Lean and Hard

Here's an interesting question you might ask yourself: What percentage of people my age are physically fit? (I'm defining "fit" as being lean and hard from regular exercise and healthy eating.)

If you're in your 20s, you might think that number would be quite high. You might then be surprised to learn that:

Approximately one-third of boys and girls age 12 to 19 in the United States do not meet standards for physical fitness. (according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine)

But still, 66% is not bad. So if you're fit in your teens or early 20s, you would be among the 66%.

What about older people? Check this out:

During a 2006 study the National Center for Disease Control determined that the percentage of adult’s age 20 years and over who are overweight or obese was an astounding 67 percent.

 It would be intuitive to guess that the percentage drops off as the age range gets higher, but counting everyone over 20, we're talking about a complete reversal. Now you're among the 33%. And your cohort gets smaller and smaller the older you get. Are you over 50? You're in a very small club.

While not scientific, you only have to consider the people you know and see as you go through your life. Very few, if any, are physically fit at 50 and over.

So it's very inspirational (assuming you want to be fit over fifty) to read about women like Ruby Carter-Pikes, who recently placed second in a women''s body-building competition.

The 64-year-old Palmdale resident, known as “Miss Ruby” recently bested her 20-something competitors by scoring second place for Women’s Figure, a category judged by shoulders, lats, abs and quads, at the FitSciences Championships in Atlanta. Carter-Pikes was also a top finisher in the Fit Mom Class.

Women and men like this show us that we can be fit over 50, and that's a message we can afford to hear over and over again!

Have a great fitness story? Share it in the comments and inspire our readers!

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