It’s been 24 years since I earned my first of four personal training certifications in 1995. As I proudly displayed the American Council of Exercise (ACE) certificate on my wall, I thought I had all I needed to help people get fit.

I vowed to motivate, inspire, and heroically save the world from flabby triceps, weak abs, and jiggly thighs!

I would be a fitness superhero, fighting off the bad habits of the planet, armed with fitness tubing, dumbbells, and a yoga mat, carried on the shoulders of the people I’d helped.

The Lessons I Learned

Excuse me while I partake in a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

Oh, the fantasies of youth! It should be so easy.

After working with people (mostly women) for over 20 years, I’ve learned a thing or two as I near my 60th birthday.

One is this: No one can motivate another person until they make up their minds to make a commitment.

Another eye-opener is this: Yes, things do change as we age, even when we do all the right things.

You simply can’t fool Mother Nature.

However, the worst thing you can do is blame aging as an excuse to stop exercising altogether.

Age Is Not the Problem

Truth is, unless you’re in a full body cast suspended from the ceiling, you can almost always do something.

Clearly, I’m not advocating doing anything beyond your abilities, but we often limit ourselves when inactivity can actually worsen the situation.

Case in point: I have knee arthritis. It hurts. I hate it, and yes, my knee pain has put the kibosh on some of the activities I’d like to do.

Walking lunges and high-impact jumps are a long-forgotten fantasy.

Let’s have a moment of silence for those days.

But if I stay within a modified range of motion and stick with exercises that don’t aggravate it, I can still do a lot. So, I do what I can and stop focusing on what I can no longer do.

When I don’t move, it hurts more. Research shows I’m not alone. In fact, regular exercise reduces the risk of limitations associated with knee osteoarthritis.

With this in mind, here are the top three excuses I hear most often that can sabotage results and health.

#1 Myth: I’m Too Tired to Work Out

Fatigue is definitely more of a thing as we age. It takes more energy to perform the same activities and hence, we need more recovery time. It has to do with changes in the workings of our cells, which are too complicated to get into here.

And while you need to listen to your body and give yourself more rest days between workouts, overall, exercise gives you energy. Regular, low-intensity exercise boosts energy levels.

Here’s how it works: For one, exercise increases blood flow through your body and boosts cardiovascular health. This allows more blood and oxygen to provide energy for work.

Numerous studies show this time and again. The best way to experience the results is to try it yourself. Track your energy on days you exercise versus days you do not and let the results speak for themselves.

#2 Myth: Avoid Balance Exercises if You Feel Wobbly

A reader recently wrote to me saying she can’t do certain exercises because she has such poor balance.

The problem is, If you stop doing things that challenge your balance, your balance will get worse. Breaking a hip or other bone is no joke. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away, either.

The bottom line: Working on your balance is a crucial part of any workout plan.

Here are a couple of ways to get steadier:

• Stand on one foot and time yourself for 5 – 10 seconds (stand near a stable object or wall if you’re wobbly). Switch feet. You can do this while talking on the phone, standing at the sink or while waiting for the microwave to beep.
• Incorporate exercises that challenge your balance, such as the bird dog or one-legged biceps curls. Over time you’ll start to see improvements.

#3 Myth: If You’re Feeling Achy, Skip Your Workout

Ah, a subject near and dear to my heart… Arthritis and joint pain is a Catch-22. It may hurt a bit to get moving, but if you don’t move, it will get worse.

Movement keeps joints mobile by circulating the fluid that lubricates them. If you stop moving, you get stiff.

What can you do to ease the discomfort? Here are a few tips:

• Schedule workouts for those times when you’re not as stiff. If you’re achy in the morning, wait until later in the day to exercise when your body is warmed up.
• Find ways to compensate. If doing an exercise in a specific way hurts your hands, or knees, for example, look for ways to modify the exercise.
• Use compression gear or equipment designed to ease arthritis symptoms. You can find support accessories for just about every joint and body part, from elbows to calves and gloves for your hands.

Want to start the year with a fun challenge? Sign up for my FREE, 3-day B.L.A.S.T. (Be Lean, Ageless, Strong and Toned) OFF Challenge, starting January 14th. Click HERE for details!

