Are you like me?
I have always been active, but I never played organized sports. I joke that if an inanimate object is involved (balls, bats, clubs, racquets), I’m in trouble!
I was always better with activities that involved just me and my own body – swimming, walking, running, dancing – and while I wasn’t a superstar in any of those activities, I did enjoy them. In fact, when I first started running, I couldn’t even run a ½ mile without stopping to walk! Gradually, though, I worked myself up to the point where I could run 5 miles in 45 minutes when I was in my 50’s. I think that’s when I realized that I could train to become better even though I was older.
Not a Gym Person
Eventually I had to stop running because of knee issues and I began to look for other forms of physical activity that didn’t involve balls, bats, clubs, etc. (see above!!). I found various workout videos that I could do at home, which I preferred because I am not a “gym” person, either!
I couldn’t believe how much stronger I was becoming. Before the videos, I was starting to have trouble getting out of bed without rolling on my side and propping myself up with my arms. I also noticed that when I drove, I didn’t seem to have the same ability to twist to check for rear and side traffic. After the video workouts, I was back to “the way I used to be” with those types of movements. By this time, I was in my early 60’s.
Trying a Personal Trainer
In the last several years, though, I noticed I wasn’t pushing myself past a certain plateau. I was stuck using 5# dumbbells and still not performing some of the “advanced” movements on the videos.
Because I wanted to stay as fit as possible for my home responsibilities (see About section), I decided to start going to a personal trainer, Jesse Kepka of Elevate Fitness. I don’t train with Jesse to be able to compete in physical challenges – I do it to stay healthy, move and feel better, improve my posture and balance (to avoid falls). I can’t believe the progress I’ve made in so many areas! I continue to get stronger head to toe and to be able to do much more than when I started. I can lift more weight, balance better, and move more easily. It reminds me of how I worked my way up to running multiple miles each day, but now I’m entering my 70’s!!
Why I became a personal trainer
Our bodies are amazing intricate masterpieces of the Creator. They were designed to move throughout our entire lives, not just our younger years. With just a small amount of effort, we can make great changes in our bodies, no matter our age. That’s what motivated me to become a personal trainer – so I could help others see results like I did.
What would you like to be able to do again?
If any of my story sounds like your story, and you want to feel and move better so that you can enjoy life more, play with your grandkids, get back to your golf game, or gardening, or whatever you love doing, reach out to me. We might not be able to change the number of birthdays we mark, but I know we can invigorate those birthday celebrations!