You Can Grow Younger

Number One Reason Some Folks Age Much Faster

The number one reason why some folks age much faster than others is not the usual suspects: lack of exercise, poor nutrition or sub-par genes. While these three are major players to be sure, none of them is the big kahuna of accelerated aging -- that title clearly belongs to one's mental focus. The thoughts we entertain on a regular basis have greater power than anything else to dramatically speed up or slow down aging. Here's why.

We all have desires, goals and dreams. We also have beliefs about what is possible for us to do, be or have. Beliefs are really just habits of thought, which all too often are based on erroneous assumptions and misperceptions from our past. Beliefs are often created in childhood before logic is fully developed. When our habitual thinking / beliefs are at odds with our desires, a strong tension or resistance, if you will, is created between reality (what we're living) and our dreams or desires (what we wish to live). The greater the disparity between what we want and what we perceive as possible, the greater the stress AND the faster we age because stress is the great ager.

Let's look at how this self-induced stress ages us from a purely biological point of view. Biologically, stress is dealt with as if there were a saber-tooth tiger about to pounce on you. At that threat-to-your-very-existence moment, all energies are diverted into preparing to do battle or run away. No resources are wasted on digesting food, fighting microbes or repairing/regenerating cells because survival in the moment takes priority (if you become the big cat's lunch, what good will all those usual cellular functions do?) Whether there's an actual beast about to attack, an angry boss or beliefs and desires that don't match, the body treats it all the same -- as if there's an imminent threat to your survival.

When what you are interested in being, doing or having is closely aligned with what you believe is possible or probable, you are happy and fulfilled and stress is low. In this situation, since there is no immediate external threat to survival "perceived," all bodily energies can go into digesting food, killing microbes and repairing/regenerating cells damaged or destroyed by free radicals ... In this state, aging is slowed.

Folks who age the fastest are focused on being stuck where they don't want to be. Their current life situation doesn't jive with their dreams of what they would rather be living. Recently I wrote about Virginia's Susan Jennings who, at age 46, was stuck, or mentally focused, where she didn't want to be -- at 274 pounds. By refocusing her thoughts to where she'd rather be, in less than two years Susan had lost 135 pounds and become an ultra-marathon runner. Recently, she came in fifth among all the women in a 50K (31-mile running race). At age 48 she's biologically much younger and happier than she was years earlier because she more closely aligned her beliefs (her habits of thought) with her desires (her vision of where she'd rather be). With her new, improved mental focus, Susan was able to take the action steps that she now knew with certainty would lead her to a more desired body size and image. This change of mental focus made it possible for Susan to completely transform her life and vastly slow the aging process.

How closely aligned are your beliefs to your dreams and wishes for the future? Remember, more than exercise, a good diet or a great set of genes, your mental focus determines how fast you age. Focus your thoughts less on where you are (unless, of course, you like it there!) and more on where you'd rather be and in time, you'll be inspired to take the action steps that will take you there and keep you younger.

Ed Mayhew is a professional speaker and the author of Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life and AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You www.YouCanGrowYounger.com  www.FitterForLife.com  Ask for your F*R*E*E* Fitter After 50 e-newsletter

What's the Secret to Dancing in a Chorus Line at 85?

What's the secret to being able to dance in up to nine 3-hour, high-energy shows each week at age 85? More specifically, where did the oldest performing showgirl, Dorothy Dale Kloss, get the stamina and vitality to perform in 240 shows over a nine-month period last year as a featured dancer in The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies? In last year's show, Dorothy performed several numbers with the show's chorus line, danced solo, and even participated in a hilarious comedy routine with the Follies impresario, Riff Markowitz. On days when there was a matinee and an evening show, that meant a 10-plus hour gig, when warming up, multiple costume changes, dancing and everything else involved in doing a show are taken into account. Dorothy has been doing this -- loving this -- for the past 14 years. Just words, however, cannot do this ageless performer justice; you must see her in action to get the full picture and find out her secrets to defiantly snubbing her nose at Old Lady Age.

Dorothy Dale Kloss, however, is anything but a johnny-come-lately to show business and dancing, as she started dancing at age three and has been dancing ever since. By age 13 she was proficient enough to teach tap dancing classes, and one of her students was 10-year-old Bob Fosse, who went on to become one of the greatest dancers, choreographers, filmmakers of all time. As a 15-year-old, Dorothy hit it big, performing in the famed Empire Room at the Palmer House in Chicago. Through the years she has shared the stage with such greats as Liberace, the Mills Brothers, Frankie Lane, and Mel Torme among others. At age 64, with the help of surgery and chemotherapy, she overcame colon cancer; concerning this battle she says that as a result, she changed her diet and "changed my thinking." A few years later her only son moved across the country, taking her grandchild with him, and Dorothy was left with the question: "What am I going to do with the rest of my life?" Immediately the answer came to her -- dance. This led to her auditioning for the Palm Springs Follies at age 71. She's been kicking up her heels as an integral part of this variety/burlesque show ever since.

The Follies is no small-potatoes production. The show, which changes each season/year, regularly performs to sold-out audiences, as attested to by the fact that almost three million folks have seen the show since its inception 18 years ago.

Having covered that background information, that brings us to answering our original question: What's the "secret" to dancing in a chorus line at 85?

