Fitness After Fifty: Staying Young

The Fountain of Youth

• So, if I were to make an offer that if a person wanted to stay young and healthy and better looking for a much longer length of time as they age, all he or she had to do was watch a certain video for 30-45 minutes, 4-6 days a week and maybe bump it up to an hour once a week.

What do you think? How many would take me up on that? If it was guaranteed to keep a person younger longer, how many people would make time to fit in a 30-45 minute video 5 days a week?

You think maybe 70%? 80%?

Oh, and what if I added that taking the time to watch this video would also keep the mind sharp (and even make it sharper) and probably ward off alzheimer's?

How many people would find the time then? 90%?

I mean, really, can't a person squeeze 30 minutes or so out of a day to watch a frickin' video if it means they'll look better, feel better, stay younger, and keep--and improve--their mental acuity? If it means they will live longer? Possibly quite a bit longer?

I'm pretty sure most people would go for it. Hell, I could make a fortune selling that video!

But what if I said instead that they needed to spend that time exercising? Somewhat vigorously if possible, but any type of decent exercise or activity will help, even walking.

How many then? 40%? 30%? 10%?

I bet most people would now say they just don't have the time or energy to do that or, yes, they will, but not right now, probably later.

Video--""Great, I'll start today!" Exercise--"Maybe later, when I have the time."

Here's the problem--time is always running out. It's flying by like a freight train! Even more so, it seems, as we get older.

Exercise fights aging. Period. Here is one study that supports that: Exercise is the best anti-aging treatment.

How about keeping your mind clear and strong? Is that important to you? Here is a study that shows exercise maintains or improves mental capacity and even staves off alzheimer's: Alzheimer's research--exercise can protect the brain.

There are other studies, lots of them. Google "aging and exercise" and see what you find. The evidence is pretty overwhelming: the only "fountain of youth" is exercise.

So--excuse me, Nike--Just Do It! Get active and make fitness a part of your life, like eating or sleeping. If you're older, its never too late, just get started (check with a doc first if you haven't done much in the way of exercise). If you're young, don't wait, add fitness to your lifestyle now and stay young even longer.

I've said before that you need to "steal time" to exercise, so figure out where you're going to steal it from--work, home, family--you gotta steal it from somewhere so you can add it again on the back-end of your life. Pretty good trade-off if you ask me.

If you can steal time from work that's great--working out at lunchtime, taking walks on your breaks, etc.  You can steal a little bit more from your family if you need to. They would be glad to sacrifice the time if they love you, because it's an investment in your health and well-being, not to mention that you will have more energy to do things with them as you get older and will be more acitve and able to participate in family outings and trips and activities.

Steal time from the television or video games or the computer. Find the time, take the time, make the time.

It's right there, been there all along--The Fountain of Youth.

Jump in, damn it!