“In my 30s, I exercised to look good. In my 50s, to stay fit. In my 70s, to stay ambulatory. In my 80s, to avoid assisted living. Now, in my 90s, I am doing it of pure defiance.”—Dick Van Dyke
I saw this quote the other day. My first thought was that all my exercise is done out of pure defiance. I tend to think that being fit in my 50s, staying ambulatory into my 70s, and, certainly, avoiding assisted living are acts of defiance. I want to go counter to a culture that believes aging means slowing down. I want to be in proportionately better shape than my peers as I age. Frankly, it is really just a matter of maintenance. Hold on to health and fitness with proper exercise and a healthy (eucaloric) diet, and it is possible to look good, stay fit, stay ambulatory, avoid assisted living, and kick a** well into one’s 90s. (I promised my students that I will be an elite athlete in my 80s. I may have been average along the way, but, eventually, perseverance will win.
The most important thing we can do to defy aging and hold on to our health is to be active and exercise. This includes the Spiritual, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social dimensions, as well as the Physical. So, dare to defy.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!