My godparents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on June 1st (which is also my wedding anniversary – 12 years) and I was unable to be with them for the celebration. I spoke with my godfather on June 2nd, and wished them well.
I mentioned to my godfather that I saw the photos on Facebook and that it looked like a very nice celebration. One comment that my godfather made that I will carry with me is that he said, “I look old, don’t I?” I told my godfather, that you look the same, just a little older. He went on to say, “I have gotten bigger and that I have a stomach. It’s what they call the old age spread and when you get older it’s harder to keep off the weight because you’re not as active.”
I told him, that he was right, but I also wanted to say more, but he was convinced that an old age spread is normal and there is nothing we can do about it. Well, I am not convinced that we cannot do anything about an old age spread or weight gain as we age. If we want to change something we can and nothing or no one can stop us, except for maybe ourselves.
This brings me to the topic of this blog post. I am in my early 40’s and I am not one of those women who is ashamed to tell her age, but I find that after moving past 40, stating my age is not important. What is most important to me is being fit in my 40’s and reaching my fitness goals.
I do not believe that anyone has to settle for the old age spread and think there is nothing he or she can do about it. I know that if you want your body to be fit, that you can do it and age really does not matter, all that much.
The above photo is a photo collage of me sharing with the world how this 40 something year old woman has started forming arm muscles. How in the world is a 40 something year old woman developing muscles in her arms? She is putting in the work, time and the effort that it takes. If you want something bad enough you will find a way to make it happen.
If you think that you are too old to get fit, then you are probably right, but you should also know that age is only a number and that you are only as fit as you think you are.
Below are some points that you should keep in mind:
1. Getting fit is not just for younger people it is for everyone.
2. You are only as old as you feel and getting fit helps you and your body feel good.
3. Exercising and moving your body makes you feel good and it boosts your self-confidence. I sure don’t mind showing off my arms these days.
4. You do not have to accept the old age spread. Yes, old age spread happens, but you do not have to hold onto the old age spread. Let that kind of thinking go and do what is necessary to melt the old age spread away. Get active!
5. Stop thinking that as you age you are supposed to be bigger and fatter. Look ahead and see yourself being fit, fine and fabulous.
6. Being overweight and having fat around the midsection can lead to other health issues. Getting fit benefits you more than you will ever know.
7. Stop saying you do not have time for exercise. You find time for everything that matters to you, surely you can find the time to take care of your body.
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn
YES! Getting healthy is never about age. YOu may not be on the cover of some fitness mag but you don’t need to be! ANY improvement in your fitness will come back to you 10 fold with your health!
Hey Erin,
Thanks for stopping by and chiming in.
So true, but some people think that they are too old to get healthy and fit. I wished people would not think like that, if only they knew. 😉
Improvement and progress is what matters most. Love your feedback!
Take care,
Hi Evelyn,
I’m sure the most common reason to avoid exercise is that I don’t have time for it. But you rightly said we can get time for all important things so we should consider exercise an important element in our life.
Hi Bharat,
Thanks for stopping by and chiming in!
Yes, time is important and if fitness is priority, we can find time to exercise.
Have a great day! 😉
Congratulations on your wedding anniversary!
Hi Trinity,
Thank you!
I see you are chronicling your Daniel Fast and that’s a good thing!
Best wishes.
Amen and Amen! Thank you for sharing. I don’t mind eating right, but when it comes to exercise, I have to make myself do it. I just started the 21 day Daniel Fast, and I am making exercise an important part of these three weeks. Yesterday was tough, but I worked my way through it! Thanks for the encouragement. I really like what you said in #7. Keep up the good work!
Hi Trinity!
Exercise is a challenge. I find that if I think about the end results, I am more likely to put in the time and effort it takes to reach my goals. That’s motivation to get off my butt. 🙂
Congratulations on starting the Daniel Fast. The first few days are tough, but after you get past that you will do fine. All the best to you and have fun doing it.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
As we age, getting fit becomes MORE vital, not less. And for the record, you are a youngster! Nice arms! The only function that we cannot train to improve with age is reflex time. All other physical aspects are trainable – endurance, strength, agility, speed, balance, flexibility and such.
Hi Kymberly,
Thank you! 🙂
I appreciate you sharing areas the that are trainable. Very helpful and encouraging!
P.S. You have an excellent podcast on Voice of America. I was able to listen to an archived show and enjoyed it. 😉