Boomers Wanna Get in Shape? Beware

Lately I have been paying close attention to the fitness trainers at the gym.  I exercise at a big box gym in Independence where members are very diverse with a substantial geriatric population.  These young twenty-something trainers are having their older clients perform exercises that are totally inappropriate for their fitness level and age.  I have to do all I can not to say anything.

Exercising myself for over 20 years with an aging body, I have had to learn the hard way beyond my fitness certification on how to not only train my own body but how to work with older people and those with injuries.

The most important thing older people can do is to get a strong core, something fitness trainers say they work on but they don't because they confuse the core with working the abdominal muscles.  A strong core will protect the spine, improve posture and movement, and prevent serious injuries.

I learned this the hard way at the age of 46 after 20 years of heavy weight lifting beyond what my frame could handle which worked my joints instead of my muscles, I had a stupid moment and did a power lifting move that ruptured my L5/S1 disc.  That was over 2 years ago and although I am improving, I am still experiencing pain.  This experience has made me a lot wiser and I would like to share what I have learned on my journey with the medical profession because I believe it can help others.

So if you have an aging body or injury and want to know how to modify your exercise program, feel free to post a question, comment on this blog or reach out via email to me or Sara.

Baby Bump

Sara finally let me take a pic of her belly.  She is currently at about 20 weeks and our baby boy which we are naming Hayden Alexander is 6" long.  His hair starting to grow and his brain is developing his senses (all according to www.babycenter.org).  I bought these cute little monkey and doggie outfits for him that have a onezie, pants, baby pj's, and little skull caps withe monkey and doggie faces on them.  He is going to be so cute!

That's all for now :)

It's a boy!

Today we went to get the ultrasound and have a healthy and active baby boy developing inside mommy!  He is "officially" due on May 17th, a perfect month so mommy doesn't have to carry the him through the hot summer :). 

Feeling Left Out

The other pets in the house got jealous of the new kitty's blog notoriety so I had to take their picture and post it.  Sort of like my niece's little girl (human), Daylin, that has to have her picture taken with her dolly every night before she goes to bed.  We decided to name the new kitty Lucy and after 3 weeks, she has finally started coming around and playing with toys.  Catbert, our big 19lb cat is pictured below along with Lotion (not a name that neither Sara nor I picked), and Marvin the fish.  I have actually gotten attached to a fish!  Every morning before I feed Marvin, he flaps his fins and swims all over the bowl in anticipation of food.  Also, whenever I go up to the bowl he comes right to me ans we stare at each other.  So, it just proves that we can have a connection with all animals as long as they aren't snakes!

A Feline Addition

Ohhh no... on the way back from Sara's parent's house for the Thanksgiving holiday, we stopped to go pee at a convenience store/truck stop.  Right outside the entrance was a little kitty crouching.  It was trying to get up underneath the cars and was obviously lost but friendly.  I knew if we didn't take the kitty, Sara would be distraught all the way home which was at least another 2-3 hours.  We loaded the kitty in the car and brought her to her new home; ours!  We haven't named her yet but she is pretty spunky so her name will follow soon.

Potato Soup

I just finished making potato soup for the new mommie to be (mommie is 16.5 weeks along and is starting to show).  She won't let me take a pic of her belly yet because she says she is in the stage where she looks fat and not pregnant so I have to wait until she thinks she look pregnant before I can share a pic..... tic toc tic toc tic toc......  Baby gonna like potato soup :)

Our Family

Sara and I met in May 2005 and were married April 21, 2007.