Pushing 60 Aside

This is the final episode of the Pushing 60 Aside podcast. All 5 years of the podcast will continue to be available on Spotify, Apple, and other platforms.

Join me for a 30-minute brisk walk!! Let's think about staying physically fit for the next 5 to 10 years!

In truth, I have to push myself. I don't always feel GREAT…not that I feel bad, but perhaps my motivation is a bit low. So, in middle age, I have to navigate through my own limitations, aches, and pains. I have to be realistic in choosing what I eat, how I exercise, and how I medicate or treat injuries and inflammation.

These days, you hear the term “best practices” quite a bit! This applies to how those of us merging into our senior years should examine exercise, diet, mental heath, and taking risks. Everyone wants a fighting chance at having GREAT senior years — fewer injuries, fewer illnesses, MORE bucket list activities, and simply FEELING like doing THINGS! Fortunately, you're in the driver's seat for most of this. What are you actively doing to give YOURSELF a fighting chance at great senior years? #seniorfitness #seniorcitizens #livingwell #eatinghealthy #seniorfun #AARP #seniors #exercise #lifestyle #mobility

What does it take to live to a ripe old age? Are there simple truths that can make a difference in longevity? YOU BETCHA! Let's talk about some of those truths!#seniorliving #oldage #seniorfitness #AARP #aging

How well are you taking care of yourself on a daily basis? If you had to give yourself an honest assessment, would you get passing grades in areas like nutrition, sleep, productivity, recreation, physical activity, and following your doctor's recommendations? Maybe this podcast will help you think through these areas! #seniorfitness #seniorliving #aarp #aging #healthylifestyle

Even everyday life can be overwhelming in middle age! I've had to master a skill set of acknowledging when I've reached my limits in several areas — mentally, physically, and emotionally. I've had to address my priorities: Am I too busy, too obligated, too stretched? If so, how do I preserve myself? My sanity? My body? My health? How do I preserve the prospect of awesome years as I age? #seniorliving #Health #seniorfitness #mentalhealth #overwhelmed

Ever felt like you had too much stuff? Are your closets overflowing? Can you actually get your car in the garage? Do you spend a lot of time searching for things? Are you leaving a nightmarish estate for your family to sort through? THEN, this is a good listen for you. #decluttering #seniorhealth #seniorliving #retirement

If not now, when? At what point do you realize you'd better do something more…something better…something different—that is, if you really want to have great senior years ahead of you? If I could rewind the clock, I would have started taking better care of myself when I was in my 40s, but no…I was too busy. Fortunately, I turned things around and got back to a place of health. #seniorhealth #exercise #fitness #seniorlife #health #middleage #arthritis

Here's a brief conversation with my friend (Tim Colvard) just two days before his 95th birthday.

Really! Are bad habits the behaviors that result in less than favorable results in our health? Why is breaking a bad habit so tough (especially where diet is concerned)?

Join us for a talk about oral health as we age with Kathleen (my wife), a Registered Dental Hygienist with 35 years of patient care under her lab coat! This interview may answer some questions you have about your teeth, dentures, X-rays, and dental care. I'm very appreciative of her for helping with the podcast as I venture into having guest interviews. #dentalhealth #seniorhealth #fitness #healthcare

What if you did things to keep your brain (metaphorically) running on all cylinders? What if you did things (tasks, skills, projects) that you've never tried before? What if you took a class?

Sadly, we can only accommodate so many seniors in our exercise program—mostly due to lack of space, funding, and equipment. In fact, I count on a certain level of absenteeism to prevent the current classes from being overcrowded. Some seniors begin classes, but drop out due to sickness, surgeries, or family obligations. Once they drop out, it's hard to get them started back again—and now, I may not have room for them to come back. The hardest thing for me is to turn someone away who wants to workout, but short of getting a bigger facility and/or additional instructors, that's exactly what I'm doing right now. This conundrum has no easy fix. Who would have thought it would ever be hard to get a spot in exercise classes as a senior citizen?

