably genetic) more endurance and strength than many of the 20 somethings in class with me. As I work towards more complex asanas, I stop myself sometimes and ask why — I’m old! Then I continue,doing what I can without pushing and striving to be better in my practice. I can almost stick a handstand and I’ve added strength training to 3–4 of my mornings to improve my yoga and to be well-rounded. Got a 200-hour teacher cert now,too. Will keep it up as long as I can!

Jim Gerlitz:

As a 77-year-old who hits the weights or the elliptical five-six days a week, I agree wholeheartedly about the importance of keeping our bodies in shape, as well as our minds.

Teresa Shank:

Warren Buffet has perhaps the best advice for young people on taking care of our bodies. He illustrates it perfectly with this analogy: “Let’s say that I offer to buy you the car of your dreams. You can pick out any car that you want, and then when you get out of class this afternoon, that car will be waiting for you at home.” Buffett says there’s just one catch: It’s the only car you’re ever going to get…in your entire life. Ah, if I knew then what I know now…but I wouldn’t trade my wisdom for my younger body. I will be 65 in a few weeks and have never been happier. I am amazingly healthy and my encore career is tai chi instructor. Life is unbelievably Excellent! As long as I feel great, keep your scans away from me.

Cynthia Wylie:

... I fast walk (sometimes run) eight miles a day. I work out with weights almost every night. When not in quarantine I do other sports as well. I eat a mostly plant-based diet and haven't had meat or fish or eggs for ten years. I am 61. I am also a type 1 (juvenile) diabetic. Obviously, I have to take insulin or I will die in 48 hours. I have more energy than most people even though I probably get sick at least once a day from my diabetes. (Either high or low blood sugars). It drives me crazy that there are type 2 diabetics out there who could cure themselves by losing weight and just moving. I actually wrote an article here on Medium, “Why Aren’t You Running?” I call myself the healthiest sick person I know ha, ha, and it is all from what I eat and how I push my body.

Indra Raj Pathak:

Age is count of years, no concern with power and stamina. Our mindset and habits make us lack lustre and infirm.

Joe Hefferon:

Those of us over 60 who work out hard (I’m competing in numerous obstacle course races this year) need to accept that although we can’t compete with 25-30 year olds, we can push ourselves much harder than doctors would endorse. I agree with the others; I don’t often go to the doctor and I certainly don’t take diet and exercise advice from men 20 years younger than me with 40 inch waist. Older athletes can push beyond culturally imposed limits, but we must be smart and incorporate all the knowledge available about nutrition, sleep, HRV, mechanics, physiology, and the architecture of exercise. Thanks for publishing this. I’d love to see more like it.

Marty Johncox:

I am 54 and I cycle 150 miles a week and lift weights 3 to 4 hours a week and run an hour a week or so. That’s about 12 hours a week of serious exercise. In 2016, I lost 80 pounds, going from 250 to 170, and I’ve kept it off through diet and exercise.

Gae:

We need to change the perception of what aging IS, and what it most definitely ISN’T.

Cheri Collins:

At 74 I’m still a big fan of activity and strength. I have a set of dumbbells — used to have Bolinger Starlock set of free weights but they took up a lot of room. But I have to add a warning about stairs. I have arthritis and my excellent rheumatologist (best doctor I ever saw) warned me that stairs are not a good exercise if one has arthritis in a hip. Do something else.

Sydneyhom:

Get a medical exam head to toe, and especially blood work from a doctor or clinic before starting an exercise regimen, especially if you are over 50. Lots of outwardly fit people drop dead from heart failure, and the man who virtually invented the jogging craze in the 1970’s, Jim Fix is a case in point. It is therefore essential to get your diet right as a second step, after the medical exam. Statistics show that Western diets clog arteries, so if you are not eating mostly plants or don’t wish to become a Vegetarian or Vegan, I suggest that you eat mostly plant food and be careful about avoiding known risk foods like processed meat, cheese, and fatty meat and meat products. Watch the film “The Game Changers”, if you believe that an elite athlete needs lots of meat and protein to perform. Happy trails…

Walter Adamson (recommended reading for fitness tips past fifty):

Over the last 20 years, I’ve had many discussions with others our age about doing more exercise. It seems that human nature is not to act until we are hit by an external shock.

You mention setting a big goal, which is what I could call an aspiration purpose and is what I believe is the secret to consistency. That’s a great way to set people on the path to better health.

Even I failed to look after myself until I diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, more than 20 years ago. That was a blessing as I am now super fit and healthy. The external motivation morphed into internal motivation. At 70 I started trail running, and love it. I write a lot about fitness after 50 on my blog.

Cathy Jones:

I just turned 60 and have never really exercised and I now have a tricky back sometimes no pain and sometimes lots of pain. But I refuse to give up believing that things can get better and I can be more active and have less to no pain.

