You’ve known for years that you need to move your body more, and eat more healthful foods. You know it will help you feel better, look better and age better. You will live longer and get more out of your senior years.
So why haven’t you? And why aren’t you doing it now?
“Why don’t I? Because I feel OK now. I don’t need it now — maybe later.”
You’re unconcerned — don’t care. It’s not a problem now. “Yeah, I feel a little tired and weary and bored and sometimes even a little depressed, but it’s just temporary. I’ll start working on it later. I have plenty of time.”
There’s a word for that: Complacency. That means smug, unconcerned, contentment, self-righteous. Contemporary usage includes lack of motivation, excuses, procrastination, laziness.
You’re a senior and you’re in your comfort zone. You’re content right now. You seem happy enough. You don’t want to change any habits, thoughts, activities or anything. You’re complacent. You’ll start later.
But your body deteriorates without activity — without movement — all kinds of movement. Your arms have to swing. Your legs have to move and your knees have to bend, or you won’t be able to walk. Your bodies have to bend and twist or you’ll be unable to do it a few years from now when you want to.
You have to move against resistance or you lose your muscle strength and bone density. “Yes, I know all that, but maybe later. I can wait. I don’t need to do it now.”
“Better late than never”, you say. “So I’ll start late. I feel OK now. I’m not really worried about exercise right now. Plus I like lots of good food, bread, sweets, desserts. I still feel OK now, just a little sluggish and depressed. So I’ll wait.”
Doctor’s offices are filled with people with that kind of thinking. And yes, we are even seeing less and less overweight doctors who are beginning to realize the value in their own advice. My old primary care doctor was a Triathlon participant. My cardiologist exercises and is lean and trim. My new primary care doctor is a tad pudgy but gives seminars on weight loss. I am a gym buddy with another cardiologist who bicycles and does an early morning “spinning” class.
Most of their patients are people who need help. I have a cardiologist because I had a heart valve replaced. But my arteries were great. In fact the surgeon told me he wanted arteries like mine when he got to be my age. But then I make it a point to take care of myself and listen to my body. So many people don’t. But it keeps the doctors in their mansions and Mercedes.
So start now, not tomorrow or some undefined time in the future. Take action today. Lose the complacency and start moving and eating with intention. Know what you’re putting in your body. Start slowly and build slowly. Start reclaiming your body.
“The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in our doing too much, but rather in our doing too little; not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.” ― Benjamin E. Mays
“Complacency is a blight that saps energy, dulls attitudes, and causes a drain in the brain. The first symptom is satisfaction with things as they are. The second is rejection of things it as they might be. ‘Good enough’ becomes today’s watchword and tomorrow standard.” ― Alex and Brett Harris
Remember, your energy level is a matter of choice. There’s a reason most people don’t exercise consistently and intensely enough to improve their overall health and energy. First, they haven’t CHOSEN to do so for themselves. Instead, they’ve accepted living half-alive, at a lowered level of energy, because they don’t even realize how much how much they’re cheating themselves out of a vibrant life. Second, they’ve never been trained on which exercises work best for them as Seniors, or why.
So, the answer to more personal energy is to get off your complacent “backside” and get moving. Three to five times a week to start. Once you start, and discover how good it feels, you won’t ever be complacent about your health, fitness and personal energy again.
Oh, and one more thing. Today is election day in the United States. Surveys show that the number one reason people don’t vote is complacency. Don’t be complacent — get out and vote.
Thank you for reading.