The Olympics And You

The countdown to the London Olympics is well-and-truly under way. Pretty soon we lounge-chair experts will have opportunities to impress others with our knowledge of a wide variety of sports-some of which disappeared from our radar screen 4 years ago. And, when an athlete or commentator mentions 'PB', 'WR', 'DSQ', or any other performance-speak, we nod our comprehension.

The problem that the Olympics presents for most of us is that watching can replace participating. We're aware that competing at the Olympics is reserved for the (mainly) young and disciplined. And we can relate to Bette Midler's observation, that: 'After 30, a body has a mind of its own'. So we're content to sit-back and watch if Usain Bolt can light-up the track, literally.

For some, watching the Olympics can provide the motivation to join the gym, reintroduce themselves to the pool, start cycling, enlist the support of a personal trainer, and so on. But the level of motivation created by the Olympics usually dissipates after a few months.

You and I know that there's more to living longer than exercise and muesli. And, even in relation to exercise, competing on the world stage at the Olympics is not, for most of us, the be-all and end-all. There's an impressive and increasing body of research that relates longevity, not with organized activities associated with the gym (jogging, swimming, etc.), but with involvement of everyday life activities-staying active. Walking, gardening, working, and engaging in household chores, are just a few examples. And let's not forget the roles massage, yoga, and Tai Chi can play in physical and mental fitness.

Through exercise, it is possible to retard the aging process. But you don't have to go to the Olympics to find out that one of main benefits provided by exercise, and the fitness it can deliver, is that it enables us to say 'yes' more often to participating in those things that can add quality to our lives.

Take time-out to watch the Olympics, but don't stay on the couch too long-and certainly don't neglect your own activity. As that great Greek writer Anonymous said, 'Change takes place only through action. Not through prayer or meditation, but through action'.