Click here to listen to Episode 15: How I Decided to Start Lifting and Running Again
Lynn Toomey :
Hey there everyone. Welcome to this week’s episode of the Walk the Talk Podcast, I am your host Lynn Toomey and the founder of Her Retirement. So this week I am going to be talking about the health side of the health wealth equation. And the title that I’ve decided to give to this episode is how I decided to start lifting weights and running again from being inspired by Jack LaLanne and the 2020 Olympics.
So about five years ago or so I was doing sprint triathlons. I got into it basically referred to from a bunch of friends who were like, hey, we’re early 50s, late 40s, let’s try these sprint triathlon things. So I’ve always been a lifelong athlete, very active. And I said, you know what, it’s a challenge, I want to try it. So I was doing triathlons, so I was running swimming, biking, but I wasn’t lifting. I wasn’t lifting heavy things. So I was very trim and what muscle I had was definitely showing because I was so trim, but I wasn’t as strong as I wanted to be. So I did the triathlons and it was great and I enjoyed it and I completed at least four, which was a huge accomplishment.
But then I decided to turn my attention to lifting weights. But I was inspired one night at about 1:00 AM watching a documentary about Jack LaLanne and how he continued to lift weights late, late, late into life, and how in shape lifting weights made him. So the next day I got up and I decided to start lifting weights. We’ll fast forward a few years, and I tried a lot of different types of lifting centered workouts, I guess you would call them. But fast forward a few years, and I ran into another friend who was thinking about doing a fitness competition. So they’re called bikini fitness competitions where you train your body very hard for a good 16 weeks in order to prepare yourself for a fitness competition in a swimsuit. So you do have some musculature, but you’re not like Arnold Schwarzenegger big. You just have some very nice defined muscles.
So I worked on that for about a year and shortly before my first show, COVID happened. And that really put a huge damper on all the prep that I had done and the mental focus, if you will. So I completely lost my focus and I spent the rest of 2020 working out, but not with the same vim and vigor or the same focus on competing in the fitness show. It was more with a focus on mental and physical health, that’s really what I was aiming for, which was a good thing.
So while I was doing all this lifting and fitness show preparation, my coaches that I had really didn’t encourage me to do too much cardio because they felt that I was thin enough and the cardio can eat away at any muscle gains you make. So I didn’t do cardio. I didn’t do cardio for about two years and it wasn’t until last night when I was sitting on my couch, watching what is known as the 2020 Olympics happening in 2021. And I was watching all these sprinters and these runners and divers and volleyball players and all these people that are so physically fit. But I was especially inspired by the runners because it reminded me of how I used to love to run. And it wasn’t necessarily because I needed to lose weight, it was more because I enjoyed the process of running. I was a two miler ever since seventh grade, I was on the varsity track team and I’ve just always enjoyed running. It was just mentally something that I needed to do. I love being outside. I love nature. And just running through nature made me feel great. So I decided last night that I’m going to get back into running again.
So thank you to all of those amazing Olympic athletes for inspiring me at almost 56 to start running again. And not necessarily because I need to lose weight, but because I need it mentally and I enjoy it. And I actually through my own research and trial and error with my own body have figured out that by running a few days a week, whether I go for two or three miles, or maybe I do a sprint workout, which by the way is really good for you, whether I do those things and if I do those things rather, we’re really not that much running that it’s going to take away my muscle mass. And in fact, that’s not my primary goal anyway, any longer. So kind of the same concept with lifting weights. We as women, it’s really, really hard for us to build bulky, big muscles and I think that’s a misnomer. Trust me, I’ve listed almost six, seven days a week at periods in the last couple of years and I did not get big bulky muscles. And I got muscular, but I did not get big and bulky.
So I think that because I enjoy lifting weights, I love to feel strong, but I also like to go out for a run. I like to go out for a bike. I like to hike. I want to do everything in balance. I don’t really want to do the extreme in any of these cases. I believe that when you do them in balance, your body is best served. That’s my personal opinion. So again, if you enjoy something, put it back on the table. I just think it’s silly to take something off of the table for fear that it might impact something else.
I just truly, truly don’t believe that running a few days a week is going to make an impact on my musculature if I am preparing for a fitness show. And speaking of which it has been a lifelong goal to get up on that stage, don a bikini and show off my hard work, because it is a fitness show. It isn’t a beauty pageant. It is a fitness show and there’s a lot of hard work that these athletes put into it to participate in a fitness show. So I may or may not decide down the road here before I get too up there in age to make a 16 week commitment and really train hard and get up on that stage. After all, as they say, you only live once.