• Is it her diet? Dorothy says she doesn't have any restrictions on what she eats. She likes to joke, "No health food ... I need all the preservatives I can get."
• Is it her exercise? Dancing is great exercise for her because besides keeping her fit, it keeps her happy.
• Is it her mental focus? In this regard, she says, "Focus on life ahead of you -- not behind you." She has also said, "I believe every day is a day worth living and get up and live it ... I don't believe in negativity."

To really understand what makes it possible for Dorothy to live such a full, rich and vibrant life at 85, you really have to meet her through this VIDEO -- if you haven't already. You can also gain much insight into her "secrets" to successful living during the second half of one's life by listening to this radio interview she did in May of this year with "Bulldog" Bill Feingold. LISTEN TO THIS!

What's Dorothy Dale Kloss' secret? Is it her positive attitude toward life, expressed and seen through her quick wit and free and easy laughter? Is it her active lifestyle filled with joyful dance? Her dietary practices? If you've watched the video and listened to the radio interview, you know in your heart what it is; if you haven't, do it now and find out for yourself the "secrets" to your living life to the fullest, no matter your age.

Dorothy Dale Kloss, 85-year-old showgirl!

Ed Mayhew is a professional speaker and the author of Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life and AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You Visit Ed at www.YouCanGrowYounger.comand www.FitterForLife.com  Ask for your F*R*E*E* Fitter After 50 e-newsletter

274 Pounds to ULTRA Runner in Less Than 2 Years

Bluemont, Virginia's Susan Jennings, 48, recently transformed herself from seriously overweight to ULTRA-Fit. In less than two years she lost 135 pounds, or almost half her body weight, and ran her first ultra-distance race -- a 50K (31 miles). Her inspiring story is revealed in this interview with author Ed Mayhew (AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You).  

Ed: Susan, you recently traded being seriously overweight for some serious running. In May, for example, you ran 64 miles in a 24-hour race. Were you always overweight? What led to your reaching 274 pounds?  

Susan: In my younger days, I was always on the edge of being overweight. As long as I stayed active, I was okay, but I seemed to constantly be on a diet, each time having to lose a little more to get to my goal weight. After I got married, I wasn’t as active and the weight starting creeping up. It didn’t help that my thin husband could eat anything he wanted! The weight really became an issue after the birth of my daughter. It was then that I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Medicine stabilized the blood levels, but I never felt right after that. With raising a child and a long commute to work each day, exercise became less and less, and I continued to gain. Food became the tool I used to combat fatigue and stress. It was my friend and my enemy. I felt so out of control. 

Ed: What ways had you tried to lose the weight over the years and what finally worked for you? 

Susan: I think I have tried every diet on the planet! The list is extensive: the Lemonade Cleansing Fast, the Hallelujah Diet, Nutrisystem, Physicians Weight Loss, South Beach Diet, Atkins, Pritikin, etc. I have spent thousands of dollars on programs, meals, and supplements trying to find the magic formula. Most diets worked for a while. But after a while, I would stop losing. Some were just too hard to follow. Others just stopped working. I couldn’t figure it out. How could I lose 30 or 40 pounds and then plateau or start to gain without changing anything that I was doing? In frustration, I would quit because it didn’t seem to matter, and quickly gain the weight back. My health issues got worse. I snored when I slept, and would often wake up with my heart racing. Sometimes in the evening, I just felt so bad. I remember looking into the mirror one morning and stared at the blotchy face looking back at me. “I don’t know who you are, “I said, and began to cry. I had to keep trying. I read of a connection with gluten sensitivity and hypothyroidism so I decided to give up wheat for one week. In three days, my snoring stopped. In one week, I lost 10 pounds. It was the motivation I needed to try to lose one more time. I decided to go back to Weight Watchers because I knew I needed accountability, and a structured program to deal with the other reasons I ate. Then I did one thing I had never done before. I took several “before” pictures. I had decided that this was it, last chance. At my first meeting on May 31, 2007, the leader was talking about excuses we make for why we gain weight, including “it’s my thyroid.” I raised my hand and said, “Well, I have hypothyroidism, but I’m not going to use it as an excuse any longer.” That became my mantra – no excuses. If I was tired, I still got up and exercised. If I was stressed, that wasn’t an excuse for eating. So the combination of a gluten free diet, Weight Watchers, and exercise is what finally worked. 

Ed: How did you go from being overweight with significant health issues to being an Ultra Runner? 

Susan: It’s funny, because I had always joked about my efficient metabolism and how I was designed to be a long distance runner. But that was the furthest thing from my mind at the time. I just wanted to be able to walk a mile or two. We live on the mountain and I felt uncomfortable on our curvy roads. Then, after I had experienced a few rude comments yelled from passing vehicles, my husband suggested I hike on the Appalachian Trail, which is a stone’s throw from our house. He even bought me some trekking poles. The only problem was that the section we live near is called the “Roller Coaster,” a series of 400-600 ft rocky climbs and descents. The first day I made it about a fourth of the way up the ridge before I quit and went home. But I got up the next morning and went back out. Soon my half hour hikes turned into one hour hikes, and then two hour hikes. At other times, while my daughter was dancing, I would walk around the 2 mile loop in Berryville. There, I would see runners. One woman particularly interested me. She was older, and she wasn’t really fast, but she was faithfully running every time I went to the park. I thought that if she could run, why couldn’t I. By this time, I had lost about 75 lbs. So I would run a few feet, and then walk again. This progressed to running all the downhill sections, then all the flat sections, and finally I pushed up those “big” hills at the park. I especially enjoyed “running” on the trails. The day I left my trekking poles at home was the day I became a real trail runner. After a couple of months of this, I got a crazy notion in my head that I wanted to run a trail race. I found a half-marathon that was at the end of September (2008). I had about 4 months to train for it, and about 30 more pounds to lose. My two hour hikes now became two hour trail runs. Fearfully, I toed the line for that race. I wasn’t even sure I could go the distance and was sure I would finish in last place. But once on the trails, I found my rhythm. The last three miles is when I experienced the runners high. I was flying down the mountain, letting gravity take me and crossed the finish line 19^th out of 56 runners. Later that day, I broke down and sobbed. I felt like the butterfly who, after years of being trapped in a cocoon of fat and self-doubt, had been set free to fly. If I could lose 135 pounds, train for, and run a half marathon in a year and a half, then what else could I do? I wasn’t through pushing my limits and so I signed up for my first ultra – an 8 hour trail run in February. On my two year anniversary(in May) of walking into a Weight Watchers meeting, I celebrated by running 49 miles in a 10 hour endurance run.   

