Who's Going Up the Incline with Me?
It feels like everything I hear is about how things go downhill with aging. Age related decline has become an all too common assumption. What assumptions are you setting yourself up for as the years go by? Do we just assume the age related changes are par for the course or just as one might expect.
How do you feel about age related Birthday cards? Are they funny because there is a grain of truth to them? Do you find yourself saying, “It beats the alternative!’ Receiving an “Over the Hill” Birthday card generally starts at age 50 and should stop there if you ask me. Birthday cards with pejorative and ageist messages are reinforcing the acceptance of our decline - albeit sugar coated with humor. These types of birthday cards portray older adults overstating memory loss, exaggerating physical decline, and depicting unrealistic sagging body parts.Do we buy into the message that as we age we are not as attractive as we used to be and are no longer interested in sex?
A lot of these messages aren’t so funny when you consider that disease processes’ start decades before they are noticed and that by the age of 65 one could be dealing with multiple issues affecting their health and quality of life.
I’m curious as to why so many people are living a lifestyle that includes habits that will over time take a toll on their health. I believe we all want to feel good on the inside and out and yet are paralyzed by thoughts, actions and habits that promote disease, not prevent it.
When are you going to start taking aging seriously? You should and you can change significantly if you put in the time and consistency. Your thoughts, actions and habits may be limiting you and holding you back but the time is now, and I say “It’s not negotiable.” Taking care of yourself, your health and setting yourself up to be the strongest version of yourself as you age is of utmost importance.
Modern society is witnessing the deterioration of our physical structure on such a wide scale that forward head position has actually become the new “norm”. More people have this posture now than have normal posture.
- Dr. Yoni Whitten
I’ve made it my business to change the way we age as a personal trainer and aficionado of lifting loads. I’ve done this for the last 20 years, so for me it's what I do for a living and what I do for myself. I often share with clients that we are looking at a 30 - 40 year plan if we are fortunate and you are already 60. Do your own math: Changes you make that are sustainable will move your health in the right direction over the years. I love the challenge and the hope that we can grow stronger as we age. Living a lifestyle that embraces knowledge, choice and sustainability of those choices is bringing my aging process to one of incline on different levels, not decline.
Have you heard of Posture Prolapse Syndrome?
This is a newish term now being used to describe the deterioration of one’s posture.
These postural related changes are occurring earlier in life because changes in our technology require a lot more sitting and flexed neck positions leading to “text neck syndrome.” Our environments have changed at a quicker pace than our evolutionary selves. We know sitting, technology, and processed foods are not going away soon. As our world becomes more automated, “Technology will out-power our biology,” says Dr. Darian Parker, PhD and IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year. We must ask ourselves daily whether our actions and habits support our individual goals. We are fighting anthropological and psycho-social challenges that are working against us in all aspects of the health paradigm.
Could we be happier as we get older?
Yes! We earn the years in our life. If we do the work and learn from our life experiences can we be more accepting of ourselves and others. Dr. Lara Aknin, a distinguished professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University and co-editor of the World Happiness Report tells us, “In North America, particularly in Canada and the United States, the old have started rating their life satisfaction as being happier than the young.
One key ingredient to happiness is to have important goals that derive from one’s values, and to make progress toward those goals. So improving your lifestyle habits works toward our overall happiness in the making. How wonderful is that? There are many areas of our health we can make realistic, achievable goals from. Starting with change that is sustainable long term, scalable in terms of magnitude, and timely will all set you up for success. Short term, outcome focused and unrealistic timelines that will not set you up for success that we need to avoid. I think most of us have tried and failed this way a few times.
“In North America, particularly in Canada and the United States, the old have started rating their life satisfaction as being happier than the young. -Dr. Lara Aknin, a distinguished professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University
Lifestyle Categories for Goal Setting
Where are you now? How do you want to change the way you age?
Exercise for Metabolic and Heart Health
Strength Training
Joint Mobility and Core Work
Mindset/Stress Management
Sleep Hygiene
Improve Nutrition
Alcohol and Recreational Drugs
Small habit improvements in areas that you can control is a great place to start. Looking at the areas above, can you pick one and then set a goal for yourself that meets the criteria of being sustainable long term, scalable in terms of magnitude, and timely.