What excuses will you put aside in the coming year? How will you use these tips to get you going? Let’s chat!

As the year winds down, I am reminded of all the New Year’s resolutions I didn’t stick to over the year. How do I remember? Because I’ve started to create a new list for the incoming year and the resolutions are exactly the same:

• “I’ll start going to the gym.”
• “I’ll save more money for retirement.”
• “I’ll be better organized.”

While a bit embarrassed I haven’t yet adopted these good habits, it got me thinking about the ‘making New Year’s resolution’ tradition and how this year I resolve to stick to my list!

Creating resolutions is a fun tradition to ring in the New Year and should be shared with friends and family. However, the often lofty goals can easily be placed aside once the hecticness of the year starts back up again.

The sentiment of a resolution is important as it’s a way to truly invest in ourselves in the new year, and we should all treat ourselves in this way. So, here are five ways to make and stick to your New Year’s Resolutions:

Stop Thinking Big!

I don’t mean stop thinking big altogether. Great inspiration comes from big dreams. However, when it comes to incorporating new habits into our lives, small, manageable changes are the easiest to make!

For example, instead of going on an entirely new diet this year I resolve to just monitor and reduce the amount of salt in my diet.

Cutting back on snacks like chips and French fries – some of my favorites! – is something I know I can efficiently manage. Moreover, since I’m only cutting back, there’s no pressure to avoid or feel guilt eating popcorn the next time I’m at the movie theater.

Be Prepared!

No matter what your resolution is, there is probably an item or items that you can make/buy that will be a physical reminder of your resolution.

If you want to drink more water, buy a pretty water bottle. Or if you’re going to work out more, treat yourself to a new pair of sneakers! Or do you want to read more? Join a book club!

To save money in the new year, I bought myself a ‘true blue’ piggy bank. This way I’m not fussing with having to transfer money into my savings all the time. Every time I have spare change or dollars, it will go right in the piggy, which is placed in the middle of our coffee table – so we can’t possibly forget!

Use the Twelve Months to Your Advantage!

Have you ever gone to the gym in January, and the place was packed, and then go back two months later, and you have the whole place to yourself?

It makes sense to want to make these significant changes as soon as possible, but you have an entire year to incorporate them. This time next year, you won’t care if you do them in January or August because you will feel just as proud when you can say you’ve accomplished your resolution!

My goal this year is to find a work out class or group that I like by May. This means I can go to as many or as few lessons as I want to try in the meantime, and I don’t have to worry about losing momentum on snow days this winter.

Write Them Down and Put Them Where You Can See Them!

With goals and resolutions alike, there is something about the tangibility of seeing them written down on paper that makes accomplishing them that much more comfortable.

Get out a pack of Post-Its, write down your New Year’s Resolutions down and place them around the house! This way you are reminded every day of the goals you’ve set for yourself and are more willing to make room in your schedule to do them.

Have Fun!

I’m not sure who wrote the rulebook, but it seems to me that New Year’s Resolutions are always so serious! Adding fun things to your list is a great way to ensure they are accomplished!

Want to be out in nature more? Add going to the park to your list! Want not to worry as much? Add going to the spa more! The whole point is to enhance your life for the better, and sometimes that just means to spend a bit more time pampering yourself!

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

The New Year brings with it a world of possibilities, and I believe that you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to this year.

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? What are some resolutions you’ve kept? What are some of your resolutions for this year? Let us know in the comments!

One of the most common misconceptions about loneliness is that it goes away as we add more people to our lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, many people that I know have 100’s of “friends” on Facebook. They may even live with someone else. But, they still feel lonely.

How can this possibly be the case? How can we be surrounded by other people and still feel lonely? The answer is simple.

Loneliness is not a lack of interaction – it is a lack of intimacy.

To be clear, I’m not talking about intimacy in a sensual sense. I’m talking about intimacy in a broader sense. We want people in our lives who care about us and understand us.

In this way, Soren Kierkegaard was correct when he said that “Loneliness is the want of intimacy.”

