The Ultimate Anti-Aging Do-It-Yourself Project for Boomers

I found the following message on a discussionpopulated by 20-somethings who don't have an
board:inch of flab on their tight bodies. If you must
"Those of us between 45 and 65 are notexercise in a group environment, then toughen up.
considered seniors - and yet many of us are notForget about the skinny kid on the bicycle next to
comfortable in gyms . . . We are truly a neglectedyou. You are not there to compete; your are
group. Our local park districts have several seniorthere to do your own thing. You are there in
exercise programs, even senior sports leagues.response to a commitment you made to
But we are too young to join them. At the sameyourself, not to a group
time, most of us simply can't compete with the2. Part of the commitment to exercise is indeed
20 and 30-somethings that populate mostpsychological. If you have made the commitment,
exercise classes.you will do what you have to do, regardless of
Gyms need to go out of their way to be morewhat others do, or where or how they do it.
welcoming to people who don't fit the young and3. The key to not being treated as elderly is to
skinny mold. A big part of making a commitmentchange how you behave and think about yourself.
to fitness is psychological, and when you feel youIt's important to see yourself as a strong
don't belong, that the atmosphere systematicallyindividual who doesn't need the approbation of a
excludes and ostracizes you because you're notgroup to help you be who you are or want to be.
22 years old or you don't weigh 102, then it's4. We will always have "marketing to the elderly"
extremely difficult to keep going back.because being elderly is a traditional outcome of
. . . we 40 and 50-somethings are not quite readythe aging process, and most people as they age
for senior citizenship. We want something morewill fit into that category.
suited to our age than what's found in the typical5. At 40 or 50, you are NOT middle aged!
gym. But be very, very careful - I am NOTRemember, in the past century the lifespan has
elderly, and I won't be marketed to or treatedincreased by 27 years. Therefore, it no longer
that way. Can we find a middle ground for thosemakes sense to categorize yourself according to
of us of middle age?"a model that is no longer relevant.
The above tells me the following about the writer:There is a better way to think about the stages
1. She finds gyms forbidding 2. She understandsof aging, and it is found in Dr. Helen Harkness'
that part of the commitment to exercise isgroundbreaking book, "Don't Stop the Career
psychological 3. She knows 40 and 50 somethingsClock". On page 79 she gives her contemporary
are not seniors, however - - 4. She considersmodel for aging:
40-50 middle aged 5. She is adamant about notYoung adulthood: 20-40 First midlife: 40-60 Second
being considered "elderly" 6. She has a groupmidlife: 60-80 Young-old: 80-90 Elderly: 90 and
mindset that affects/controls her thinking andabove Old-old: 2-3 years to live
behaviorKnowing what you know about the lengthening
It is the last item on the list above that meritslifespan, isn't the Harkness model a more rational,
comment first:motivating way to see your stages of aging?
Managing the aging process is not a group activity.My best advice to 40 and 50 somethings is to be
It's nice to have support, and support helps, butstrong, independent and committed to managing
ultimately, it's a do it yourself project.your aging process. Don't categorize yourself.
I would say to the writer of the discussion boardRealize that regardless of how much group
message, as well as all 40 and 50 somethingssupport you have, no one but you can control
who need group support to exercise (or tohow you age. It is indeed the ultimate "do it
perform any activity):yourself" project.
1. Forget about finding acceptance in a gym