By Caron Schwartz
A Certain Age, a Certain Habit
By February, many of us who have made resolutions have already broken them. That’s the problem with resolutions – they’re good intentions that can be thrown aside as soon as you fall off the wagon. But developing good habits is another story.
I’ve had a gym membership for as long as I can remember, at least since meeting my ex-husband, the amateur triathlete. He was both inspirational and insistent. I also had a wonderful trainer, Bob, a retired banker who discovered his true calling in his 60s.
After the ex and I parted ways (not my idea), I took up boxing. Ben and I didn’t exactly spar – he wore pads and held up mitts, shouting encouragement while I whaled away. Way more effective than anger management classes.
One of the marvelous things about reaching “a certain age” is Medicare. Lenny and I both have Medicare Advantage, the most useful advantage of which is Silver Sneakers, a health and fitness program offered at no extra cost that provides access to gyms, community centers, online classes, and more to help seniors stay active. (Yes, there are many disadvantages, but this isn’t the time or place…)
We belong to every gym imaginable, each with its own delights and quirks. I prefer Planet Fitness, the cleanest fitness facility I’ve ever worked out in. But it’s a little out of the way. Lenny likes LA Fitness, which, in addition to having all the usual amenities and a pool, is a convenient bike ride away. But it’s really loud.
Recently, he discovered Youfit. Soon, he was enthusiastically telling me about his new trainer. Josh, he said, was helping him focus on form, something he wanted to work on following a rotator cuff injury.
Then I joined Youfit. After a consultation with Josh, I was sold too. I wanted a refresher on proper form to assure aging with grace. Youfit also met my qualifications: relatively clean, mostly quiet, and infinitely bikeable. Another plus is copious natural light.
No resolutions were made or broken in the pursuit of better health habits.