A Fitness Love Story

Every week I get inspired by a wonderful couple.  They are each 86 years old and they have been married for 63 years.

Sam and Diane emigrated to the United States in 1967.  Both worked in the medical field, Diane at the Jules Stein Clinic at UCLA from which she retired only last year and Sam  at the clinical lab at Cedars Sinai.  They have three children and two grandchildren. 

Despite their busy lives they still found and continue to find time to travel.  In the next few months they have a family gathering planned out of the country and then later a river cruise in Europe.  They feel blessed with their health but do not take it for granted.

Fifteen years ago, on the recommendation of their son, they began working with a trainer.  They had always belonged to a gym but working with a trainer had a greater impact because it helped them be accountable.  Both admitted that they didn’t always go to the gym or stay focused.  The trainer changed all that.  Each of them had their individual time with the trainer working with machines and getting stronger.

Now they come to me together twice a week.  They really like training together.  They each have different strengths and weaknesses and I can address them.  It is great to see them laugh and joke together.   There is no competition between them. 

They no longer work on machines.  My training is much more functionally oriented.  We work on balance.  We work on strength training through everyday movements.  We also have begun to incorporate dual tasking into our sessions (combining a cognitive task with a physical task) to maintain brain health.

At this point in their lives, they do almost everything together. They are truly committed to each other.  I love seeing that.  The participants in a group class that I offer immediately prior to their sessions love seeing them too.  My class members tell me how inspired they are by this couple who come so willingly and regularly.    I hope that I can be like them when I’m 86.  Don’t you?