Aging Progression and Getting Old

[Amethyst]

Wow, I had no clue men in their 60's were this competitive with each other. It sounds like a bunch of 20-somethings!

No one ever said anything like that to me or my husband at our last gym. And definitely not where we go now, which is filled with people who are clearly only there because the doctor has told them, exercise or die. There are a few younger people in great shape, but they are not the majority, and they certainly aren't harassing us older gym-goers.

I think there is a good deal of truth in what you say. My time in the gym was filled with gym rats always urging me on to greater and greater feats of strength and endurance. Nothing was good enough. Feel the Burn! Shred that body! Take these supplements to survive being burnt and shredded! What nonsense for a guy in his 60's.

 

[jollystomper]

Wow, I had no clue men in their 60's were this competitive with each other. It sounds like a bunch of 20-somethings!

A lot of men never stop being competitive with each other. That is one reason why we have shorter lifespans than women.

 

[ckelly78z]

A lot of men never stop being competitive with each other. That is one reason why we have shorter lifespans than women.

These guys are the lucky few who don't suffer from decreased testosterone levels. unless they are juicing (which wouldn't surprise me).

 

[Dtail]

Hey I play Pickleball sometimes with an 86 y.o.
He is the nicest guy, but clearly plays all out to win.

 

[jollystomper]

Anyone want to "Blow that Dough" to the tune of $1 Million and participate in an anti-aging gene therapy trial?

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...se-20-years-of-aging-in-humans-300963496.html


From the news release:

...This could lead to Libella offering the world's only treatment to cure and reverse aging by 20 years.

Under Libella's pay-to-play model, trial participants will be enrolled in their country of origin after paying $1 million. Participants will travel to Colombia to sign their informed consent and to receive the Libella gene therapy under a strictly controlled hospital environment...

 

[Chuckanut]

Wow, I had no clue men in their 60's were this competitive with each other. It sounds like a bunch of 20-somethings!

No one ever said anything like that to me or my husband at our last gym. And definitely not where we go now, which is filled with people who are clearly only there because the doctor has told them, exercise or die. There are a few younger people in great shape, but they are not the majority, and they certainly aren't harassing us older gym-goers.

Perhaps another day I will tell you about the weight lifting 'grunt and slam' guys, the gym TV's blaring challenges, and the ultra-loud music that seemed to be required for the various barre and zumba classes.

I am no longer a member.

 

[razztazz]

This thread is great for inspiring people to FIRE

That, it definitely is!

 

[razztazz]

It sounds like the excercise regimin that RE2Boys was practicing is what actually saved his life.

Why would you say that?

 

[kgtest]

I'm concerned more with "acting old" than "being old."

One can't help being old, except by death.

One can try, for a while at least, to maintain awareness and avoid acting old.

I hear ya. Little to no travel, little to no social life, little to no real engagement outside the TV etc.

One reason I had children, they sure keep me young (it comes at a cost).

I feel old at 38, certainly not 20 anymore. Lots of older people I work with try hard to appear younger, even though we all know the real age!

I hope I can be done at 50. Pretty sure people will be shocked when I retire..I look like a schoolboy at almost 40 lol.

 

[Lsbcal]

I have always believed in moderation when exercising. But yes some people get too competitive and beat themselves up. I've been a runner for many decades but make sure to keep it sensible: alternate workout days, run on trails, do it in the morning to avoid heat, don't push the mileage, ramp up gradually, etc.

Still most of the exercise mistakes in the US are in not doing enough (or any) exercise.

 

[kgtest]

Still most of the exercise mistakes in the US are in not doing enough (or any) exercise.

I was astonished... Helping a co worker try to log her weekly moderate exercise hours. She was mad the system wasn't saving this week's hours for the moderate activity of....wait for it....reading.

Thats right folks...americans are clocking the time they read as moderate physical activity for that wellness discount with megacorp. I can assure you this person hasnt put on a pair of gym shorts in well over a decade.

 

[ls99]

I was astonished... Helping a co worker try to log her weekly moderate exercise hours. She was mad the system wasn't saving this week's hours for the moderate activity of....wait for it....reading.

Thats right folks...americans are clocking the time they read as moderate physical activity for that wellness discount with megacorp. I can assure you this person hasnt put on a pair of gym shorts in well over a decade.

Maybe for some folks tracing the sentences with finger counts as a workout.

