Are your parents fit and active in their 70s?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On vacation with my parents and they tire easily and aren’t the most fit. They weren’t really ever active (no regular exercise, etc.) and I’m thinking a lot about the future when I’m in my 70s.

If your parents are fit, what sorts of things have they done to get that way or stay that way? Did they eat certain things, exercise a certain way, etc.

Thanks!

70 is very old. What are your expectations? By then your body and mind are well into their accelerating downward slide.

You are so full of sh*t!!

You may be "very old" PP, but I know a lot of people in their 70s and 80s who are amazing -- still working, still healthy and fit. One is a surgeon, one is a college professor, one is a lawyer, one teaches elementary school, one is a substitute teacher. Their minds and bodies are doing well. Not perfect, not as fit as they were in their 20s and 30s, but still in good shape, sharp, active, productive people.

Again, well into their downward slide.

By your definition 39 is very old.

39 is solidly middle aged. 70 is old. Most will die within the year 15 years, along with having significant health problems along the way.

[Anonymous]

Almost half of people over 70 are disabled. It is old.

[Anonymous]

So many people die in their 50s and 60's, so if you make it into your 70's you probably pretty healthy. All the smokers, alcoholics, diabetics are going down early.

[Anonymous]

It's weird that everyone seems to think that physical activity is the only thing keeping the olds alive. So many other factors. Look at the old people in the blue zones for clues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many people die in their 50s and 60's, so if you make it into your 70's you probably pretty healthy. All the smokers, alcoholics, diabetics are going down early.

My father was a smoker and lived into his 80s. Pretty disabled with COPD the last five years. Genetics help - all of his parents' generation in his family lived into their 90s so he died "early" relative to them.

[Anonymous]

My parents are 70. One swims multiple times a week and lift weights. Dad plays tennis daily if he can and also swims. They also ski, take hiking vacations once or twice a year.
Inlaws are 80. Exercise nearly daily including low intensity swimming. They definitely have less stamina and don't vacation but can walk around museums etc etc. They need naps after hanging out with little grandkids tho.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents are 70. One swims multiple times a week and lift weights. Dad plays tennis daily if he can and also swims. They also ski, take hiking vacations once or twice a year.
Inlaws are 80. Exercise nearly daily including low intensity swimming. They definitely have less stamina and don't vacation but can walk around museums etc etc. They need naps after hanging out with little grandkids tho.

They also sound like they have disposable income.
Class and education correlate strongly with health outcomes.

[Anonymous]

They were until my mom developed ovarian cancer at 70. Life comes at you fast at an older age, unfortunately …

[Anonymous]

My MIL always got a decent amount of exercise and ate well. When she got lymphoma in her early 70s that didn't respond to standard chemo, they were willing to do a stem cell transplant (which requires wiping out your immune system with extreme chemo) because she was in such good shape, and she's doing really well now. Trying to take care of yourself can make you a better candidate for surgery, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On vacation with my parents and they tire easily and aren’t the most fit. They weren’t really ever active (no regular exercise, etc.) and I’m thinking a lot about the future when I’m in my 70s.

If your parents are fit, what sorts of things have they done to get that way or stay that way? Did they eat certain things, exercise a certain way, etc.

Thanks!

My parents are 83 and 84. In general they are fit and active but my father has congestive heart failure (can be managed, but not cured). They both tire more easily, but my mother is still very energetic.

Truthfully, a good deal of it is luck and/or genetics. Neither one of my parents has ever had weight issues and have never had to really, actively work to stay slim. They eat fairly healthy, but have never had to watch/track what they eat to keep weight off.

They have always been pretty active, but neither participated in a lot of sports or anything. They walked a lot. I think both tried some strength training as they aged but didn't stick with it.

[Anonymous]

My mom is 80 and very active. She runs 5-7 miles a few times a week, walks and hikes a lot, and goes to the gym to do weights. She is very social and has some activities that keep her mentally sharp. My dad is 78 and similar, although he doesn't run or hike. He does swim a few times a week and goes for walks. He is retired but still works part time when he wants to. Both of them travel a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On vacation with my parents and they tire easily and aren’t the most fit. They weren’t really ever active (no regular exercise, etc.) and I’m thinking a lot about the future when I’m in my 70s.

If your parents are fit, what sorts of things have they done to get that way or stay that way? Did they eat certain things, exercise a certain way, etc.

Thanks!

My parents are 83 and 84. In general they are fit and active but my father has congestive heart failure (can be managed, but not cured). They both tire more easily, but my mother is still very energetic.

Truthfully, a good deal of it is luck and/or genetics. Neither one of my parents has ever had weight issues and have never had to really, actively work to stay slim. They eat fairly healthy, but have never had to watch/track what they eat to keep weight off.

They have always been pretty active, but neither participated in a lot of sports or anything. They walked a lot. I think both tried some strength training as they aged but didn't stick with it.

"Fit" and CHF don't go together.

[Anonymous]

83 year old father takes hourlong walks or bike rides every day. 76 year old mother walks everywhere and goes on trips alone monthly. There is no specific age that makes you old.

[Anonymous]

A lot of things that are attributed to aging are actually lifestyle.

I get that some people truly have bad luck, but I think more people actually have good luck. For example, those who are overweight, barely exercise, etc. but make it to mid 70s… are actually lucky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't matter - their fitness level - people in their 70's are going to get tired. Or they are going to hide it. They may talk a big game re: all they do to stay fit. Older age with aches and pains comes for us all. Don't kid yourselves, thinking there is some secret sauce.

Ordinary people of all fitness levels age relatively the same, unless they are an outliner with a chronic condition.

It matters. I start lifting weight after watching my Dad losing his mobility in the last few months of his life. He was walking till 92. More than half of the people in the private training sessions are over 60. The instructor said there is a 90 year old lady which I am dying to meet.

Lifting weights is extremely important after age 50. You lose about 1% of your muscles a year, increase the % of fat in your body, and start losing balance when you get much older (70s, 80s, 90s). That's why older people fall and break their hip and end up on a walker or in a wheelchair.

I lift weights 2-3 days a week. I HATE it, but I do it because I want to be active until I'm 100!!!

+1 to strength training being the fountain of youth. Besides making it less likely that you will fall (and if you do fall your bones will be stronger and less like break), muscle is just more metabolically healthy. It controls glucose which in turn helps fight just about every disease.