Spoiler Alert: Sitting Isn’t Good For You

Tags

age, aging, butt, fitness, health, Life, live, Longer, Longevity, on, sitting, steps, study, today, USA, your

A friend and colleague forwarded on a great article from USA Today that at first glance may get the smallsteps2haelth “no duh” award.  The article is titled, “Don’t just sit there! It could be harmful later in life.”  However, a closer read of the article and you’ll see that they present some pretty specific findings from a recent study, making the reality of too much daily “sitting on my butt” time, a bit more alarming.

The study focused on those over 60, and showed that this group spend an average of 9 hours per day sitting…  what?  It goes on to state that for every additional hour adults over age 60 spend sitting, they increase their risk of being disabled (in some capacity) by 50%.  The article uses the term “sitting disease” and links too much sitting to a number of significant diseases and ailments.  It’s definitely worth a read and some thought.

The bottom line is not a new one.  It’s kind of a “use it or lose it” thing as you get older.  If you don’t remain active, engaged and healthy, you make it harder to do so and may start a spiral of poor health that is difficult to pull out of.  Sitting around doing nothing but watching TV, tinkering on the computer and planning your next meal isn’t healthy at any age, but the older you get, it presents an even more dangerous scenario.  Push yourself to be in motion more often, do those little things that force you to move more, and stay active.

…

Small steps add up!!!!

Advertisements

Diary of a Middle Age Man: The Remodel

Tags

a, age, aged, Alders, change, crisis, diary, Life, man, mark, Mark Alders, mid, middle, of, remodel, stress

Have you ever noticed that we as humans tend to cling onto things and generally resist change, but once we tackle a change, we start to tackle them in bunches.  There’s plenty of research around stress and change that demonstrates a strange pattern of “taking on multiple stressors” at the same time during key periods of our lives.  For example, it’s crazy how often people get married, change jobs and move from one home to another all within a very short period of time (e.g. weeks or months).

I too have traversed periods of turmoil and change, and have tended to keep my plate full and challenge-level to the max.  Most of the time I do this simply because I prefer being a bit too busy, to having too much time on my hands – – I just do better with a bit of motivating stress.

So how does this fit under my “Diary of a Middle Age Man” semi-regular blog-post umbrella?  It all came to me as I made a couple of appointments to see an optometrist and dermatologist, just after speaking with the general contractor who is working on a major remodel at my home.  At first I thought I was just making  an appointment with the optometrist, because it’s been a while and my nearsightedness has become a bit more severe over the last couple of years – – makes sense to see the doc.  As a person who likes being outdoors in the sun hiking, fishing, golfing, skiing, surfing, running…. etc., I do see a dermatologist from time-to-time.  Thus, I didn’t think much of it, until I looked out of my home office window onto a semi-demolished backyard, patio and pool area.  The entire yard, which has served my family and I well just looked old and tired, and we we’re taking some steps to ensure it looked good and was there for us for years to come.  As I continue to be surprised and “enjoy” the many signs of aging (some visible and some not), there is an inner desire to fight it.  Now I’ve never been one to judge, but I’ll just put it out there that I’m not a fan of plastic surgery, or some of solutions out there that tend to make you look like you’re always scared, like you’ve been punched in the mouth, or like some variant of a mutant puffer fish.  If it makes you happy, more power to you, but I think most people look better aging naturally.  Having said this, I think my eye and skin appointments were definitely steps to include myself in the remodel process.  I suppose if running Tough Mudders and being a bit crazy from time-to-time are part of my god given right to a mid-life crisis, I’ll take that over joining Hair Club For Men and buying a red convertible sports car.

To each his/her own, and there’s nothing wrong with taking on change in bunches and taking steps to take care of yourself, whether it be a “remodel” or simply routine maintenance.

…

Small steps add up!!!

Diary of a Middle Age Man: Fathers

Tags

age, Alders, dad, day, diary, family, father, fathers, man, mark, Mark Alders, middle, mom, parenting

There’s no role I play in life that’s more important than Father.  I was fortunate (and am fortunate enough) to have a great one.  I’ve seen the impact of crappy fathers by way of friends growing up and via some of my early intimate relationships.  Andy, yes, I’ve seen the many positive influences a great Dad can have.

