Great article in May/June AARP

[doskymom]

The May/June issue of AARP has a great article on 7 former couch potatoes who changed their lives and became fit. A couple of my favorites:

A 51-year old woman who had never exercised, but took up ballet 4 years ago. She now takes up to 7, 90-minute ballet classes a week and dances en pointe.

A 59-year old man who never exercised before and now runs between 40 and 55 miles a week and has run the Boston marathon 7 times.

This was a way cool article - each of the people spotlighted used a different kind of activity to get themselves in shape.

There's also a neat article on Paul Newman in the magazine (and his handsome face on the cover) and may I say, he's in great shape - it's hard to believe he's 80! The article said he goes to the gym daily.

[FirmDancer]

I'd love to read the article. As a dancer and runner (til about 4 years ago, due to injuries) I'd love to be back in shape to dance those hours and en pointe! and to run those kinds of miles. This will inspire me.

[Barb L]

I read an article in our newspaper this week about Scottish dancing. After an evening of "intro to the reel" at my church, I'm really tempted. Talk about a workout! Also, I recently bought a pair of dance sneakers (these are very cool shoes) and what could be better than a jig to make the best use of them? (I'm 58 and always looking for a new thrill )

[LauraGG]

Now that I'm almost 44, I *love* reading stories like that, doskymom! I'm putting together my own informal book full of stories of wonderful things people do as they get older. I'm going to get that article and include it.

I'm getting into running (again), and reading The Runner's Handbook by Bob Glover. He has many inspirational stories to tell, but two that stick in my mind are the woman who took up running at 72 years of age, and was still running (albeit slowly) marathons(!) at 92! The other was the story of a doorman at a fancy San Francisco hotel who ran 6.7 miles around Golden Gate park everyday until the day he died - at 106 years old.

When I read stories like these, I realize that I've only just begun.

[val01]

My hero by far is my grandmother. She is 75 and still mows her own yard (almost an acre), paints her house and her rental house. She also keeps items downstairs in her house, so she has to run down the steps and get items from the 'pantry'.

In addition, she walks about 2 miles everyday and she volunteers at Nashville's International Airport - pushing people in wheelchairs all day (they call them Flying Aces). She just received some crazy award for a gazillion hours of volunteering!

She totally ROCKS!

Valerie

[ooty]

I am Indian and so what I wrote is perfectly normal, but man...she is awesome.

Val: Can you bring back GR? I miss her so much. I promise I will not scold her.

LauraGG: Thanks...I have so many books to read and added one more to the list.
I was going to post in the other thread about my dad (the reporter who had cancer), but was crying and also find myself just opening up totally on VF..
do not know why..may be I will when I revisit the thread.

Best,
Ooty

PS Paul Newman rocks...anybody read his book on how he started his business...so funny...it was all just a joke, started the whole thing in a stable smelling of horse piss...

[ooty]

How can I get hold of this article?

Thanks.

[Susan H]

Originally Posted by ooty

How can I get hold of this article?

Thanks.

It took a bit of searching, but I found it on their website: Real Fitness

[Susan G.]

Originally Posted by doskymom

There's also a neat article on Paul Newman in the magazine (and his handsome face on the cover) and may I say, he's in great shape - it's hard to believe he's 80! The article said he goes to the gym daily.

I've seen Newman perform at the theatre in Westport a couple of times, and I'll testify, he looks like he's about 50 rather than 80.

The AARP Magazine has gotten a lot hipper in the last couple of years.
Good article too on food cravings.

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/

Susan G.

[ooty]

Wow..I need to constantly read such stories to keep myself motivated.