As we age, our mission is to use sound, scientific evidence to build effective counter strategies, not only to survive, but thrive after 55—the second half of our lives. Yes, even actuaries tell us that 120 years is no longer a long shot.
Theo Thurston, 67, began training with weights when he was 48, and is helping others learn about resistance training, intensity levels, and maintaining quality of life at his GetAgeFit studio.
“My wife gave me a book that said our number one job when we retire is to work out, with resistance training.” He admits that he didn’t really know what he was doing at that point, but he followed people he trusted because they had done the research and produced credible results. “Walking is great, and playing golf or tennis is wonderful, but the science tells us the number one thing that will land us in a nursing home is lack of muscle and the mental acuity to take care of ourselves.”
His mission is the help people think of life in terms of decades. “Think about how you felt ten years ago, and you feel fine today, but what you do today determines how you will feel when you are 77, and 87. We are all going to decline, but my mission is to help people get their health ready for the rest of their lives.”
Theo recommends we think of our bodies as a car.
“You’re not getting another one to trade in, so we must put the best oil and gas in it, and keep it detailed. Intense physical exercise is the one thing that has been proven to help delay, and even prevent cognitive decline. It may be tough to take that first step, but it is my mission to get people to the point that they enjoy it, and getting healthy becomes the high point of their day.”