Embracing the Fitness Lifestyle
By vishwa on Health, Inspiration, Training
June 25, 2018
Today I met a senior citizen who is 75 years old. He is my older brother’s friend. They shared a similar hobby–photography. My brother was an avid wildlife photography enthusiast. So I knew this man for several years, as he used to visit my house to heartily converse with my brother about their cherished interest. However, the topic of discussion today with me was about fitness. He knows that I run a gym. I sensed that he didn’t believe in getting fit within four walls, so a gym didn’t satisfy him. The environment in a gym is restrictive. He probably felt claustrophobic.
Those are his views, but I respect him for being fit at this ripe old age. Whenever I meet him he is always outdoors—walking his way to health. I have seen him walk long distances. However, I don’t believe that walking as a sole exercise adequate for younger people. I have seen numerous people, as young as in their 20’s, who treat walking as the be-all and end-all for fitness. But, I understand this older man’s limitations and realize that he is doing what is best for his age. (Although I know that weight training would be a better choice for him to maintain his joint health and longevity).
Imagine my surprise when he said that weight training was indeed the savior for the elderly. Not only that he also suggested that practicing yoga would be good. He added that his elder brother who lives in the US had been embracing resistance training for many years. He said that it is also important for everybody to stay fit and healthy by embracing the fitness lifestyle. He felt nauseous, as he said that the present generation could not care less about physical activity, and that they continued to mindlessly gorge themselves on junk food. He went on to say that his family members were concerned about his daily walking and suggested that he should not venture out because of his age. He had no intention of discontinuing his daily walks, and so rebuked them saying that it was those daily walks that had actually helped him to stay alive and healthy. He then asked my age. When I told him that I was 42 years old he was extremely glad to know that I still followed the fitness lifestyle. He had the deepest respect for people who pursued such a lifestyle.
Embrace the iron. It can be a lifesaver.