This is my 96th Energy Bite. I’ve been writing and publishing these Energy Bites as both a PDF newsletter (early days) and later as a blog, for a couple of years now. The topics have always been built around various aspects of Health, Fitness and Personal Energy for Active Older Adults.
Until just recently, no one has asked me what I meant by Health, Fitness and Personal Energy. Someone did last week. So I thought I’d write this post as a bulleted list of what I mean. All the terms interrelate and this list is by no means complete. In fact, if you have additional bullet points to add, feel free to let me know (see below).
If you are Healthy, Fit and have an abundance of personal energy . . .
- You are able to do nearly all the things that you personally want to do on a day to day basis, and then some more.
- You have a strong and effective immune system, helping you combat long, lingering chronic illness.
- You are mobile, flexible, and able to move your muscles and joints through their entire range of motion, limited only by injury or disability.
- Your muscles and bones are healthy and strong. You are able to push things, pull things, lift things, carry things, bend and twist, keep your balance, and move from point A to point B at your own leisure.
- You have a strong infrastructure of ligaments, tendons, joints and internal organs.
- You have a strong cardio-respiratory system.
- You are able to maintain good posture.
- You have the Personal Energy to get through the day with a smile on your face, and plenty left over in reserve.
- You have a high degree of enthusiasm for life and depression is only fleeting at most. You have a positive attitude about living.
- You have the ability to overcome inertia. When you want to do something, you go ahead and do it, moving out of your immediate comfort zone.
- You are friends with the floor. You have the ability to get down to the floor and up again with little difficulty. You are able to catch yourself or slow yourself in the event of a fall, to prevent or minimize any injury.
- You feel good physically and are comfortable in your own skin.
This list is certainly not complete. Some may have other ideas as to their definitions of health, fitness and personal energy. These are some of mine. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts at bob@thecomealiveproject.com. Please put “Personal Energy” in the subject line.
You get most of your personal energy from good exercise, nutritious food, plenty of oxygen, and a “Come Alive Attitude” toward yourself and your life. And that’s what The Come Alive Project and these blog articles are all about.
Thanks for reading.