鈥淭hose who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.鈥�

鈥擡dward Stanley

Being overweight was never really much of an issue for me until after having two children. I somehow found myself 50 lbs overweight and struggling to lose it.

I wasn鈥檛 health-conscious in my life up to that point, but what I was about to discover set me on a new lifestyle path and ultimately into a career as a fitness professional.

I began to read about nutrition and started to make better food choices and made exercise a priority.

In five months, I lost the 50 pounds leaving me wanting to help motivate and inspire others with my newfound experience.

I decided to take some fitness courses in order to help others achieve the healthy lifestyle I had attained.

After recognizing my passion and call into the fitness industry in 2001, I started my mobile business, Pursuit Fitness and began training and Instructing 50+ and older adults

What started with instructing fitness classes for many seniors in retirement homes has grown into offering many other programs鈥攊n home and gym personal training, strengthening and fall prevention classes, warm water pool classes and nutritional coaching.

I鈥檝e also been pleased to offer columns on seniors鈥� fitness for the 琉璃神社 over the past four years

I feel privileged and have learned a great deal specializing with older adults including the challenges and limitations many face with disease and joint replacements and the difference in safety and offering exercise modifications.

But most importantly, to talk about why we need to achieve and maintain our quality of life fitness level as we grow older.

The best book that鈥檚 impacted me regarding seniors鈥� health is called Younger Next Year, written by two doctors on the premise of how to live strong and fit until age 80 and beyond.

They say that there is a critical distinction between aging and decaying.

The aging process is inevitable鈥攊t鈥檚 designed to be a slow process but decay is optional.

As we age, we notice every year we are getting a little fatter, slower, weaker, and more pain-racked.

As we head down the path of our 60s, we may start to feel ourselves venturing down a long, slippery downhill slope into old age and our demise.

But the 鈥済et old and die鈥� attitude is such a poor outlook for the third stage of our lives.

With our life expectancy being extended today, we can live well into our 80s, whether in good health or shuffling around with a walker.

The book makes the point that 70 per cent of what you feel as aging is optional.

While biological aging can鈥檛 be avoided, most premature death is lifestyle-related and can be forestalled.

Our modern lifestyle of consuming junk food, stress, lack of sleep and insufficient exercise can be altered.

Being sedentary is one of the most important signals for decay. Without daily exercise you are telling your body it鈥檚 time to get old.

The keys to overriding the decay code are daily exercise, reasonable nutrition, emotional commitment and a real engagement with living.

I have witnessed the benefits of older adults staying active and love helping to motivate and inspire people to live well.

My goal is to instill in my clients the value of a healthy lifestyle through proper diet and exercise 鈥攁nd to give them the necessary tools to achieve their fitness goals.