Ed: Can you give us an example of one of your more difficult workouts/runs? 

Susan: I try not to take myself too seriously, so I make the challenging runs fun. For instance, I have a run called Woman vs. Mountain. I start at the bottom of a mountain road that climbs in 2½ miles about1000 ft., with 9% grades in parts. If I don’t walk at all, then I win. If I have to walk then the mountain wins. Of course, the fun thing is to run back down the mountain and do it again, trying to better your time on the second go round. Or I make a race course. I have a 20k that starts on the Roller Coaster, climbs 4 ridges for the first 10k, then sprints down the mountain on the shoulder of Route 7; the last 10k is on a hilly mountain road, and ends with a section of “Woman vs. Mountain.”   

Ed: How did you learn so quickly about how to survive and thrive doing ultra-distance runs and races? 

Susan: I’m still learning! I’ve read everything I can find on training for an ultra. It’s interesting that most formal training programs only go up to the marathon distance. So the wisdom comes from other ultra runners who blog and post online how they trained for certain races. I try to follow the standard running advice and then adapt it for longer distances. I also learn from my mistakes. In my 24 hour run, I had my family there and they set up an area for me that I could go to at the end of each 8 mile loop. The problem was, I was taking too long to get back on the trail. I wouldn’t be surprised if I didn’t lose over 2 hours of running time, relaxing between loops. In my 10 hour run which was on a horse track, I was feeling good, started out too fast, and didn’t drink enough at the beginning. I got leg cramps around mile 16 and had them the rest of the night. It really slowed me down. I think I could have done over 50 miles without them. But that’s how you learn.   

Ed: What is your eating/diet like from day to day now, compared with what it was like before?  

Susan: Probably the biggest difference in meal times is being gluten-free and learning to control portions. We haven’t gone out for pizza in over 2 years. In fact, our eating out has greatly diminished, mainly because it’s too hard to make sure the meals don’t have gluten in them. One area where I struggled with before was the in between meal times. The quick and easy pick me up is a candy bar, or a bag of chips or a coke. Now I try to pack fruit and veggies for my snacks, and if I run out, I just tell myself that I won’t starve if I don’t eat before supper time. It’s silly to think that we have to put something in our mouth every time we get a little hungry. But I still struggle with and give in to cravings. I’m a confessed chocolaholic. The key for me is tracking every meal. I still use the Weight Watcher’s point system. Some people wonder what you eat, if you can’t have wheat. I made it a point not to substitute with gluten-free bread, cookies, etc. but rather to fill the “bread” spot with brown rice, quinoa, potato or other whole grain. Fish, turkey, lean beef and vegetarian dishes make up the bulk of our entrees. Salads are also a mainstay of the diet. When I come in from a workout, I make a smoothie with frozen fruit and a hemp protein mix. I try to find protein powders that have lots of vitamins and minerals that help with recovery. 

Ed: What do you eat and drink to stay hydrated and keep your glycogen levels up during long runs? 

Susan: Training runs are for experimenting with food and drink. I have tried everything from gels, to clif blocks, to trail mix and dried fruit. On my long trail runs without access to water, I fill a hydration bladder, and wear a mule pack. It also holds several emergency items. On my last 36.5 mile training run, I used the first aid kit, the emergency rain poncho, the parachute chord, and the knife. So while I complain about the 10 lbs I carry on my back, those things came in handy! For that run I ate a combination of gels and bars, and put an electrolyte solution in my water. I will also carry a source of protein if I’m going to be out all day – protein bars, cheese, or chipped beef (extra sodium). My last shorter run of 20 miles, I only had a couple of gels and still felt fine. During 24 hour races, anything goes. Whatever keeps you moving and that includes chocolate and soda!   

Ed: What goes through your mind during hard workouts and races? Are there any mental techniques you use to keep running when you're exhausted and your body wants to quit? What do you mentally tell yourself when the going gets tough? 

