Fitness For Revolutionaries

I thought the title sounded way cooler than Fitness For Middle Aged Folks. Disclaimer: I am not a revolutionary, I am not a fitness or nutrition expert. Therefore, everything I say is open to dispute. Pretty much everything I say is open to dispute regardless of the topic.

We spend quite a bit of time dissecting and pruning and processing the elements that make up our spiritual/intellectual selves in order to determine where we fit and how we can make our small contributions here but not much on our physical selves.

Verbal and physical agitation takes some stamina, flexibility, and strength.

Too often talking about exercise or attempting it feels a bit like this….

Some of us have gotten on an off the exercise wagon so often it feels like a merry go round of gloom. A recent minor health scare sent me scurrying to the doctor for a “well woman” check up to find out an old chronic and relatively but very manageable problem had popped up again. Of course, I have insurance, something that is becoming regrettably a bit like a status symbol instead of a human right.

Many middle aged people have fantastic excuses for not exercising. I am certain I have used every single one of them. I don’t have time. I am not good at anything. I will look silly exercising. I am never going to be a size 2 anyway. All the people in my family are bigger. Can’t fight genetics. Where do I start?

Aerobic exercise. Yeah. The thing that raises your heart rate, makes you sweat, gives you tomato face, ruins your hair. Your fantastic sex life does not count toward this either, although please do not read this as a dismissal of your fantastic sex life. Glad you have it, keep on keeping on.

The Mayo Clinic seems to think you should exercise 30 minutes every day. I find them rather credible about health issues, but search for yourself about what a variety of experts recommend. It varies somewhat, but what you won’t find is any experts saying you shouldn’t get any aerobic exercise. If you have not engaged in any regular exercise for some time, get clearance from your doctor.

The benefits of exercise are rather overwhelming. But it can be an intimidating commitment. Gym class for many brings back memories of bullies, teasing, and torment. If you happened to be gay, artsy, weird, invisible, or just plain uncoordinated in middle and high school, jocks are usually recalled as being sadistic idols who got away with treachery and who were worshiped slavishly the way reality TV stars are today. In other words, why would I/you want to be like them. Simple. You and I aren’t. I was a semi-jock, but too weird to really be accepted. Nobody harassed me, but I wasn’t invited to their parties either. No big loss was my opinion, even then. Cast aside whatever negative perceptions you have of sports, athletes, your own failings in those arenas and find an activity you like. Doing something you like will increase the likelihood you will stick with it. Don’t run if you don’t like running. If finding 30 minutes all in a row is too difficult, the American Diabetes Association thinks it is perfectly acceptable to try it out in ten minute chunks. Actually, it might be easier for a newbie to do that. Thirty minutes might sound daunting right now, but three 10 minutes sessions, heck you can do that!

Wait. There is something else you can do for yourself. Lift weights. Yup. It doesn’t matter how old you are there are still benefits. Lifting weights can assist even those in their 80’s by helping to maintain lean muscle mass. In a practical sense, lean muscle mass helps you engage in your activities of daily living without becoming too worn out. If you’re keen on building muscle mass, why not visit steelsupplements.com to learn about how supplements may help you in your fitness journey. Even if you’re not using supplements, you should still get a great result if you’re working hard in the gym. Weightlifting has functional applications: it will be easier to tote that pitchfork, march endlessly, lug the kids, grandkids, dogs, and groceries. You increase bone density,joint flexibility, and manage weight by lifting.

There are some helpful hints about weight lifting offered up by the mayo clinic. I enjoy it. When I am deeply embedded in a physical activity my mind flows all over the place. It has a serenity, a spiritual essence that reminds me that I am in a body. A body that is mine, and quite frankly I’m proud of my body. And these feelings are doing wonders for my motivation levels. I just want to push on and make more of a difference. As my friend also told me, it’s the perfect excuse to look for some men’s workout pants because if I going to start exercising again, I want to look good doing it. Who wouldn’t? So, I guess this activity does have its perks after all. But I already know even once I am re-committed to exercise, I am never going to be the perfect size 2 or 4, I will still have some flab and I still won’t be any taller than I am right now. I like the idea that my body when in good condition can support me during mental and emotional trials and propel me into the world.

Given the dramatic rise in obesity rates here in the United States and the shocking reality that about two thirds of Americans are over weight and one third are obese I can’t help but wonder if our physical passivity and our consciousness passivity toward being able to impact our political and social worlds are connected. None of us are going to look like super models or those weird puffy steroid muscle behemoths that win body building competitions if we strive for better fitness (though we may get some help from buypeptidesusa products if that’s what we want) but we just might have the physical stamina to match our idealistic ambitions of shaking the foundations.