Thread: Keeping Fit when you over 70 years old – Its a complete waste of time .

I’m 74 years old in general good health . I have never had a serious illness or been hospitalized . I don’t think too much about my diet , apart from not drinking alcohol at all. Ive never really been into physical fitness .


I’m retired and live permanently in Thailand and I regularly get to meet many other senior retired Expats.

What made me start to think about keeping fit and diet at my age is the fact that I get to regularly meet other retired Expats who are over 65 years of age . When I meet these other Expats its normally at a local bar and we all sit around a large table . While sitting at the table I’ve recently started to notice just how many of the other Expats around me appear to be over weight ( big beer bellies ) and generally appear to be on the obese side.


So out of curiosity ( being nosey ) during our conversations I brought up the subject of food and drink along with exercising , and if any of them paid attention to their diets along with , did they do any daily physical exercising .


Well the vast majority of the Expats sitting around the table, on hearing my question all gave a similar answer.


Their answer went generally some thing like this ,


Once you reach the 70 years old age range there’s no point what so ever in thinking or worrying about what you eat or drink , and there’s no real point in tiring yourself out doing physical exercising .


The main point being made was that once some one reaches say 70 years old , no matter what you attempt to do , be it giving up food and drinks that you love and enjoy which give you an immense amount pleasure , all in the hope that in some way doing so may extend your life span is all a waste of time , because the damage has all ready been done in all your previous past unhealthy years, and no amount of diet changing or jumping onto a home treadmill at 70 years old is going to make an iota of difference.


So in the minds of those Expats sitting around the table , enjoying their 5th large bottle of beer while they tuck into a greasy cheese and ham pizza, its a matter of enjoy your self today , as it may be your last .


On hearing the comments from the other Expats sitting at our table , its now got me thinking .


Could all those retired Expats actually be right . Should I follow their advice and put any thoughts about my diet or taking up exercising out of my mind and just follow the advice of eat , drink and be merry because it may be my last day on earth .


Whats your thoughts on this 🙏.


CD

If I'd known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

If I'd known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself.

A bit like you Hairy an old joke.

Surely it's about feeling good, self respect, and enjoying being out getting light exercise than attempting to prolong one's life.

Early morning walks in nature.
Evening walks in nature.
Non strenuous cycling.
The social scene of parks.
The social scene of yoga classes etc.

Those have got to be more enjoyable than laying in bed feeling obese and crappy because you skulled 6 large Chang the night before.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

If I'd known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself.

I wonder just how many people around my age think the same when they stand naked in front of the bathroom mirror and all they see looking back at them is an image of some one who looks like they should have taken better care of themselves in the years gone by. When I now stand in front of my bathroom mirror all I see looking back at me is my dear old departed dad.


CD

There is an Arnold Schwarzenegger documentary on Netflix. Towards the end of the film, Arnold is in his weight room working out then goes to a mirror and looks at his 75 year old body. He just sighs and says “What the fuck?” as he shuffles off. It is both humorous and sad.

I met a traveller from an antique land,

Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;

And on the pedestal, these words appear:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

Originally Posted by misskit

There is an Arnold Schwarzenegger documentary on Netflix. Towards the end of the film, Arnold is in his weight room working out then goes to a mirror and looks at his 75 year old body. He just sighs and says “What the fuck?” as he shuffles off. It is both humorous and sad.

There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and they rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain's crest;
Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don't know how to rest.


If they just went straight they might go far;
They are strong and brave and true;
But they're always tired of the things that are,
And they want the strange and new.
They say: "Could I find my proper groove,
What a deep mark I would make!"
So they chop and change, and each fresh move
Is only a fresh mistake.


And each forgets, as he strips and runs
With a brilliant, fitful pace,
It's the steady, quiet, plodding ones
Who win in the lifelong race.
And each forgets that his youth has fled,
Forgets that his prime is past,
Till he stands one day, with a hope that's dead,
In the glare of the truth at last.


He has failed, he has failed; he has missed his chance;
He has just done things by half.
Life's been a jolly good joke on him,
And now is the time to laugh.
Ha, ha! He is one of the Legion Lost;
He was never meant to win;
He's a rolling stone, and it's bred in the bone;
He's a man who won't fit in.

