If you want some very interesting reading google “how long are humans designed to live”. I got onto this one by talking about what it means to be in shape, especially over the age of 40. At all stages in life, but especially as we age, what are reasonable and appropriate expectations?
As I have talked with clients over the last several years I have noticed a bias towards the body being perfect it’s entire lifespan. Any undesirable development, like extra body fat, an achy joint, or bone or muscle loss is seen as some kind of major defect that should never have happened.
I of course would not suggest that any of those things are not something we can and should work against, but rather, I would like to question how we formulate our expectations for what it means to be in shape in the face of such developments. After all, biologically speaking, success would be in spreading our genes. To do this, the physiological requiremenst are relatively straightforward. We need to be able to provide ourselves with food long enough to find a mate and defend ourselves and our young from harm. We can do all of that pretty well in the first 1/4 to 1/3 of our lives, which, coincidentally, is about the time we seem to be the most fit (in our prime, if you will).
With that in mind, my challenge to the world is this. We live a lot longer than our 20’s or 30’s these days and we definitely should strive to make those years as fit, functional, and happy as can be. However, it’s not necessarily in nature’s plan for us to live to 110 without any ailments, extra body fat, or wrinkles. That is not necessarily a reasonable expecation. This, I find, can be a very liberating thought. It takes away some of the pressure to be super active, super trim, and amazingly good looking all the time, even when we’ve got a little arthritis, a dodgy shoulder, or love handles. You can be in shape without being superman/superwoman, and it’s not necessarily natural or ‘normal’ for you to be ripped and playing beach volleyball your entire life.
Ultimately, what I am trying to say is, work with what your body gives you. You do want to work to be as optimal as you can be as far as health and fitness goes, and having a well structured and thoughtful exercise routine as well as a responsible diet can easily make that a reality. But, beware of the idea that fitness is about forcing your body to be something that you think it should be, because it’s very possible that it’s not. And that’s ok.
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PHOTO – Glasseyes View, Old Man Running – license