Have you ever thought about how much money people spend to try and look younger? People subject themselves to surgeries, harsh diets, and killer workouts often in an attempt to shave a few years off of their appearance. But I wonder, should we really be concerned with how we look or how we feel?
No doubt that a scalpel can make us look better in a heart beat, but how long will the results last? The same can be said for radical diets and exercise, often quickly forgotten after the desired results are attained, or tossed to one side if they don’t work immediately. For the long run, doesn’t make sense for us to change our lifestyle and our habits, so not only will we look better, but more importantly, feel better as well?
Since my ride on an airplane in the early 1990’s with a very fit man who was almost 80, I have done exercise pretty much every day. He explained to me the virtues a workout he had done since being in the Royal Canadian Airforce, called the Five Basic Exercises (5BX RCAF). The only exception to my exercises was a time period between 2018 and 2020, when after slipping and falling, I hurt my back. Because of my pain, I justified not doing my daily exercise, first for a few days, but which then led to weeks and months. While I made a pretty good case to myself as to why I wasn’t exercising, the overall result affected not only my energy level, but also my attitude.
I had what Zig Ziglar refers to as “Stinking Thinking”. I was lethargic and found myself moving around like a little old man. About a year ago, I decided to see if I could find some exercises that would help me to strengthen my back, and fortunately, I found several. After several weeks of doing them and working on my core, my back got stronger and was no longer hurting as it once did. Several months later, I realized I had not gotten back into my daily routine of exercise, so I made an effort to do so. Since that time, my energy levels have increased and my attitude has gotten better.
Better yet, my new exercise routine now incorporates several things I like. I call it Juventus. Besides being the name of one of the most famous soccer teams in the world, also means young or youthful (coming from the ancient Roman goddess named Juventa). It combines the following:
- Radio Gold Instrumental (morning)
- My Music on Shuffle (evening)
- 32 Roga Yoga Moves (they include Yoga, Tai Chi, calisthenics, and even some dancing and air guitar if the music is right)
- 5 Tibetan Rites (from the book the “Eye of the Revelation”)
- 3 additional stretching moves
- Seeds of Success (a series of quotes I have memorized from different sources)
You can click on any of the links above to take you to examples of each. While it seems to me that just about any type of exercise will do, this combination works for me.
Our lifestyle, with all of its conveniences, has led many of us to be lazy and subject to obesity. In terms of diet, there are many different opinions and each can sound convincing. Some tout high protein or high carbohydrate based diets. Others claim being a vegan or a vegetarian is the right way to go. My overall favorite, which I have put into practice also since the early 1990’s, is the Anti-Diet.
Regardless of the exercise and diet plan we choose to follow, most important is to follow a routine that works for our body type and schedule. Exercise does not have to be done in a gym, and a proper diet isn’t always to lose weight. Walking briskly is said to be one of the best overall workouts and a diet consisting of all food groups can provide tremendous results (when combined properly and eaten in moderation).
If you find yourself either over or underweight, and/or with problems maintaining your energy, the good news is that you can start a program today which will can have you feeling better as soon as tomorrow. Discover what kind of exercise you enjoy and a diet that works for you. When you do, you can begin not only to look younger, but more importantly, feel better.
∞ Rob McBride ∞
28 Feb 2021
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