Approaching my eighty second year and recovering from successful cancer treatment, having religiously held the belief that I was doing the right thing for eternal life, I am feeling rather let down by my body. Let me explain.
Most people of all ages believe in the benefits of exercise and they try their best to stay healthy by keeping fit in one way or another, be it by swimming, cycling , gymnastics, golf, running or in competitive sport of some kind. Others just 'walk the dog', metaphorically speaking. It's all good stuff.
Some of the benefits which all this 'pro-health' behaviour gives me, I readily admit, are negated by my enjoyment of beer and wine and the social life that goes with them but, on balance, I have not suffered any ill health until now. Most often friends say I'm looking well and, thankfully, I now really am.
I have chosen to take 30 minutes every morning to conduct daily routine exercise. I miss - even feel guilty - for the rare day which prevents me from carrying out this pleasurable daily routine. (See below.) I have done this since we retired to France 17 years ago. It runs in a series of 'mindful' "warm-up stretches", and then anaerobic and aerobic repetitions. Not too much, but serious enough to make all parts of my body move properly every day - All very laudable !
But was it all worth it ? Did all that effort over 17 years make any difference to anything - ?
No-one can really answer this question. After all, I could have died when I developed acute peritonitis at the age of seven. I could have been killed in a car accident or, as they say annoyingly , "run-over by a bus". One can never know when one is to be visited by the 'grim reaper'.
I do this exercise habit for the "Now show". I try to enjoy life as it is now, but exercise for the future and for the good luck that I might then deserve, and I try to do my loved ones a real favour by postponing my funeral.!
Here's an idea for sedentary elderly people who can make the time. One feels really great and, with a bit of luck, one stays healthy for longer.
It takes approx. 30 mins each morning
Standing still but deeply breathing
Warm up Repetitions
1. Arms swinging & body twisting 10
2. Buckets 31
3 Slow neck and Head Rotating 31
4 Stretching tall (ten secs) 1
5 Toe touching, straight legs, arms ablaze 31
Aerobic free breathing
6 Hopping with elbow to knees 31
7 Arms and leg split hops 31
Table exercises breathing rhythmically
9 Table push-ups 31
10 Leg Crunches 31
11 On back, straight leg-ups 10
12 Kneeling, hump-back stretches 10
13 Table kissing and stretching, kneeling 10
14 Slow, anti-press ups 1 (10 secs)
15 Back, arm stretches on tummy 10
16 One leg balancing and 31 foot-rotations each - right and left legs.
Aerobic freely breathing
17 Jog/ Run home 100 yards
makes sense?