As a father myself, I struggle and often times feel inadequate and outgunned by my kids.  I worry that I’m not handling things well, struggle living up to my responsibilities and making enough time for my kids, providing for them while not spoiling them and turning them into entitled brats, and I worry that my desire to shape happy, responsible, well-equipped adults will send them to years of therapy later in life.  Then I remember, I had a great teacher and role model – and the the fact that I’m worrying and trying is half the battle.  Thanks Dad, Happy Fathers Day!

By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong. — Charles Wadsworth

BTW… That’s me with the bowl haircut and the pouting lips (to the right), with my brother, Mom and Dad (circa 1970).

…

Small steps add up!!!

Jumpin’ Jack Flash

Tags

70, age, dancing, energy, jagger, jumping, lean, mick, movement, old, rolling, stones, twitching, young, youth

I went to see The Rolling Stones last night in LA, as part of their 50th Anniversary Tour, and they burned the roof off Staples Center.  I’ve always liked them, and wouldn’t say I’ve been a huge fan, but they totally delivered.  The songs rocked, the band was into it, and Mick was an absolute ball of jumping, dancing, twitching and convulsing energy.

I’ve seen Mick Jagger over the years, and knew he earned the “moves like Jagger” song homage, but assumed that this almost 70 year-old rocker would have lost a step or two.  Wrong.  He moved in a way that most would assume impossible for someone out of their twenties, for almost 3 hours non-stop.  I was literally blown away.  I know he and the rest of the band treated their bodies like chemistry experiments in the 60’s and 70’s, but Mick must be doing something right to keep his body fit and limber, so he can put on a show like that.  Perhaps a “Rock & Roll 30 Day Shred” DVD in the making?

Anyway, something to shoot for when you’re 70, because if Mick can do it, there’s no reason you can’t.

I know this doesn’t show Mick bounding about the stage, but I did capture the intro to “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” via the USC Choir, and it sounds pretty good for a live gig.  Click on the adjacent image for a little taste.  Enjoy!

…

Small steps add up!!!

Be Childish

Tags

active, Activity, age, children, kids, level, out, play, playing, shoes, wear, worn, youth

We don’t stop playing because we grow old.  We grow old because we stop playing.

I think this quote from George Bernard Shaw conveys a very important message.  Looking at my 11 year-old’s shoes yesterday (photo above) I was reminded  of how incredibly active I was at that age.  I started thinking, “He wears his shoes out in 2-3 weeks, and I have shoes I’ve worn for years that look great.” — not god in my opinion.  My new mission, wear out my shoes.

…

Small steps add up!!!

Diary of a Middle Age Man: Snowboarding

Tags

a, action, active, age, aging, Alders, diary, eastern, fitness, Mammoth, man, mark, Mark Alders, middle, mountain, of, Sierras, skiing, snowboarding, sports, stay

I’ve been skiing since I was just about 10 years old.  From age 13 to 16, my parents signed me up for “Mogul Ski Club” each winter, and would drop me off at a Denny’s restaurant at 5am on Saturday where a bus would come and pick up “mogul kids” and take us to Squaw Valley to ski for the day, and sometimes the weekend.  I loved it and as a “Jack of all sports, master of none”, I would say skiing is one of my stronger sports.  I can ski any run, love the sport and try and log in between 14-21 days on the slopes in a year.

This weekend my family and I went to our place in Mammoth Mountain, and I skied the lower mountain, while my son snowboarded.  He’s 11, and really only started snowboarding this Christmas, although he’s skied since he was 3.5, and he’s coming along really well.  Watching my son shred up the slopes, having a blast was great, but skiing all of the lower mountain runs was a bit boring.  So day two, I decided to go for it and join him.  I have good balance, have surfed since I was 16 (although not as often now as I would want), but snowboarding on a pretty icy mountain was a bit daunting at first.  Is this really a sport that should be taken on in your forties?

First run of the day, I came off the lift, secured my back foot and started to navigate the mountain, following my son.  I was tense, working way too hard, and felt pretty awkward.  A run that might take me 5 minutes on skis, was taking about 3x longer.  Although awkward, I was “doing it.”  About half way down, just as my speed picked up, I hit an icy patch as I was transitioning to the heel side of my board, caught an edge and went down.  My torso slammed into the unforgiving ice, and as the wind left my longs with a primitive thud it felt like I took a strong shot to the ribs from Anderson “Spider” Silva.  “You’ve got to be kidding me!?”, I thought to myself.  I picked myself up, took a few deep breaths to ensure I didn’t crack a rib, tried to remain composed and started again.  I would be lying if I didn’t say that for a few minutes I wondered if perhaps snowboarding wasn’t for me, because I’m so darn comfortable on skies, and popping them on would be a lot easier and safer.  However, I channeled my inner tough mudder and stuck it out.

