Positive Aging and Brain Fitness

Beginning a New Chapter

Waking up on my 65^th Birthday was very special. As I have addressed, my gift to myself was joining a greatest loser competition at our Wellness Center…and our team is currently in the lead. As of this morning, my team contribution is a loss of 18 pounds in four weeks. Physically, I feel a little stronger every week and slowly rebuilding my stamina. In spite of sore muscles where I did not remember even having muscles, I feel better than I have in years.

I am clearly the elder of my team of losers/winners, and see an incredible potential in the fitness industry for those operations wise enough to address the aging of the marketplace. The staff at the Wellness Center which is coaching us is fantastic and supportive. However, my observation is that they lack an understanding of what motivates older consumers. While there are numerous exceptions, most of us do not want to become marathon runners, extreme sports enthusiasts or hard bodies. In fact, I view my membership and class tuitions as a very affordable form of insurance policy.

My second gift to myself was returning to the world of being a self-employed entrepreneur. I have proven without question that security is something you create for yourself. We left SD over 10 years ago to seek the security of a paid executive position with benefits etc. I discovered the definition of security was being downsized twice and having a third position eliminated after a corporate buy out. Last June, we decided to return to our roots in SD and have had absolutely no regrets. Just before leaving Florida, I joined the “virtual team” of a startup brain fitness company called NeoCORTA, which has been an educational and rewarding experience…the entrepreneurial fire was rekindled. I have also recently landed a couple of consulting jobs that have been incredibly rewarding.

At 65, I honestly feel no different than I did at 30, 40 or 50. Hopefully a little wiser; but I certainly do not feel “old;” whatever that is supposed to feel like. I am excited about the next chapter and looking forward to what is not so much an encore career as it returning to my professional roots.  

Getting in Shape

After two weeks of workouts at our Wellness Center as part of a weight loss program, I can testify without any hesitation whatsoever that it is way easier to get out of shape than is it is regain the lost ground. My nutrition education has also improved and played a role in a 5 pound weight loss for the week.

I now have a new appreciation for what a full body workout involves. For the past year, I exercised on an elliptical machine for 60 minutes at least five days a week. While good for my heart, I was building strength in a very limited muscle group. As we age, we need to become much more conscious of building both upper body and leg strength...and my knees really needed some work.

There are three groups of 10 participants in this program of which I am easily the elder. There are a couple of participants in their early 50s and the balance are in their early 30s...my children's age. There is no difference in the workouts conducted by personal trainers twice a week. Our coach is very understanding of the age difference and frequently encourages our team to listen to their bodies. However, the educational component of this program could use some work.

What has occurred to me in the past two weeks is what an incredible opportunity there is for similar program for adults 60 and older. We are not interested in becoming hard bodies; but are very interested in how to maintain lifelong independence, cognitive well being and shedding some pounds. Wellness Centers are missing  a huge window of opportunity, and income stream, if they continue to ignore this age group.

Time for Better Choices

When I wrote Choice & Changes, detailing prescription was easy. After completing my first week of the diet and exercise challenge and weighing exactly what I weighed the week before it was time for reflection. First, it occurred to me that I should have titled the book “Good” Choices and Changes.

Sadly, I thought everything was right on track. No booze, exercising an hour a day and diet food. Well, I had salad for dinner three different evenings. Of course, it you just eat lettuce you can have all the chucky blue cheese dressing your want…NOT. I guest the same goes for Caesar dressing as well.

On the plus side, I am feeling better and challenging my body in new (painful) ways. I am a long way away from running a marathon, but am totally committed to getting the job done and not letting my team down. Next week will be a different story.

Beginning Chapter Two

Today I became eligible for Medicare. Oh, I still have 25 days before reaching that generally accepted age 65 portal to old age, but have clearly opened a new chapter. So, I felt it was time for some reflection and life planning. I have written one book on the topic of positive life planning and quickly came to the conclusion that it is time to start practicing what I preach…for successful aging one needs to focus on all the domains for wellness; not just a few.

Coincidentally, my wellness Center announced the start of a “Greatest Losers” program this week.  As a birthday present to myself, I joined one of the three groups of masochists beginning a 10 week journey toward wellness. We meet twice a week to work out with a personal trainer, take nutrition classes and are expected to exercise on our own at least 5 days a week. I am committed to helping my team achieve first place in this competition, but more importantly, I am committed to getting the physical domain of my life in order.

To be honest, I think the last time I was really in shape was just prior to heading for Viet Nam in 1970. While I have been working out an hour a day, 4 to 6 days a week for a year, I am not in shape. My first discovery this week involved a whole bunch of muscles that had been participating in that effort. I now  have a new appreciation for why more adults in their 70s and 80s do not jump right into fitness programs to rebuild upper body and leg strength.

My intent is to track my progress here while also addressing lessons learned in all of the dimensions of well being in this new chapter of life. I am sore but motivated to meet and achieve my goals so stay tuned. I am hopeful that I can use this experience to also help me understand how to advise other older adults to pursue wellness.