Last month, within days of the release of my new exercise DVD for seniors, Time magazine featured a story called “Exercise to Protect Aging Bodies—and Brains.”
The article said studies confirm that exercise not only helps maintain good health but may also prevent the onset of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, osteoarthritis and dementia.
That’s amazing news but nothing I couldn’t have told you.
Every Monday and Wednesday, for the past five years, I’ve taught a class called Senior Strength. It’s 45 minutes of seated and standing strength, endurance and stretching exercises. Students in the class range from ages 50 to 90. Several have had hip and knee replacement surgery and some are recovering from shoulder, back and neck injuries. Regardless of their health history, these ladies are energetic, full of grace and have very sharp minds.
Two students, a mother/daughter team, have taken my class for the last two years. Virginia, the mother, will be 90 this summer. Although she has arthritis, she lives on her own, still drives, and she’s even been asked to lead an exercise class in her retirement community! Carol, her daughter, told me, “Exercise keeps mom going strong. I enjoy being able to look at her and see myself in two dozen years.”
There’s another criteria for wellness—something Time magazine’s article didn’t touch on—and that’s prayer. My Senior Strength class and I pray together before the start of each class, and it prepares us to stretch, grow strong and have fun. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 that we can “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Make today a mental health day. Do your favorite form of exercise, breathe deep and talk to God.
Blessings,
Theresa
Photo: Some of Theresa’s Senior Strength class. Carol is in the front row second on left. Virginia behind her in red striped shirt.
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Get more advice from Theresa!
Find all you need to know on whole-person
wellness in Shaped by Faith.
Theresa is a former model and nationally certified fitness professional who teaches people to use their faith to inspire fitness and their fitness to strengthen their faith. She is the author of Shaped by Faith: 10 Secrets to Strengthening your Body & Soul, and three exercise DVDS: Pilates for the Soul, Strength Training for the Seasoned Soul and Pilates Stability Ball.
She and her husband, Robin, have seven children and live in Calhoun, Kentucky.
