| Couch
Potatoes: It's Never Too Late! |
| You're
Never Too Old to Start Exercising |
| This is a special message for the over-the-hill crowd. As
a youth, you may have qualified as a 97-pound weakling. You
remember, the kind of skinny kid that body-builder Charles
Atlas featured in pulp magazine ads as someone who never got
the prettiest girls. |
| Today, bullies don't kick sand in your face at the beach.
Life has been good to you. You're a happy retiree with a wonderful
family and cute grand kids. But somehow, time has taken its
toll. |
| Let's face it. The mirror of reality shows you're now a
bloated 200-plus pounder. You're short of breath with the
slightest exertion. You've had to give up sports. Even tennis
doubles are too much and you need a cart to get around a nine-hole
miniature golf course. You're overweight; maybe even obese.
And you've got a pot belly and love handles to prove it. This
example describes a male malady but the message is gender-neutral. |
| To add to our misery, the holidays are here. So many parties
to go to with gourmet food and extra-rich desserts to enjoy.
Ah, so many temptations! But don't despair. You needn't take
a monk-like oath of abstinence from all holiday cheer. |
| Yes, within reason, it's possible to have your cake and
eat itäwhile avoiding, or at least reducing the after-effects
of overindulgence. Remember, the mantra mentioned in last
month's Senior Focus: Eat wisely, exercise and socialize.
|
| The three elements are interrelated and are often referred
to as the mind-body connection. This is a pretty big chunk
for Senior Focus to tackle all at once, so I'll concentrate
for now on walking as a pleasurable way to improve your cardiovascular
health. |
| First, let's debunk a few myths, or perhaps more correctly
termed excuses for not exercising: |
| 1. "I'm too old to start exercising." Not so.
The National Institutes on Aging, which is part of the National
Institutes of Health, has found that almost anybody, regardless
of age, can benefit from exercise. |
| 2. "I can't do vigorous activities at my age."
We've all got limitations, regardless of age. Look at the
agonies Michael Jordan is going through in his attempted comeback.
He's a professional athlete only 38 years old, but not even
he can be a weekend warrior without suffering the consequences.
I believe the clue is to use common sense and adjust activities
to our own state of health. If in doubt, get a medical checkup.
Remember, it took us a lot of years to grow that overhanging
gut and rippled cellulite. So when starting on an exercise
regimen, take it easy. Don't give up, just slow up. |
| 3. "I don't have the time." To quote the famous
late night philosopher, Jay Leno: "Oh, come on!"
I'm talking about activities as passive as just parking at
the far corner of a parking lot and walking to the store,
or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Studies show
that exercise in just 10-minute intervals three times a day
is about as effective as a 30-minute stint. |
| 4. "I don't have the right equipment." I'm glad
you mentioned that. Have you got a pair of walking shoes?
That's all you need to start an exercise program to improve
your cardiovascular health. |
| 5. "Exercise is boring." When actor-hulk Arnold
Schwarzenegger was asked what pleasure he got from body building,
he confided that it gave him a high. Contrast that with politico
Bob Dole who advertises to the world he has to use Viagra
to get his kicks. Maybe it's all in the mind. We'll let it
rest at that. |
| 6. "It's raining; it's snowing; it's too cold; it's
too hot." More excuses. No problem. Just go to a nearby
mall. Tysons Corner Mall is so happy to have you hike there
(and hopefully shop), they'll give you a t-shirt if you join
the Tyson Trekkers. All for free. |
| 7. "I like to walk by myself" vs. "I'm not
the lonely runner type." Another nice thing about walking
is that you can do it a la Greta Garbo or you can socialize
with a friend, join a group or just take a stroll with your
spouse. Art and Joel Lambert find it serene to walk together
around Lake Anne. As a variation, Ed Mentz, a dedicated walker,
mostly goes solo but once a week joins a walking group led
by Elaine Schwartz (703-471-7186 for info.) |
| The Reston Community Center sponsors a walker's club that
will "increase cardiovascular fitness levels, promote
fellowship, weight loss, and relieve stress." No guarantees.
But what have you got to loseäexcept some excess poundage?
All gratis. To find out more, phone the Reston Community Center
(703-476-4500, ext. 228). |
| Whether you choose to walk alone or with others, you'll
find it's great to get outdoors, especially in our area with
such a variety of features to enjoy: lakes, wetlands, wildfowl
and meadows. Walking allows you to stop, wander as you wish,
or just sit on a bench and enjoy the pleasures of nature.
|
| I never cease to be excited at discovering new sights. It's
really a marvel to live in a cosmopolitan community yet be
able to escape from the hustle and bustle to a natural preserve
just a few steps away. |
| Reston has more that 55 miles of trails and paths to explore.
Plus we're smack in the middle of the Washington & Old Dominion
Trail, which stretches 45 miles from Shirlington to Purcellville.
Here in Reston, the trail is adjacent to the historic De Moss
House, now headquarters to the Prison Fellowship Ministries.
Staffer Krista Obitts invites everyone to an annual open house
and guided tours from 7 to 9 pm on December 1st and 8th. |
| Another W&OD Trail highlight is the parkland surrounding
Sallie Mae on Sunset Hills Road, with its wonderland of lily
ponds and gazebos with poetic inscriptions. |
| It's easy to grab a sandwich across the road at Plaza America
and return to commune with Emily Dickinson's ghost. The easiest
way to access the grounds is a foot path off the trail, but
be alert and watch where you walk: this is homeland for Canada
geese. |
| Now that you're out of excuses and all fired up to explore
Reston's great outdoors, get walking! Just pick up a free
Map Guide to Reston from the Reston Association office and
you, too, can be a modern-day Henry Thoreau. We even have
a lake with his namesake. |
| |
| SENIOR WIT: Poet T. S. Eliot: "The hardest years
are between 50 and 70. You're always asked to do something
and you're not old enough to say no'." |
| |
| SENIOR MOMENTS: The holiday season is here, so it's
time for more cinematic magic. Mark your calendars for these
special treats: |
| Herndon Community Center. "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,"
Dec. 6th. "Cats and Dogs," Jan. 3rd. "America's
Sweethearts," Jan. 17th. (703-435-6868). |
| Reston Association. (at Reston Town Center's Multiplex Cinemas).
"Family Man," Dec. 26th. "Thirteen Days,"
Jan. 23rd. (703-437-9580). |
| Loudoun Senior Center. "Along Came a Spider,"
Dec. 5th. "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," Dec.
19th. (703-430-2397). |
