There is so
much emphasis on dieting and healthy eating as you start to age, but other than
mention the need to exercise there is very little prescription. Perhaps that is because we have to eat daily but we don’t have to exercise, so it is easy to just
veg out in front of the computer or TV.
Some people
try the gym; but that requires the effort to daily dress and travel, and a cost
that is prohibitive - and very few make the gym a lifetime option for
exercise. Some people buy DVD or TV
exercise programs – but most people won’t stick with these.
As an octogenarian,
I’m in pretty good shape. I have good
upper body strength. My arms don’t sag,
I can tighten my pecks, and though I am somewhat overweight (205 lbs. – I would like to be about 180) I can even
crunch my stomach muscles.
I have posted
about this before. For about the last ten years I have (pretty
much) daily worked out for 15 minutes on a Total Gym.
About ten
years ago I bough mine through Target.
I have the Total Gym 1400 that
now cost about $250. There is the Total Gym Optima that is just as good as
the one I have that you can get online of $180 – there is no need to spend more
than this.
 |
| Optima |
I have mine
set up in the room with my computer and first thing in the morning I drink a small
glass of orange juice to replace electrolytes and then spend 15 minutes on the
TG and 5 min. meditating. I do my
exercises without a break in-between so there is an aerobic component in my
program.
During the
summer I mow the lawn and take care of post-winter maintenance; and during the
winter I snowblow my drive, shovel where needed and haul firewood for the wood
stove. Sometimes I try to walk a couple
of mines on the road in the summer time – but fine it boring after a
while. But the Total Gym is easy,
available, quick and effective.
People that
read my blog know I don’t advertise products, but when I find something I like
(slow cooker, bread maker…) I post about it.
Strength is
so important as we age. If you are retired,
aging and sedentary you might consider a Total Gym for a daily fitness routine.
the Ol’Buzzard
