Are Your Tolerable? How will You Feel when You're 90?

“How are you today, mom?”  “I’m tolerable”, my 90 year-old mom replies, with a smile.  She doesn’t complain about all the aches and pains that accompany 90 years of living, but I can tell she’s stiff and hurts in a few places.  The best part is she keeps moving and keeps a positive attitude.  I wonder what I’ll be like at that age.  If I have to live to be that old, I’d like to be better than tolerable.  The definition of tolerable is “not too unpleasant or severe” or “moderately good, but not outstanding”.  Okay, I’d like to be at least reasonably pleasant or semi-outstanding.   

I wish she would have known years ago what we know now about strength training.  She would have been the first in line to lift some weights.  Her core would be so much stronger and she wouldn’t have lost 4 inches in height.  Her legs would be stronger so she could move about easier and not tire so quickly.  Her arms would be strong enough to continue doing her hair.  She recently bought a couple wigs because her arms are too weak to style her own hair anymore.  But the knowledge about strength training just wasn’t widely available back then. 

Even though she’s healthy, she poops out quickly and doesn’t have the strength to do the things she loves.  She used to love to travel.  She’s been to Hawaii numerous times, Alaska, Germany, Tahiti, as well as all over the U.S.  Her last trip was a few years ago when she treated the family to a Hawaiian cruise, but her traveling days are over now because it’s just too tiring for her.  She still lives alone, but my brother is right next door and checks in on her often.  Too often, according to my mom. 

What will you be like at the ripe old age of 90?  Will you be sprightly, full of life, vim and vigor?  Will you be energetic and active?  If you want the answers to these questions to be YES, know that the decisions you make today and the way you live your life today will determine how well you live tomorrow and into the future.  The stronger you become now, today, the better the quality of life you will enjoy for years to come.  Nourishing your body with the proper foods, today, and avoiding all the junk food that lurks around every corner will reap abundant benefits for the rest of your life.  Make the decision, today, to do yourself a huge favor, and strengthen your body.  Lift weights.  Grow some muscles. It will make a difference for years to come.  What will you be like at 90?  Tolerable?