So I truly believe that because of Jack LaLanne and because of those Olympic athletes, I not only started lifting weights, I also went back to running. So as a side note to all of this, I decided this morning that I was going to start running again, the air was kind of crisp and nice and I made the classic mistake that entrepreneurs make. I sat down at my desk in front of my laptop and I started working on urgent matters. So the morning run became a mid-afternoon run in about 88 degree weather. And in full transparency, I just got finished my three mile run. And before I started, actually throughout the night, I was dreaming these dreams of grander, where I was running across the track or running across a beautiful road with trees and sun and blue sky. And I was like a gazelle cutting through the wind, and I was light a foot.
Well, whomp, whomp, whomp. That’s not at all what happened. It’s a little messy, a little sweaty. And I knew that I was going to be a little sore and I knew it was going to be tough because I literally have not run more than a mile in a couple of years, but I made it and I did it and I feel really good. I enjoyed being outside, even though it was like Africa hot. I just pushed myself and I did it. In fact, I think I went three and a half miles. So this is my commitment. I’m putting it out there to all of you that I’m going to walk the talk. I’m going to run the talk, actually, I’m going to keep lifting a few days a week, maybe three, four. I’m going to keep hiking. I like to do road biking. I like to play pickle ball. I like to paddleboard. Just get your body moving, that’s my message for this week.
And I want to relate this to planning for your retirement because that’s what I do when I’m not trying to stay active and do crazy things like fitness shows. So how it relates to retirement planning is that I kept procrastinating, thinking about running the last couple of years, but making excuses and listening to people and not really listening to my own body, my own mind, and I just didn’t do it. And so today I was a little afraid to get up and get out there and do it. I was afraid it would hurt. I was afraid I’d be super tired. And I think that’s what people do… Sorry for the background noise. I’m still out doing my cool-down. But I think that’s what people do with their finances in their retirement. They procrastinate. They put it off. They’re afraid of what they’re going to find out when they take a financial inventory, they’re afraid of what they’re going to find out when they project their expenses in retirement and their income sources. They’re afraid the reality is going to hurt. Maybe they’re not going to make it.
But the best thing to do is to get out there and do it, get her done, face it, right? You have to start somewhere. Like I could have kept saying, you know what? I’ll run tomorrow. I’ll lift the next day. I’ll do it. I’ll do it. I’ll stay here at my computer a little while longer. Same thing applies for your financial life, your plan, your plan for retirement. Don’t put it off, get out there, get it done, get her done.
And the most important thing you can do is to educate yourself. Financial literacy plus action leads to financial wellness. So get moving, move your body, take care of your physical fitness, your financial fitness. And trust me no matter where you are, where you’re starting, you are going to feel 100% better physically, mentally, financially, socially, everything. Your confidence levels are going to go up. Your stress is going to go down. So many benefits of being financially and physically fit. So here’s to being financially well, here’s to knowing more, having more. And I like to say that you too can be the, her in hero. So go out there, get her done, get moving and let me know what you did. Let me know what you’ve done financially and physically, let me know how you’re moving. Let me know your progress.
And of course, as always, if you need a coach, a fitness coach, I have connections to coaches that can help you. And if you need a financial coach or a retirement coach, I’m your girl. I have been working very, very hard on a system that will allow you to get financially fit. And I would love to share this system with you, I would love to be your coach. I can make you accountable. I can motivate you. I can support you, help you stay on track. In addition as your coach, I can connect you to the subject matter experts that I feel are going to help you actually create an implement that plan, that financial plan, that you’ll have confidence and understanding in which is so, so important. I do not provide financial advice, so I will not be doing that and that’s why I focus on coaching, but I can connect you with people that can implement that financial plan that includes investments or insurance or whatever financial needs that you have.
And as your retire mentor, I will be with you every step of the way. And many times we need that, right? We need someone to be our advocate and our mentor and I’m committed to doing that. You can email me LynnT@herretirement.com. And before I leave you, I would like to share with you, my get her done health is wealth checklist. And I believe these things that I’m going to share with you are habits that have a very high rate of return in life. Because I don’t believe wellness in retirement is limited to financial wellness, hence this podcast, hence my focus on health and wealth.
