Nate Wilkins was living the good life.
He was traveling a lot for work, as a parks and recreation administrator in Florida. He was eating out a lot, and indulging in business lunches and happy hours. Sure, he noticed he was packing on some pounds, but he was busy — dealing with that would have to wait.
Then one day, it couldn’t wait any longer.
“I was at home and I felt pain in my chest,” recalls Nate, now 67, of Miami. “I went to the emergency room, just to make sure I was OK – and they kept me in there for two weeks. I said, ‘Lord if I ever get out of here, I’m going to change my life.’”
He did, and his heart health has returned. Now, a decade later, Nate’s 5’11” frame is down from 230 to a lean, muscular 185. He eats right and no longer needs some medications he’d been using. He’s in a long-term relationship with a physical trainer. And he’s become a life coach and trainer, himself, billed as The Ageless Workout Guy on Instagram.
“I look good. I smell good. I talk good,” he says with a laugh. “I’m a lean, mean fighting machine.”
Everyone is different
Nate’s story took a happy turn. So can anyone’s, regardless of age or physical condition. Simply put, it’s never too late to improve your health. We have plenty of clients, colleagues, and success stories to prove it, and we’re here to help.
It’s important to recognize that everyone’s an individual. And for people over 50, what makes us unique can include past injuries, health issues, or physical limitations. And that’s OK.
As Nate puts it, although he’s in great shape, “I’m not a bodybuilder.”
And he keeps that in mind when creating a workout plan for each client.
“It depends on what each person actually needs.”
Balance, agility, strength, and stamina are important to everyone’s health. And studies prove that adults can improve their health across the board by exercising, regardless of age.
He got his balance back
Don’t let a previous setback discourage you from doing what’s right to improve your health. A fitness studio, gym, or trainer who is experienced working with people over 50 can help guide you. Call us, and we’ll help answer any questions you might have.
That’s true whether you’ve always been in perfect health, or if you’ve had a stroke or live with, say, Parkinson’s disease.
“It’s not a cookie-cutter model,” Nate says, and we agree. “Everybody’s an individual.”
The first step is making a decision to change.
Next, understand you’ve got to keep moving your body to stay healthy, Nate says.
Remember what’s important to you, and the kind of life you want to live.
For Nate, he felt he had lost his balance when he was “living the good life” and almost died from indulgence.
“If I can do this at 66 and feel like this, then I can encourage other people to do it, too,” he says. “It’s a progression they have to go through.
“It’s a mindset that you don’t have to be 66 years old. You get to be 66 years young.”