If you have drunk copious amounts of booze, eaten way too much junk food and never exercised there is a good chance you won't see 70 anyway.
But if you have had a sensible diet, reasonable exercise and do make it to 70 then why stop now ? I'm fast approaching 69 and in pretty good shape, certainly compared to many expats my age or even younger. I did 20 years in the military which got me into the habit of regular exercise, something I still keep up and will continue to do as long as possible.

Life is funny. So one has to ask themselves, what are you saving yourself for? Reality is we get old, we die. While some give up every thing they like and enjoy to add a few years, it seems pointless quite honestly. Live and enjoy. You earned it.

It's a bizarre psychological thing people have trying to look and feel 25 forever. It is not sustainable. IMHO it's all about balance and moderation. I have met many older business colleagues who radically changed their eating and life etc to try and add a few year and all they do is bitch, piss and moan. So they have become nothing but grumpy asshats.

I think at 70 and beyond enjoy life. Eat what you want and enjoy what you can. Find a balance. Walk, ride a bike but don't pass on enjoying a cocktail or a few beers.

Originally Posted by Edmond

Surely it's about feeling good, self respect, and enjoying being out getting light exercise than attempting to prolong one's life.

Early morning walks in nature.
Evening walks in nature.
Non strenuous cycling.
The social scene of parks.
The social scene of yoga classes etc.

Those have got to be more enjoyable than laying in bed feeling obese and crappy because you skulled 6 large Chang the night before.

There are posters here that drink Chang beer? why???

Reminds me of Leonard Cohen giving himself permission to re-start smoking at 80.
Five-years from now I may make the same decision when I turn 80..

Leonard Cohen and smoking in old age | OUPblog

^ I was thinking of taking up vaping when I get older. Smells better than cigarettes.

Originally Posted by Captain Disorderly

Could all those retired Expats actually be right

Pretty much but stop exercising your brain and the grim reaper is only one step behind.

Originally Posted by mikenot

approaching 69

alway entertaining

Originally Posted by spliff

There are posters here that drink Chang beer? why???

In the remote hills sometimes only that or water

Originally Posted by Norton

but stop exercising your brain and the grim reaper is only one step behind

If only there was an Anglophone forum full of quizzes quips interesting tropical international nudes and infirm asian

I think you've made up your mind already, Capt.

That their way of life and preferences, as you perceive them, are not for you.

Each to his own.

Originally Posted by Captain Disorderly

Could all those retired Expats actually be right . Should I follow their advice and put any thoughts about my diet or taking up exercising out of my mind and just follow the advice of eat , drink and be merry because it may be my last day on earth .


Whats your thoughts on this ��.

Shouldn't that be your own thoughts on this as it is really your decision.
I know my mom says she should be able to eat and do what she wants and she isn't quite 70.. I can't make her change. Grandmother same thing, had diabetes at menopause and continued to not care about keeping it under control, died from it.

Generally up to you. I think moderation should be key, but everyone is different.
One of my best friends didn't know he had stage 4 cancer and died two months after his diagnoses at 54.
I think trying to take care of yourself is important, but it is up to you. We never know when we will die either, could get hit by a car tomorrow, so... do what you think works for you.

You just said the same thing four times.

I can barely move now can't imagine 70.

Originally Posted by cyrille

You just said the same thing four times.

It's her stream of consciousness.

"Could all those retired Expats actually be right . Should I follow their advice and put any thoughts about my diet or taking up exercising out of my mind and just follow the advice of eat , drink and be merry because it may be my last day on earth ."

a. You can eat what you like, and this will never do you no harm.

b. But if you want to live happy and live a long and full life, then you need to practice complete celibacy'.

c. Where most guys go wrong is allowing their need for sex ruin their lives.

d. If you are able to control yourself, meaning sexual control, you can probably add ten years to your life.

e. There are just so many sad stories, which you have heard and read, which prove this point.

Celibacy is definitely the way to go.

The only question is...

Can you abide by a vow of complete chastity.

Basically, it's mind over matter.

You can do it if you will.


One more thing: Every time I was married, I envied those who were single. And now that I am single, I do not envy, in the least, those who are married.

Think about it...
And you might tend to come around to my philosophy.

Originally Posted by HISTONE H3

b. But if you want to live happy and live a long and full life, then you need to practice complete celibacy'.

maintain your lifestyle like me and you will always feel 25 year olds