Why do people think that just because I force myself to go out and exercise, I love it? Thirty-one years of running, walking, hiking, aerobics, using weights (when I remember), skiing, cross-country skiing. Exercise tapes with Jane Fonda, followed by yoga with Jane Fonda. Health clubs, treadmills, a Nordic Track and elliptical. (I do own a Precor elliptical and have to browbeat myself to get on that.) Before that, the dreaded “gym” classes where I never could climb the pole or yank myself up the rope. Sit ups. Tennis and Racquetball. Actually, they were both fun until my knees decided that any lateral movement was out of the question.

Despite my moans and groans, I keep remembering that I have to use it or lose it. That’s brought home by the yearly paperwork I receive from the N.I.H. (National Institute of Health) to fill out. I am part of the observational study launched by the Women’s Health Initiative, in 1991. The other part of this study consists of clinical trials. This study involved 161,808 generally healthy postmenopausal women.

For observational purposes, I receive several questionnaires once a year to fill out and in my 17 years, the questions they ask me have become more and more frightening. For example, “…Can you rise from a sitting position without assistance?…. Are you bedridden?….Do you need a caregiver?…” Perhaps you haven’t given any thought to rising from a sitting position to standing because you think of yourself as young and invincible not matter what your age. I consider myself a healthy 68 and never stop to think I’ll may need assistance just standing up…

Sheila and a good exercise moment in St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria
Just the thought of not being mobile is anathema to me. That is why as much as I detest (absolutely Detest with a capital “D”) doing any sort of exercise at least several times a week, much, much less than the recommended daily half hour, it has to be done if I hope to have any chance of reaching 70…75…80…and God willing, older, without becoming incapacitated strictly because of the lack of exercise. This is Sheila’s advice, take it or leave it. The hardest part of exercise is putting on those darn exercise shoes and clothes. Once they’re on, you are committed, it becomes mentally easier and you know how good it feels when you are done. You don’t have to exercise every day and kill yourself. You do have to make it part of your life like brushing your teeth whether you want to or not and, hopefully, it will prolong the time before we may need a walker or wheel chair.

Nike says…”Just do it” … that is if you don’t want to suddenly wake up one day and find some of your physical complaints could have been avoided just by fitting a little exercise into your life… With that, it’s snowshoes on, and up the mountains for a little “mountain high” and lots of endorphins rushing through my body… Go ahead and do it!

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