You can see right away that Deb DeHaven is an athlete. She’s 5 feet 2, weighs 100 pounds, and stays strong by lifting weights three times a week. Here’s what you can’t immediately see: Deb’s doctor recently diagnosed her with hypertension at the crisis stage (180/100). “This is something I never would have expected,” says Deb, 64, a track and field champion. “I had the mentality that, as long as I stay fit, I can eat anything I want to and not gain weight, so it’s OK. I was wrong!” Wrong, but not alone. In the United States alone, 47 percent of adults (or 116 million people) have some level of ..read more

Here’s a universal story about the power of exercise and friendship, even if it involves circumstances, locations and activities most people might never do. Exercising with a group helps ensure success. And sometimes, nothing’s more important than good friends. That’s what Diane Firmani has learned in recent years.  “Being in a group appeals to me – I like to sign up!” says an enthusiastic Diane, a 68-year-old multi-athlete who stays active outdoors all year long in Wasilla, Alaska. (Back row, left in the photo.) In summer, she runs 5Ks and half-marathons. Year-round, she travels all over ..read more

Did you start the new year with a big fitness goal – like losing weight or going to the gym three times a week? And have you found it hard to stick to it, like so many people do every year? While setting goals can be motivating, it’s easy to get discouraged when we don’t see immediate progress or face unexpected setbacks. Instead of focusing on specific goals, what if we shifted our attention to the process of improving ourselves every day, one step at a time? Think back to when you took out a mortgage or a car loan. It was overwhelming to imagine paying it all back at once – and much less ove ..read more

Do you ever feel like you’ve gone through life being told what NOT to do? DON’T eat so much… DON’T sleep late… DON’T think about your own needs… Well, let’s forget all that for now and flip it around. Focus on the positive actions you can take to build the healthy habits you desire. If you want to mature with strength, independence, and vitality – living life on YOUR terms for as long as possible — then do more of these six things regularly and joyfully. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Try for at least five servings a day. Keep track on an app or on paper throughout each day.&nbs ..read more

What’s the secret to a long, happy marriage? For Karl and Susan, who just celebrated 61 years together, it’s a combination of things. Like being kind and thoughtful with each other, while maintaining common interests and enjoying walks on the beach… And keeping the romance alive, with sweet gestures every day, like the way he brings her tea in bed every morning… And … EXERCISE! That’s right. The pair, now in their 80s, have been working out together three times a week for 35 years. They started decades ago when he was a college professor, and they kept it up at home, gyms, in different states ..read more

India Bridgette is a professor in the course titled “What’s Possible?” The 61-year-old champion sprinter and former Marine knows it takes discipline to answer that question and to excel at anything. She recently added strength training to that answer, too – for everyone, no matter what age, lifestyle, or fitness goals. Working out with weights has helped her show What’s Possible on the track and in everyday life. She’s learned that, for older adults, weightlifting gives self-governance and a pre-emptive strike against the aspects of aging that otherwise can limit our quality of life. “I apprec ..read more

Todd Allen and his wife took a European trip seven years ago. He felt terrible by the time they got home. Blood tests revealed cancer. Stage 4. Bone marrow. Todd went through 18 months of chemotherapy and had knee surgery and hip surgery. Never much for exercise, Todd then made a decision: “After the recovery, I said I gotta get my act together.” “I’ve been a gym rat ever since,” says Todd, now 65. Now, with a healthy prognosis, he wakes up early each morning to lift weights, run stairs, and do other physical activity. “I look better now than I ever have in my life.” The Research on Exercise a ..read more

You might not realize it, but if you’re getting fit or staying fit after 50, then you are riding the wave of one of the hottest trends in fitness around the world. TWO trends, actually, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), which has released its 17th annual survey on the hot topics in the fitness industry. Ranked No. 1: wearable technology, like smart watches and fitness trackers that can monitor heart rate, calories and other data. No. 2: Strength training with free weights, like barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells. No. 3: Body weight training, which uses the body for ..read more

Sometimes when we’re stuck, it takes a loved one’s guidance to help us take the first step toward reaching a goal. It can be that way with fitness over 50, whether the loved one is a spouse, friend – or even an adult child. Fitness has a way of bringing people closer together. Take Sandy Bauer, 77, who admits that, until recently, she never cared for exercise over the years. She wanted to lose weight, gain confidence, and feel better about her appearance, but nothing motivated her. “The worse I looked and felt, I just sat around feeling stuck,” she says. “I couldn’t get out of it.” But now, Sa ..read more

About new year resolutions, there’s bad news, and then there’s good news. First the bad news: Most of them fail. Now the good news: People over 50 have more life experience and tools to succeed at them. You’re more realistic, focused and balanced. As fitness experts, we know that plenty of people start each year wanting to get in shape. So, they join a gym or studio like ours determined to stick with it, to lose the weight, to eat better, etc. That’s great. We want everyone to gain the benefits of exercise. But not as many incorporate fitness habits into their lifestyle for the long term. We’r ..read more