 

[catii]

I'm 73, & still train in two martial arts, three days a week. We have a TRX & a small treadmill right in front of our big TV, & one of us is always using them. Not moving is what kills you!

 

[Midpack]

I'm 73, & still train in two martial arts, three days a week. We have a TRX & a small treadmill right in front of our big TV, & one of us is always using them. Not moving is what kills you!

That’s the bottom line. Any cardio or weight bearing activity/exercise is better than being sedentary! And you can overdo it, but that’s not at all common.

And don’t forget to exercise your mind too...

 

[Amethyst]

When I think of "acting old," I don't think so much of these things. In fact, I don't think of physical activities/lack of them. To me, "acting old" is an attitude.

I think of: resentfully resisting change of any kind; self-righteously clinging to a routine that is dictated, not necessarily by ill health, but by attitude; and an inflexible set of opinions (and I don't just mean conservative ones); very limited, predictable topics of conversation.

In this sense, a person could "act old" while being well under the age of 50.

I hear ya. Little to no travel, little to no social life, little to no real engagement outside the TV etc.

.

 

[nancyfrank232]

When I see a person who discounts the opinions of a younger generation or scoffs at new technology/social media/fads, then they’re “acting (stereotypically) old”

It’s predictable

 

[Lsbcal]

When I think of "acting old," I don't think so much of these things. In fact, I don't think of physical activities/lack of them. To me, "acting old" is an attitude.

I think of: resentfully resisting change of any kind; self-righteously clinging to a routine that is dictated, not necessarily by ill health, but by attitude; and an inflexible set of opinions (and I don't just mean conservative ones); very limited, predictable topics of conversation.

In this sense, a person could "act old" while being well under the age of 50.

Yes, and also there is definitely a link between aging attitudes and physical well being. I think many of us that have good attitudes have better physical lives as well.

So what are good attitudes to focus on? For me this would include:

1) Trying to look on the positive side of things day to day
2) Learning new skills like maybe oil painting or how to repair a faucet.
3) Learning about new knowledge as it comes up in media. Example would be the latest scientific discoveries of how dinosaurs went extinct. You don't need a college degree to understand that stuff.
4) Not getting stuck in political ugliness.
5) Activities in moderation, e.g. moderate use of TV.
6) Lots of reading, fiction and non-fiction
7) Staying curious about things.

Feel free to include stuff I left off.

 

[Chuckanut]

So what are good attitudes to focus on? For me this would include:

1) Trying to look on the positive side of things day to day
2) Learning new skills like maybe oil painting or how to repair a faucet.
3) Learning about new knowledge as it comes up in media. Example would be the latest scientific discoveries of how dinosaurs went extinct. You don't need a college degree to understand that stuff.
4) Not getting stuck in political ugliness.
5) Activities in moderation, e.g. moderate use of TV.
6) Lots of reading, fiction and non-fiction
7) Staying curious about things.

Feel free to include stuff I left off.

And excellent list!

May I suggest starting another thread just for ideas on making a good adjustment to aging?

 

[Amethyst]

I was born when my mother was almost 40. So when I was a teen, she was in her 50's. She did not try to "act young," which would have been embarrassing, but she had a young attitude and was curious (not nosy, which she disliked) about everything.

For instance, she loved hearing about what was happening at school, and was quite interested in the music I liked (rock). She listened carefully and made funny observations (ex: she paraphrased the Eagles, "Take It Easy," as "We may lose and we may win, but it's for sure we'll be committing a sin.") I thought this was a better lyric than the original.

My friends talked eagerly to her, forgetting her white hair completely. She didn't try to flirt with my boy friends - she talked to them as if they were important, and had something interesting to say. It even helped me assess them, by how they reacted to her.

So that is one example of being older, but not acting old.

Yes, and also there is definitely a link between aging attitudes and physical well being. I think many of us that have good attitudes have better physical lives as well.

So what are good attitudes to focus on? For me this would include:

7) Staying curious about things.

Feel free to include stuff I left off.

 

[tmm99]

I’m definitely more achy lately at 60 and I take Tylenol more and more. My doc tells me Tylenol is the safest pain killer so I rely on it. It’s either that or exercise less so I figure a little Tylenol here and there is alright.

