Do We Need To Slow Down As We Age?

Discussion in 'Health & Wellness' started by Lon Tanner, Nov 17, 2018.

  1. Lon Tanner

    Lon Tanner Supreme Member
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    I believe so. I have always been a High Energy guy. I always walked fast, jogged fast and had fast movements. I get exhausted now if I don't slow down ALL my movements. I hope I don't get to a point of slowing down my thinking like my physical movements.
     
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  2. Thomas Stearn

    Thomas Stearn Veteran Member
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    I think so, too, and sooner or later it's unavoidable anyway.
     
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  3. Lon Tanner

    Lon Tanner Supreme Member
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    What bugs me though is that 10 years ago I could still walk 18 holes of golf twice a week and carry my bag, but I was 74 and not 84.
     
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  4. Lon Tanner

    Lon Tanner Supreme Member
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  5. Mary Robi

    Mary Robi Veteran Member
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    Nope, I'm on the downhill slope anyway and it's easier to pick up the pace.
     
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  6. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    I am no where near as fast now as I was a year ago before getting sick. Especially walking. But hey am still trudging along.
     
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  7. Thomas Stearn

    Thomas Stearn Veteran Member
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    That shouldn't bug you. Since it is all inevitable if I were you, I'd rather see the glass half full. Those who can play golf are in an enviable position anyway. And if you were able to enjoy it at 74 and can still do so at 84, that's really something to be very glad about. Just saying...I'm 63 and racing downhill as well not playing golf though living next to a course. But who knows...
     
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    Last edited: Nov 18, 2018
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  8. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    It’s a terrible thing, but we’re going to slow down. It’s natural and it happens to everyone. When I turned 30 I didn’t do the same things as I was able to do whenI was 18 which would follow that when I turned 60, 40 years old was a very fond memory.

    The key for me is that I sincerely believe that much of my own “slow down” is my own fault. The saying, “if you do not use it, you lose it” comes to mind.
    I’ve had a couple of major health issues in my life but that should not have hampered me from continuing with a program that would insure the production of HGH (Human Growth Hormone), melatonin, testosterone, etc.
    The bottom line is that I slowed down and quit doing things long before there was any need to do so. Although I worked hard, it wasn’t the type of work that commanded any great level of physical endurance and flexibility so my body and brain responded accordingly.

    Starting about four years ago, I found myself playing “catch-up” and it isn’t easy but I’m reasonably satisfied that a turn around is possible. So far as muscle structure, I’m in better shape than I was 40 years ago but flexability is still an issue which I’m trying to remedy, albeit quite painfully.

    Now, if the organs will just follow suit, I might just make it to see the same age as @Lon Tanner. :)
     
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  9. Beatrice Taylor

    Beatrice Taylor Veteran Member
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    The slowdown is inevitable and should be very gradual unless some sort of health problem or accident speeds up the process.

    I tend to agree with Bobby if we ran a mile yesterday and we run a mile today then we should be able to run a mile tomorrow unless we gradually lose or change our interests as we age.
     
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  10. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    I think it depends on the individual when and how much we slow down. Some some seem to continue a faster pace until the end when a heart attack or stroke ends their journey. Others slow down gradually due to the rigors of old age. But then, maybe I'm wrong; maybe it appears thus.
     
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  11. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Much of it is pure genetics. for indeed, even in the bodybuilding regimen, some people are just not genetically inclined to build muscle the same as most bodybuilders are not genetically built to be distance runners.
    Some people are genetically inclined to live longer whilst others are not.
     
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  12. Thomas Stearn

    Thomas Stearn Veteran Member
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    Since you mention distance runners. I know a guy who'd always enjoyed life according to the motto "Who loves not woman, wine, and song / Remains a fool his whole life long." It's hardly surprising that he gained weight and was not in a good shape.
    And then he decided he wanted to prove to himself that he could still change his lifestyle if he just wanted to. He publicly announced that he'd finish a half marathon on his 70th birthday. For more than a year he trained regularly, gradually increasing the distance and finally managed to keep his promise. Although bone marrow edema had to be treated, he felt as fit as a fiddle and has been running ever since. His words were: I'd never have thought how fit I could be at the age of 70.
     
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  13. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    If a Senior can still do certain things they like to do, without harming themselves, they should. It's those that refuse to watch what they do that get into trouble.

    It all takes "common sense" of what not to do and what to do. When you KNOW what activities you can still do, and your body still let's you, then you're ok.
     
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  14. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    I definitely like what you wrote Cody but I also have to put in a small qualifier.
    I would venture to say that a majority of seniors have recently decided not to accept their age related physical and mental digression.
    It used to be a standard that when one grows older there was a walker or wheelchair in the wings just waiting for the eventual to happen but not so much anymore.
    The gym where we frequent is full of people who came in on walkers and in three or four months are walking upright and unaided.

    A person has to want to change and then do something about it. The most dangerous disease (I’m using that word loosely) a person can have is to accept the idea that age is totally debilitating and there’s nothing that can be done about it. Identifying with one’s computer or TV, the couch, a walker and a chocolate cake in the oven as being our later in life demise is pretty much apathetic and dangerous.

    Now, the caveat is still the same which is to examine the ego and make sure that we’re not over exerting ourselves and chancing injury to our present maladies but still, “without change, there is no change”.
    We’ll never be young again, but most of us do not have to be old plus all stove up to the point of total atrophy to our brain and body.
    For myself, I would much rather be as healthy and active as possible and die of a sudden and major heart attack than to have someone washing my rear end because I didn’t try to fight when I could and find myself unable to do even the smallest of pride saving tasks.
     
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  15. Steve North

    Steve North Supreme Member
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    Gee... if I were to slow down, I would be at .... STOP ....
    During the late spring, summer and fall months, I work the field as we have acreage up here, but come this time of the year, I am like a bear that hibernates and I try to do as little as possible..
    I realise there is still work to be done, but I tend to take it rather easy..

    I must admit that at my age, its getting harder and slower to do the work outside.. It won't be many more years till I can't do much any more..
    I will keep on doing what I can as long as I can....
     
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