Have you ever heard the old saying, “The horse is out of the barn”? It’s a folksy way of telling someone it’s too late to make a change. It’s also one of the myths about fitness after 50 that we love to bust every chance we get. And here’s a great example of someone who
Big life changes often follow a moment of clarity that can be startling, liberating or even painful. For Gina Gross, 59, her epiphany came while she and her husband were taking a tour of a gym in their new community. Gross was a recently retired nurse and had become obese over the years, weighing 340
Pickleball just keeps growing and growing – in popularity and in media attention. It’s beyond trendy now, with some 5 million people playing, many of them active agers over 50 – and beyond. So, it’s important to point out something that many folks might not realize: Gym workouts make you a better pickleball player. It’s
Everyone wants a “magic bullet” about healthy living and staying fit. But the truth is, there simply isn’t one. Still, successful active agers do share a few traits, along with the basics of exercising regularly, eating well, sleeping enough, and managing stress. Here are 5 truths among them: Slow Progress Is Ideal. You’ve learned that
Befitting for a theatrical performer, Dan Grady’s fitness journey can be told in three acts. Act I: A talented youth trains for years among ballet’s elite, then begins decades-long career dancing on Broadway. Act 2: After his dancing career ends, he grows frustrated with his body’s limitations and realizes change is essential in his attitude
A common myth about aging says that after 50, people (especially women) face a dreary life of loneliness, physical difficulty, and despair. But the opposite is true for millions, who are finding that the “grandma years” are turning out to be the best time of their lives. Adults 65 to 79 say this is their
Was it Freud who said we can’t get through the day without telling ourselves seven little lies? Or was it a magazine quiz we read in the dentist’s office? Doesn’t matter! The point is: We all love to tell ourselves “harmless” fibs to avoid doing something we know we “should” do. It’s easier than confronting
When Glenna Brown’s husband became ill, she found that regular exercise at a nearby studio helped her deal with the stress and remain strong enough to be a good caregiver. When he died, Glenna (above, left) found more: a loving support group that helped her through her loss, and a new friend who was going
It used to be conventional wisdom that everybody wanted to retire to Florida or another sunny spot, find a comfortable place to sit and… wait for life to wind down. Today’s active agers aren’t settling for that. Sure, some people want a slow pace and lots of sunshine. But we’re also looking at other criteria
Like most women of her generation, Margaret Cone, now 79, never saw much reason to lift weights. She had always been pretty active and tried to stay in decent shape. Her family had a strong health history. But about 10 years ago, Margaret noticed she had gained weight from the long hours she was putting