Fitness After Sixty, Did I Pull a Muscle Reaching for the Remote?

January Fitness Goals: Don't Strain Any Muscles

January arrives every year with the same audacity.

It looks me straight in the eye and says, This is the month you become a better version of yourself. Angela 2.0. Stronger. Faster. More flexible. Possibly someone who wakes up at 5 a.m. and enjoys it.

Nah. I'm over sixty. January and I have history. I know its tricks.

Still, I wake up on January 2 with excellent intentions—and immediately injure myself reaching for the TV remote. Was it a muscle? A tendon? My dignity? Hard to say. All I know is that I now need to stretch before stretching.

The Fitness Tracker That Knows Too Much

That pesky fitness tracker kept buzzing cheerfully, suggesting I "move a little." I had moved a little. I walked to the kitchen. Twice. I even stood while waiting for my water to boil for tea, which should count as cardio.

I thought about strapping it to the ankle of my two-year-old grandson who would blow its electronic brain within a week after logging his 500,000 steps a day. Clearly, he is my fitness inspiration.

Then I decided to show a little mercy and left it where my grandson would be sure to see it, knowing full well he’d take and hide it—see Little Hands, Big Lessons, Teaching Each Other. And hide it he did. I haven't seen or heard from that annoying piece of technology for weeks!

Cardio Coastal Oregon Style

I live on the Oregon coast, where winter fitness comes with water—lots of it.

Sprinting to the car during torrential rain is a common form of exercise. I make a valiant dash, coat zipped, hood up, convinced I might arrive dry if I move fast enough.

I am always wrong.

By the time I reach the car, my jeans are soaked from the knees down, and my hair has accepted its wet-rat look. I stand there, dripping, wishing I had my fitness tracker to see how many calories I burn, shivering from hypothermia.

Stretching: The New Extreme Sport

I stretch now. Carefully. Thoughtfully. With my cell phone handy so I can call 911 if anything snaps, crackles, or pops.

I stretch before walks, after walks, and sometimes after naps. There is a specific stretch for “sat too long reading” and another for “stood up too fast and saw stars.”

At this age, flexibility isn’t about touching your toes. It’s about tying your shoes without toppling over.

A New Thing (Even in January)

January loves to shout, New year! New you!

But Scripture whispers something gentler—and far more hopeful:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

The Hope Part (Because There Is One)

The truth is, I may not be able to work out like I used to, but I’m still moving forward—one careful step, one rainy dash, one grace-filled day at a time.

And maybe that’s the goal—not becoming someone new, but honoring the body God has faithfully carried this far.

You know what? I’m doing just fine. After all, I made it to another January. And that, my friends, is strength.

What does honoring your body look like this January?

Blessings,

Angela

---

Don't Miss Out on Angela's Blogs

I hope these musings made your day a little brighter. If you'd like to read more of my blogs, join my monthly email list by clicking the "Join Now" button and providing your name and email address.

JOIN NOW

Angela L. Gold is an encourager who shares the love of Christ in her writing. She is the author of The Lion Within and Kill Shot.