I still hang around with younger people via volleyball. I played with people my age but I didnt enjoy it as much as they move more slowly and their hits are weaker. I’m relatively thin and I can still move quickly with no knee or back issues so I’m staying with the younger crowd. We often go out for a drink/food after games and it’s fun. I forget that I’m old, in fact, I’m much older than them. Their parents are probably my age or younger and I sometimes get a very strange feeling and wonder how they see me, like, why are they even talking to me?? Does it feel like to them that they are talking to their parents friends? Anybody ever feel like that? They ask me to come and play with them and come to their outings etc, but still, I get a little self-conscious of my age.

 

[Dtail]

I’m definitely more achy lately at 60 and I take Tylenol more and more. My doc tells me Tylenol is the safest pain killer so I rely on it. It’s either that or exercise less so I figure a little Tylenol here and there is alright.

I still hang around with younger people via volleyball. I played with people my age but I didnt enjoy it as much as they move more slowly and their hits are weaker. I’m relatively thin and I can still move quickly with no knee or back issues so I’m staying with the younger crowd. We often go out for a drink/food after games and it’s fun. I forget that I’m old, in fact, I’m much older than them. Their parents are probably my age or younger and I sometimes get a very strange feeling and wonder how they see me, like, why are they even talking to me?? Does it feel like to them that they are talking to their parents friends? Anybody ever feel like that? They ask me to come and play with them and come to their outings etc, but still, I get a little self-conscious of my age.

I hear ya.
Sometimes I play with the under 25 set in Pickleball. I can keep up with their hard shots and such and the fact that they ask me to play makes me feel good.
They do address me as Mr. (first name Dtail), but that is also a southern thing.

 

[Gumby]

When I think of "acting old," I don't think so much of these things. In fact, I don't think of physical activities/lack of them. To me, "acting old" is an attitude.

I think of: resentfully resisting change of any kind; self-righteously clinging to a routine that is dictated, not necessarily by ill health, but by attitude; and an inflexible set of opinions (and I don't just mean conservative ones); very limited, predictable topics of conversation.

In this sense, a person could "act old" while being well under the age of 50.

Oddly enough, the young wife told me earlier this morning that I have become substantially more flexible in my old age.

 

[ejman]

Oddly enough, the young wife told me earlier this morning that I have become substantially more flexible in my old age.

Glad to see I'm not the only one that is considerably more flexible in my old age

 

[Amethyst]

They definitely know you are older, and you would find this out if you tested it in some way (such as hitting on the young women). You are probably good to talk to, can play physical games well, and so they enjoy your company. I had the same experience with the younger employees where I worked. They sought me out to talk to, and not just about work. They liked me around - it was obvious.

But I wasn't one of them.

We often go out for a drink/food after games and it’s fun. I forget that I’m old, in fact, I’m much older than them. Their parents are probably my age or younger and I sometimes get a very strange feeling and wonder how they see me, like, why are they even talking to me?? Does it feel like to them that they are talking to their parents friends? Anybody ever feel like that? They ask me to come and play with them and come to their outings etc, but still, I get a little self-conscious of my age.

 

[Independent]

So here's my musing for the day:

I'll be turning 68 soon. ...

So here's my question. For those of you who are further along, did your aging creep up on you? Like, did 'feeling your age' go from once a week to once every three days to every day over time?

To me, it is a slow decline, punctuated by sudden drops.

I was feeling pretty good on my 68th birthday. I was physically active - jogging or biking almost every day year round. Actively engaged in outdoor gardening and maintenance, looking for opportunities for travel.

Then I broke a foot. Frustrating, but I should be back to walking in 6 weeks and jogging in 3 months, right? Wrong. No progress, surgery, slow progress, plateauing, new treatments, mostly healed for indoor activities, but 2 years that I couldn't even mow my own lawn .... 3 1/2 years later I can walk at a "stroll", but not faster. Jogging is out of the question. I bike regularly, though my injured foot is still painful.

The slow decline meant that the injury that would have been a deep bruise when I was younger resulted in breaks. And, the rapid recovery of youth became a very slow recovery.

And, now, I feel older. I'm less likely to get on a ladder or walk on ice. I look for things to grab for balance. I'm sure my general health is lower due to less exercise and my mental state is more cautious because I've learned how quickly things can happen.

I can tell a similar story for my wife. Her slow aging turned into a sudden drop with breast cancer. The cancer is gone, but the after effects of chemo, and the back-of-the-brain concern about re-appearance, are noticeable.

I'm not saying that life isn't worth living. I am saying that aging isn't for the faint-hearted.