Fitness is more than being able to lift your weight above your head or run a 5K with six-pack abs. Those seeking better health will do well to look at holistic wellness, which goes beyond the gym. It is building up your physical self and making that lifestyle sustainable.
Theo Thurston is a Cooper-certified personal trainer and owner of Get Age Fit in Georgetown. His mission and ministry is to recognize there is no age at which we are done with the need to be fit.
After training at “big box” gyms for 15 years, he created a transformation center where people in his age group—45 and older—could feel comfortable. “We have private membership and our people are with a trainer for every workout to ensure appropriate technique and intensity. There is no loud music or walls of mirrors; it’s about health.”
Theo explains, “Our bodies require different types and intensity of activity at different times in our lives. We undergo significant physiological changes at age 45, and thereafter about every ten years. Our exercise should adapt to those changes to avoid plateaus or injury. People my age want to play with grandchildren, or be healthy enough for a surgical procedure. Quality of life at every age is about mind, body, and spirit.”
He recommends plans of at least 12 weeks in length. It is time enough to adapt to new routines and develop cravings for healthy food and activity. “In the first four weeks, you’ll notice a difference. By the last four weeks, the whole world will see you differently.”
THE BASICS
Theo says the easiest thing is to just move. “People prefer to do fancy things because simple things take a lot of commitment. Start with the ‘mile-a-day’ challenge. Nearly everyone, regardless of age, can walk one mile. If it is raining, get a day pass to a gym or get on a treadmill, but never skip it. As long as you feel your breathing and heart rate increase, you’re on your way.”
Weight training is recommended at any age. Theo’s center has many clients in their 70s and 80s. Myriad benefits of weights include more than big biceps; balance, muscle health, flexibility, range of motion, and mental fitness. “If you look good, you feel good about yourself. We teach people about ‘time under tension.’ Light weights and slower cadence creates tension and muscles don’t know how much weight you’re lifting; only the tension on the muscle. Pushing the heaviest weight you can manage works your joints more than your muscles.”
He also recommends eating plenty of food. “You can’t starve fat off. When you cut calories, without exercise, the weight you lose is 50 percent muscle. That is counter-intuitive because muscle burns more calories, and now you’ve lost fat-burning capacity. Also, your body adapts and your metabolism slows to conserve energy. You may lose a few pounds, but you’ll gain back even more.”
Theo adds, despite what popular culture tells us, for active people, carbs are not the enemy. “Your body prefers carbohydrates for energy. If you don’t have any, the body uses protein, which is put to better use building muscle.”
His advice, not just for New Year’s, but for life; “Think about all the things you spend money on. If you have to take out a loan or sell a car, get a good fitness expert to help you. Your body should be a priority. Great intentions mean nothing if you have no accountability, so enlist the help of an expert.”