How this crazy journey began
Daring to get fitter in my 70s
How it started
This idea came to me — excellence in everything I do — as the year turned (I wasn’t looking for a theme for 2024, or I didn’t think I was). It was a persistent and intriguing thought. How can I bring more of my excellent self forward even now, as I’m aging, as I’m dealing with this persistent and worsening “fatigue with exertion.”
Since the ‘80s I’ve given up the things that I couldn’t do, couldn’t stick with because I’d have to stop and rest. Swimming. Running. Hiking hills. And most recently, partner dancing.
I want every member of my health team to see me as a whole human being.
I've seen a cardiologist, more than once, had a bunch of fancy tests. My heart checked out. Zero plaque. Go live your life they told me.
Next conventional step: a pulmonologist and further investigation into these signs of mild emphysema.
So I moved to the next step in the referral chain. Even though I knew my chances of getting the kind of care I want in this place where I live were slim to none.
I want every member of my health team to see me as a whole human being with agency and not a set of organs with symptoms that need to be medicated or extricated or…. You know what I mean?
It’s worth everything to me to be part of the conversation. I want my healers to be able to see me as I am and hear me and think out of the box.
I asked for out of the box and I got out of the blue.
I stumbled upon Mike Birbiglia’s stand-up special The Old Man and the Pool (Netflix). I was riveted to hear his story about fitness and stamina. I was listening intently when he mentioned a book called Breath by James Nestor. Which I immediately purchased to listen to, and then bought the physical book so I could scribble all over it and really dive in.
The first change I made was taping my lips shut when I sleep.
It took a while to work out which tape to use (here’s the one I’m using now, easiest on my tender lips).
I still can’t believe how fast I noticed changes.
These are my unedited notes from the first seven weeks, starting in January 2024.
Goals are forming that I didn't even know I had.
I want to live long enough to teach my one year old granddaughter to play cards.That was the first goal I allowed myself to have. I'm starting to feel good enough to also want to teach everything I know about cooking and making and growing and…
I want to partner dance without having to stop because it feels like the my heart is pounding and going to burst out of my chest
I want to be astonishingly successful turning other people onto doing their own health experiments
Habits are changing
Less screens and audio
I’m dancing!
Earlier to bed
Body changing
Better sleep
After a month, HRV going up steadily
Physical changes
Significantly less hair fall in shower (week 7)
I’m feeling my lower ribs on the sides in the way I never have before. (week eight). This may be temporary?
Speaking less
Started when I put tape on my lips, I’m thinking more before I speak… I’ve found myself thinking “Is it worth opening my mouth to say this?”
Orgasm with lips taped closed
Seriously oh my God. When I read the section in Nestor’s book about the nose and how it’s made of erectile tissue, my first thought I swear to God was well I wonder if it would have an effect on orgasm. Which I bravely set out to investigate. All I can tell you is just try it. That is, if you’d like to 10x the intensity of your orgasm.
I’ve always been a fan of getting off; now I’m in awe.
Mood
Seven weeks in, I appreciate how I'm becoming calmer as I learn how to slow down my own heart. I'm less interested in wallowing in regret or self judgment, and it's getting easier for me to turn away from the wallow and turn towards something that interests me, lights me up, and points me toward being of service.
“The deeper and more softly we breathe in, and the longer we exhale, the more slowly the heart beats and the calmer we become.” — James Nestor
How I’m spending my time
Spending more time living and less time dreading life
Time takes time — I’m all in for six months
Solo jazz dance practice every single day. Enrolled myself in a self-designed Shim Sham class.
My daily total fitness time has more than doubled. This includes what I was already doing: tai chi, sword form, and walking 2+ miles a day. I’ve added breathwork, dancing, and yoga.
So hey. I'm just getting started here; in fact this is my second post.
I'm going to be sharing everything about aging in the body I've got, with the conditions I've been given, and at my advanced age with you. I've got a lot to say about a lot of different things.
You can help me as I explore the shape of this endeavor with you. If something resonates with you, say so. If you wanna know more about something, ask me.
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