Exercise - it’s a journey, not a destination.

I can’t keep from aging, but I can do something about how rapidly I age.

It almost goes without saying that exercise is key to living a long, healthy, exurberant life. Yet, too many seniors shy away from it (like my husband), do it intermittently and seldom have a daily routine that includes movement and some type of exercise.

What can get people moving? For me, it’s that longevity goal. I know that if I don’t keep moving, there’s a chance I won’t be able to move at all in my elder years. So do I want to age sooner or later? Which will it be? Old age and the physical changes that accompany it is something I can either let happen or gently push back against aging. I can’t keep from aging, but I can do something about how rapidly I age.

COVID has kept many of us homebound. Many gyms and workout centers are closed. In our little town, the local senior center still delivers carryout meals daily but has suspended the once-a-week exercise sessions.

Fortunately for me, those limitations haven’t kept me from my routine. In fact, I’ve carried on pretty much the same as usual. I just have to accept the fact that the motivation must come solely from me. It all depends on my determination, my imagination and dedication to making exercise a daily task. So here’s what that looks like for me.

If I want a low-impact, low-key, short morning routine, I start the day with a DVD of Rodney Yee‘s A.M. Yoga. Breathing, relaxing, stretching and meditation unwind my body from the stiffness of the night and get my mind opened up to new possibilities. The same DVD contains a P.M. Yoga as well, but it’s not one I use on a regular basis. I find that I’m more likely to stick to my exercise routine if I do it first thing in the morning.

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Another morning choice that is still low-impact but a bit longer is Tai Chai with David Dorian Ross. I’m fascinated with Tai Chi because there are literally thousands of moves and movements one can learn. Tai Chi masters work at it for a lifetime. For me, a 40-minute workout of “opening the door”, “parting the wild horses’s mane” and “hugging the big tree” work just fine for me. The DVD set includes other workouts with Tai Chi balls and more challenging movements. I’ll get to those eventually.

All throughout the session, David stresses breathing. It’s all about the breath, he says. Something we take for granted, but it’s so important and, quite frankly under-used. Experts say that the average person uses only a third of his or her natural lung capacity. As a result, the process of air exchange — oxygen and carbon dioxide — operates sluggishly so the bloodstream carries less oxygen to the organs and brain. The result — heart and lungs have to work harder to oxygenate the body.

The good news is we can learn to breathe better, starting with simply taking some good, deep breaths. I check the depth of my breathing by placing one hand on my abdomen and gradually inhale. As my lungs inflate, I can feel my abdomen swelling lightly. Making a point to do this several times a day I can keep my lungs supplied with plenty of energy-boosting oxygen.

If I’m ready for a little more of a challenge, I have a CRUNCH fitness video that lasts about 40 minutes. It includes yoga, pilates, and movements aimed at strengthening the core. It’s quite a workout. I can remember the first time I tried it and couldn’t do all the repetitions without tiring. Now I breeze through them and am thinking about getting a more challenging one. Ellen Barrett is the trainer, and while the video I have is quite old, she still is doing online training through her website.

Stretching is important for us seniors to keep our muscles flexible and supple. I discovered Priscilla Patrick’s videos on PBS through South Carolina Educational Television. In her series, “Fit and Nifty over Fifty,” she takes me through some exercises that stretch me to the core. “Go easy,” she says. “Don’t do it if it hurts.” Okay, I get that. The “angry cat” stretching move is pretty easy. But the “chest expansion mudra” is quite another thing. Still, I keep at it because she assures me that if I “do a little bit everyday, ” I will get better. Okay, Priscilla! I don’t know that her DVD’s are still available, but SETV does feature another yoga instructor who looks pretty good.

One thing I didn’t have in my exercise routine was dance. I love to dance but seldom have the chance to do it (hubby is NOT a dancer). So I thought why not go solo and exercise while I’m at it. That is my most recent choice of an exercise video called Body Groove by Misty Tripoli. If free-form dancing and shaking my “booty” counts as exercise, well, I’m all in. I’ve just done the first 25 minute session, but I think I’m going to like it. There’s a plus here — I think my granddaughters are going to get a kick out of it, so we’ll have fun doing it together — maybe.

I access all these routines on DVD’s I’ve purchased over the years. Today, though, many exercise trainers opt instead for streaming their workouts online — usually for a fee. Fortunately, some of the videos I mentioned as well as others are still available through Amazon or EBay. There is one online resource I think I might like to try. It’s seniorplanet. org. This site is chock full of good information, exercise related as well as other topics. They schedule online exercise sessions several times a week. You can become a member or not, and most of the online sessions are free.

Walking is still one of the best, easiest and most accessible exercises we can do. In fact, it’s the most natural and universal form of exercise there is.

Nebraska winters don’t always allow those daily walks outdoors. Fortunately, I have a treadmill in the basement. So in addition to the abovementioned practices, I always try to include a 30 minute walk — indoors or out. Once or twice a week I ramp up the speed. Not so long ago I was doing two miles in 30 minutes on the treadmill. For some reason, I fell back from that goal. Now I’m trying to reach it again — slow but sure. But I’m not too concerned about adding a lot of distance or speed. Moderate-intensity walking does as much to lower cardiovascular risk factors as high-intensity running. A daily brisk 30-minute walk suffices.

I also do a bit of weight training. We have a big, strange looking weight-machine stuck in the corner of our basement workout room. I seldom use it, opting instead for 8 lb. weights in a 15 minute session using them in standing, sitting and lying positions. I usually do the weight routine before I get on the treadmill.

There you have it — my exercise routine. Rodney, David, Ellen, Priscilla and Misty serve as my “personal trainers” on what I hope will be a life long journey to keep moving. Certainly, I’m always looking for new ideas and partners on the journey. Like my longtime family friend who is 92 years young. Lyle maintains a daily one mile walk indoors or out. As a lifelong farmer, he much prefers being outdoors. The other thing he swears by are daily squats. He believes they have helped to strengthen his legs and improve his balance. Seemed like something good for me, too. My goal is to do my age in squats daily. Let me tell you, 70 squats is a workout!

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Of course, this routine is not static. I will change it over time, maybe with some new dvd’s or even some online streaming sessions. I long to return to the gym and senior center. I’d also like to get better at swimming and resume horseback riding lessons next spring. Bottom line, I just want to keep moving. It’s a journey, and I want it to be a pleasant one. I hope you do, too.

So join me. Let’s move! I’d love to hear how you’re doing it.