Below are examples of actions (small or micro habit) improvements from the Lifestyle Categories I listed above. These are behaviour based so the change you make builds success towards your longer term outcome goals such as improving health and Incline Your Aging. These are general suggestions. Have a look at what you can do and need to do.
Exercise for Metabolic and Heart Health
Ideally 5 -7 days a week you are doing cardiovascular based activities such as walk, hike, bike, or swim for 20 - 90 minutes. Can 1x a week be something harder? (Longer, faster, steeper?)
Action: Schedule your cardio sessions into your calendar as you would an appointment with a medical specialist.
Strength Training
Aiming for 2 - 4 sessions a week depending on intensity and goals. Join a class, get a strength training program to do at home or join a gym. Training programs can be short and sweet or longer and more comprehensive. What will work for you?
Action: Dust the weights off or buy some to get started.
Mobility and Core Work
Maintaining and improving your joint mobility and core is essential to building strength safely and not being limited in your activities. Take a movement longevity class to learn how to roll and release tight muscles with foam roller, sticks and balls on your own. Even 10 minutes a day dedicated to joint health really adds up over time. This is more than just stretching!
Action: Start with your ankles. Email us at admin@sheilahamilton.ca and we will send you a mobility routine for your ankles. I picked this first because having ankle mobility reduces the risk of falling.
Mindset/Stress Management
Music, Journalling, Reading, Breath-work, Meditation and Counselling. What have you tried? Have you been consistent enough to feel the results of a calmer nervous system?
Action: Lie on the floor and slow your breathing rate down. Try breathing in and out through your nose for a few minutes.
Sleep Hygiene
How’s your sleep been? Quality sleep is imperative for good health. Consider consistent bedtimes, cooler temperatures, darkness, and reducing electronics before snooze time. Develop a routine and shut your system down so your body can get to work on restoring your systems for the day ahead.
Action: Your body temperature has to drop 1-3 degrees for falling asleep so ensure your room temperature, covers, and clothes are not keeping you too warm.
Improve Nutrition
What can be added in to improve your nutritional profile? Are you eating enough fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans? What diversity are you getting into your mixture? Are you eating different foods with lots of colours? Improving your diversity will improve your gut microbiome.
Action: Look through the produce section at the grocery store for different items that you can add to your salads this week. Diversify: Look to see what’s on sale and organic if possible.
Alcohol and Recreational Drugs
Reduce or eliminate? Where are you at and what about these substances can be scaled back? There is good research showing that sleep is affected. Are these substances being used as coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety?
Action: If going a few weeks without is not realistic or scalable for you then start with one day. Whatever time frame you can start to abstain is where you start. Observing the changes in your mood and sleep will help support further work in this area of your lifestyle habits. Please seek professional help for assistance in reducing your usage if you need to.
I want to challenge the training and health world to think beyond ageism.
Age is not a limiting factor in gaining strength, and although your mindset, knowledge level and time management might be, this is where coaching can help. It is our job to help you become a stronger and healthier version of yourself. Registering for classes and/or booking a private session keeps you accountable and lets you grow your strength in all aspects of your lifestyle with realistic actions.
I suggest we change the way we age with an Incline mindset.
Let's raise the bar on our health as we progress through the decades ahead by looking closely at ourselves. There are so many decisions surrounding our fitness and health that can be confusing and difficult to adhere to. I repeat: It’s my belief that becoming stronger is not negotiable. It’s foundational for our health outcomes. Keep working on your daily actionable steps to become a stronger version of yourself and redirect your aging to one of Incline with no age old assumptions holding you back. I'll see you on the Incline.
Written by: Sheila Hamilton Copyright May 2024 Written without AI tools.
Reach out to us: admin@sheilahamilton.ca
At the Movement Garden we hope to provide practical suggestions and support in our classes and private sessions for improved wellness so we can all move, feel and live better. Consult a physician before starting a new exercise program if you have medical issues.
Lift Your Spirits, Cultivate Your Health and Grow Your Strength with us soon.
References:
Personal Notes taken while attending a combined conference between the American College of Sports Medicine and IDEA Personal Training, Chicago Feb 22- 26, 2024
Dan Levitt: It's time to stop buying ageist birthday cards
Article from the Gerontologist
Older Americans Are Getting Happier -1
