 Get fit now to have a better life later
We all have our reasons for working out. We want to look good. We want more energy. We like to feel strong and fit.
Recently, I was reminded of perhaps the ultimate reason for working out: real, long-term, fitness and strength.
My workout buddy Carol's mom, Setsuko, aged 76, recently fell and broke a hip. She is recovering quite well, but I'd like to share one of Carol's observations.
As you might imagine, Setsuko needs to use a walker to get up and down and to maneuver herself. Carol was watching the difficulty her mom was having using her arms to move her body.
She told her mom: "That's why Amy and I workout regularly, so that if we need it, we have upper-body strength for things like this."
I remember watching my own mother before she passed away. She also had a broken hip but had a much more difficult recovery. Her legs were very weak, and because she couldn't get up and around much, she suffered chronic pneumonia. Her illness took place near the start of my own weight-loss journey and gave me immeasurable motivation to stick to it.
We all hope to live to a ripe old age. But we also hope to have quality in that life. Sure, it's nice now when those jeans fit well, or we can keep up with the kids or grandkids.
But once we understand that healthy living is a lifestyle, a change for a lifetime, it becomes a part of us. So, the next time you are having difficulty feeling motivated to get to the gym, picture the life you hope to have in a couple of decades (or more) and remember that it's never too soon to start working toward that goal.
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