I'd like you to meet Grandpa Joe. This is mom's dad and he is 92 years old.
He has a fun fact about everything and can remember anything from his lifestyle.
His stories are very detailed and he is funny and smart.
Grandpa Joe has lived 58 years more than me and his body moves a lot slower than my body.
Grandpa Joe needs time getting ready to go out and he takes a few more steps to help him get in an out of a car. His vision is great but his right ear doesn't hear as well as his left. His cane helps him get around but he does need a little assistance with his balance on stairs.
Grandpa Joe has lived 58 years more than me and his body moves a lot slower than my body.
Grandpa Joe needs time getting ready to go out and he takes a few more steps to help him get in an out of a car. His vision is great but his right ear doesn't hear as well as his left. His cane helps him get around but he does need a little assistance with his balance on stairs.
For exercise, Grandpa Joe walks and does Tai Chi. He walks around the family room, living room or anywhere where there is room to work his muscles and to get his heart rate up. This is his daily workout routine which he makes himself do every day, 3x's per day.
Grandpa Joe loves real food. He doesn't have a big appetite as he eats small meals but he eats a lot of fruit, nuts and veggies. He doesn't eat fast food or much processed food. Although since he has spent the last two decades in Reno, NV he has had his share of buffet dinners.
There is no off-limit food in his mind and he likes a good shot of alcohol or a cold beer.
He also likes his morning cup of Joe (go figure) :)
I try really hard to not take my good health and young body for granted but being around Grandpa Joe really reminds me to be smart with my body.
I see this in two ways:
1) I want to do amazing things with my body. I want to climb mountains, be outside, explore nature, travel....I love to move. I feel amazing when I train for and race in a triathlon. I feel so alive, healthy and strong and I am very grateful that my body allows me to what I can do and I want to do this for however long as I can. I have two arms and two legs and I can use them all. I feel great freedom with my body when I train and I don't want to take this good health for granted. Even when I feel tired or unmotivated to train, I still find a way to workout/exercise as I know one day, I may not be able to do what I can do.
2) I respect my body and know that if I push through too much fatigue, try to push through a bad niggle or push aside healthy lifestyle habits just to train, my body will not be happy. If I don't eat well, my body will pay the price - maybe not today but certainly down the road. I realize that every year I am adding another year of life and training to my body. This is more stress to my body. I am constantly aware of my body and the signals it gives me if I need to cut back on intensity or volume, if I need more sleep, if I need more calories or if I need to change something in my training, diet or lifestyle. I never bash my body or speak badly about my body but instead, I am constantly thanking my body for what it allows me to do. I never compare myself to anyone else because I am constantly focused on my body.
Hopefully we can all learn a thing or two from Grandpa Joe as he has lived a very long and healthy life with a lot of great memories.
Not knowing how many years he has left on Earth, he never takes a day for granted.
Every breath, heart beat, muscle contraction and movement is worth celebrating.
Cheers to another great day of life.
Hopefully we can all learn a thing or two from Grandpa Joe as he has lived a very long and healthy life with a lot of great memories.
Not knowing how many years he has left on Earth, he never takes a day for granted.
Every breath, heart beat, muscle contraction and movement is worth celebrating.
Cheers to another great day of life.