About three runs later, I finally stopped thinking, my body relaxed, everything became a bit easier and I started having a blast.  My son and I were zipping by each other, “high fiving”, pointing out bumps and jumps and were having a really great time.  We snowboarded for over 6 hours and I had to have taken 30 plus runs.  I’m so glad I didn’t let the very first run set the tone for my day, because it was one of the best days I’ve ever had with my son.

My ribs still hurt, but luckily nothing that I’ll have to deal with from an injury standpoint.  In addition, because snowboarding is new to me, I worked very different muscles and my core and legs are really sore today – – in a good way.

Should someone in their forties take up snowboarding? Absolutely.  As I’ve said before, don’t let age define what you can or can’t do from a recreational perspective.  I’m still going to ski, but love being able to change things up from time-to-time and adding a new sport to the mix is a welcome thing.

…

Small steps add up!!!

Diary of a Middle Age Man: Broken, Not Beaten

Tags

a, adversity, age, Alders, beaten, broken, come, diary, do, fitness, health, it, Just, man, mark, Mark Alders, middle, not, of, over, pain, strive

I’ve never been a complainer, believe that personal power and accountability are cornerstones to good health, and understand that challenges and adversity are simply part of life.  Nobody gets to ride for free, and even though some may appear charmed or like they have it easy, adversity doesn’t always exist above the water line.  We all face challenges and have to deal with adversity from time to time.  In my opinion, how people deal with adversity is a key differentiator when it comes to overall health and happiness.

A little tip to those of you in your teens, twenties, or early thirties.  No matter how nutritious and balanced your diet, or how effective your training routine, it’s a fact that the the older you get the more aches and pains you’ll have the pleasure of dealing with on a daily basis.   Since I’ve been in my 40’s it seems like I’ve always had some ache, throb, stab, tingle or twinge to deal with, and it seems that more recently my average has increased to two or three things I’m dealing with at any given time.  Sore knee, strained shoulder, tired arches, the list goes on.  So, is my point middle-age sucks?  No.  On the contrary, I think this is a great age, and one that can be the most active and rewarding in your life.  The challenge is that the natural adversity that comes with middle age in the form of sore, tired and hurting, creates a real barrier to good health for many.

In a sense the somewhat constant undercurrent of stiff, tired and sore creates  a very legitimate set of excuses to move your body less.  To say “no thank you” to running in the park with your kids, to working out, to dancing at the club with your significant other.  I believe how you deal with this dilemma in your late twenties and early thirties sets the tone to your health and fitness for the rest of your life.  If you give in and let the aches and pains dictate your mobility, you’re giving up a lot.  You can feel sorry for your self and play into this sedentary tractor beam, but I think that’s just an incredibly easy and convenient excuse.  After my knee surgery, when I was cleared to snow ski, I was taking my first few runs of the season at Mammoth Mountain.  My leg didn’t feel very good and I was getting really frustrated and disheartened.  Not terrible acute pain that needed attention, but enough to weigh on my mind most of the day.  At my lowest moment, when thoughts like, “Man, am I going to become one of those people that just takes it easy on the mellow runs for the rest of my life?” were going through my mind, a person with one leg blew past me, cut through the trees and shot down an expert run.  I had no excuse to do anything but enjoy my day of skiing.  It was just what I needed.  Personal accountability, passion and determination can overcome any challenge.

Taking on the aches and pains that come with aging doesn’t mean things will be easy, or that you’ll be able to do things the exact way you always have.  It may require a little extra drive along with some adapting and creativity.  So if you like running and you’re having issues with your knees, you may have to find another way to get your cardio fix.  The important thing is that you get your cardio fix, not how you get it.

I’m relatively new to the “Middle Age Man” thing, and it’s definitely a learning experience.  Thus, I don’t have this mastered, and frankly I have some things to work through.  My right knee (the one where I had meniscus surgery in October) still feels like it needs healing/strengthening, my left (formerly referred to as “good”) knee has actually felt a bit strained recently, and I tweaked my right shoulder during weight training last week.  I’ve basically felt a bit old, tired and injured.  I’ve seen my doctor to ensure I don’t do anything that can cause a more significant injury, I’m resting what needs to be rested (remember RICE), and I’m finding ways to keep training and moving.  Broken, but not beaten.

Find your way, don’t give up and just do it.

