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Sunday, August 5, 2018

Squats Will Keep Me Out Of The Nursing Home

I am convinced squats will keep me out of the nursing home, and staying out of the nursing home has suddenly become job one. After my surgery and recovery I didn’t realize but I lost the ability to do certain things. 

Some very simple things....

Like easily getting up from a chair, getting up off the floor and standing on one foot. 

See how you do....

Start with getting up from a chair without using the arm rests or even putting your hands on your knees. If you have some difficulty then you probably have issues with your legs and lower body strength....weak quads. What is the best exercise for underused quads? That’s right, squats...and being able to get up easily from a chair will keep us all from the nursing home. Develope a habit of not using anything but your legs to lift yourself out of a chair.

Now getting off the floor....Your goal is to sit on the floor without touching your knees, legs, hands or arms and then get back up....unaided.

Go ahead and try it.

I’ll wait here.

Did you do it?

If you didn't, strengthening your core will help tremendously. And keep at it until you can get up and down without help. Then do it every day. The ability to get up and down from the floor is a big test of agility and agility lengthens your lifespan.

Now one more....balance. Fold your arms and raise one knee for 30 seconds. Can you do it easily? You know the commercial, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” right? It’s imperative that we work on balance so we don’t fall. Balance is the key to staying upright and I cannot tell you how many people I know that attribute a simple fall to subsequent knee surgery, shoulder surgery or hip surgery. My dear friend Teri Daly, fitness instructor extraordinare, has her clients stand on one foot in the morning while they brush their teeth and the other one at night. Easy....nothing hard here. 

Speaking of getting up in the morning (and sometimes it is hard, right?) motivational speaker Mel Robbins gave an incredible talk about pretending NASA was in her bedroom. When the alarm goes off she counts down “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” and then launches herself out of bed in order to fool her brain. After going through a really difficult period she needed to fool her brain into getting right up in the morning rather than hiding in bed.  I have incorporated getting up from a chair with her rocket blast launch. I feel kind of powerful as I jump up from my chair - arms raised like Superman. It really does fool your brain into thinking you are way more powerful than you really are.

If you fall short on these little tests don't worry, the great thing about our bodies is it's never too late. Last week we found out after my husband took his echocardiogram that his heart has gone from functioning at 15% to an amazing 62% in just 18 months. All from diet, exercise and some incredible medicine. It's true I have let my core go to slush, my quads are mush and my balance is sadly wanting but each day it gets better. The instructors at Biometrix have designed a program to strengthen my core which is foundational to a healthy functioning body. After the surgeon took out my chest tube and I saw that that incision I thought it was all hopeless and I was convinced I would never be the same. I won't be the same because I will be better. I am already standing straighter, my energy continues to grow and some of the exercises are getting easier. I know for a fact that only a habit can subdue another habit. My habit on fitness has been to give up when it got hard or my life got too busy. Now I understand I cannot do that any more and have the quality of life I want. You don't have to hobble after you get up from a chair, you don't have to have help getting up from the floor and you can have great balance which will give you the best opportunity to remain agile and upright. Get strong, it's not too late, and you will be so happy you did.


My new mantra really is....

"Squats will keep me out of the nursing home"



Biometrix is partly subsiding my journey to fitness! And the trainers there are carefully trained to get you strong without you getting hurt or even too sore. It has been a remarkable experience.

25 comments:

  1. Love the Nasa countdown idea for getting out of bed in the morning!

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    1. The whole talk is really, really good! Thank you for reading...have the best day ever

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  2. Thank you! I have been experiencing the same things with regards to fitness. I joined a new gym, where there are coaches who are experts in fitness and strength training. My aging body is responding far beyond what I anticipated! I am easily 20-30 years older than most of the people who train there, but I will not quit. I have goals such as getting up from the floor without pain, and doing a push up that is not leaning on a box, but there is no judgement. There is no comparison. I am on my path and they, on theirs. Have a blessed day in your OWN home. (I am striving to stay out of the nursing home as well....)

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    1. Thank you and please share this post with as many people as you can...we can all have better quality of life...

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  3. I appreciate your posts. I wonder how many of us tried the chair and floor suggestions. It’s more difficult that I thought it would be. Time to strengthen the core - wherever it is!

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    1. It is harder than I thought, but so happy you are doing them. Isn’t it crazy? And don’t worry about your core, I will send you one

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  4. I can not agree with your post more. It is vitally important to realize how these things just sneak up on us. I thought I was doing well with walking and water aerobics. Wrong! So wrong. When I visit my mother in law in her nursing home, I don’t need more encouragement.

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    1. I thought walking was enough...but you are right it isn't. But the great thing is it is never too late!

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  5. Replies
    1. I thought of you this morning...squats on squats....yikes

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  6. Love you mantra and that's reminding me--I need to do my 20 for the day. I started because of keeping my behind in shape. I also tense my butt checks sitting on the edge of stool or while at the keyboard. Kegels and squats are the best.

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  7. Excellent advice for persons of all ages.

    Rena
    http://www.finewhateverblog.com

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  8. Great advice. Movement is key to a long and healthy life. Exercise is what as saved my sanity and helped my anxiety since I got sober almost 36 years ago. And today at 67 (technically not to wed) I still work out 4/5 times a week as feeling strong and comfortable in my own skin is important to me and I realize that the ability to move is a gift and I try not to take that lightly.

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    1. Your story is inspiring...I am so happy for your success, I wish every day my mother had been able to get sober. She wasn't successful with that...I still miss her. You are killing the 60's babyy!!

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  10. "My habit on fitness has been to give up when it got hard or my life got too busy."
    Girl, you are my twin!

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