Pushing 60 Aside

This is the final episode of the Pushing 60 Aside podcast. All 5 years of the podcast will continue to be available on Spotify, Apple, and other platforms.

Join me for a 30-minute brisk walk!! Let’s think about staying physically fit for the next 5 to 10 years!

In truth, I have to push myself. I don’t always feel GREAT…not that I feel bad, but perhaps my motivation is a bit low. So, in middle age, I have to navigate through my own limitations, aches, and pains. I have to be realistic in choosing what I eat, how I exercise, and how I medicate or treat injuries and inflammation.

These days, you hear the term “best practices” quite a bit! This applies to how those of us merging into our senior years should examine exercise, diet, mental heath, and taking risks. Everyone wants a fighting chance at having GREAT senior years — fewer injuries, fewer illnesses, MORE bucket list activities, and simply FEELING like doing THINGS! Fortunately, you’re in the driver’s seat for most of this. What are you actively doing to give YOURSELF a fighting chance at great senior years? #seniorfitness #seniorcitizens #livingwell #eatinghealthy #seniorfun #AARP #seniors #exercise #lifestyle #mobility

What does it take to live to a ripe old age? Are there simple truths that can make a difference in longevity? YOU BETCHA! Let’s talk about some of those truths!#seniorliving #oldage #seniorfitness #AARP #aging

How well are you taking care of yourself on a daily basis? If you had to give yourself an honest assessment, would you get passing grades in areas like nutrition, sleep, productivity, recreation, physical activity, and following your doctor’s recommendations? Maybe this podcast will help you think through these areas! #seniorfitness #seniorliving #aarp #aging #healthylifestyle

Even everyday life can be overwhelming in middle age! I’ve had to master a skill set of acknowledging when I’ve reached my limits in several areas — mentally, physically, and emotionally. I’ve had to address my priorities: Am I too busy, too obligated, too stretched? If so, how do I preserve myself? My sanity? My body? My health? How do I preserve the prospect of awesome years as I age? #seniorliving #Health #seniorfitness #mentalhealth #overwhelmed

Ever felt like you had too much stuff? Are your closets overflowing? Can you actually get your car in the garage? Do you spend a lot of time searching for things? Are you leaving a nightmarish estate for your family to sort through? THEN, this is a good listen for you. #decluttering #seniorhealth #seniorliving #retirement

If not now, when? At what point do you realize you’d better do something more…something better…something different—that is, if you really want to have great senior years ahead of you? If I could rewind the clock, I would have started taking better care of myself when I was in my 40s, but no…I was too busy. Fortunately, I turned things around and got back to a place of health. #seniorhealth #exercise #fitness #seniorlife #health #middleage #arthritis

Here’s a brief conversation with my friend (Tim Colvard) just two days before his 95th birthday.

Really! Are bad habits the behaviors that result in less than favorable results in our health? Why is breaking a bad habit so tough (especially where diet is concerned)?

Join us for a talk about oral health as we age with Kathleen (my wife), a Registered Dental Hygienist with 35 years of patient care under her lab coat! This interview may answer some questions you have about your teeth, dentures, X-rays, and dental care. I’m very appreciative of her for helping with the podcast as I venture into having guest interviews. #dentalhealth #seniorhealth #fitness #healthcare

What if you did things to keep your brain (metaphorically) running on all cylinders? What if you did things (tasks, skills, projects) that you’ve never tried before? What if you took a class?

Sadly, we can only accommodate so many seniors in our exercise program—mostly due to lack of space, funding, and equipment. In fact, I count on a certain level of absenteeism to prevent the current classes from being overcrowded. Some seniors begin classes, but drop out due to sickness, surgeries, or family obligations. Once they drop out, it’s hard to get them started back again—and now, I may not have room for them to come back. The hardest thing for me is to turn someone away who wants to workout, but short of getting a bigger facility and/or additional instructors, that’s exactly what I’m doing right now. This conundrum has no easy fix. Who would have thought it would ever be hard to get a spot in exercise classes as a senior citizen?

Ahh…yes! That window of decision when we choose to be active in the pursuit of exercise…exercise that helps us stay ABLE to do life and to do it well. In this podcast I discuss this short window of decision making — AND, embracing the choices that we KNOW will help our physical, emotional, and mental health.

Let’s think about ways to stay committed to regular exercise that really work…exercise that’s doable, repeatable, and doesn’t leave you in a disabled heap of aches and pains. Exercise that is trackable and actually does your body good should be scheduled and done like clockwork. In truth, the first entry into any type of exercise that’s new to you should be done gradually to prevent excessive soreness and injury BECAUSE the ultimate goal is for the exercises to be sustainable. YES, our bodies require a period of adaptation, but if we’ll stick with the exercise for a few weeks excessive soreness becomes a thing of the past. If WEIGHTLOSS is a goal, tracking your food and drink intake with a food log or journal SHOULD identify areas in your diet where healthy changes can be made. The LEVEL of commitment is ALL on YOU; the decisions are yours. The penultimate goal is HEALTH. Join me on FACEBOOK by searching for Papa G’s Fitness—my private group.

No, I’m not talking about body fat (the proverbial junk in the trunk), I’m talking about reducing the clutter in our homes…you know, “STUFF” that we just don’t use or actually need — excess — duplicates — broken items — outdated things (Do I really need to keep all those DVDs and my iPhone 4 charger?). What if cleaning out drawers, cabinets, garages and workshops helps make our homes safer? What if getting rid of all the excess clutter reduces anxiety and depression? This podcast is just me…sharing what we’ve been doing for over a year now. I’m telling you — it’s very liberating! Listen in!

In this podcast, I share the assessment method I use as a SAIL (Stay Active & Independent for Life) Instructor. As you listen, imagine yourself taking these three assessments. Featured are: TUG (Timed 8’ Up & Go), Bicep Curls in 30 seconds, and Sit-to-Stands in 30 seconds. For bicep curls, 5# for women; 8# dumbbells for men. These three assessments give us a fair evaluation of a participant’s agility/balance, upper body strength, and lower body strength. Each participant will see how he/she compares to other seniors his/her age across the US. Having administered these assessments to hundreds of seniors at this point, I believe it is a fair method and provides a valid baseline for future assessments in 6-month intervals.

Got a plan? Is it realistic? Does it promote your physical, mental, and spiritual health? Will the upcoming years be harder, doable, or difficult? This episode dives into the basics of doing reasonable things to stay active and healthy.

This podcast was unplanned. Personally, I detest New Year’s Resolutions. So, let’s not create traps for lofty goals that generally end in failure. Let’s plan (instead) to take better care of ourselves in 2023 — to look at three things: Our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. (Oops! I called this year 2023 towards the end…mistakes happen, but you know what year we’re ending and which year is coming!)