Issue #60 ·
Never Too Late to Start Exercising: Lessons From a Rower
🏃 Why it's never too late to start, How time anxiety keeps you stuck, why grandparents are active
Hello friends,
This week has been full of baby care for me 🐱 But the best part is that I had a lot of time to catch up on my reading and articles.
That where I found today’s main read:
This week in building health 👇
Starting Your Fitness Journey at Any Age
Today’s inspirational story comes from Richard Morgan, a 90-year-old indoor rowing champion.
What is inspirational about this?
(Apart from the fact that he’s 93)
Richard got into healthy activities when he retired at 73!
This journey disproves the idea that there's a 'right time' to focus on fitness.
Richard proves the right time is whenever you decide to start.
Richard’s Fitness Routine (and how to borrow ideas from it)
Is he doing advanced and high tech fitness routines?
Nope
It’s barebones and simple, which helps with consistency.
He rows for 40 minutes daily.
His effort mix is 70% easy, 20% moderate, and 10% intense.
He lifts dumbbells twice a week.
He eats a lot of protein (more than recommended for his age).
Because he needs to keep his muscles as he ages.
Sure, it’s still a lot of time. Perhaps it works for him because he’s retired.
You can adapt Richard's approach to fit your lifestyle.
Find an activity you can do consistently
10% of the time, push yourself.
Make sure to build up muscle (you’ll need it as you age).
His Biggest Hack: Find the Fun
In Richard’s case, he says:
“There is a certain pleasure in achieving a world championship,”
“I started from nowhere.”
Improving, growing, and winning were thrilling for him.
What about you?
Does competition motivate you? Join events!
Do you enjoy socializing? Join a club!
Do you prefer quiet and solitude? A scenic hike will help.
Find what brings you joy and incorporate it into your fitness routine.
Make your fitness journey fun and happy, whether you're competing, socializing, or enjoying the outdoors.
Remember, it's never too late to start taking care of your health.
My favorite health things for the week
// one
Time anxiety: is it too late?
6 minutes | Anne-Laure Le Cunff
I’m always wrestling with this problem.
The fear that I’m not being efficient enough, or that I’m “wasting my opportunities.”
It’s silly because I’m not even 40, but I struggle to let go of the gnawing feeling that I’m too behind when it comes to many things.
This article reminds me to shift my focus from “what I haven’t achieved” to “what I can still accomplish.”
Being able to define “time well spent” lets you cultivate happiness and fulfillment in the present moment.
// two
Physical Activity Could Be an Evolutionary Adaptation for Grandparenting
12 minutes | Emily Willingham
What’s the point of being an active grandparent?
Turns out it could have been for evolution.
Why? Because childcare needs a lot of energy. (As my 5-month old daughter always reminds me). And while men and women in their 30s are prime for more productive work, having active grandparents can spread out the physical task of caring for the younger generation.
It makes me wonder about how I might play an active role in my family as I continue to age.
// three
How Exercise Helps Your Brain
8 minutes | Louisa Nicola
Do you feel like when you exercise, you’re able to focus better during the day?
That comes as no surprise to scientists.
We know that exercise is great for your brain, not just your muscles. And researchers found that activities like running keep our brains healthy by increasing blood flow and providing energy.
When we exercise, our muscles make lactate, which our brain uses for fuel.
So, exercising helps us think better and remember more as we age.
Until next time
Not too many updates from me this week. Mainly childcare work at home— but I’m still working on some projects that I’ll be sharing soon.
For now.
Have a Healthy Weekend