So number one, know your purpose. Number two, sleep eight hours each day, as much as you can, or as often as you can. Lift weights at least three times a week. Get some sunshine each day. Save and invest on autopilot. Learn something new each day. Make time for relationships. Eat healthy and drink a lot of water. Work on yourself from inside out at a soul level. Feed your body and your mind with healthy food. Take some time for yourself to unwind, I like to tell people the stress may not get you today but just like investing over the long haul, over the long haul of time stress is a killer. Be grateful, practice gratitude daily. Move your body daily, walk, jog, stretch, do yoga. I’m a big believer in practicing meditation and there’s all different forms of meditation. See your doctor regularly. And finally, implement a financial wellness plan.
So those are my tips for health and wealth. And for this podcast, this version, this episode of the podcast until next week I hope you are encouraged to go out and get her done no matter what level of fitness you’re starting at or where your fitness goals are, no matter where you’re starting financially, where your financial goals are, just start. Thanks and have a great rest of your day.
So today I was a little afraid to get up and get out there and do it. I was afraid it would hurt. I was afraid I’d be super tired. And I think that’s what people do… Sorry for the background noise. I’m still out doing my cool-down. But I think that’s what people do with their finances in their retirement. They procrastinate. They put it off. They’re afraid of what they’re going to find out when they take a financial inventory, they’re afraid of what they’re going to find out when they project their expenses in retirement and their income sources. They’re afraid the reality is going to hurt. Maybe they’re not going to make it.
But the best thing to do is to get out there and do it, get her done, face it, right? You have to start somewhere. Like I could have kept saying, you know what? I’ll run tomorrow. I’ll lift the next day. I’ll do it. I’ll do it. I’ll stay here at my computer a little while longer. Same thing applies for your financial life, your plan, your plan for retirement. Don’t put it off, get out there, get it done, get her done.
And the most important thing you can do is to educate yourself. Financial literacy plus action leads to financial wellness. So get moving, move your body, take care of your physical fitness, your financial fitness. And trust me no matter where you are, where you’re starting, you are going to feel 100% better physically, mentally, financially, socially, everything. Your confidence levels are going to go up. Your stress is going to go down. So many benefits of being financially and physically fit. So here’s to being financially well, here’s to knowing more, having more. And I like to say that you too can be the, her in hero. So go out there, get her done, get moving and let me know what you did. Let me know what you’ve done financially and physically, let me know how you’re moving. Let me know your progress.
And of course, as always, if you need a coach, a fitness coach, I have connections to coaches that can help you. And if you need a financial coach or a retirement coach, I’m your girl. I have been working very, very hard on a system that will allow you to get financially fit. And I would love to share this system with you, I would love to be your coach. I can make you accountable. I can motivate you. I can support you, help you stay on track. In addition as your coach, I can connect you to the subject matter experts that I feel are going to help you actually create an implement that plan, that financial plan, that you’ll have confidence and understanding in which is so, so important. I do not provide financial advice, so I will not be doing that and that’s why I focus on coaching, but I can connect you with people that can implement that financial plan that includes investments or insurance or whatever financial needs that you have.
And as your retire mentor, I will be with you every step of the way. And many times we need that, right? We need someone to be our advocate and our mentor and I’m committed to doing that. You can email me LynnT@herretirement.com. And before I leave you, I would like to share with you, my get her done health is wealth checklist. And I believe these things that I’m going to share with you are habits that have a very high rate of return in life. Because I don’t believe wellness in retirement is limited to financial wellness, hence this podcast, hence my focus on health and wealth.
So number one, know your purpose. Number two, sleep eight hours each day, as much as you can, or as often as you can. Lift weights at least three times a week. Get some sunshine each day. Save and invest on autopilot. Learn something new each day. Make time for relationships. Eat healthy and drink a lot of water. Work on yourself from inside out at a soul level. Feed your body and your mind with healthy food. Take some time for yourself to unwind, I like to tell people the stress may not get you today but just like investing over the long haul, over the long haul of time stress is a killer. Be grateful, practice gratitude daily. Move your body daily, walk, jog, stretch, do yoga. I’m a big believer in practicing meditation and there’s all different forms of meditation. See your doctor regularly. And finally, implement a financial wellness plan.
So those are my tips for health and wealth. I hope you are encouraged to go out and get her done no matter what level of fitness you’re starting at or where your fitness goals are, no matter where you’re starting financially, where your financial goals are, just start.
Thanks and have a great rest of your day.