Keep Your Chin Up

A year ago I  stopped doing what was my regular exercise routine.  My now neglected regular exercise routine consisted of participating in a one hour weight bearing, aerobics class, three times a week.  

Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at 8:30 a.m., a group of about a dozen 60-80 year old women meet in the community club house to lift, march, dance, bend, stretch and mostly huff and puff for about 60 minutes.  The class is led by a 57 year old, very fit, very perky, energetic likable woman. 

Until a year ago, I diligently attended this class.  

I'm not sure why I stopped going.  It wasn't a gradual cutting back.  No, I just stopped going.

I came up with one excuse after another.  I blamed it on my aching hip or my chronic plantar fasciitis.  

     

I said it was more enjoyable to get up out of bed when I wanted to.  I loved spending the morning leisurely lounging around with my tea for as long as I desired.  Perhaps, I just ran out of steam.  

When I gave it careful consideration though,  I thought about the timing of when I stopped going.        

It was then that I realized it coincidently coincided with the passing of our little Maltese Rico.    

When that thought popped into my head, I brushed it away.  No, it couldn't be that. 

I mean I was sad to lose Rico after having him for nearly 18 years, but I didn't feel what I would describe as typically depressed.

But now, I realize that my self imposed cocoon hibernation was a form of grief.

     

Last week I went for an annual physical exam.   I wasn't surprised at my weight gain.  Leading the sedentary life style that I was now leading, of course there would be weight gain.   My blood pressure was a little elevated.  Again, not surprising.  

But what did surprise me, though, was the result of my bone density test.  It showed that I have Osteopenia.  

     "Osteopenia is when your bones are weaker than normal but not so far gone that they break easily, which is the hallmark of osteoporosis."

  

Having Osteopenia didn't surprise me, I've had it for years.  The astonishing thing about these latest results was that the Osteopenia has improved since my last bone density exam.  I suddenly understood that my aerobic, weight bearing exercise class was benefiting me much more than I realized.  

Because of our current circumstance (described in my last post "Did you ever have...") I am not available to attend the 8:30 aerobics classes.

    

Our community has a beautiful fitness center.   We also have a fitness trainer available in the community to help with one-on-one training.

I met with her last week for a one time, get me going session.

She helped me set up a routine, which I can easily manage.   

Ironically, unbeknownst to her, the best advice she gave me was more meaningful to me than just a physical benefit.   

As I was worked with the free weights, she told me to keep my chin up.  A couple of time she would reach over to tilt my chin upwards.   She told me that looking straight ahead with my chin up would help improve my posture. 

I realized that I do that often.  When I walk, I look down, not ahead.

Keeping my chin up is good advice, especially now, for more reasons than one.