Feeling Fit: Find the benefits of physical exercise

By Catherine Godbey | Living 50 Plus

As Carlos Gomez began the last lap of his workout, Jane Johnson shouted cheers of encouragement.

“Come on Carlos. One more. You can do it,” Johnson said.

Upon completing the lap, the 52-year-old Gomez placed his dumbbells on the ground and dropped to the floor.

“It is very hard, but also very satisfying,” Gomez said.

Gomez’s workout partners, the 67-year-old Johnson, 68-year-old Teresa Sheets and 64-year-old Dr. Laron Hardy agreed.

“After every workout, I feel relief, but yet I feel great because I have accomplished something,” Sheets said.

For Sheets, the fitness journey, which she started in September 2024 when she joined Percheron Fitness in Decatur, has transformed her life.

“I was having some issues with my arms before I started working out. I couldn’t raise my hands over my shoulders. The doctor called it ‘frozen shoulders,’” Sheets said.

Instead of physical therapy — a more expensive option — Sheets took Johnson up on her invitation to participate in friends’ day at Percheron Fitness.

“I came and I loved it. I’ve joined practically every gym in Decatur, but did not stick with it. But there was something about this that made me want to keep exercising,” Sheets said. “I’ve gotten two things out of it. My shoulders are healed and I am a lot healthier and stronger. I have more energy and I can do things I couldn’t do before. When I go in for bloodwork, all of my numbers are better because I’m working out.”

Physical complications also spurred Johnson to start working out at Percheron three years ago.

“Three months after I had triple bypass surgery because I had 95% blockage in my heart, I joined the gym. I’ve been here ever since,” Johnson said. “Having triple bypass surgery was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because of it, I started working out again.”

Along with getting Sheets started on her physical journey, Johnson also holds responsibility for bringing Hardy back to the gym.

A one-time die-hard CrossFitter, Hardy stopped working out six years ago when, during a father and son kickball game, he sprained his toes.

“I couldn’t hardly walk for a couple of weeks, so I had to stop CrossFit. Once you stop, it’s hard to start back,” Hardy said. “For the past six months I have been talking about starting back, but didn’t do anything about it. Then Jane invited me to friends’ day. I almost didn’t come. But I did and I love it. Thank goodness Jane pushed me that day.”

By working out, Hardy, a chiropractor, is following his own medical advice.

“I’m practicing what I preach. I tell my patients to keep moving. The more you move, the less you’ll age because your joints won’t degenerate as quickly,” said Hardy, who started working out in late October. “I’m 64. If I wait another year, it will be harder and if I want another five years to start back, it will be even harder. My children are 24 and 18. I will be in my 70s or 80s when I have grandkids and would still love to be able to play with them.”

Adults ages 65 and older need at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity, such as hiking or running, and at least two days a week of activities to strengthen muscles and activities to improve balance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Less than 15% of Americans meet those recommendations.

Physical activity also reduces the risk of developing dementia, lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, helps people live independently longer, reduces blood pressure and improves sleep quality.

“Staying active helps maintain independence, mobility and overall quality of life as we age,” said Amy Potter, who owns the gym with her husband, Justin Potter. “Strength training, balance work and consistent movement all support bone density, joint health and heart health. But beyond the physical benefits, exercise keeps the mind sharp and provides meaningful community — something that’s vital at every stage of life.”

That desire for a “meaningful community” spurred Gomez to join a gym when he moved to Decatur three years ago.

“I really like working out, but for me, something that was as important as working out was a welcoming environment,” Gomez said. “After work, I find it very healthy physically and mentally to come and wind down with exercise.”

For individuals who want to start working out, Hardy offered this advice.

“Just walk through the door. Getting to the gym and walking through the door on that first day is, a lot of the time, the hardest part,” Hardy said. “You’ve just got to make a commitment to yourself and do it.”

Health and Exercise Tips

Step 1: Find the reason

One of the most important factors in whether people stick with a fitness routine is determining why an individual started the routine. Reminding yourself why you started working out helps you refocus on challenging days.

Step 2: Develop a plan

Instead of ambiguous resolutions of losing weight, exercising more or eating healthier, set specific goals.

After setting a long-range goal, such as running a 5K, decide which steps to take daily, weekly and monthly to achieve that. Short-term goals can range from skipping dessert to opting for a salad instead of French fries to running for five minutes straight.

Step 3: Find your fun

Exercise can be — and should be — fun. A myriad of options exist. There is pickleball, racquetball, water aerobics, Zumba, yoga, kickball, roller skating, trampoline jumping, soccer and basketball. To increase flexibility and strength, try yoga, Pilates, karate and archery. To boost endurance, try swimming, hiking and running.