Susan: I consider every run an adventure and I look forward to retelling my tales of getting locked into Skyline Drive at night, or screaming at a bobcat, or running with a herd of cattle (this morning’s run) to my friends and fellow runners. So if I come home after running in single digit weather with icicles in my hair, or blood running down my leg from a fall, it’s another story to tell. Because of this I’ve been dubbed the “Warrior Princess.” So if I feel like quitting when the going gets tough I say, “I can’t quit, I’m the Warrior Princess!” During the ultras, the motto is “keep moving forward.” As long as you’re moving forward, no matter how slow, you’re making progress. I try to focus on form. I have a mental checklist – posture, arms, foot strike, etc. that I go through. And since faith is such a big part of who I am, I quote scripture “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” or “I am strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” There is a Drill Sergeant who “lives” in my head and barks out orders during my runs. “Get a move on it, you wimp!” she yells. “My grandmother can run faster than that!” And when all else fails, I sing my favorite hymn “It is Well with My Sole.” (Just kidding).  

Ed: Is there a religious or spiritual component to your trading in your knife and fork for running shoes? 

Susan: My faith is the foundation of my life. I prayed for years that the Lord would help me lose weight. In retrospect, the struggles I faced have allowed me to help others. So God answered my prayer, just not in my time, but in His. I prayed everyday that I would be strong, not give into temptation, and that my journey could be an inspiration to others and a testimony to God’s faithfulness. I believe that I have been transformed from the inside out. Mentally, I was in a bad place, so self conscious and negative, struggling with who I was, and wondering what I was meant to do on this earth. Now, I run for Christ, for the spiritual rebirth He gave me and the strength that comes from knowing Him.    

Ed: What would you like folks who are struggling with their weight to know?  

Susan: Here are a few things I learned in this journey:

1) Don’t quit, don’t ever give up. Keep trying different things and eventually it will happen.

2) Believe in yourself and your ability to lose weight. Actions follow belief. If you believe you can, you will.

3) Don’t be afraid to ask for help. For me, help came through a structured program, through friends and family, and through my faith.

4) Don’t try to climb the mountain in one day. Take little steps, make small changes. Little steps add up to big results.

5) Take joy in the journey. This is a lifestyle, not a quick fix. Live life to the fullest – carpe diem – seize the day.

These things, by the way, apply to all areas of our life, not just losing weight. 

Ed: What’s next?

Susan: I decided that since I skipped the marathon and went on to the ultras, I should go back and run one. So the Marine Corps Marathon is on the schedule for late October. I also have the JFK 50 in

November, a 12 hr run in September, and a trail 50 miler in early October. From these I hope to be ready for the next test – the Umstead 100 miler in March. I keep pressing on, the journey never ends, just changes courses every now and then. 

Ed: Susan, is there anything we haven't covered that you would like to say to our readers?  

Susan: Most limits we place on ourselves are our limits. We have the potential to do much more than we think. When someone says they could never run a marathon, I reply “Yes, you could, if you were willing to put the time and energy into training for it.”  I wrote the following in my training blog after my ten hour race. It is for me, and it is for all of us who are reaching for the stars: 

“Nothing is impossible. I stand on the shore of a vast sea, my goals and dreams a shadow on the distant shore. I can hesitate, I can think that they are too lofty and too far away to attain. Or I can believe in the human spirit, and in my God who strengthens me. I take a deep breath and plunge in.” 

Ed: For more details about Susan’s fantastic journey from obese to Ultra-runner, visit her blog: http://SuSuTopChallenge.BlogSpot.com/  Thanks, Susan! You’re a true inspiration and role model to the multitudes who are struggling with weight issues.

 

Susan Jennings in 2007

 

 

Susan Jennings in 2009

 

Ed Mayhew is a professional speaker and the author of AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You and Mastering Weight Loss (a CD of inspirational stories of more folks like Susan Jennings, who have been successful losing weight). www.FitterForLife.com www.YouCanGrowYounger.com Ask for your F*R*E*E Fitter After 50 e-newsletter

The Lady Methuselah of Sports, et al and the Month of July

This past month gave several aging athletes a chance to show that they still have what it takes to compete at the highest level. We'll take a look at five of these athletes on the verge of geezerhood and their age-defying accomplishments in the month of July.

July 9 & 11 -- Only in the world of sports can 42 be considered old. This is especially true in elite competitive swimming, where even 25 is considered to be bordering on the ancient. That's one reason why the swimming times of Dara Torres, the Lady Methuselah of swimming, at the Conoco Phillips USA Swimming Nationals/World Trials are so impressive. Despite a bum knee that limits her training and will need surgery at the end of the competitive season, Dara won her 10th 50-meter freestyle national title and in the process qualified for the World Championships in Italy with the fourth fastest time in the world in 2009 -- 24.43. Two days later in the 50 fly (butterfly stroke), Dara broke her own American Record that she set twice in May and missed the World Record by just .17 seconds. Her 25.50 was the third fastest swim of all time.

July 14 -- Another 42-year-old who distinguished himself is Boston Red Sox pitcher, Tim Wakefield. Tim represented the American League at baseball's national classic by virtue of his being tied for the most wins in the American League, with an impressive 10-3 record.

July 18 -- Bodybuilder Scott "Old Navy" Hults, 66, won the Open Men's Lightweight class at the NPA Nationals (National Physique Association) in Burlington, North Carolina. There, he was also awarded his fourth Pro Card. It's worth noting that  most bodybuilders are amateurs and never earn a single one of those much -coveted cards with their accompanying professional designation. Scott has accomplished all this despite his having started competitive bodybuilding a mere six years ago.

July 19 -- Leading most of the four-day tournament, Tom Watson, 59, came within inches and a very doable 8-foot putt of winning the British Open. If he'd made that last shot on the 18th hole, that would have made him the oldest golfer to win a major by 11 years (Julius Boros, the oldest, was 48 in 1968 when he won the PGA Championship). Adding to the awesomeness of his play is the fact that he'd had hip-replacement surgery just nine months prior.

