How physically fit are you?

I have always been something of a gym rat. I started exercising around 14 and have continued. I was in great shape into my mid 70's when prostate cancer hit me. I am fine now, but the hormone treatment they kept me on stripped at least 20 pounds of muscle off of me. Having your testosterone brought down to zero and kept there for over three years will do that. I came off those hormones over a year ago and my testosterone has climbed back to over 700 which is well above the average for an 80-year-old man. It sounds odd, but I am now putting muscle back on. I will never regain all of what I lost, but my doctor is very pleased. Apparently, this happens with some men.

The gym I belonged to encouraged fit older members to track their progress by taking photos every five years. This is what I looked like when I turned 70.

Pecos Turning 70.JPG
 

Nemo2 said:
Just came across this pic.....wooden stairs not far from our place. My max, in one day, was done a few weeks shy of my 71st birthday in 2013 - 170 repeats, 6785 risers.....the equivalent of going to the observation deck of the CN Tower in Toronto 3.82 times. Those were the days.
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That looks like the trip back up the hill from my mailbox, only I don't have the steps.
 
Pecos said:
I have always been something of a gym rat. I started exercising around 14 and have continued. I was in great shape into my mid 70's when prostate cancer hit me. I am fine now, but the hormone treatment they kept me on stripped at least 20 pounds of muscle off of me. Having your testosterone brought down to zero and kept there for over three years will do that. I came off those hormones over a year ago and my testosterone has climbed back to over 700 which is well above the average for an 80-year-old man. It sounds odd, but I am now putting muscle back on. I will never regain all of what I lost, but my doctor is very pleased. Apparently, this happens with some men.

The gym I belonged to encouraged fit older members to track their progress by taking photos every five years. This is what I looked like when I turned 70.

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Click to expand...
Wow Pecos! That looks like a 30 year old body! Wow!
 
Not strong, but I do okay. I try to do at least an hour of light exercise at home every day. My living room is my mini gym:

Rebounder (mini trampoline), Treadmill, Leg machine, BOSU, Hula hoops, Flags, etc.

Because of leg problems, I also do a lot of sitting with my legs up.

It's getting harder to get out of bed (my mattress is on the floor). Not sure what exercises would help. Maybe sun salutes, but I don't like doing them.
 
I still do physical work 6-9 hrs a day, 6-7 days a week. Don't count steps, but I'm sure they add up. Due a lot of stretching everyday, and have weighed the same (152lbs) within a few lbs for the last 30 some yrs. Heading down to Arizona in the near future for six weeks, and looking forward to a lot of hiking. Coming up on 72 soon, so other than a few more aches, and pains, feeling pretty good.
 
I'm fit but my body is beat to hell. I hit the gym 5/6 mornings a week, I don't do much with free weights any longer but using the machines I still can move a lot of weight. Weightlifting has been a constant in my life since around age fourteen, I have never grown tired of it.

Up until a few years ago I was also part of a long distance bicycling club. We did 100 mile ride every Sat., then sometimes again on Sunday. After ten years I kind of burned out on the cycling but still ride a couple times a week, but only around thirty mile rides.

I also hike and take spin classes.

While it's true my body is beat to hell my activity level keeps me limber. If I miss a few days of exercise for some reason I get sore and stiff, and I don't like that, makes me feel old.🤣
 
Unfortunately, I spend too much time on the computer so that falls under couch potato activity.
However, as I stated on another thread, my day begins at the gym (lousy weather) or at the park walking a minimum 6 miles uptempo (not casual/slow). Monday through Saturday! If I come up with an excuse to slack off, a little voice in my head goes: "naughty boy! now get going!"

As to being physically fit, I hope so. When at the gym, I do aerobics (elliptical, treadmill and stair step) all 6 days but add strengthening on alternating days. When on a cruise ship about 4 times a year, I never use an elevator and these vessels go up about 17 to 19 decks. On one trip last year, my Fitbit recorded 147K steps over a 7 day period. Some of those steps came from walking city centers at ports of call because I don't like bus/taxi excursions. Furthermore, my balance is very good.
 
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Once decades ago got a gym membership I never used because could not stand the strong to my senses body odors. Especially in weight rooms. Also in that era was more about being meat markets for the favored customers. Get plenty of exercise outdoors. Wednesday skied moguls for 4 hours. Summers carry a heavy backpack into wildernesses. Much more.
 
I am a "gym rat". I go 5 days a week. I want to keep my muscle strength solid for as long as I can. Also, I have battled depression and anxiety in the past and find exercise a good way to keep happy. There is a guy there that is even older than I am and we always greet each other. I find just being around other people is a good way to feel social.

If the weather is decent, I also spend as much time walking outside as I can. We've been fortunate to have warm winter in Texas, so it hasn't been an issue.
 
Continuing with the Army Daily Dozen. Old habits die hard. Modified for my age group. Heavy on the stretching and flexibility exercises. Light on the push-ups and leg lifts. Concrete floor in the workshop garage suffices as a workout area.

My two primary hobbies - RC cars and Back Yard Birding get me out and keep me active. Then there is the 'HoneyDo' list.

What I really need to get back into is walking. Let that slip last couple of years. Fortunately, our dog seeks me out and pesters me until I take her. But it's not the same as walking to elevate the heart rate.
 
I would class myself as beng fit ....even though , i dont get to do much now apart from my exercise bike, walking up my local lane
and running around all day like a blue axxe fly, caring for hubby ...

but before that, i swam in the sea everyday, i taught aerobics 3 times a week, etc etc ....
so yes IM FIT !!! Well ....I should be !! But i dont feel like it some days !!
 
The history of fitness through Della.

Age 13. All the exercises printed in my mother's magazines, guaranteed to whittle the waist, streamline the hips, develop the bust and make me look just like the models by, "swimsuit season." All the lady's magazines had an issue in May that covered diet and exercise -- and that was it for the year. Now every issue has those things. How we've changed.

Age 15. Jack Lalanne popped up on TV. My mother and I did his morning show together in the summer time.

Age 17. The President's Physical Fitness test came around to our school. Everyone was surprised that wimpy 110 pound me was the fastest girl runner in the school, faster than many of the boys. I had never considered the fact that running to catch the school bus every day, running to catch and tie up my Irish Setter every evening, running to my grandmother's house and back on errands several times a day had anything to do with fitness. I couldn't do any of those pull-ups though.

Age 18. Off to college, still doing all those calisthenics in my dorm room every day while the other girls would come around and look at me laughing at what a nut I was.

Age 20. Pregnant did nothing-- considered very bad for the baby.

Age 21. The Royal Canadian Air Force fitness booklet. I loved that thing. I finally had an organized fitness program, worked up to the top levels, still had trouble with the push-ups.

Age 22. Kenneth Coopers book on aerobics changed my life. I started jumping rope for 21 minutes a day. six days a week, and kept it up, along with ten minutes of floor exercises until I was 45.

Age 25. Started adult ballet classes and added a bar workout at the end of the aerobics as a pleasant reward.

Age 27. Jane Fonda's workout routine was slipped in. Go for the burn!

Age 45. Had to switch from jumping rope to doing lower impact aerobic DVD's instead. Richard Simmons "Sweating to the Oldies," Denise Austin, Leslie Sansone, many others. I loved doing those, anything to music is so much more fun.

Age 65. Broke my leg really bad. Been walking with a cane from then on. Gave it all up. I sure miss it. Just walking the dog would be a treat now.
 
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