Senior stress wreaks havoc on our health, whether it’s fear- or reality-based. Right now, with the spread of corona virus disease, seniors need to protect themselves even more from excess stress. We need to preserve our immune system and stay as healthy as possible…. Do you wish you could boost energy? Like many seniors, in the last few years I’ve experienced a loss of energy. Where’s my mojo? Where are the moments of child-like wonder and unbridled enthusiasm? What I didn’t know was that a lot of energy drain is due to our… One of the things I noticed after turning 65 was a noticeable drop in energy. Have you noticed senior energy loss? I used to be a whirling dervish in the mornings especially after a couple of mugs of coffee. Coupled with an ambitious, competitive drive, I prided… Diets? So much information, so little time. And so much misinformation! What stands out above all the other eating regimes is the KetoFLEX 12/3 protocol for brain health. When it comes to your brain, don’t be misled by dieting hype on the Internet. Along with…

My perspective on strength training for seniors changes each year. Over the last sixteen years I’ve been a senior I’ve learned something new about exercise and fitness everyday. Admittedly, when I started prioritizing strength training, my motivation was to keep a trim body to not look so old. Now I strength train for health reasons. I don’t want to lose anymore muscle than is inevitable.

But as any aging senior will tell you, the challenges to maintain levels of everything shift with each year! Sure, it would be nice to lose fat and gain the trim muscular shapes of youth. But the biological realities are that we lose muscle with each year of aging even when we’re active. In spite of this, it pays off to work at strength training to minimize this muscle loss, no matter what.

Strength Training When Weak or Ill

For my husband, who’s been an athlete all his life, his motivation was to keep up his strength, and to maintain his competitiveness in sports, especially compared to others his age. Today, he exercises gently to minimize the loss of strength from chemotherapy. A different goal for sure, but one that will pay off when he finally achieves remission.

We wrote about our fitness journeys in our book War on Aging a few years ago, proclaiming that when seniors make fitness a priority, they don’t look look anything like their ages, nor do they experience a lot of chronic degenerative illnesses that are common to aging. Fortunately, being fit and healthy when one does come down with a serious illness plays a large part in how severely the disease strikes and contributes to quicker recovery or remission. This has played a key part in Rob’s treatment for multiple myeloma. His cancer numbers are descending into the normal ranges, and we hope to achieve remission.

Back to Basics Strength Training

This week I stated rereading a book published in 2006 called Strength Training for Seniors: How to Rewind Your Biological Clock, by Canadian fitness trainer and physical therapist, Micheal Fekete. This expert has included all the reasons exercise is important for aging well, but also a lot about lifestyle factors, motivation and examples of how to go from a beginner to competently fit. I’ll repeat the book blurb here and then I want to highlight why I found his fourteen-year-old book relevant for all seniors at any age today. It’s been helpful to me.

Regular exercise can reduce a person’s biological age by 10 to 20 years, and the key to exercising effectively is maintaining and increasing strength. A higher level of strength also improves immune systems, helps prevent age-related diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis, lowers stress, and increases mental acuity. Written by a master athlete over 50, this accessible book offers specific exercises for improving health and fitness, tips on maintaining and increasing mobility and motor skills, nutritional advice, strategies for stress management, and worksheets for personal strength training schedules.

Now 2006 isn’t that long ago, but in a world of social media full of trending diet and exercise fads, it seems ages ago. It’s not at all out of date, it’s back-to-basics information for people of all ages. It isn’t wrapped up in any current jargon, just scientific evidence, stories of successful aging seniors, and photos and drawings that do a good job of entry-level positions and forms for total fitness.

New Thoughts on Strength Training 

What I’ve learned about strength training for seniors is that it isn’t a straight line curve going from beginning levels of fitness to more advanced. If you were to trace a line from where I started working out as a senior and where I am today, you’d find a line that looks more like shark’s teeth. It’s up and down. The line would reflect periods of surgeries, recuperation and rehab, illnesses and recovery, pandemic restrictions, travel and moving dates, and hospitalizations of one treasured husband. Sometimes shark’s teeth, sometimes roller coaster.

