My Second Career: Saying Yes to the Next Adventure

In the last two years, my life took an unexpected turn. 

My stepdad passed away from kidney cancer, making my 79-year-old mom a widow after 30 years of marriage. I worried about her leading a life by herself. 

Living in New York City, I was at a crossroads. Should I leave to live with my mom in the Las Vegas area? It was scary to walk away from a career in communications, all my relationships, and the energy of the Big Apple. But as a third generation Japanese/Filipino-American, I grew up with the mindset that living with parents in their time of need is important. I watched my grandparents and mother do it unconditionally.  So it was a done deal -- I moved to Las Vegas in August 2019. 

Merging Life Passions

After coming to terms with my decision, I shifted my mindset and looked at the change as an opportunity to combine my passion to help people and my focus on fitness. 

I’ve had a 30-year career in communications, starting off as a journalist at the Milwaukee Journal and moving on to executive positions at a variety of companies including McGraw-Hill, Disney, and Standard & Poor’s. While I was proud of my work, the thing that was missing was making a direct difference in people’s lives. Writing news stories and press releases was important, but lacked the personal connection I craved. Even though some of my positions were in the education and non-profit spaces, I still wasn’t satisfied. I filled some of the gap by getting certified as a personal trainer in 2016 and coaching seniors online and in their homes after my day job.

My health has been a priority since my youth. I remember taking my first yoga class at 19 and feeling the resulting mind-body rush. After that I was hooked. I began running and got into races for fun. I started with 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons, and in 2017 at age 53, my first marathon. As a New Yorker, I was proud it was the New York City Marathon with its exhilarating energy. 

Relating to Seniors 

After arriving in Las Vegas last year, I made a career jump and started a new and meaningful journey, working solely as a personal trainer coaching clients ranging in age from 25 to 77. I have a special place in my heart for seniors. Seeing them go from being immobile and inflexible to doing dance moves and leg pressing over 100 lbs is a true joy. Like me, many of my clients were intimidated by gyms and the buff bodies that pump iron in the rack room. My goal is to be an understanding and non-judgmental force, meeting them where they are and building their strength, step-by-step.

I can personally relate to the challenges seniors face. Now at 55, I have to work harder to stay fit -- my metabolism has slowed down and I have aches and pains that I work through everyday. But I’ve found that exercising gives me energy and strength. I view it as a vehicle to have a high-quality, active life into my golden years. I hate the thought of becoming frail and stuck sitting in a chair all day. I work out five days a week, doing strength training and cardio workouts, including three-mile runs. 

Many studies support what is happening at this stage in life and how strength training can increase muscle mass. After 30, we lose muscle and this loss speeds up after we reach 60 if we don’t challenge our muscles consistently. In my 30s, I noticed my upper arms were getting flabby, and my right knee hurt when I ran. This prompted me to begin strength training. I signed on with a personal trainer who taught me proper exercise form and how to build muscle. My knee pain disappeared and I am stronger now than in my 20s. My experience has shown me that exercise can make you look and feel younger than your biological age. 

Next Steps in a New World

Many gyms are now temporarily closed for the health and safety of all. So now what?

I’m cherishing this time with my mom -- coaching her twice a week at home to increase her strength and agility and discovering a new way to collaborate and give back to the world. We’re putting our workouts to good use by creating exercise videos that we hope will inspire seniors and others to get stronger.  You can watch our first 10-minute Chair Workout here.

So if you’re feeling cabin fever, I hope yes2next can help you get moving and say “yes” to the next adventures in life, now and after the world opens up again.  I look forward to connecting with you and learning together.

Nice to meet you!

Senior Fitness: Working out with Mom

I live with my 79-year-old mom who has diabetes. Since she is in the Covid-19 high-risk category, keeping her away from crowds presents a challenge to staying active. The pandemic has nixed one of her favorite ways to exercise -- mall walking. As a personal trainer with a passion to help seniors, my goal is to find fun ways to keep her moving. 

Though she doesn’t like to go out on windy days because of the dust that kicks up in our desert environment (we live in the Las Vegas area), on calm days we walk in our neighborhood and do strength training twice a week.

Walking is great for seniors (and everyone for that matter). National guidelines say that we should get 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate cardio exercise a week. But resistance training is just as important to build muscle, bone density, and strength. After 30, inactive people can lose as much as 3% to 5% of their muscle mass each decade.

Why is strength training important for seniors?  Staying independent and avoiding falls and broken bones are concerns many seniors share. The benefits of resistance training can combat these fears.  But what if you’ve never exercised? Is it too late? 

It is NEVER too late to start building your strength. 

A lot of exercise programs are designed for people who can move with some ease.

But I’ve worked with seniors with little or no flexibility. They can’t get to the floor to sit or lay on their backs, or if they can, they can’t get up. Also, many have joint issues in their knees, hips, and hands. Some can’t lift a 2-pound weight. 

So exercise programs for seniors or others with physical limitations need to be tailored for their levels of fitness.  My philosophy is to meet my clients where they are and build from there. We all want to get from A to Z, but we have to take it step by step -- A to B to C, etc., not a single jump from A to Z.

My mom and I created a beginner session designed for seniors and those with limited mobility or are new to exercising. All you need is a chair. A pair of weights (or water bottles or cans) is optional. 

We hope you enjoy it. Remember: it’s never too late to start exercising. Let’s move!