Ahh…yes! That window of decision when we choose to be active in the pursuit of exercise…exercise that helps us stay ABLE to do life and to do it well. In this podcast I discuss this short window of decision making — AND, embracing the choices that we KNOW will help our physical, emotional, and mental health.

Let's think about ways to stay committed to regular exercise that really work…exercise that's doable, repeatable, and doesn't leave you in a disabled heap of aches and pains. Exercise that is trackable and actually does your body good should be scheduled and done like clockwork. In truth, the first entry into any type of exercise that's new to you should be done gradually to prevent excessive soreness and injury BECAUSE the ultimate goal is for the exercises to be sustainable. YES, our bodies require a period of adaptation, but if we'll stick with the exercise for a few weeks excessive soreness becomes a thing of the past. If WEIGHTLOSS is a goal, tracking your food and drink intake with a food log or journal SHOULD identify areas in your diet where healthy changes can be made. The LEVEL of commitment is ALL on YOU; the decisions are yours. The penultimate goal is HEALTH. Join me on FACEBOOK by searching for Papa G's Fitness—my private group.

No, I'm not talking about body fat (the proverbial junk in the trunk), I'm talking about reducing the clutter in our homes…you know, “STUFF” that we just don't use or actually need — excess — duplicates — broken items — outdated things (Do I really need to keep all those DVDs and my iPhone 4 charger?). What if cleaning out drawers, cabinets, garages and workshops helps make our homes safer? What if getting rid of all the excess clutter reduces anxiety and depression? This podcast is just me…sharing what we've been doing for over a year now. I'm telling you — it's very liberating! Listen in!

In this podcast, I share the assessment method I use as a SAIL (Stay Active & Independent for Life) Instructor. As you listen, imagine yourself taking these three assessments. Featured are: TUG (Timed 8' Up & Go), Bicep Curls in 30 seconds, and Sit-to-Stands in 30 seconds. For bicep curls, 5# for women; 8# dumbbells for men. These three assessments give us a fair evaluation of a participant's agility/balance, upper body strength, and lower body strength. Each participant will see how he/she compares to other seniors his/her age across the US. Having administered these assessments to hundreds of seniors at this point, I believe it is a fair method and provides a valid baseline for future assessments in 6-month intervals.

Got a plan? Is it realistic? Does it promote your physical, mental, and spiritual health? Will the upcoming years be harder, doable, or difficult? This episode dives into the basics of doing reasonable things to stay active and healthy.

This podcast was unplanned. Personally, I detest New Year's Resolutions. So, let's not create traps for lofty goals that generally end in failure. Let's plan (instead) to take better care of ourselves in 2023 — to look at three things: Our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. (Oops! I called this year 2023 towards the end…mistakes happen, but you know what year we're ending and which year is coming!)

Four years ago, Pushing 60 Aside was launched with a lot of emphasis on weightloss and weight management because of my own experiences in those areas. Gradually, my emphasis turned to exercise — including both strength training AND aerobics. As I age (now mid-60s), those things are STILL important, BUT health is the most important thing for me. The key is using what I know to stay strong in body and heart for the sake of overall health. So, the podcast has taken a shift towards doing reasonable things and avoiding risky things so that the outcome is overall health with few aches, pains, and injuries.

At this season I'm choosing to share a few of my own Christmas memories and current ones as well. I know you'll rekindle thoughts of your own favorite shenanigans as you listen! Merry Christmas!

I believe that games can be an important tool in maintaining your mental acuity as you age. In tonight's podcast I talk about the role of games in my life AND all three that I play are very different. All require deep thought, some strategies, and considerable effort — BUT, they're uniquely stimulating to my brain.