Understanding this distinction is critical to fighting loneliness after 60 for a few reasons. First, it is easy to feel like something is wrong with you when you are surrounded by people but still feel lonely. I promise that this is not the case. Second, focusing on superficial interactions, like posting on Facebook, may be fun, but, it also takes time and attention away from other activities.

So, if you want to find happiness and companionship in your 60s, stop looking for it in the wrong places. Pursue your passions. Find activities to do with like-minded people. Most of all, learn to be intimate with yourself and others.

Ask the tough questions and embrace everything that life after 60 has to offer.

Do you agree with Soren Kierkegaard that “Loneliness is the want of intimacy?” Why or why not? Do you think that services like Facebook and Twitter help or hurt people when they are feeling lonely? Why? Please join the discussion below.

Every morning, I have a strange habit. As I am taking a shower, I think about the miracle of modern life. As the water rushes over my body, I remind myself how amazing it is that we have hot water flowing into our homes. I feel grateful for the electricity that lights my home and keeps me warm. As I cook breakfast, I try to remember times when I have been hungry – and the people around the world who still are.

Being Grateful is Essential to Happiness at Any Age

In today’s fast-paced world, it is easy to lose track of how amazing life really is. Just a few generations ago, most of the modern conveniences that we take for granted would have been reserved for the ultra-rich. We should be so grateful to be alive today!

I am reminded of a quote by William Arthur Ward, who said, “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

It’s easy to focus on the negative. This is our “natural” state of being. It takes conscious effort to remember just how good we have it.

Over the last few years, I have discovered that one of the secrets to happiness is changing your frame away from what you don’t have to what you can be grateful for. Do you agree? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

What small things are you grateful for? Do you, like me, have times of the day when you are reminded of just how amazing life is, no matter what personal difficulties you are struggling with? What do you do to stay grateful every day? Please add your comments below.

As the year closes, I’m taking some time to acknowledge the talent and hard work of senior women runners. There are more than a dozen new national or world age group records and many more pending.

There are those of us who put our passion aside for many years as family and career took precedence. I find this is particularly true for senior women runners. Some learn later in life that there is a new path out there, and it’s a running trail. They find an unknown talent lurking within.

These and many other reasons may account for women who come to running in their later years. It may also account for the surge in new records set and a higher level of competition among senior women runners.

Personally, I’ve run recreationally since my early 30s, but didn’t find the time nor did I develop the mental toughness to take on distance running until my late 40s and early 50s.

I look at women in my age group (age groups are established in five-year increments) and beyond and see that there is more that can be accomplished.

Some of the most astonishing recent records are set by women in age groups 70 years and higher. What motivates senior women with the commitment to perform at the top of the field?

Looking through some of their interviews and quotes, I found several factors that are most frequently mentioned:

Joy

Tough as some training days may be, running is still fun for them. Women runners from age 60 through 100+ years comment on the joy of it.

Louisiana native Julia Hawkins began competitive track just two years ago. After setting a record for a shorter distance, she told the press she thought it would be fun to run 100 meters after turning 100 years. So, she did, and set one more age group record.

It’s imperative that you take time for yourself. In an earlier interview with the Institute on Aging, world recordholder and marathoner Jeannie Rice, age 70, says we must take time to recharge and unwind from the everyday stress that comes with just living. For her, that’s when she is running.

Competition

Many senior women runners are finding their competitive spirit later in life. A number of national record holders began running well into their 30s, 40s, and beyond.

Ginette Bedard began running at age 69 and set age group records that have since been broken. Now age 85, Bedard was the oldest woman to finish the New York City Marathon in 2018.

Rice, age 70, loves the competition. She discovered she had a talent for running in her 30s when she wanted to lose a few pounds. She hasn’t stopped running and competing since. Her Chicago Marathon time this year set a world record for the women’s 70-74 age group.

Maintaining Independence – Physically and Emotionally

Ginette Bedard, after running the New York City Marathon this year, told Runners World she first thought she wasn’t qualified to run a marathon. Then a friend told her, “What do you care?” That gave her an incentive. She continues to run 10 miles or more most days.