July 19 -- On this same day that Tom Watson had Boomers across the nation glued to their television sets with their fingers crossed, Hershel McGriff, 81, became the oldest driver ever in a NASCAR-sanctioned race. Racing in NASCAR's Camping World West series in Portland, Oregon, Hershel came in a very respectable 13th out of 26 competitors. He did this despite having to start one lap behind the pack due to a last-minute modification to his carburetor. Winner Jim Inglebright said about Hershel's race performance, "There were a lot of other cars out there that were a lot slower ... I followed him for a little while and I couldn't get around him."

So there you have it. In a single month of athletic competitions, five "old geezers of sports" are showing us that they still have what it takes to compete with the best in their sport. As a result, we have a choice to make. We can be inspired by their age-redefining athletic accomplishments and get our own backsides into motion or we can ignore their lead and continue with our relentless, unnecessarily speedy decline. The question is: Are you going to use their spirit-lifting stories to get back in the game and enjoy life more, like so many masters athletes and others are doing, or are you going to be boxed in by your own self-imposed age-related limitations? The Lady Methuselah of Swimming and the other older athletes profiled here are telling us that the choice is up to us!

Ed Mayhew is a professional speaker and the author of Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life and AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You  Visit Ed at: www.YouCanGrowYounger.com and www.FitterForLife.com  Ask for your F*R*E*E* Fitter After 50 e-newsletter

Top 10 Ways to Stay Young and Be Happy

(1) Do what you love, love what you do -- be passionate about at least one thing

(2) Smile, laugh, hug and kiss frequently and easily (willing recipients only)

(3) Find activities that you enjoy that challenge your cardiovascular and muscular systems and do them often -- alternate these with periods of rest and relaxation

(4) Eat and drink for nourishment and JOY

(5) Blame no one -- You (nobody else) create your own reality with your thoughts and actions

(6) Keep life fresh and interesting by learning something new every day

(7) Praise and appreciate more -- Condemn and criticize less

(8) Spend less time focused on where your stuck and more time creating the future you desire

(9) Read about, listen to and hang out with those who are fun and living much younger than their years

(10) Acknowledge a higher power -- revel in knowing that although your body is finite, your consciousness/Soul is eternal

BONUS: Continually choose thoughts that feel better to stay young and be happy!

Ed Mayhew is a professional speaker and the author of the books: Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life and AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You Visit Ed at: www.YouCanGrowYounger.com  and www.FitterForLife.com  Ask for Your F*REE Fitter After 50 e-newsletter

Mastering Weight Loss 101

Just a couple of years ago, Utah's Ernie Nix, a 397-pound, 46-year-old middle school principal with multiple serious health problems, found climbing a single flight of stairs a struggle. Inspired by a strong emotional-trigger event, Ernie initiated a personal weight-loss program that resulted in his losing 217 pounds and running his first race -- a 26.2-mile marathon. As of this summer, he has now completed three marathons with another coming up this week and a fifth scheduled for October with an ultimate goal of qualifying for Boston.

Ernie now has the stamina and determination to take on challenges that would have been inconceivable a short time ago. Besides training for and running the aforementioned marathons, he's in the midst of practically single-handedly starting up a charter school. More specifically, he has spent 2009 supervising the construction of the school's building (they broke ground in January); writing the curriculum (there is no assistant principal or other administrative staff to assign this to); and hiring the staff for Excelsior Academy in Tooele, Utah. The school is due to open this Fall with about 650 students, culled from 1,000-plus applicants, and as you can see, it's pretty much a one-man show to get this done. There is little doubt that the nearly 400-pound version of Ernie could never have begun to take on such a monumental challenge. You can HEAR Ernie's story of how he transformed himself and how you can, too -- HERE!

In interviewing, studying and writing about men and women such as Ernie Nix, who have completely transformed their lives through massive weight loss, we've found that although there are many ways to lose the weight and keep it off, all successful weight-loss programs have three essential components in common. Let's call these three foundational elements Mastering Weight Loss 101:

1. BELIEF -- You must believe that it is possible for YOU to lose the weight and that it is worth the effort. This belief in the possibility that you can be a successful loser can be developed by reading and listening to stories of others (and hanging out with those) just like you, who have successfully lost the excess pounds and KEPT THEM OFF! Their stories over time will build the conviction that "if they could do it, despite all the sundry obstacles they had to deal with, then I can do it , too!"
2. AN EMOTIONAL TRIGGER -- Knowing that you should lose the excess fat and thinking it would be nice to weigh less, look better, etc. is not enough; if it were, we'd all be svelt. You need a strong emotional trigger (a compelling reason) that impels you to action and drives you to keep the weight off. For some it is a disease condition or the threat of one and the desire to be well. For others it might be the vision of their playing, skiing, biking with the kids, grand-kids and great-grandchildren. Whatever it is, it needs to be something that by focusing on it, you build an ever more powerful burning desire to lose the weight so you can have it -- live it.
3. AN ACTION PLAN -- Finally, you need to choose a plan of action for losing the excess fat and keeping it off. It could be the Weight Watchers program, Julia Havey's Vice Busting Diet Plan or any one of the myriad of other weight-loss programs. Do some research and find one that's right for you and is sustainable (some diet programs will hurt your health if kept up too long). As long as you have the belief and an emotional trigger (steps 1 & 2), any well-designed, healthy-lifestyle-centered program will do the job.

