I often hear people complain about being “over-the-hill.” I see articles about exercise over-40 (fewer about over-50 and almost none about over-60). As I approach 60 (I still have 2-1/2 years), I have to ask myself: “What is all the fuss?”
This notion of “over-the-hill” becomes an excuse—an opportunity to slow down. It is an excuse for muscle wasting and fat accumulation. It is a choice. It is arbitrary.
When are we “over-the-hill”? We are over-the-hill when we decide we are. There is no magic age. There is no (appreciable) genetic program for self-destruction. We have no “best when used by” date. There is only the opportunity to self-improve. The results may come a bit slower as the years accumulate, but they can still come (especially when we never reached our peak performance).
Why do we say to some that they “look good for their age”? We say it because most others their age look like sh**. Is it that the one aged well or that the others aged poorly. I would argue that it is the latter.
When we choose to eat poorly, drink excessively, and become increasingly inactive, we are choosing to have health issues and to age prematurely. We are choosing when we will be “over-the-hill.”
Dare to challenge expectations. Dare to be the standard for your age group and to embarrass those who are younger. It is your choice. It is your opportunity.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!