I could say that resistance training was the number one thing I did to get my vitality back, but it would only be a partial truth. The truth is that it gave me back my brain, energy, stamina, and inspiration ……it gave me back my life.
Little did I know that more muscle means more everything. Many of you that know me know that I am a health geek, and I have always exercised over the years. I was a dancer, swimmer, runner, aerobics instructor, and dilly dallied in weight training and yoga. Then to take things more seriously as I aged, I took myself to a yoga teacher training when I was 67. I knew that the grueling experience would establish a strong practice in me, otherwise I might keep dilly dalliing. It worked and I am grateful for this practice that has kept me limber, open and pain free.
But a few years ago after my experience with Shingles, followed by some stomach issues, I lost a substantial amount of weight. I was already slender, but I became dramatically skinny. This is not good for an elder. It is extremely hard to put on weight when we are older unless we want to eat burgers, fries, milkshakes, candy bars, cocktails, and daily pastries. With stomach issues, I could hardly eat at all. I was often very tired and inspiration was a state of being I did not experience often. And, what happened to my quick brain?
I still would never have thought of weight training, or resistance training, to answer the call of my uninspired lifestyle. How could I get my vitality back? One day a friend stopped by to visit and told me she was working out “one on one” with a trainer on another part of Maui. He has his own studio gym set up in his garage. With garage doors open, excellent ventilation, and air-conditioning, he trains one person at a time, sterilizing after each client. Even though he has had Covid, he wears a mask. The great news is that the price was affordable. What a gift.
I began working out for 30 minutes 2 x a week. It was hard core resistance training with only 6 exercises (3 for the top, 3 for the bottom). The idea was to push myself to my own limit on each one. Down and dirty. Quick and efficient.
Within a few weeks I was vibrant again. I felt like a different person. My inspiration returned and so did my smarts. Of course, I did not look like a different person until about 3 months later. My protein intake also increased, which I will get into in another post. But, it took about 3 months to gain 6 lbs and show definition in my muscles. Yeah, I got my butt back. During this time I began studying the effects of resistance training. OMG, little did I know that building muscle is one of the very best things we can do for our aging bodies.
I am attaching a video here by Dr. Doug McGuff. Watch Dr. McGuff and discover what resistance training can do for, not just your vitality, and mood, but your overall health with regards to looming health problems for seniors - actually everyone!! I promise this will go way beyond anything you thought you knew about exercise and/or resistance training.
Watch Dr. McGuff here, and then if you want to contact me to share more, ask questions, or just visit, let me know. Susan@ChefTeton.com.
Just for giggles, while visiting with my gal friends, I love sharing my experience with them, and then spontaneously stand, take off my shirt and flex my muscles. I love watching their faces light up with surprise and awe!! So fun!
Please do yourself a favor and watch this informative video. I promise you will discover the profound benefits of resistance training and how it helps us to build a body to last a lifetime!
Aloha Blessings, Susan Teton