Ernie Nix successfully lost over 200 pounds and became a marathoner by implementing the Mastering Weight Loss 101 principles. Belief, an emotional trigger and a viable action plan transformed Ernie's life, as they have for countless other overweight and obese individuals. And those three foundational principles will make you a successful loser, too! To hear Ernie Nix's inspiring and informative story go HERE NOW. 

Ed Mayhew is a speaker and the author of the books: Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life and AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You Visit him at: www.YouCanGrowYounger.com   www.FitterForLife.com  Ask for your F*R*E*E Fitter for Life e-newsletter

Still Drubbling at Age 58

Clio, Michigan's Riley McLincha is still drubbling at age 58. That statement brings three pertinent questions to mind: Who is Riley McLincha, what is drubbling and who cares?

Let's start with drubbling. We know that jogging is a slow run and that juggling is basically keeping three or more balls or other objects in the air while continuously tossing and catching them. Which brings us to the hybrid of these two activities -- joggling, where one jogs (runs) while juggling. Are you with me so far? We are also very familiar with dribbling -- keeping a basketball bouncing on the ground/court by repeatedly pushing it down with one hand as it rebounds up. Drubbling is the dribbling of three basketballs (a form of juggling) while running (jogging).

Now back to the third question: Who cares? Clearly many people do as attested to by Riley's receiving about a dozen invitations each year to drubble at big-time road races (and other events) across the country, including the Boston and Chicago Marathons. This August, Riley will be drubbling the Crim 10 Mile race in Michigan for the 16th consecutive year; the Crim attracts some 15,000 runners each year and is one of the most famous road races in the U.S. Riley estimates that he will drubble this race at a 9:30-per-mile pace. It should be noted that few 58-year-olds, as well as those in their 20s and 30s, can run 10 miles at all -- with or without balls.

Riley has been drubbling since 1992. While there have been a number of jogglers in recent years-- those who juggle balls while running in road races -- Riley seems to still be the only drubbler. As Riley jokes, being the lone drubbler is "a testament either to its difficulty or worthlessness." Since basketball is such a popular sport, it must be the difficulty that has kept others from replicating this skill. Reinforcing this point, Riley gained eight pounds of upper-body muscle when he started drubbling and he has stated that it was the "hardest thing" he'd ever tried to learn. This from the guy who's in the Guinness Book of Records for memorizing pi (the ratio of the circumference of any circle to its diameter) -- that is, 3.14159 .................

When drubbling a marathon, Riley's time is an exhausting 5 hours 30 minutes or so, whereas when just running, he can complete the 26.2 miles in an age-group competitive 3:45. For a 5K he can complete the 3.1 miles in about 28 minutes with the basketballs and 21:30 without the balls, making him one of the better age-group runners.

We tend to think of individuals with unique talents such as Riley's as one dimensional, forgetting that the unique skill they display to the world is just one part of their lives. Riley is anything but a one-trick pony, as he regularly kayaks, bikes and is an accomplished singer and musician among his other interests. His biggest claim to fame, however, is his drubbling, and since seeing is believing, check out this very entertaining video. 

If a man closing in on 60 can dribble three basketballs for the 10 miles that make up the Crim 10 Miler at a 9:30-per-mile clip, when most 20- and 30-year-olds can't -- in their current condition -- conceive of running 10 miles at any speed, then just maybe aging doesn't have to be the unrelenting downhill slide to the grave that has been generally accepted as gospel. Maybe we can continue to excel and outperform those decades younger than we, as Riley McLincha is doing. But will we?

Ed Mayhew is a speaker and the author of the books: Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life and AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You    Visit Ed at www.YouCanGrowYounger.com and www.FitterForLife.com AND Ask for your F*R*E*E Fitter e-newsletter

Going Strong at 107

Fredericksburg, Virginia's Larry "Curly" Haubner, who celebrated his 107th birthday in June, is in many ways healthier, fitter and stronger than most folks in their sixties. Let's take a closer look.

Whereas more than 70% of Americans 60 and older are either overweight or obese, Larry, standing at 5 foot 8 inches tall, weighs the same as when he enlisted in WWII -- 160 pounds. His blood pressure, blood sugar levels, kidney function, digestion and muscle tone are all "fine" according to his physician, Dr. Robert Prasse. How many seniors can make such a boast? And he takes no medications! The only pills he downs are his multivitamins and maybe some vitamin C and E tablets. In comparison, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) almost half of those 65 and better are on three or more prescription drugs. Remarkably, Larry never gets sick. How many adults of any age can say that?