The line representing senior fitness levels doesn’t always achieve an ever-increasing peak of strength. It varies for body parts. But like everything in a senior’s world and time-line, it doesn’t ever stop. It’s either climbing, staying the same, or going downward. We know there’s an end point even though most of us manage with a smile, humor and denial.

That’s what authors of fitness books forget when they inspire seniors with things like: “You will build muscle quickly and be healthier and stronger. Set your goals, check them off, just do it.”

Strength Redefined

While I agree, they aren’t aging seniors. Things (life!) become more challenging and complicated. One word can save us from excuses: persistence. No matter what, do what you can. There’s always a way to exercise your body to minimize loss of strength. Not easy but possible. Don’t let the realities of aging let you fall into the trap of using age as an excuse.

Maybe we need to look at “strength” and be more realistic. If you’ve fallen out of the habit, it’s okay. Start back with the basics and do what you can. Do something everyday until you get back your enthusiasm. Stay in the game, even if you change the rules to suit your current situation. You are worth it!

Here’s an excerpt from our book on the War on Aging and why it’s important for seniors to not give… It’s been some 25 years, but I still remember turning 50. I thought of that the other day when I read a fun quote by the inimitable Mae West: You are never too old to become younger. Not everyone buys into the belief that after a certain age you can become… You think getting fit at 40 was hard, it’s even harder to start a senior exercise program. Exercising when your joints ache and you’ve got limited mobility and strength isn’t fun. At least not at first. But it does get better with practice and time…. Ageism is rampant. Nobody likes to be treated like an “old person.” In the U.S., there are examples of blatant ageism in hiring for jobs and other situations. As seniors, it’s insulting when someone treats you like you can’t hear or understand… Do you get enough sleep? Many of my friends complain about not being able to stay asleep for eight hours. And sleep is apparently more important for people over 65 and 70. Few of us have developed healthy sleep habits. Who knew that being retired and having less to do…

What’s on your gratitude list today? If you’re like many of our senior friends, you may feel profound thankfulness that you can participate in simple everyday life, still active in ways not expected in our grandparents’ and parents’ generations…. What are your favorite winter activities? Do you enjoy a swim in a warm, lap pool? Hot yoga? Here in Arizona, it’s not so much of a problem, but outdoor activities are a challenge for seniors living where temperatures are unusually cold and snowy. Here’s a… Are you wearing a personal biotracker? A current example is a smart watch or a fitness device. For seniors in the next few years, we will wear innovative biosensors that signal early detection of disease and monitor health concerns. Depending on your age and health… How do you feel about a cool, crisp morning? Do you find it invigorating, or would you rather hibernate? What about those frigid, winter mornings? I’m inspired by seniors who say “no” to winter weather woes. How do they do it? Rob and I have been… As if heart disease isn’t enough, kidney health for seniors is becoming a major focus. How many seniors are aware of their level of kidney health? I certainly wasn’t, until recently. We know the importance of monitoring cholesterol and blood pressure…

When my husband Rob and I rescued a little bundle of a fluffy white puppy, we had no idea of the joy she would bring us. The cats, on the other hand, well, they were indifferent but marginally tolerant. Since we didn’t know how old this little puppy actually… We were saying how lucky we’ve been to have had the COVID-19 virus without any symptoms. But we spoke too soon. We’ve been introduced to the mysteries of “long-COVID.” Two weeks after testing negative for COVID-19, my husband felt like he couldn’t… This is a strange week for us, as I tested positive for the COVID-19 virus eight days ago. I’ve rewritten this post so many times. COVID-19 can kill people. It’s particularly dangerous because many people are symptom free, don’t even know they’ve… Ever since turning sixty, my husband Rob and I have been taking better care of ourselves. It pays off, even as we still have to deal with the inevitability of growing older. The big goal—as we now see it—is to extend our “joie de vivre” as long as we can…. How are you? Really? How sure are you that you’re aging well? Stop guessing and start aging well with biotrackers. One of the things that super seniors excel at is using biotrackers. Like many seniors, you may wake up with sore joints, an upset stomach, or skin… It can be hard to take advice and learn to express gratitude. How often do you listen to someone who criticizes you? Right, me too. I shut them out the minute their voice hints they’re going to tell me I’m  wrong. Who needs it. But I remember one day 35…

