Exercise burns calories and builds muscle and bones. It is a necessity for good health at any stage in life, especially for senior citizens. Many health problems faced by older people might have been avoided if exercise had been part of a daily routine. Any movement burns calories. I could write a weight loss book in one sentence: “If you burn more calories than you take in, you will lose weight,” end of book. I coauthored Lose the Weight, and Keep the Faith, with Nick Gaglione, a fitness trainer. “Cut and burn” was the crux of our message. If you cut calories and burn calories through purposeful exercising you will lose weight. To lose a pound a week, you must burn 3500 calories more than you consume.
Beware of the Bad Diet
One thing we stress in the book is this: “You cannot out exercise a bad diet.” I know this from experience. I have maintained a vigorous exercise program for over 30 years, but one day realized I needed to lose weight. I kept the exercise going but cut my calorie intake to 1600 a day. I lost 25 pounds and have kept it off by continuing the exercise and not pursuing the bad diet habits of the past. The Bible says our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). This being true, I know a lot of Christians in building programs creating needless additions. Christians need to be good stewards of not only their time and money, but also their bodies. Obesity does not glorify the Lord. You must “move it to lose it.” My primary care physician told me that obesity is more a serious health problem than smoking. Exercise and lower calorie intake is the “one-two” punch for weight loss.
A Muscle Builder
Exercise is a builder of muscle, especially the heart. I start my exercise routine with ten minutes on the elliptical machine. Leg movement is important for circulation, and I chose the elliptical over the treadmill since it is less impactful on my 78-year-old knee joints even when I accelerate the pace. It is great cardio and helps to lower blood pressure as does my three day-a-week swim sessions. After the time on the elliptical, it is off to ten stations in the weight room. Arms, torso, and legs are all given attention. The routine is vigorous, but it is something I have done for many years, and it has paid off.
A Bone Builder
Muscle tone is an obvious gain, but last summer I learned of an unseen benefit. An orthopedic doctor recommended I have a bone scan. Given my age, the expectation was a loss of bone density resulting in a minus reading though not at a serious level. When I got my results the nurse said, “Boy, are you going to like this appointment.” The report was a positive 1.8 which totally amazed the office. No future scans would be needed. She asked me if I lifted weights to which I replied three days a week. She inquired about my vitamin D3 intake which is at least 5000 IUs a day. Regarding calcium I said I drank milk and ate nature’s most perfect food, ice cream. The weightlifting exercise was the main reason I had such a good score according to her analysis.
Get Started
It is never too late to start a consistent exercise program. The first thing that needs to be exercised is not muscle, but as the fictional detective Hercule Poirot refers to them, the “little, tiny gray cells” that lodge inside your head. You must make a willful decision in your brain that exercise will be a regular daily appointment. Kenneth Cooper is a medical doctor and is the founder and chairman of Cooper Aerobics in Dallas. He is a regular contributor to Decision Magazine regarding physical health. He writes in the May 2024 issue:
I recommend getting 30 minutes of collective or sustained aerobic activity most days per week in addition to two days of strength training per week. As we age, the aerobic-strength training ratio change, to:
- Ages 40 and younger: 80% aerobic; 20 % strength training
- Ages 41-50: 70% aerobic; 30 % strength training
- Ages 51-60: 60% aerobic; 40 % strength training
- Ages 61+:55% aerobic; 45% strength training
Tips for starting an exercise program
- Consult your doctor for his or her advice on how to begin and what limitations based on your physical condition should guide your activity.
- When your physical condition allows, include weightlifting even if moderate, giving attention to range of motion and repetitions at sensible levels – if you can’t do 12 reps then lighten the weight level, but do reach a point where you feel the muscles being worked, meaning you must add weight is no muscle tension is felt.
- Legs are important for circulation and balance as one advances in years – Elliptical, treadmill, cycling, and a swimming pool corner hang and kick are all beneficial
- Get an exercise partner or a group to share the journey for fellowship and encouragement.
- Be consistent, some days you won’t feel like going to the gym, the pool or taking the walk, but you should make the effort unless a real physical problem or illness is involved.
- If your goal for exercising is to lose weight, you must be as disciplined at the table as you are at the gym.
Burn and build a better you through exercise.
About the Author
Steve Feazel is a retired minister, bestselling author, and an award-winning documentary producer. He coauthored The Three Cs that Made America Great: Christianity, Capitalism, and the Constitution with Mike Huckabee. His book Voting Christian Values won the Christian Education category in Christian Independent Publishers Awards in 2023. Visit his website visionword.com.