As I mentioned in my first post, I began this adventure to improve my balance and strength...both important for staying healthy and avoiding injury at my age.

I am not concerned so much about looks anymore.  The wolf whistles stopped when the gray hair came in...and that's OK.

What I am surprised about though is how, even this early in the endeavor, I FEEL different.

There is so much truth to the idea that it is of paramount importance to keep moving.  When we stop moving, we soon find that we CAN'T move!

Well, I had begun noticing in the past year that everything was becoming difficult.  Just getting out of a chair seemed an effort.  I felt I was slogging through mud most of the time.  Going down stairs took advanced planning because I needed to make sure I could get back up them again.

Part of the problem, of course, is hauling around excess weight.  But, much more of it is the loss of muscle tone.  Without the growth hormones we have when we're younger, things fall apart!

Well, amazing as it sounds, I have found that life is getting a bit easier in this regard.  Getting up from a chair, getting out of the car, going up the stairs and down them...it's all a bit easier.  And I haven't been at this strength training all that long!

The owner/operator of the Cross Fit gym I frequent explains that as we work our muscles, that tissue actually tears a bit, then quickly re-generates bigger and better.  That's how we become stronger.  And though I will never be as strong as I was in my younger days, I CAN be significantly stronger than I have been for years.

And that means a lot of life becomes a little bit easier every day.