Stepping up

Lack of exercise is the new smoking in health circles. Media coverage this week reports that for the good of our health we should reduce alcohol consumption and increase physical activity. I've no doubt that those glasses of wine add to the waistline and have made a determined effort to moderate things on that front.

It is relatively easy to take a glass or more relaxing in front of the TV but more difficult to exercise and get to that slightly out of breath stage for a half hour each day. The real gains probably involve reducing inputs and increasing outputs.

Why do we not know this? Or if we do why do we not take it into account and act accordingly?

I did one of those online surveys that reports biological age in relation to chronological age and found that I was two years out. On the wrong side of the equation. I decided that i needed to take action if I was to stay on this journey of improving with age. I've always liked gadgets and had a pedometer that I wore on my belt like a fashion accessory. I used to keep a weekly record of how many steps I'd taken. Locating the not-recently used device I discovered that it must have worn out as it was no longer working. Over-used maybe? Don't think so.

So I got this new one and liked it immediately. It has an interesting feature that resets itself to zero each midnight although you can click back to see previous daily totals. Each day is a fresh start and a new challenge to step things up a bit.

The online survey I mentioned encourages new eating, drinking and exercise habits and once these are formed they can begin to rebalance that chronological/biological age equation. It seems a couple of hours exercise on a regular basis can add many times that number in days to life expectancy.

It strikes me that is a more than fair exchange for the effort spent, and one totally in step with improving with age.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Smartpass

Just the ticket!

Yes, I have got one! A senior citizen's travelcard.  It's called  a Smartpass and I am learning to be smart with it.  It can be used on buses and trains and I have begun organising  myself to synchronise with local timetables.
You can apply for the pass when you reach a "certain age" and so it has its good and not so good points. Among the latter is the digital confirmation that you are getting on a bit. Each ticket shows the pass's expiry date. I hope for many renewals!
When I decided to use it for the first time a couple of weeks ago, I made my way to the bus stop close to where I live.  Waiting for the bus to arrive, I thought I'm too young for one of these. At that moment a lorry pulled up in front of a nearby undertakers.  The driver was delivering coffins!! The lorry was full of them and I thought that a lot of smartpasses must have reached their expiry date!
I presented the pass to the bus driver and asked for a ticket.  That's not how it works. What you are supposed to do is to place your card on an electronic reader in front of the driver and say where you want to go. S/he then hits some keys, there's a "whirr" and you tear off a ticket.  The more practised travellers don't bother to take their cards from their wallets or purses. The driver's device is sophisticated enough to be able to read the data through the holder and distinguish your eligibility from all the other cards you have.  I haven't done that yet, preferring to show that I am new to all of this old stuff.
What strikes me most is the number of senior folks using the transport system.  The faces and personalities are becoming familiar and I sense their looks of recognition. Like the sensor reading through wallets I have picked up on the details of overheard conversations - visits to doctors, health centres and hospitals.  Stories of this and that ailment punctuated with coughs and sneezes and yes, the occasional funny stories and bursts of laughter. Characters.
Some close friends from younger days have got the smarts and joined this senior travel set.  We have plans to travel as a group to the furthest point on the rail network, get our lunch and return home. No doubt, other travellers will overhear a lot of sense. BUT, if talk turns to aches or pains and if anyone clears their throat,  I'll be asking, "Is that you coffin?"