Well, it’s that time of year again. The first quarter of the year! Where the gym is flooded with good intentions. All the New Year’s resolutions fill the treadmills. Workouts take longer because you’re waiting on machines, meanwhile the person on the machine is sitting there and only exercising their thumbs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to discourage anyone, in case you are one of the new members. (But please put your phone down and let’s keep it moving!)
Let me first start by saying you DON’T NEED A GYM to get in shape. Push-ups, squats, lunges, and planks known as body weight exercises done correctly, will effectively target major muscle groups helping you to improve your strength and endurance. That said, there are some benefits to using a gym. First, unless you have an exercise partner, it can be safer because you won’t be alone! Used properly, machines can help with proper form and help you to minimize the risk of injuries, especially for beginners. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. New and unfamiliar exercise equipment can be intimidating, but safety is important.
Gyms offer a wide variety of equipment, and many offer classes. Hopefully, the cost of a gym membership will provide the often much needed incentive to actually go. Some folks need that structure. I find a balance of both works for me. Working out at home offers much more flexibility. Many a day I have been on a conference, or Teams call (not zoom!) doing squats and curls. You can exercise watching TV. You only need one hand for the remote. You have one left for a light dumbbell. Sneak in some curls. Just alternate hands, so you don’t have one big arm in a few months! You can squat at the stove!
That said, I totally get it. The gym can be an intimidating place. It is totally normal to feel a tad self-conscious when starting out. I still feel that way and I have been a regular at the gym for about 40 years. I don’t know why. No one is paying attention to my ass. (or any other body part!) In fact, most folks are sitting on machines these days staring at their phones! Or they’re playing music you don’t want to hear clearly in violation of the gazillion signs asking you not to do so!
It is absolutely normal to feel weird at first. Get over it! Folks will judge. That’s what people do. Whether you look completely lost and have no clue what you are doing, or you are buff and have the body of a god or goddess, you will feel the eyes on you. I am always happy to see folks that look like they are just getting started no matter what shape they are in. I’m happy for them. They clearly love themselves enough to want to feel better. I find that the simple act of just showing up makes me feel better. No matter how I am feeling, I leave the gym feeling better. It might not be the cure, but it is certainly a good prescription for self-care.
Whether at home or the gym, just remember to start slowly! You have to walk before you can run. Take your time. Don’t hop on the treadmill and attempt to run a marathon. If using weights, start with light weights. Get comfortable on the machine. You can gradually increase the resistance. Whatever you do, do not let anxiety around the gym keep you from going! The more you go, the easier it gets!
Why?
And now for the why? We are living longer. BUT what good is life span, without health span? I don’t know about you, but I don’t just want to live longer, I want a higher quality of life as I age. I want to remain independent.
The fact is that our strength diminishes as we age. We lose muscle mass, and many become the “F” word! FRAIL. It’s call sarcopenia and it starts earlier than you might think! An estimated 7 to 12 percent of Americans over the age of 65 are considered frail. Why is that a problem? Because frailty reduces the odds that you’ll be living that independent life! Frailty increases the risk of falls.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that frailty can increase the risk of surgical complications, longer hospital stays and healing time and increase the odds that there will be a nursing home room with your name on it in the future! (One your kids will likely never visit! One that won’t send you to the hospital because United Health and most other insurers don’t want to use your money for your care! Don’t get me started!!!!)
“One cause of frailty is the age-related loss of muscle mass,” says Samuel Durso, M.D., director of geriatric medicine and gerontology at Johns Hopkins.
Weight bearing exercises are the key to maintaining your strength as you age. These exercises help to prevent or slow muscle atrophy. Muscles are also needed for mobility! Weight bearing exercise also helps you to maintain bone density and lowers your risk of fractures. Loss of bone density can lead to osteoporosis in women.
Now the good news is that it is NEVER too late to start an exercise program. And contrary to what you may believe, it doesn’t always have to be some rigorous routine to reap the benefits. Just taking a walk can have a positive impact on not only your body, but your mind. You don’t need to live in the gym. I’m in there forty minutes max. (My average is thirty!) I use the machines for fifteen-twenty and then the treadmill for fifteen-twenty, and I’m OUT! (Except for Jan-March!) And if the weather isn’t blazing hot, humid as hell, raining or snowing, I’m walking outdoors. Exercise and vitamin D from some sunshine is the perfect combination. Sadly, if you live in the northeast you might have about twelve days a year to enjoy an outdoor walk. Between the weather and the mosquitos, it can be quite the challenge!
Strength training, or resistance training as it is often referred to is not the same aerobic exercises such as running, cycling, or walking. Lifting weights by either using a machine or free weights is considered resistance training, but bodyweight-bearing exercises such as pushups, squats, the use of resistance bands are also form of resistance training. Resistance training requires your muscles to contract and that’s the goal.
Studies have shown that about one-third of adults over 70 years of age have trouble with walking, climbing the stairs or even getting out of a chair! The decline of strength and power with aging can be substantially lowered by maintaining an active lifestyle. You may not be able to stop the clock completely, but you can maintain muscle mass and strength with exercise and as a result, maintain mobility and independence.
The bottom line is MOVEMENT OR LOSE IT! Even fifteen minutes a day can make a difference. Small changes can lead to big improvements. But if you do choose the gym, don’t be gymtimidated!