Let's discuss emotions! Better yet, let's talk about our emotional states — Joy, Fear, Sadness, and even Anger. At first glance, we nod our heads in acknowledgement. We know these emotions well! But joy is not just one simple emotional condition…in fact it comes in many forms — beautiful weather, a wedding, a hug, a religious experience, a song, and countless other things. Anger, fear, and sadness come in many forms, too. So, let's weave through these emotions and how vital they are in feeling alive, in touch, or even being worried. I certainly wouldn't want to live in anger, fear, or sadness ALL the time, but I know that joy ebbs and flows, too.

Leg strength is the key to a long and enjoyable life BECAUSE once you can't get up easily, your options fall off quickly — everyday tasks get appreciably harder. PART II is about eating the basics in view of skyrocketing grocery prices.

Like deer in the headlights, we're facing down aging. We WANT to age and be smart about it. However good our intentions, we sometimes lack the motivation to get started and then keep on doing the things we know will ultimately help us merge into our latter years strong enough and healthy enough to enjoy them. This idea of intentions and motivation applies to exercise and eating…the struggle comes in doing what we know we should.

Great! You've made it to retirement age. What are you going to do now? The original goal was just working long enough to be able to retire. Will you travel? Garden? Fish? Golf? What is your plan? What is your purpose? Did you consider volunteering? Mentoring? Teaching classes? We ALL need to have a purpose…something beyond just passing time…something that uses some of those talents you've amassed over the years.

One out of four people 65 and older will fall this year according to the CDC. Many of these seniors will have hip fractures or traumatic brain injuries. The challenge is to NOT have a fall in the first place. Granted, people younger than 65 also have fall injuries, but it's harder to recover as we get older. The trick is to be proactive in fall prevention through balance exercises, regular medical check-ups, and making efforts to reduce trip hazards in the home/yard.

A number of issues create limitations in what seniors can do as they merge into their golden years. From arthritis to heart disease to surgical histories, to injuries or hearing/vision loss — so just what are we facing and how can we make the best of the years to come?

Here's my spin on making friends in our senior years. Perhaps making friends has never been easy for you? What if your life has changed because you're suddenly a widow or widower? I believe we have few true friends and MANY acquaintances; both are important. But there's something about having a BEST friend!

Let's talk about what we really want! We want to feel better! We want to be healthier! How do we formulate a reasonable plan for successfully getting through our senior years?

Here's a 9-point list of things that we should consider to maintain general health after age 60. Truth is, most of these things have been important most of our lives, but they're especially important now that we've pushed 60 aside.

Falling hurts! Exercise is work! Taking risks leads to injuries! How are we going to make sure we're as healthy and functional as we can be in FIVE years? What types of exercises are necessary and reasonable? In this episode, I talk about THREE things I just don't do anymore because they're risky. I hope you enjoy the podcast!

Today's podcast (Part 1) takes a hard look at some of the difficulties aging presents with a discussion about being as healthy and prepared as you can be. Part 2 is a frank discussion about weight loss and weight management as a senior person.

Many times I've read where physicians and health professionals have declared that 85% of all ailments humans have could have been avoided by adherence to a healthy diet and regular exercise. Oh how I wish I'd applied this formula to my own life when I was much younger! But no, I didn't. So, I suffered directly as a result of bad diet and a lack of exercising. Even so, I got on the fitness wagon in my early 50s and turned my health around. It's never too late to take better care of yourself!

Injuries happen to just about everyone (including yours truly)! So, what's worth discussion on the Pushing 60 Aside podcast…how about a general approach to assessing and dealing with a minor injury to a knee? Yeah, I'm dealing with a knee issue, but nothing that would require surgery. Basically, my knee is angry! Inflamed! And, quite painful at times. YET, I'm still teaching group fitness classes AND I don't see myself giving up. Listen in as I talk about dealing with an overuse injury through time-tested protocols for minor injuries that can cause major pain!

This podcast features a candid and unscripted interview with my friend and fitness client Porter “Tim” Colvard. At age 94, Tim never ceases to amazed me. I think you'll appreciate his responses on a number of topics including dating, marriage, work, diet, and living as a bachelor following the loss of his beloved Dorothy.