Arthur Vibert:

I’m 66. 4 years ago I weighed 235 pounds, ate poorly, drank too much and didn’t get much exercise. Now I’m at 180 and have been for the past 3 years. I don’t drink, my diet has improved dramatically but it is sustainable as well and I get a LOT of exercise, between high intensity interval training, lifting and lots of hiking. I don’t take any medications. So many people I know who are my age are winding down and I feel like I’m just getting going!

Jeanie Mayer:

Thank you for sharing and especially for including the photos of the body builder who began at age 59! I agree with your view of living well and aging well. I too avoid the doc, prescriptions and prefer a holistic view on health. There is so much we can do to live young.

Julia Goldstein:

...I’m with you, even though I’ve got some years before reaching 60. I completed my first Olympic distance triathlon (after many at sprint distance) and my first Ragnar relay this year at the age of 52. It’s time to set new goals for 2020.

Rick Armbruster:

I exercise 6 days a week for about 250 minutes per week with my anchor, my elliptical. I do hand weight exercises plus, planks. I am retired from the job for pay world. I agree to a point about doctors. I go once a year for a physical and once per year for comprehensive eye exams. I inherited high blood pressure, high cholesterol and emerging glaucoma genes from my mother. I manage the first two with medication. I have borderline pressure in both eyes but so far no eye drops. I am 70 years old and qualified for two life insurance policies with a preferred plus rating in 2019 and preferred plus again in 2020 just after the insurance company had resumed writing policies following a 90 day pause because of C19. The agent told me he has never had a life insurance application approved for P+ for a person my age in his 25 years as a life agent. Life is more than the physical though. I tend to spiritual matters. I read too. The bottom line is I use doctors for their diagnosis and question their recommendations for medication. There is a mind body connection for overall health. For me spiritual health is vital. Finally, I keep mentally sharp with word puzzles.

Aslak Larechibara:

I'm much younger, but I find this very inspiring. It does feel wrong somehow when people seem to discount older people as though we should be done with most of our living by the time we're 30. I aspire to be healthy enough to keep living fully until the day that I die.

David Hall:

Former British Royal Navy; now 61 1/2 ;-) I, like you, have maintained my health and fitness using diet and exercise. I am thankful that I have that mental strength and positive attitude that the RN instilled into me, although I have always had that outlook and absolutely need my outdoor life. My only problems come from having to adapt my lifestyle to suit my arthritic knees, which no amount of diet and exercise will cure. Unfortunately my running and climbing activities are on hold whilst I wait knee replacements. I still cycle, swim and gym most days of the week, my diet can be better and your article has given me that motivation to sharpen up on that.

PACKWING ADMIN:

Start before you start: Doing pushups, crunches, scissors, bridges or wipers in your bed. Set the limit low, that there is no excuse to do it not. Go to the max. from time to time. Have a full breakfast with natural ingredients or something made from natural ingrediants by yourself (e.g. pancake). Push your body once a day to the limit for a few seconds (e.g. by doing jumps or a high knee running). Prepare your meals from natural products, learn cooking if necessary. And and and... Most important at the end: Embrace life, be optimistic about the future, have an optimistic mindset, be creative. This article started with a military context, I end my comment with a military one: You go in a war to survive. Beyond 60 this is the war with yourself. Or: Die young, but as late as possible.

First, thanks kindly for all your personal journeys. I think it likely speaks a great deal to many of our readers who have hit mid-to-late middle age and are saying holy shit, is that all you saved for your retirement??? (that’s an old “Granny” Playboy cartoon joke).

At 67 I can do 100 men’s pushups, and so can my Medium buddy, Dr. Rosenna Bakari, who is 57:

Yes, it takes work and consistency.

Life isn’t ONLY about physicality. However, taking care of ourselves as we age not only pushes decrepitude way way back, it better ensures vitality and joy.

Many of you may know I recently moved; that required that I pack, lift, stack and organize thousands of pounds of boxes, and lately, with one hand down. You cannot do that without work.

I love work. Perhaps even more importantly, I love what work gets me: endless energy, enthusiasm, and above all, options. Like the commenters above, they are carving out options.

Finally for all you Medium writers who forget how much your readers know (which invariably is a LOT more than I do), I hope you get that your readers are smart, savvy, well-informed, competent and capable. When they share brilliance, I hope you link to it, elevate it and share it, if for only one reason alone:

That’s worth celebrating.

Photo by Persnickety Prints on Unsplash

My sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of you who have sent me your stories, that inclues you Katie Andrews, and there are too many to research and list here. To all of you I heartily salute your courage, your determination, your attitude and your willingness to do the work. I am deeply honored you share your journeys with me for they remind me how much we all need each other.

Sawubona to you all. I see you.