strong over 60: here are some of the valuable lessons our member, john, learned as he gets fit and healthy in his 60s.

When you’re a bit on the “older side”, trying to be strong over 60 (plus or minus a few years!) will show you many challenges.

(Like, trying to get the ideal amount of protein. Everyone’s talking about protein nowadays, amirite??)

While you pour all your effort and waking time into researching the right foods to eat, the perfect bedtime routine, the exact minutes of exercise per day required for fat loss, it can all be so overwhelming and contradictory you just don’t know where to start.

But today, we want to help you by having one of our own members, John, highlight some of his main takeaways as he searches for “progress, not perfection” in his quest to be fitter, stronger, and feel more youthful over 60.

His main point for you to always keep in mind: Success isn’t about PERFECTION, it’s about making PROGRESS.⁣
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John’s been a member here at LIFT for over 2 years now, as of this writing, and we’re super proud of his recent accomplishments!.
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He’s lost 16 pounds, and it all started by making small, consistent changes.⁣⁣

Along with the weight loss, he’s gained an impressive amount of strength, mobility, and cardiovascular conditioning. At his age, keeping your muscle mass, strength, bone health, and agility are crucial for staying fit and independent for as long as can be.
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We asked him to share some of what he’s learned along the way to losing his first 16 pounds and being strong over 60. (Well, over 60. He’s actually 65!)

Here’s what it means to be strong over 60:

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1️⃣ Focus on one day at a time: Instead of stressing over the end goal, he started focusing on daily improvements – little wins each day really add up over time.

That short walk after dinner, just that second piece of fruit or veg during the day, even the extra glass of water before the morning coffee.
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2️⃣ Preparation is everything: John found that 5 minute tasks, like prepping a protein shake and laying out his clothes the night before made mornings so much easier.⁣⁣

This eliminates the last-minute “I forgot!” or the need for extra will-power when you’re caught up in the day-to-day tasks. When it’s planned and prepped, you’re more likely to follow through.
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3️⃣ Accountability makes a difference: With a recent gym challenge, he kept himself accountable by posting his activity. People reached out when they noticed he hadn’t posted yet for that day.

Keep yourself accountable by telling family and friends what you want to accomplish, and set “appointments” in your calendar for things like Walk 30 Minutes or Strength Training Workout so you actually set aside the time
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4️⃣ Find your “WHY”: For John, it’s his future grandkids. The weight loss is great, but more importantly, he wants to be ready to get down on the floor and play with them, and that’s what keeps him going.⁣⁣

And, doing a bit better on the golf course motivates him a bit, too.

The biggest takeaway if you wanna be strong over 60 (or 40, 50, 70!):⁣

Small steps MATTER.⁣⁣

“One day at a time. It doesn’t have to be huge. Any step forward is a win.”
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And every step you take, every behaviour you adopt, puts you one step closer to the happier and healthier self you are trying to be.

The LIFT crew is proud of you John, keep up the awesome work!⁣⁣

P.S. – If you wanna keep following along on John’s journey, or you want to get yourself feeling fit and strong over 60, you can get more regular updates on our Instagram page!