You Can Be Healthy & Fit For The Next 10, 20, Even 30 Years!

I've worked in the fitness industry since 1995. I love helping people get fit but was fed up working in cookie-cutter gyms where no one really cared about the members so I opened Body & Soul Fitness Studio and No Pink Dumbbells Boot Camp. I’ve helped lots of people get healthier, stronger, fitter, and more confident.

Unfortunately, there are still many people who are hesitant to join a gym, especially those of us 55 and over. Some are intimidated, or afraid of hurting themselves, or not sure what exercises to do, or uncomfortable with the spandex crowd, etc.

Or, maybe they have joined a gym and/or started exercising but gave up because they didn’t see results. Contrary to popular belief, all exercise is not equal.

I get it. We all want to be healthy, active, and look and feel good. We want to enjoy a high quality of life and remain independent. But we don’t want to waste our time doing things that don’t work or aggravate any issues we may have. Why would we?

Strength training is the key to an active, healthy life. It makes your muscles and bones stronger. It makes everyday tasks easier. Done correctly, it also helps with balance and flexibility. And, no, you don’t need to lift huge weights to get benefits but you do need proper direction to get the best results and avoid injury.



 

What I’ve found is that many folks want more supervision, personalization, and instruction in their fitness program but not necessarily one-on-one training. That’s why I created RetroFit. It’s a twice weekly, 8-week program of small group training that’s individualized for each participant. It begins April 8th. RetroFit is NOT your typical exercise “class”.

We’ll be doing movement assessments at the beginning of the session and all exercises will be adapted as needed. Everyone works at their own level. Obviously, I can’t explain all the program details in a simple blog post so call me today at (717) 509-7777 to see if you qualify or visit GetFitLancaster.com/retrofit.html for more details.

Will You Be Independent And Active As You Age?

Way too many people think that exercise is for the young. Way too many people also think of exercise only as a means to a hot body.

We need to change our way of thinking.

The U.S. population is aging, and getting fatter and more inactive. Contrary to popular belief, you don't get weak and frail because you get older. The truth is, people get weak and frail because they do nothing to maintain their muscle and bone fitness as they age.

Because our lives are so less physical than in previous generations, we must challenge our bodies through exercise to maintain our health and fitness.

Without a regular exercise program which includes strength training, we gradually become less fit as we get older. We lose about 1/2 pound of muscle a year after age 30 if we don't weight train and, according to a previous report in Archives of Internal Medicine, that loss of fitness accelerates after age 45.

Research has shown that individuals with poor fitness levels have a higher risk of a variety of diseases and have a harder time functioning independently. When compared to sedentary individuals, those who are physically active, don't smoke, and maintain a healthy body composition have higher fitness levels throughout their adult lives.

Annie, my 97 year-old Body & Soul member is a great example. She lives alone and still drives. That's possible because she remained active throughout her life and she still strength trains three times a week. She's had her share of medical problems but she gardens and is able to do all kinds of things around her house because she has maintained her fitness.


I have other members in their 60s and 70s who continue to golf, bowl, and play other sports. I've even had a few who participated in the Senior Olympics. Aren't those types of activities more interesting and fun than sitting around watching TV or complaining about your aches and pains?

The bottom line is that regular exercise improves the quality of your life. Period. You can find a partial list of the many varied health benefits of exercise here ==> Exercise Benefits (Scroll down about half way through the post.)

It's never too late or too soon to start. Get moving.

If you're inexperienced, have health issues, and/or are hesitant to start exercising, I have great news. My First Step program is starting soon. First Step is small group personal training for older, inexperienced folks who want more personal attention and supervision with their exercise program.

To get all the details, just Click here or call Mickey at (717) 509-7777. Don't wait! The first 8-week session is starting very soon.

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Meet Body & Soul Fitness Studio's TV Star

Body & Soul member, Annie Belstra, works out with Fox 43's Melanie Gardner.

First the warmup...

Some pulldowns...

And then some cable chest presses...

Body & Soul Fitness Studio
618 Columbia Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17603

(717) 509-7777

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Study Shows Exercise is the Fountain of Youth

Everything that gets worse with age gets better with exercise.
The fountain of youth is in your health club.
~Dr. Karl Knopf

According to a recent study of the lifestyles and cells of 2,401 twins published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers found a big difference between the cells of regular exercisers and those of their coach potato counterparts.

The cells of the active participants displayed a slowing of the changes associated with the aging process. In fact, their cells looked liked the cells of inactive people who were 10 years their junior.

There are a ton of
benefits from regular physical activity and this is just one more. Most of us want to live healthy and productive lives and maintain our independence as we age. Just a few hours of exercise each week will help you accomplish that.

It's never too late to begin exercising and you're never too old to experience the benefits. Numerous studies have showed people moving from walkers to canes and those who were using canes to walking unassisted. Falls are a major concern for older folks and weight training can make your stronger and improve your balance.

The oldest member of Body & Soul Fitness Studio is 91 years old; she joined when she was 86 and had never lifted a dumbbell in her life. Just the other day she told me again how good she feels and that she can tell a difference when she misses workouts (on those rare occasions).

If you want to improve the quality of your life - at any age - get moving.

To read more about the study:
Exercise Slows Aging Process
Sedentary Lifestyles Mean Aging Faster