Facing birthdays gracefully becomes more of a challenge as the years speed by. Several years ago, as I was approaching a significant one, I read the book Younger Next Year for Women: Live Strong, Fit and Sexy–Until You’re 80 and Beyond. I strongly recommend this book to anyone over 30, as the authors explain how to make lifestyle choices that allow us to stay healthy and active as we age. They challenge the reader to consider exercise and fitness our job and expect to work as hard at it as we do (or did) our profession. What I read made me uncomfortable because I have never been an athletic person. Sure, I rode my bike and roller skated a lot as a kid, but I never participated in team sports. In fact, when I was in ninth grade in New Mexico, girls only took PE for one semester, as we were required to take Home Economics the other semester. More important to be able to cook and sew than play basketball, right?

I have strong motivation to take the words of the book to heart, however, as I watched my mother fall apart mentally and physically in her later years and spend years in a nursing home suffering from severe dementia. My children and grandchildren are equally powerful motivators, as I have the chance to be a living example that our quality of life doesn’t have to decline with each birthday we celebrate.

The real game changer for me was the chapter on strength training, Dr. Lodge’s third rule: Do serious strength training, with weights, two days a week for the rest of your life. Maybe three would be better (p. 170). Me lift weights? Join a gym? Like that will happen….  If that is your first thought as well, you really need to read the book.

Even though I had trouble imagining myself lifting weights in a gym, I kept reading, and what I read made a lot of sense. More than once the authors both insist that getting a trainer is important. Frail old lady or energetic grandmother…hmmm. Not a hard choice for me. The hard part was driving to the gym, going in, and talking to the owner about training sessions. Fast forward two years and I can tell you that choice is one of the best ones I’ve made.

May 8 marked two years of my training with Erik Fowler at Fitness 1031. Thanks to Erik and a lot of hard work on my part, I am stronger and feel better than I have since my sophomore year at Hardin-Simmons. Erik took the photos in this post today after our training session to celebrate how far I’ve come. Best part: I wouldn’t stop now for anything! What will I be capable of in two more years?