'I Didn't Enter A Gym 'Til 63. At Almost 70, I'm In The Best Shape Of My Life'

Andi Smith, a 70-year-old fitness enthusiastWe’re expected to lose about half of our muscle mass by the time we turn 80 if we don’t work to maintain and build it, an article published in Current Opinion in Rheumatology states.This is because of something called sarcopenia, which happens naturally as we age but can be slowed through strength training. It’s linked to everything from an increased dementia risk to a higher likelihood of frailty, fractures, and falls. The Mayo Clinic says it’s never too late to start trying to reverse the trend, sharing that benefits were seen among people who didn’t pick up their first weight until 70.Andi Smith, who accidentally walked into his first F45 training studio aged 63, knows that all too well. The nearly-70-year-old spoke to us about how a fateful dog walk changed his life for the better.Andi was hesitant to start in the gym”It was my Boston terrier Buster who made the first steps into the studio,” the fitness enthusiast tells HuffPost UK. After that, it took him “a further six weeks of hesitant walking by before I booked a session.” His first “full-on” cardio session was a “wake-up call,” Andi adds, leaving him both exhausted and filled with a “renewed energy.” After sticking to a fitness routine, though, he says: “My sleep pattern gradually improved, my levels of anxiety and bouts of depression became less frequent – my partner said it was the best thing that’s happened to me since we met!”Like many other fitness lovers, Andi says he’s seen significant mental health benefits from his gym habit.He adds that though his PTSD may never fully go away, “I’ve learned to recognise the triggers and focus more on my fitness. “I’ve found that being a part of a fitness family has broken down my preconceived perceptions of the industry,” he continues. Andi’s physical health has changed, tooAndi tells us that his “fitness age” is “five to seven years younger than my chronological age,” and that he’s currently training for a HYROX event.“My weight is some 20kgs less,” he says. “I no longer have any high blood pressure and no longer have borderline diabetes.” When asked what advice he’d give to someone just starting out – at any stage in life – Andi writes, “My advice would be to find a safe place where you feel fully accepted irrespective of any issues, anxieties or concerns. Making the first step... is the hardest. Stick at it.“Being a member of any pursuit that raises heart levels, that gives a feeling of self-worth and personal achievement, is good.” Related...I Ignored A Snobby Running 'Rule' And Finished My First MarathonSo THAT's Why You Go Harder In Group Fitness Classes Than On Your OwnI'm A Fitness Expert – These Are The Best Exercises To Do By Age

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