Just Because We're Getting Older

Written by Christopher Harris

When my friend Patty retired several years ago, she liked to tell me about what she did to keep busy. She cleaned closets, emptied and reorganized drawers, caught up on correspondence, and did lots of baking.

“Today I baked bread,” she would say. Or “Today I baked cookies.”   

Before long Patty, who has always been petite, began to gain weight. Baking is fun, and it makes the house smell wonderful. Unfortunately, the one who does the baking often does much of the eating—especially if that person lives alone, as Patty does.

I too am a senior citizen. I retired after a long teaching career, yet my weight has remained constant since my retirement. What’s my secret?

It’s pretty simple. When my slacks get too tight, I know it’s time to cut back at mealtimes. The problem with some people, and not only seniors, is that when their clothes get too tight, they simply buy the next larger size. And then the next larger size. And so on.

When you retire, your body has to adjust to a different pace, a different routine. If you were very active on the job, as I was, your body is going to be in shock if you suddenly sit around doing very little.

Tips That Help Me Stay in Shape

Here are some things that help me stay in shape and could be helpful to you. Besides not buying pants larger than my target size, I exercise on a regular basis. I have been lifting weights for years, but my doctor told me I needed to do something for my cardiovascular system (heart). He gave me a choice of walking, running, or swimming for at least 25 minutes three or four days a week. I chose walking.

Much to my surprise, I liked it. I started off walking around the block. Slowly I built up to the 25-plus minutes recommended by my doctor. Years later I am still walking. Although I started walking for my cardiovascular system, I soon discovered additional benefits. Walking strengthens my legs and helps my general health overall.

Before you join a gym or start an exercise program, check with your doctor. Everybody is different, and you need the advice of a medical professional before you begin.

Another thing that helps keep my weight down is limiting snacks. I rarely eat between meals, and that includes at bedtime.

During college, I often ate late in the evening, and I put on about 15 pounds. I was taking a full load of classes and working 30 hours a week, so my trips to the gym were few and far between. Eating snacks while watching television became a regular part of my life. I paid for it with those extra pounds.

I didn’t keep the excess weight long, though. One of the first things I did when I realized I was getting too heavy was to switch to fat-free (skim) milk and cut out snacks. The next thing I knew, I was back to a healthy weight.

What I didn’t do was go on a diet. Although it has been many years since I was in high school, I can still hear my physiology teacher, Mr. Krott, saying, “Don’t go on a diet! Change your eating habits permanently!” He was right.

The Downside of Dieting

When the diet is over and the extra pounds are gone, many people go right back to their unhealthy eating habits. Of course, they gain back the weight they lost while dieting, and often more.

In desperation, some people go to great lengths to lose excess weight. I have a relative who went on an all-liquid diet. Her doctor gave her regular vitamin injections. But how long can anyone last on a liquid diet plus injections? You can guess what happened when she went off that diet. Soon she weighed more than before, and she is still gaining.

I know someone else who underwent surgery to lose weight. Because this individual did not change the eating habits that had caused the original weight problem, the slenderizing results of the surgery were only temporary.

Some weight-loss plans encourage losing too much weight too fast. Rapid weight loss is not healthy, and your body won’t appreciate that approach. It took awhile to put the extra weight on; it will take time to get rid of it.

Be honest with yourself. Patty pretended not to notice she had put on weight. She thought the scales couldn’t possibly be accurate. When I finally suggested she needed to lose weight (not easy to do), she acknowledged that she had a weight problem and took steps to get rid of the extra pounds. It took awhile, but she looks and feels terrific now.

How does Patty maintain her weight? She walks, goes to the gym several times a week, occasionally substitutes a diet shake for a meal, and carefully monitors the amount of food she consumes.

Changing your eating habits is probably the most important thing I’ve mentioned. If you don’t make a long-term commitment to keeping your body fit, no weight-loss plan will work.

Not Too Late

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, obesity in the United States rose from 12 percent in 1991 to 19.8 percent in 2000 for the general population. AARP reports that among seniors aged 50 to 64 obesity went from 14.4 percent in 1982 to 26.7 percent in 1999.

You may not be obese or even close to it, but the time to start thinking about your weight is before it is a problem. If it is already a problem, it’s still not too late. When Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13), he definitely wasn’t talking about weight control. But Paul’s statement still applies. In addition to seeking strength through Christ, ask for some moral support from a friend or family member too.

Let’s review the steps to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight:   

• Don’t buy larger clothes.   
• Exercise.   
• Cut out snacks.   
• Change your eating habits permanently.

And one final word of advice. Don’t weigh too often. Weighing every day can be discouraging, because it takes awhile to shed those pounds. Once a month is often enough.

If you follow this plan for staying in shape, the results will be worth the effort.

Christopher Harris is a freelance writer from Van Nuys, Calif.

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