Senior Fitness
Physical Activity is Beneficial at Any Age
by Jim Evans
DEAR JIM:

I have enjoyed reading your column for many years, but I have to admit that I still haven’t followed your advice about exercising regularly. I guess I’m just a natural-born couch potato. Besides, at 73, I think I deserve to be able to slow down and smell the roses. What good is exercise at my age anyway?

— DISILLUSIONED IN DES MOINES

DEAR DISILLUSIONED IN DES MOINES:

What does age have to do with it? Apparently, you have been reading my columns but not listening to the message — shame on you! You are NEVER too old to benefit from regular exercise and there is no such thing as a natural couch potato.

According to Dr. Roger Landry, a preventive medicine specialist, "The findings from the research on aging are not lukewarm on this issue. ‘Use it or lose it’ is an effective and powerful approach to maintaining physical, mental and social function in older adults, no matter what impairments or disabilities they might be dealing with." Moreover, "the strength training studies from Tufts University showed dramatic increases in physical function in 90-year-olds — many in wheelchairs!" ("Living Life to the Fullest: What Does Successful Aging Really Mean," The Journal on Active Aging, International Council on Aging November-December 2003).

Do you remember the Oscar-winning movie "Unforgiven" with Clint Eastwood? There is a scene where "Little Bill" (Gene Hackman) is lying on the ground mortally wounded and looking up at the notorious William Munny (East-wood) and says, "I don’t deserve this — I was building a house!" Eastwood’s character looks down at him and says, "Deservin’s got nothin to do with it," and calmly finishes off Little Bill. So, even though you might think you "deserve" to smell the roses at
your age, it is your health and quality of life that determine whether or not you will be able to truly "smell the roses," and exercise can significantly contribute to both your health and quality of life. Deservin’s got nothin’ to do with it!

Perhaps Dr. Landry says it best when he says, "Successful aging is not about being safe, preparing for death or avoiding all risk. Successful aging is about living as vital a life as possible, i.e., at the highest level of functioning."

"There are few things that you can do that have a more profound effect on more bodily systems than exercise. When you exercise vigorously, every system revs up: metabolic, biochemical, hormonal, temperature regulation, function, cardiovascular respiration. We were meant to be active animals — it’s our natural state. By being sedentary, we put ourselves in an unnatural state," says Dr. Stephen Blair, president and chief executive officer and director of research at the Cooper Institute in Dallas.

Remember, exercise doesn’t have to be a formal "workout" to be effective. Even something as simple as a 30-minute walk two to three times a week can make a difference. As fitness guru Jack LaLanne, 87, says: "Just keep moving!"

Jim Evans is a 36-year veteran of the health and fitness industry and a nationally recognized consultant on fitness for seniors. He is also host of the radio talk show "Forever Young" on San Diego’s KCBQ 1170 AM at 10 a.m. (PST) on Saturdays.