A lack of concern with the opinion of others who question why you are running, or if you should run, coupled with the desire to maintain a healthy body and encourage others to do the same, to be physically independent for as long as possible, are all strong motivators.

A Love of the Outdoors

As she was being interviewed on video, Julia Hawkins took ESPN on a walk though her beautifully designed garden and talked about her most loved plants. Ginette Bedard is a gardener as well, growing her own vegetables and cutting her own lawn.

Nearly all senior women runners enjoy the early dawn hours to run either solo or with friends or a training group, greeting the day with the sun.

We are not all runners and most of us who are don’t run at this level. Still, our interest in health and wellness and the sheer joy we take from life can come from opening up to our private passion.

What is your private passion? Are there activities you particularly enjoy? Please share what motivates you and join the conversation!

Don’t make a resolution to lose weight! I know the number one New Year’s Resolution is getting in shape and losing weight. A resolution can be very confining and having a set date to achieve each of our goals may or may not work. You have probably heard people say they need to lose weight by a certain date.

Diets, for instance, immediately set off an alarm in the brain which is interpreted as a restriction of our favorite foods. Many people are okay with temporary restrictions, but when the pounds don’t come off frustration sets in which often leads to a trip to the cookie jar.

Don’t Worry If Your Clothes Don’t Fit

One of the first triggers of the New Year’s weight loss diet is that our clothes are tight and do not fit like they used to. If my clothes fit comfortably I am happy.

Let’s say your clothes still fit perfectly. But when you get on the scale and find you have gained three pounds… panic sets in.

Do not get worked up about it. Chances are, if you did gain those three pounds, your normal January eating habits will release the pounds in about a month.

I often wonder why people don’t think about losing weight or getting in shape during the other months of the year – well, at least not as much.

Make a Commitment to the Gym

If you are already a gym goer, there is no problem here. If you want to lose a little weight and tone up, just add 15 minutes to your routine or perhaps an extra day.

This is something you could live with for a long time. The average time of the new gym goer is about 6 weeks. Then they begin to slack off, excuses appear and soon there are no more gym dates.

Keep Goals and Intentions Simple

Every year, I make a list of intentions – such as, call more old friends, make extra calls for business and promotion for my book and totes. You may just want to add a few simple additions and ideas for the new year.

Think carefully what is really important to you and what you will follow through. Perhaps you could add 15 minutes to your daily walk, make two extra business calls a day, etc. When you achieve these simple goals, you will feel the contentment of accomplishment.

Make Lists

I love lists, and I think many people love the act of crossing off things from their lists. My lists keep me grounded, focused and relaxed.

For the purpose of list-making, I like to use little books that have blank pages with no dates. I get them from TJ Max each year, and I have quite a collection of used ones from previous years.

I don’t want to throw them away as there is personal information in all of them. One of these days, I will go through them and tear up pages – another worthwhile intention.

Why not try writing down everything you are going to do for the day? You will be amazed at how much more you get accomplished and how you free up your mind. You will also get a burst of energy to do something extra.

Through the years I have established my personal routine which includes weights, facial exercise and Reiki self-treatment – I do these every day. I also add what I intend to clean for the day which may include bathrooms, floors, dusting, cleaning out the fridge, etc.

I may want to practice my printing for my tote bags, look up new images, comment on Facebook and Sixty and Me, write a blog, make a phone call.

Your page will be full with activities but your mind will clear up. You can add trivial things like touching up your hair, cooking a fancy dinner, polishing the silver and cleaning out the kitchen drawers.

The End Result

Mostly, I take care of everything that I include on my list. When I have everything written down, I feel relaxed, and as the day winds down, so do I. I am usually completely through with my list by 2PM, which I count as great accomplishment.

I also fit in lunches and shopping to do throughout the week as well as a few meetings. I occasionally treat myself to taking a power nap as a reward when everything is completed on the list. Do you take power naps?

How do you organize your day to avoid stress? Have you made some resolutions that you feel are really going to work this year? Please share your intentions and expectations below!

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Are they always the same? Are you looking to improve your knowledge of technology and its many uses? Why not update your old, same resolutions with tech-inspiration?

