Ageing is a privilege, not a predicament.
Do you sometimes look to the past to bemoan what you no longer have in the present?
I used to have defined abdominal muscles and I used to be able to run a half marathon
That was then. Now my core is strong but nicely insulated by some menopausal abdominal padding and I can manage to run/walk 5kms at a slow steady pace.
But I feel very satisfied and grateful with what my 56-year-old body can do today!
Accepting the ageing process is challenging because we are programmed to think we have to fight it. Why is being perceived as younger seen as better than being our real age?
As a fitness instructor, I so often hear clients say, ‘I used to be able to do ..xyz’ with a sense of real deflation.
But that was then and this is now.
Looking backwards and focusing on what you used to be able to do doesn’t really help you move forward. It operates on the premise that everything in life stays the same. Having set expectations can underpin a sense of failure before you even begin.
Why not create a new template for the present that accommodates the changes that have occurred internally and externally over time?
Don’t forget that injuries, work situations, children, illness, stress etc all play a part in what we are able to do in our ‘now’.
We are better to use past experience to inform our present not lament it.
Whilst we might not be able to do exactly the same things as we did previously, we know what we love and what makes us feel good. We are also stronger and more resilient for having done them. Reflect on what you understand about your body and how it responds to exercise and then set your goals accordingly. Be proactive. Find a place to exercise where you feel comfortable and supported. Consult health professionals and seek the information that you need to create a sustainable health and wellness program that works for you.
As David Bowie said, ‘Ageing is an extraordinary process where you become the person you should always have been’.
Marisa
Founder Just Believe Fit