…

Small steps add up!

Senior Moments 2 Muscle

Tags

age, aging, fitness, lift, lifting, muscle, routine, weight, weights, workout

When lifting weights I have a rule that if I can’t remember what set I’m on, I have to go back to the last set I remember.  So the older I get, the harder my workout.  ~ Mark Alders

Diary of a Middle Age Man: Commercials

Tags

a, activia, age, Alders, beta, boniva, commercials, diary, funny, henry winkler, jamie lee curtis, joe theismann, man, mark, Mark Alders, middle, mortgage, of, pathetic, prostate, reverse, sad, sally field, Super

Turn on the TV in the US and you’re sure to be assaulted by a barrage of commercials targeting baby boomers.  I’m not of that generation, but am a proud “X’er”, who has realized a few things about these commercials over the past couple of years.

1)  In America, home to hypersensitive political correctness, the only group you can really make look like total idiots without fear of legal recourse…  the middle-aged, white male.  So, I’m in the group that has become a Dockers and fanny-pack wearing caricature and embodiment of the word “dork”.

2) Many celebrities and athletes that I looked up to when growing up are now pitching embarrassing products.  From Emmit Smith endorsing “Just For Men” hair coloring, to Joe Thiesmann selling “Super Beta Prostate”, to Fonzie (aka Henry Winkler) pushing reverse mortgages, it’s more than a little creepy and depressing.

3) Some commercials show a side of aging that I think would be better dealt with on a “need to know only” basis.  Do I really need to know there’s a market for folks dealing with rusty catheters, for adult underwear, or for products to fend off having to go pee constantly?  Do I really need the visual of two people in their late 60’s giving each other “the look” or holding hands between two tubs overlooking romantic ocean lagoon?  I don’t think so.

The scary thing, is that commercials like these have been around forever, but now I’m at an age where I notice them, could use some of the products, and can feel the tractor beam of the marketer whose analysis had my generation in his/her sights.

Since I write a health and fitness related blog, an easy answer would be to watch less TV.  Always good advice.  Except for the fact that I’m a Generation “X’er” who was raised on TV and having it on non-stop makes me happy…  it’s part of me.  Thus, I’ll be watching Sally Field pitch Boniva and Jamie Lee Curtis guzzle Activia for years to come, and will be eagerly awaiting other childhood hero’s as they find a new way to earn a paycheck…  Ponch and John for joystick controlled scooters perhaps?

…

Small steps add up!

Sun + Skin

Tags

age, aging, anthelios, anti-aging, care, damage, La Roche-Posay, moisturizer, products, skin, skincare, SPF, spots, sun, sunscreen, wrinkles

The sun?  Yeah, I’m a fan.  Not just because I live in Southern California where at the slightest sign of drizzle you can count on an evening news reporter standing by the freeway, in a parka talking about “Storm Watch”.  Not just because the sun gives us food, life and beach days.  I like the way it feels on my skin.  And according the most medical reports we humans can actually use 15 minutes of unabated sunlight on our skin every day, to get the proper amount of naturally produced vitamin D.  The challenge is, most of the time we get far more than 15 minutes a day (sorry Seattle), and then the sun punishes our skin.  From sun-burns, to age spots (and aging in general) to melanoma the sun poses some serious risks for healthy skin and healthy living.

I like being outside, don’t fancy myself as a parasol type of guy, won’t wear one of those “welding visors” I’ve seen some lady’s driving with, and while I like the Australian rule “No hat, no play” for kids, I can’t always wear a hat.  Thus, I take precaution and have used a moisturizer with a reasonable SPF since I was about 19 – – and I think it’s made a real difference with my skin.

I just went to the dermatologist for my first check-up in a few years, and everything went well.  I really like this Dr. and he recommended I try a sunscreen product containing Anthelios.  He said right now it’s only available from the French company La Roche-Posay, and he followed that with a brief description of how it works.  He said it’s very light (I won’t look like a mime), and while it’s SPF is at a reasonable level (I think they go up to 60, which correlates to how long sunscreen lasts not the blockability), the Anthelios provides 100% sun protection…  100%.  While images of becoming a pale, twilight fan/vampire dude crossed my mind, the Dr. said it would do wonders for my skin, aging, etc., and that I wouldn’t look like an extra from a Tim Burton movie.  So I’m giving it a try.  Ordered from Amazon today (at a lower price than the La Roche-Posay site), and it should arrive in a few days.

…

Small steps add up!