Dot Daly is a certified group exercise instructor. She has made an easy to follow, inexpensive DVD recently. It incorporates balance, T'ai Chi, Yoga, some Pilates, and a brief relaxation. Check it out at www.befitafter60.com. Or www.befitfor60.com Her class is taught at G.A.Fitness gym in Woodstock, Ga. Questions? Email me at the address above.

Some Thoughts on Finding Balance in Life,
or What Is Really Important to You Now

Being near or past retirement age brings still more changes in the way we use our time. Seemingly, we slide into age brackets sometimes dubbed as “empty nesters,” “baby boomers,” “seniors,” or “elderly.” We're not always comfortable with changes, but we adapt and move on.

How many changes have there been in your time structure? If they were significant, then you remember them. Some that come to mind are: that first day of school – and the last; the first hurt or rejection; any move, especially to a new area; impulsive choices turned sour; unwelcome weight gains (Oops!); marriage; jobs, children; grandchildren; severe disability; accidents, or losing a loved one. Some changes have been great – some not so great.

Any and all of these events create changes in the way we use our time. Our life feels off-balance for a while. However, whatever has happened cannot be changed, although our attitude can. An ancient poem from the Sanskrit begins “Look, therefore, to this day, for it is life.” We must look to the task ahead and establish priorities.

Life, as I reflect on the many changes we all experience, is not unlike a road map. There are detours. Eventually, we get back on track, to things that are familiar.

At age 60, after experiencing a series of extreme traumas, I had an accident, resulting in a compound fracture where the bones shattered in sixteen places. I had osteoporosis. My life took an entirely different direction. This was not only a detour, but a whole new way of life. My priority was focused on recovery and improvement in this aging body. How? By exercising, and studying the benefits of exercise. I became motivated as never before, and, with others in my age bracket, joined a class called “Flexibility.” My physical limitations gradually decreased, and, after a few months, I became an instructor. This was a new life style for me. In addition, I found it extremely gratifying to see improvement in those I was teaching.

Exercise is vitally important as you get older. It's never too late to get moving. It is also important to find the type of exercise that you can do and enjoy. Otherwise, you will not continue. It is no secret that we lose muscle mass and aerobic capacity as we age, so we do less. That diminishing capacity can be increased.

Inactivity takes a huge toll and may shorten and decrease the quality of your life. There are many documented studies proving the benefits of exercise. How do you feel about the possibility of caring for your own needs and, to quote Dr. Andrew Weil, “decreasing the morbidity of life?” Regular exercise is the key to slowing down the aging process, improving your immune system, decreasing pain and disease, and, in general, feeling good.

There are, most likely, many places near you where you can go to begin your new life style of fitting some movement into your time structure. “Ask and you shall receive.” You could begin by calling senior services in your area.