Since genetics has been found to play only a small role in our overall well-being and longevity, Larry's secret to such robust health at his advanced age must lie in his lifestyle. Let's see what we might learn from this exceptional centenarian that we could apply in our own lives:

1. Larry is big into exercise and a self-proclaimed "health nut." He keeps weights and other exercise equipment in his room which he uses daily to work out. Connie Miller, the Executive Director at Greenfield Senior Living (an assisted-living center) where Larry resides, is quoted as saying that she "can't tell you how many tennis balls he's worn out" from the bottom of his walker as he talkes his daily walks. When Larry was younger, 102, he enjoyed cycling around Fredericksburg and was known by the townsfolk as the older man who rides his bike around town. In this light, when asked the secret to his strength and longevity he answers, "Exercise!" and expounds on how we should all get more exercise than we do ...
2. Another pillar that has resulted in his continued excellent health is nutrition. Larry prefers a diet of fruits, nuts and vegetables. In a Washington Post article covering Larry's 107th birthday bash, he's quoted as saying, "Well, I ate the cake, but I don't think cake is a good food."
3. Probably just as important, if not more important than his devotion to daily exercise and good nutrition, is his attitude and mental approach to life. In this regard, Larry was described by one of the staffers at the center as "genuinely happy" and a "morale-boost for the staff." You can see his joy for life in his beaming smile in  photos taken during his recent birthday parties. In one very telling photo he has an infectious grin on his face as he proudly shows off his biceps. See photo here.  In order to stay so positive, Larry, like so many other centenarians, doesn't dwell on the negative. He could, for example, focus his thoughts on how lonely it is living in a world where you've outlived everyone you once knew. Larry never married and has no children or other relatives to visit him. In fact, he's not had a single visitor (other than a couple of newspaper journalists) in the five years he's been at Greenfield. Instead of wallowing in self pity because no one ever comes to visit, he chooses to appreciate the folks around him at Greenfield and bring joy to fellow residents and staff alike with his cheerful buoyant spirit. In summary, Larry chooses to exercise, eat well and focus his thoughts on what is pleasing to him.

No one can really know why one person lives to 107, strong and vital, while others succumb to one thing or another much earlier in life. One thing, however, is clear. No matter how old one gets, he or she can enjoy each day. With a good diet, some exercise and a positive attitude, maybe we can learn to live as well at our age as Larry "Curly" Haubner does at his.

Postscript: Larry may be strong and healthy, but his finances aren't in as good a shape; he's outlived his money supply. If you'd like to help Larry to stay at his Greenfield home with his new friends (his only family, if you will) by giving a donation (or you want to learn more about Larry) visit: www.SaveLarry.org

Ed Mayhew is a speaker (Need one? A good one?) and the author of the books: Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life and AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You -- You can visit Ed at: www.YouCanGrowYounger.com   www.FitterForLife.com  Ask for your F*R*E*E Fitter e-newsletter

Proof Falling Apart as Age an Option Not a Mandate

Here's yet more proof that falling apart as we age is just an option -- not a mandate. The three individuals you are about to meet, through their athletic feats, give the rest of us hope and the assurance that we, too, can live vibrant vigorous lives no matter our age.

Montana's Bob Hayes ran his first LeGrizz 50 Mile race at age 69. In 2006, now 80, he became one of the elite few to earn the coveted 10 Bears Award for completing ten LeGrizzes. Although in this tenth 50 miler he had outrun 13 of the 71 much younger competitors, Bob was disappointed with his 11-hours-4-minutes-and-3-seconds time because it was slower than the previous year's mark. More recently, in October of 2008, Bob outperformed 15 of the 89 runners, all at least two decades his junior, AND had the satisfaction of beating his time from two years earlier with an astounding 11:00:03. That means an 82-year-old, Bob Hayes, ran just over 13 minutes per mile for 50 MILES!

Then there's Florida's Tamara Savage, who at age 48 weighed in at 233 unfit pounds and had a lifelong cigarette habit. With a goal to get "Fit by Fifty," she deep-sixed the smoking and lost over 100 pounds. To celebrate her new-found fitness, Tamara ran the Javelina Jundred 100-Mile trail race -- a symbolic one mile for each pound she had lost. Now she's 55 and has a new goal: to run a full Ironman triathlon by age 60. As you may know, the Ironman is a daunting test of one's endurance and fortitude, as it consists of swimming 2.4 miles, then biking 112 miles and it finishes with a 26.2-mile run (a full marathon) -- all to be done in under 17 hours. A few weeks ago, Tamara completed her first 70.3 Ironman (a half Ironman) in Orlando, Florida in a little over eight hours; and then, the very next weekend, she ran the Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City, Michigan. That's a combined 96.5 miles of competitive racing in a six-day period -- not bad for someone who just seven years earlier was 100 pounds overweight and smoking one-and-a-half to two packs of cigarettes a day. To read Tamara's story in her own words and see her before-and-after photos, visit: http://BioIdenticalHormoneExperts.com/2009/05/21/BodyLogicMDs-Coo-Tamara-Savage-Is-Featured-In-Age-Blasters/

Finally, let's look at Keith McConnell, PhD. and his age-defying accomplishment. This past May, Keith decided to tackle the McDonald Forest 50K near Corvallis, Oregon. This just happens to be one of the most difficult 31-mile races anywhere due to its rugged terrain and seemingly endless string of steep uphill and downhill sections to the tune of 6700 feet of vertical climb and an equal amount of treacherous muscle-fatiguing precipitous descent. Although Keith has run marathons in recent years, this was his first ultra (longer than a marathon) in 30 years. Using a combination of Chi Running and Chi Walking (special techniques that make locomotion safer and more efficient), Keith traversed this very challenging course in 6 hours 49 minutes and in the process won the 60-69 age group. For most of us mere mortals that would be enough "exercise" for one weekend (probably the rest of the month), but Keith's story doesn't stop there. That night he enjoyed an evening of dinner and dancing and then the very next day he was competing in his weekly game of ice hockey. To read Keith's full story in his own words, and to find out how he withstood and enjoyed this amazingly active weekend with no negative physical repercussions (read that, aches, pains and assorted bodily discomfort), visit: www.ChiRunning.com and click on the current (June, 2009) newsletter.

