To all my sisters who have reached the 50-year milestone, congrats! To all my sisters who, like me, have been inducted into the 60+ Club, hallelujah! We know God is Good!
Trying to stay fit and healthy seems to be more of a challenge for me as I age. It seemed easier when I was chasing after young children and maintaining a busy household. I have noticed a slowing down as I age. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just takes more time to do some things. I often say, “It’s not bad getting old, it’s just damn inconvenient”.
The month of May is dedicated to fitness! I want to share my morning fitness routine. For me, fitness means more than exercising. For me, it means listening to my body, stretching, meditation, and making healthy meal choices. I have not always listened to my body. When I was younger, I didn’t rest when I was tired. I ate the wrong foods, drank too much soda, and survived off of too many High School lunches. You know, chips, soda, and a candy bar.
All of those choices began to catch up with me as I approached 50. I was smarter and realized if I wanted to live a good, productive long life I had to make some changes. I also began to have health issues, first….. it was blood pressure, then, it was my knee. My vision changed of course, and there were digestive issues. I was determined to be better to myself. I began to listen to my body. It’s still hard for me to rest when I’m tired. I am a work in progress. I drink more water. I don’t jump out of bed. I choose more vegetables, salads, and smoothies.
Over the last decade, I have developed some strategies that help me move more smoothly through my day. One thing that became very important to me was stretching. As my mother used to say, “ you are not a spring chicken.” I cannot jump out of bed and start my day.
I begin to stretch while still in bed. I unfold my body. If you sleep like me, in the fetal position, unfolding is a must! I have slept like a pretzel, so I start by stretching out my legs. Practicing slowly breathing while extending each leg as far as I comfortably can. I do the same thing with my arms. Slowly, remembering to breathe, I extend my arms over my head.
I grab the headboard for a little more stretch. Then, as I lower my arms, I flex my hands, rotate my wrists, and wiggle my fingers. While sitting on the side of the bed, I begin to rotate my head. I lean my head towards my shoulder and try to hold it for 30 seconds ( I’m not always successful). Sometimes it’s painful to hold for 30 seconds so I don’t. I do the same on the other side. I move my head up and down and side to side. There is plenty of cracking and popping, let’s be real. As long as it is not causing me pain, I continue to stretch it out. The last stretch I do before hitting the floor is stretching my legs. I just extend my legs straight out as far as I can then reach for my toes. Can I touch my toes, absolutely NOT! That is not the point. I can feel my back loosen up, and my hips open up. I rotate my ankles and move my feet up and down and wiggle my toes.
This whole stretching routine takes me 10 minutes or less. While I am stretching this is a great opportunity to speak to my Heavenly Father. I thank God for the angels He sent to watch over me and my family. I praise Him for having me once again on the Wake Up List. I glorify Him for His goodness and mercy that will follow me all day. When I am done, I wash my face, grab a bottle of water and enter into thundering prayer.
What I am saying sisters, is that fitness is more than trying to fulfill some goal someone else has said you need to meet. As an older sister, I know how important it is to have a renewed mind and spirit to get me through the day.
I realize the importance of drinking plenty of water. I am grateful for the movement of my body, so I start by treating it well each morning. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time. It doesn’t have to cost anything. It just takes caring for your body in a better way. I hope what I do to start my day motivates you to begin a routine that lets you be fit well past 50. I want to age with a healthy body, a renewed mind, and a sanctified spirit, don’t you?
Remember…you can always call your sister~ 💕
