Something that’s been on my mind as I plan out the summer’s activities is aging well. I think it’s because I’m witnessing in real time my parents age, but also, I am getting older myself. Now I know that this happens and has been happening, but it seems like for the first time in my life that it is happening to me.
My twenties and thirties really felt no different from each other. It also probably helps that I’ve always looked younger than what I am. But now I’m in my forties, staring down forty-one this summer and I realized that it’s only going to keep happening. So, things that I want to do like hike the Bruce Trail in my lifetime are going to have to be managed.
Granted, I still feel young. Except for the ever creeping exhaustion that comes with having a young kiddo. But on my good days I feel no different than 25, but the realities of my body are not based on two and a half decades, but four.
Recently I went to a pelvic floor physio because I have been living in pain for over a year. Upper back pain, shoulder pain and now lower back pain. So much so that I’ve put one of our tatami mats under my mattress because I actually threw my lower back out last month. It’s an old mattress and I was waking up hurting so much that something had to be done. But now after my physio appointment I now have an action plan to strengthen my scapulas, stretch the piriformis, and roll out my IT band. Let me be clear, that last one sucks. But for the past couple of mornings, I haven’t woken up in pain.
In addition to these exercises I’m going to hit up my friend at Beyond Fitness. They are a personal trainer in Victoria BC but they offer workout plans for anyone. Sadly I am not in BC, but Ontario but after learning about the Ontario Collaborative for Aging Well, I feel like getting stronger is no longer an option. Reading about people who are living with frailty gives me a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don’t ever want to live with frailty. That sounds horrible.
I’ve even talked to my father about this and guess what? He’s started doing body weight squats and elbow planks. He’s almost seventy! He’s also mentioned that while going on walks around his home he has taken now to doing small sprints up a hill? Coloured me impressed.
For all my readers, let’s get strong. Let’s kick frailty’s ass and explore as much of the world as we can for as long as we can.
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