It looks as if whether we're in our 50s, 60s or even our 80s, we can enjoy the vitality, energy and fitness levels most think are the exclusive domain of the young. Bob, Tamara and Keith and many more just like them (and really just like us) are proving that falling apart as we age REALLY IS only an option -- not a mandate. The question is: Are you going to be part of the proof?

Ed Mayhew is a speaker (Need one? A good one?) and the author of Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life and AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You  You can visit Ed at: www.YouCanGrowYounger.com   www.FitterForLife.com    Ask for your F*R*E*E* Fitter After 50/Fitter for Life e-newsletter

Low-Cost Fixes for Our Health-Care System

There is no doubt that we need to do something about health-care costs. After all, spending on health care in the U.S. over the last three decades has risen almost three times faster than all other consumer spending -- increasing from 9% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 1980 to 18% of GDP in 2009. This means more and more of the average American family's budget is being gobbled up by health-care expenses.

In recent days, our politicians in Washington have come up with two plans to fix this problem.  According to the independent Congressional Budget Office estimates, the pricetag for one of the solutions was estimated to be $1.6 Trillion over the next 10 years and for the other, a trim $1.0 Trillion. And the Trillion-dollar package was projected to make health-care insurance accessible to just 16 million or about a third of the estimated 46 million Americans currently without coverage. Obviously, not much bang for our buck there. Since these same politicians, according to some experts, have managed in just a few short months to put us at risk for a national debt of $10 Trillion with their TARPs, bailouts, stimulus packages and pork-barrel-laden budget spending, maybe we should be looking for less expensive solutions. Here, then, without further ado, are my two-cents'- worth of suggestions to deal inexpensively with the cost of health care

1. Have insurance companies and businesses all across America implement a version of the Safeway corporation's health-care plan, which is to have the health-care insurance follow the automobile insurance industry's model of rewarding drivers who have good driving records with lower premiums. Since 70% of all health-care costs are the result of lifestyle choices, in the health-care industry this would mean cutting insurance costs for individuals who choose behaviors that decrease the risk of getting sick or injured. By adopting this approach, Safeway has kept health-care costs constant for the last four years while most companies have seen health-care expenses rise by 38%. This has resulted in an extra $1500 in the pockets of some Safeway employees -- a strong incentive to take better care of one's self and family. Safeway's CEO, Steven Burd, estimates that implementing such a plan nationwide would reduce our national health-care bill by 40%. The price tag to implement this: A whole lot less than a Trillion dollars!
2. Put a cap on medical malpractice rewards and deflate the incentive to sue doctors and hospitals. Right now physicians and medical facilities are paying exorbitant amounts for malpractice insurance and passing the costs on to you and me -- their patients. This is reflected in the cost of health-care insurance. The constant threat of being sued also causes doctors and hospitals to perform unnecessary tests and imagings in order to cover their backsides, which drives up the cost of medical care. On top of this, this subliminal stress probably causes them to make more mistakes, not fewer, as trial lawyers would have us believe. Cost to implement: A lost less than a Trillion dollars!
3. Have literature that doctors, medical centers, emergency rooms and urgent-care centers would give out at each patient's visit to encourage and remind her/him of what s/he can do to stay well and not to come in every time s/he has the sniffles. Also, have incentives for doctors to spend more time counseling on good health practices and less time on dispensing medicines. A recent report found that in central Texas, in the last six years, nine individuals alone had accounted for 2,678 visits to the emergency room. Cost of literature and doctor's/nurse's advice: A whole lot less than a Trillion dollars.
4. Start a Get Fit & Healthy America initiative. Line up famous athletes, movie stars and other celebrities and have them lead workouts in stadiums and on racetracks across the nation. Don't you think people would come out of the woodwork to exercise with Oprah, Kyle Petty, Jennifer and Angelina and even the Pittster himself? The stars would give their time/help free of charge to help our nation, as would the owners of the facilities. At these events folks could be educated in how to stay fit, lose weight and stay healthy. Those who made the greatest improvement in their well-being could be rewarded with a 1-on-1 lunch/visit with their favorite celebrity. You don't think this incentive would get millions of folks losing weight, getting in the best shape of their life? Cost: A lot less than a Trillion dollars!

We may not be able to afford to give the-soon-to-be 50-million-without-health-insurance free health insurance coverage. Do the math. Fifty million times a trimmed-to-the-bone $3,000 each comes to a bankrupting $150 Billion per year on top of all the other money this country has already spent, and is about to spend that it doesn't have...well, we have a problem.

The only solution that makes any sense is to spend a lot less on health care; and the only sane way to do that is to help folks stay well and need fewer medicines and less medical attention. You have just read four cost-effective ways to do this. They are, however, just a launching pad for ideas on how to deal with this issue. What solutions can you come up with? Anything you come up with has to be better than just throwing money (our money AND money we don't have) at the problem, as the politicians in Washington are wont to do. I'm all ears!

Ed Mayhew is a speaker (Need one? A good one?) and the author of the books: Fitter After 50, Fitter for Life and AGE BLASTERS: 3 Steps to a Younger You You can visit Ed at: www.YouCanGrowYounger.com   www.FitterForLife.com  Ask for your F*R*E*E Fitter After 50/Fitter For Life e-newsletter