It always amazes me how quickly December rolls around once summer is over. It seems like the holidays, New Year’s included, are accelerated once the leaves are gone and the days are shorter.

Along with the traditions of Chanukah, Christmas and all that December brings, there always come the dreaded New Year’s resolutions. So many people shun this tradition, and many others make the same calorie-adjusting resolutions year after year.

If you’re looking to truly make a positive change, and avoid the cliché of broken resolutions, why not take a look at a new theme? Technology is always evolving, now quicker than ever.

While very few people have all their ducks in a row when it comes to their own personal use of tech conveniences, some of them see the opportunity as the clock strikes midnight on January 1 as a way to tackle the data overload.

Photos are unorganized, address books are out of date, password updates are avoided, backups… who does backups? This year you can turn your stale resolution tradition completely inside out and resolve to:

Learn Something New

A lot of people enjoy comfort zones, myself included, when it comes to technology and innovation. I’ve put off projects simply because I was content with the status quo, despite knowing a more efficient method existed.

Why not use this year’s resolution to choose one task that you’ve been avoiding and upgrade your lifestyle?

Are you tired of managing your schedule with a traditional agenda? Would you benefit from a shared calendar that you can synchronize with family members? Read about the best time management apps and see if you can save paper while you’re at it.

Are you forever running to the store to get one last thing because you have forgotten to write a grocery list? Would you like to save money by planning your meals around coupons and specials?

Read about shopping apps designed to manage your list, seek out the best prices and keep you on track for spending.

If you’re really looking to upgrade your daily chores, research some smart home gadgets like Google Home Mini or Alexa. You can manage your thermostat remotely as to avoid heating your home while you’re out, without freezing the plants and pipes!

Master Something Old

For those of you that are indeed going to make fitness-inspired resolutions, and know that somewhere back in your mind they might not last, try learning how to manage health, diet and activity with a smart phone.

There are endless free apps designed for fitness and health, with everybody’s personal needs catered to.

There’s yoga, pilates, weights, cardio, walking, running, stretching, nutrition, motivation – everything under the sun, that can be used as a compliment to an existing regimen or used to inspire good health.

If you’re not a smart phone user, read about activity and fitness trackers that are independent of smart phones. The technology doesn’t have to replace the social side of exercise; it can be used to encourage you with social media and other features.

Organize Something Better

If you can honestly say that all your digital pictures, address book contacts, personal files, family budget, shopping lists and every other bit of daily data is organized and up to date, you can stop reading now.

If not, use your 2019 resolution to kick those tasks out of the park! Organize your pics and share online albums with family members who are far away.

Learn a new budgeting app that will expose unnecessary spending and help you take one extra trip next year. Master your smart phone and cancel that LAN line.

Happy New Year everyone!

Maybe all that organizing will inspire you to keep track of your resolution with an app! What apps do you use to keep your life organized? What resolutions are you making for the new year that involve a technology solution? Please join the conversation below.

Each new year promises us a fresh start, a time to reflect on our lives, and an opportunity to discover and set (or reset) our priorities.

Whether we call them resolutions, goals, or a vision for the year, we want to ensure that we build success and momentum as we move forward with our commitments.

Here are some ways to make your goals enjoyable and boost your likelihood of success.

Start with an “A”

When it’s time to make those goals, invite your inner critic to take a break. Some New Year’s resolutions sound like thinly concealed self-flagellation. Listen to how you sound when you speak your goal.

Are you secretly saying, “I hate you, body, and I’m going to make you lose 50 pounds over the next year or else”? I guarantee that your body, which may be wiser than you are, will hear the hidden loathing in your goals, and reject your plans by February.

Why not start by giving yourself high marks for your commitment and create a platform of possibility for your endeavors? Take a page from The Art of Possibility by Rosamunde Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander.

The authors describe how Benjamin, at the beginning of each term, announces to the students in his classes that they are going to be awarded an A for the course.

The only requirement? To write a letter at the close of the term that starts with Dear Mr. Zander, I earned my A because… then follows with a description of what he or she did to merit the grade.

Start your year by giving yourself an A for goal achievement, know that you’re fine the way you are, and then earn your grade.