Ever since turning sixty, my husband Rob and I have been taking better care of ourselves. It pays off, even as we still have to deal with the inevitability of growing older. The big goal—as we now see it—is to extend our “joie de vivre” as long as we can…. It can be hard to take advice and learn to express gratitude. How often do you listen to someone who criticizes you? Right, me too. I shut them out the minute their voice hints they’re going to tell me I’m  wrong. Who needs it. But I remember one day 35… Do you wish you could boost energy? Like many seniors, in the last few years I’ve experienced a loss of energy. Where’s my mojo? Where are the moments of child-like wonder and unbridled enthusiasm? What I didn’t know was that a lot of energy drain is due to our… Are you getting enough Vitamin D? This is a key element for senior health. Until recently it was overlooked. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin that we metabolize after sun exposure. Now research tells us it’s not only good for strong bones but is a major… Are you an active senior who experiences a lack of energy and drive in the afternoons or evenings? After lunch, many of my friends wonder where their “get-up-‘n-go” has gone! For myself, it’s a challenge to maintain energy as the day turns into… Seniors experiencing memory loss often worry about dementia and brain disease, but not everyone needs to. Senior moments may be a part of life as we age, but it doesn’t mean we’re on the road to Alzheimer’s. New research is clear that memory loss may…

What causes aging? If we knew how and why cells start aging, science might be able to stop or at least slow it down. We know that older people get chronic diseases before they die. But instead of curing each illness, could it be possible to stop aging itself? One of… Should you be worried if your total cholesterol is over 200? Your doctor may have told you that you’re at high risk for heart disease and you must take a statin medication. But there’s controversy over cholesterol and heart disease. And doctors are… If you think it’s too late to do something about your memory, you are wrong. You can improve your brain health and build new neurons as you age. What’s the secret? Exercise and good diet, of course. To me, that’s a small price to pay to keep your… When Rob decided to write a book about the War on Aging and senior fitness, I jumped on board as quick as a bunny rabbit. There are only a few things I know well enough to write about with passion. One is fitness and health. The other Big Important One is staying…

It can be hard to take advice and learn to express gratitude. How often do you listen to someone who criticizes you? Right, me too. I shut them out the minute their voice hints they’re going to tell me I’m  wrong. Who needs it. But I remember one day 35… As exciting as it is to buy a new house and move, it’s hard on senior health and well being. I can personally attest to the fact that packing and moving are major risks to aging well. My husband Rob and I moved to Arizona this year after living in Mexico for 15…

I wish there was one specific fruit or vegetable that knocked out viruses like the PAC-man game. Even better, it turns out there are at least 15 foods that help with virus and flu protection. Like many Americans, Rob and I are self-quarantining because of the corona… I know many seniors who want to live longer as long as they don’t get sick. How do you slow down aging and reduce your risk of chronic diseases? Scientists are on the verge of discovering more tools for living longer, and you’d be surprised how easy they… Have you been curious as to why some of us age more quickly than others? If there are different rates of aging, shouldn’t we know what the causes are so we can put the brakes on? It turns out science knows a lot about how to slow down aging. This series of blog… If you ask scientists what causes aging, you’ll probably get several different answers. Longevity experts are exploring different theories of aging in pursuit of answers. The most popular opinion seems to be that we don’t die of old age, but of diseases….

Are there any tests to show how well you’re aging? I like to have data, so I can track progress or problems and apply preventative steps. Just  having a good BMI and a normal blood count isn’t going to tell me if I am aging well. Or what I need to do to… Almost everyone knows what it’s like to have brain fog. As a psychologist, when I hear this expression, I want to know more. Because it can mean different things to different people. Here’s a sample of descriptions clients have told me when they experience brain… If you want to prevent brain drain—the rate at which your aging brain decays—exercise and good diet are crucial. If you eat  inflammatory foods devoid of nutrients and full of refined vegetable oils and sugar, you accelerate aging. Junk food = junk brain. A… Judging from the proliferation of Internet buzz, people are trying out plant-based diets. Science supports the benefits of eating mostly food from plants, but it’s confusing to understand. Plus, there’s a lot of hype about the different diets and which are…