The elderly athlete is only decades away

A long-term focus will rescue the old you

A walking and cycling path in Vienna, Austria, 2023.

We all know elderly people that can hardly walk. The old man that struggles to stand up out of his chair, wincing in pain. The old woman who fears stairs like it's a hungry tiger or the devil himself.

These are people we love. It's sad to witness the painful decay of old age. Aging is inevitable, no question. My body will eventually quit on me. But I believe I can delay this effect. I can lessen its impact with my daily choices.

As you age, you feel the effects of how you treated your body during the years prior. All the tiny habits stack up. Treating your body like the average human gives it average results. Treating your body like an athlete gives it super powers.

I like to tell myself that I'm a subpar athlete. I don't seriously consider myself to be near athlete status. But if I remind myself that I'm aiming for that, it becomes easier to do what athletes do. Eat well, train consistently, get good sleep - the basics are essential and obvious.

If you've read some of my previous posts, you've noticed a trend. I like to write about ideas that can be easily adopted to improve quality of life. Sometimes the only thing you need when you're stuck is a mindset shift, viewing a problem from a different perspective.

These ideas could be called "uncommon sense" - the answer is standing in front of you waiving its arms, but you can't see it until you take off the blindfold.

Today's topic is a follow up from the runner's proclamation. This one is for anyone who wants to be strong and fit far into your elderly years.

You are motivated to limit - and avoid - cancers, chronic pain, hospital visits, surgeries, prescription pills and medical bills.

You don't believe that old-age suffering is inevitable, and there's no point in fighting it.

You do believe that you have the ability to improve your quality of life in your 60s, 70s, 80s, and onward.

Everyone has different motivations for health - reasons for their personal fitness goals, why they do what they do to stay fit, or why they avoid it.

For some, the goal is to keep the weight off or drop the pounds.
Runners train for the 5K, 10K, half or the marathon.
Lifters want to fight gravity, become stronger and build muscle.
Others play competitive sports, from childhood far into adulthood.

Maybe it's just your ideal body image that fuels you - you want to look good, and who doesn't want that?

For many of us, myself included, our fitness focus is long-term.

My primary motivator is one that will always keep me coming back to the gym. It will always push me to hop on the bike or lace up the trail runners.

I'm only focused on the old man Logan, the far-in-the-future me.

Healthy at old age.
Avoiding pain at old age.
Having energy at old age.

This keeps me glued to a target decades from now. This makes it impossible for me to quit, for a lifetime. I can't throw in the towel too early, I'd be letting myself down.

The elderly man would be disappointed in the young man.
Blackbeard can't drop the ball at 31, he's gotta deliver it to Graybeard at 81.

I won't see the end results of my health habits for another 50 years or more.

This long-term vision has positive side effects. The short-term gains of my workouts and diet are just side effects of my distant goal.

When the side effects aren't working in my favor, exactly how I'd hoped, I don't have the option to give up. Because I still have a long way to go. I adjust my efforts, and keep on going.

Shift your fitness focus from short-term to long-term, and you decrease your chances of quitting.

The goal: a super hero old person.

The side effects:
I'm happy with the body I have now, and this continues year after year.
I have energy, I sleep well, and I have a positive mindset.
The longer I stay consistent, the longer these good feelings last.
I don't become tired quickly or experience pain in my body during an active day of movement.
I slowly become stronger, which means that gravity affects me less and less. How amazing is that?

I don't need the fitness industry to shame me into exercising. I don't buy the best equipment, supplements or training programs. The latest product is not the precise missing ingredient for a healthy life.

I can fuel myself with motivation by being mindful and respectful of old man Logan. I want to run laps around my grand-kids.

The elements for a healthy life are simple. This can be a challenging process, but the plan is available to everyone.

Just seek the essentials:
Drink water.
Eat whole foods.
Do workouts you enjoy.
Get good sleep.
Keep it consistent.

You wish you could snap your fingers to cure the pain of someone you love.
You can do this for the old you with habits that start today.

Put on your cape, future grandpa.
Save the day, save yourself.

You’re almost there, the elderly athlete is only decades away.

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