Make It Fun

Most of us gravitate towards the things we like to do and often do them first. So, use fun to your advantage. There’s a way to make every goal more attractive, delicious, or rewarding.

If you decide to give up carbs, spend a little extra time creating meals that are so delicious that you can’t resist your new way of eating. I dislike the local gym, but I discovered that I love Zumba. Now I dance my heart out and sweat has become my friend.

Even if a task doesn’t sound fun (like organizing the office), use a little creativity to make it so. Add rituals and pleasurable practices to transform a dreadful task into something pleasurable.

Before I start tidying my space, I put on my favorite music and add a hint of lavender to the air. I promise myself that after I file, I’ll reward myself by putting up new art and beautifying the space.

By adding fun, beauty, and pleasure to the process, I’m much more effective than when I try to muscle through something I don’t like.

Stay Flexible

If I were prepping to win the Tour de France, then maybe I’d find the mantra “no-pain, no-gain” motivating, and I’d be willing to stick precisely to plan.

But I’m a 60-plus-old adult with a life, and I’ve learned that I need to balance determination and flexibility, discipline and flow. Sometimes goals need to bend.

For example, I have a BFF who lives to paint and sets weekly targets for time in her art studio. But then her phone rings and she learns from her mother’s assisted living center that her Mom has another urinary tract infection or has taken a fall. At that moment, plans for painting are over.

My friend has learned that there are days when her goals have to be put on pause. Fortunately, she’s made of sturdy bamboo and, once the emergencies are over, she’ll right herself and keep going. There’s always another day.

Think Small for Big Wins

Sure, it’d be great to lose 20 pounds in two weeks, but unless you’re under supervision, why not make goals that are more modest and doable? Wouldn’t you rather lose two pounds a week and feel like a winner, rather than try to lose 20 pounds quickly and miss your target?

We sabotage ourselves by setting too many unrealistic goals. Three priority goals are all I can handle.

More and more, I’m learning the benefit of keeping goals small. Momentum is key, and when we succeed at small steps, we gain the power to keep going.

Shape Your Environment to Help You Succeed

Goals never happen in a vacuum. Our physical and social environments can support or sabotage what we want to achieve. Make sure your home, office, or physical environment reinforces your goals.

A former client wanted (and needed) to lose weight. Yet, she felt compelled to fix all the meals for her two teenage sons, athletes who required a high-calorie, high-carb diet. She stocked her cabinets with food that was great for their diet, terrible for hers. Guess who never lost weight?

Add positive triggers that reinforce your good habits. Want to start running again in the morning? Put your running shoes next to your bed where you’ll practically trip over them when you get up. Set up your environment with meaningful triggers to help you remember your goals.

Share Your Goals with Someone Who Cares

I don’t recommend sharing your goals on social media with people who aren’t vested in your success. Better to share with one person who matters. I share my goals and vision with the BFF I mention above. We talk weekly and reinforce each other’s desire to meet our intentions.

I can’t tell you how useful it is to have one person who can applaud a small step forward or help me problem-solve when things have broken down. She also brings compassion and realism when she knows I’m pushing myself too hard.

Give Yourself Lots of Credit – You Deserve It

Why make big goals only to be miserly offering yourself credit for what you do? Better to make small goals and enjoy celebrating your accomplishments. Remember, you’ve already earned that A.

My niece used to be intensely self-critical as a teenager. I’d take her to her weekly horseback riding lesson, watch her progress nicely, and then, on the way home, be subjected to her running commentary about all the ways she’d screwed up.

She believed that if she gave herself credit for less than a perfect job, it would diminish her motivation. She used the logic of a hormonally-stressed 16-year-old brain. Aren’t you glad that we’re older and have the experience to know that celebrating small, half-victories builds our stamina and motivation?

So now, have fun setting those goals. They’re for you to enjoy. Never give up and never beat yourself up. Heap lots of praise on yourself for everything you can do, and if you need a little extra applause, send me a line, and you’ll be able to hear me cheer.

How do you set your goals? Do you enjoy small victories or are you used to only thinking in big terms? Who is the person that cheers you on? Please share in the comments below and let’s start a discussion!