Here's kind of a hodgepodge podcast where I ask the question: “Did Exercise Cause a Stroke?” And, the two ingredients that wreak havoc in our dietary choices —salt and sugar.

Activity — physical activity, that is, IS important every single day for people who've entered their senior years. Being sedentary is absolutely the WORST thing any of us should be. But, how much, how often, and how intense should exercise be? Rest and recovery days are every bit as important as exercise days. The American Heart Association states that we need about 150 minutes per week of fairly challenging and purposeful exercise. The US Center for Disease Control agrees with them.

Oh yeah! The clock is ticking, but are you doing everything within your means to fight the hands of time where aging is concerned? Are you considering what life will be like for you 5 or 10 years from now? Will life be full of suffering or pleasantly enjoyed? Listen for my take on fighting time itself where aging is concerned.

Appearing on local radio to talk about senior fitness programs is, perhaps, the best way to reach hundreds of people in my local community. I use the format to talk about fitness and to invite people to my SAIL classes. Listen as Amy (the DJ) and I talk like old friends about exercise that helps people stay safe and healthy in their Golden Years.

My take on the phenomenon of people starting, stopping, and restarting exercising. It's akin to yo-yo dieting — a really bad idea! But, what if you changed your lifestyle to incorporate exercising as a priority?

Wow!! I jumped right off into a deep subject…in fact, it's virtually taboo. After weeks of thinking it through, I decided to contrast our REAL legacies against what an obituary might say. You see, I talk with dozens of very senior people every week. One thing I've learned is they're not afraid to talk about death. There's no topic about death, dying, or funerals that they haven't experienced or thought about. Some of them worry about how they'll be remembered. THAT's the topic I grabbed by the proverbial horns in this episode.

Okay! I'm diving into the transformation process — not just weightloss, but the prospect of transforming in body, mind, and spirit, ESPECIALLY when it comes to the kind of old person I'll become. Will I be kind, generous, and understanding…or, will I become a “set in his ways, judgmental, and angry at the world” Grumpy Grandpa?

Once again, Gene & Joyce meet the public on-air to talk about services offered through the Dekalb Council on Aging. Our services, from exercise classes to tax return assistance to help with prescription drug expenses are offered at many senior centers and Council on Aging facilities nationwide.

Getting pumped up can mean a number of things depending on the context. In today's podcast I discuss several aspects of cardio exercises on the most important pump of all — your heart!

In my 6th year as a certified fitness trainer and 4th year as a senior fitness specialist, I'm more convinced than ever that strength training is the key to safe and enjoyable senior living. In this podcast I weave through the particular benefits of regular strength training. Oddly enough, these benefits apply to just about everyone—even those who won't need to push 60 aside for 20 more years.

Who does a podcast on Christmas Day? Apparently, Pushing 60 Aside! In this podcast, I talk about watching the ‘white stuff' and I'm not talking about SNOW — I'm talking about salt and sugar in our diets. I don't want to overeat or overdo during the holidays AND I want to ensure I get some meaningful exercise — even on Christmas and New Years days.

Break the sedentary moments! Prolonged sitting is simply not good for YOU! This shortcast offers some ideas to keep you moving — even on the most bitterly cold winter days!

“Welcome to the first “short cast” on the Pushing 60 Aside podcast! Today's podcast examines an important aspect of planning in senior living — planning for the unthinkable. If you're married or single, you still have to have a plan for settling your affairs — your a bills, your life insurance, your estate. Here's some of my practical things to consider, but you may consider legal consultation as well.

In this podcast we discuss the commitment and dedication — the WORK — that it takes to maintain health and fitness well into our senior years. I ask a serious question: “For whom do you toil? Is it just for yourself? Or, are there numerous other people who really want and need you to be here (and be healthy) in the years to come?