I’ve been a lifelong weakling. I swear I never had any natural strength. When I played sports I had to rely on strategy and quickness rather than power. 

There was a time when being fit and exercising was all about looking good. For decades, I thought I was taking care to age well and remain physically capable. Then suddenly I crossed some sort of invisible line. Even though I was exercising regularly, (weight training and yoga), those workouts stopped doing me any good. I wasn’t getting stronger or even maintaining the strength I did have. After every workout I would experience an unfair amount of muscle stiffness. And bone scans in my fifties diagnosed me with osteopenia — the forerunner to osteoporosis. Yikes! And aches and pains? Ouf! From sciatica, to rotator cuff, to sore knees, tendinitis in both thumbs, and I could go on and on, but you get the picture. For different reasons, everything hurt.

Things got worse. I had two falls. They weren’t serious and I wasn’t hurt, but I had to wonder, would I have fallen given the same situation when I was thirty? Both falls happened in slow motion. I had enough time to think, to scramble a bit, to realize that gravity was winning. I honestly believe that with more strength I could have caught my balance and righted myself before I met the floor.

I was getting worried. My shoulder injury prevented me from doing my usual workouts. I was losing muscle tone and I was skinny beyond the pale. Please don’t hear that as a positive. It’s not. Strength as you age is far more important than pant size. 

For the first time I was fearful of growing older. How was I going to manage? My thumbs were so painful I had to lift the milk carton out of the fridge between my palms. And forget about opening the pickle jar without banging on the lid twenty times. 

These were my thoughts and fears two years ago. I was lucky. I found an online stretch and strengthen program that uses the principles of tai chi mixed with simple ballet strength training and some physiotherapy techniques thrown in for good measure. It’s an all ages head to toe program. Even my hands and feet get a work out.

Allow me to brag for a minute to say I’ve got good habits. I rarely miss a day doing this workout. I am now pain free, stronger, and with greater mobility than I had even when I was thirty. 

As I write this, my much older future self is writing me thank you cards.

My motivation for exercising has definitely changed over the decades. I am grateful to feel optimistic about the physical side of growing older. I am winning the osteopenia battle, my posture is upright, I have core strength, I have good balance, I’m aerobically fit. The best part? I’m pain free everywhere, including my thumbs, including my shoulder, including my back. 

It’s not about the bod. It’s about the ability within the bod.

The online program is called Essentrics. Feel free to contact me and ask me any questions about my experience. 

Stay safe everyone.

Anne Milne is an every Sunday blogger.  Facebook or email.