For most of my life, I focused on working, raising a family, and managing (not always well) the ups and downs of money, markets, and middle age. But there’s one area I’ve been putting off for far too long: my health. Fitness over 60, or 40, or 30, wasn’t enough of a priority.
Truth be told, I’ve sucked at it. Almost never, since my 20’s, have I stayed on a consistent routine for more than a couple months. Then nothing for a couple years. Wasting time hoping vitamins and supplements could fill the gap that lack of exercise left.
They didn’t.
And now I’m in my 60’s. Not fat so much as soft.
A little thick around the waist. A higher-than-I-should-have body fat percentage. Scrawny muscles.
And grandchildren with whom I’m having trouble keeping up.
So it’s time to fix that.
Why Now?
At least for me, fitness over 60 isn’t a six-pack-chasing, ultra-marathon-running fantasy. I’m not out to be a fitness icon. I’m not worried about getting “ripped” or “shredded”.
I just want to get strong again. Boost my energy. Lose the belly.
I’d like to, for once in a very long time, feel good in my body. To not cringe internally when I look in the mirror.
To stop saying “Papa needs to take a break” when I’m running around with the grandkids.
And yes, there are a lot of benefits that will come from it, but self-esteem and grandkids are my core reasons.
Over the next 90 days, I’ll be documenting my “fitness over 60” journey step by step.
I’ll share exactly what I’m doing: workouts, supplements (yes, including peptides), routines, setbacks, and small wins. You’ll get the full story; no filters, no hype. Just me, building strength from the ground up.
I’m doing this for me more than you, but if you want to follow along, I’d be honored.
The Fitness Over 60 Plan – Phase1
As it is with any goal, I’ll need to instill the new habit. Something I’ve been pretty weak on in the past.
So I’ll be visualizing the version of myself I’m working toward to etch the “new me” into my brain.
Not the fantasy six-pack version, at least not at this stage, but the man I want to be for my family and for myself.
Taking a few minutes each morning to picture that version of me will help build the sense of inevitability hitting a goal requires.
I wrote more about how I’m using it here—it’s simple, but powerful.
For the Fitness over 60 Workout Routine itself, I had my friend, ChatGPT help me come up with a program to get the ball rolling, recognizing that I’m out of shape in both strength and stamina. I might find this is too simple even for me, and if so, I’ll adjust next week.
But here’s where we’re starting:
PHASE 1 (Weeks 1-4): Build the Habit & Strengthen Joints
Goal: Adapt your body to movement, improve mobility, and build a foundation of strength.
Workout Schedule (3 Days/Week)
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday (or any three non-consecutive days)
- Full-body strength training + Walking
Workout Routine (30-40 min per session)
1. Warm-up (5-10 min)
- Arm circles, shoulder rolls, and neck stretches (1 min)
- Bodyweight squats (10 reps)
- Standing leg swings (10 per leg)
- Wall push-ups (10 reps)
- March in place or brisk walking (2 min)
2. Strength Training (2 Sets Each, 8-12 Reps)
- Bodyweight Squats
- Wall or Incline Push-ups
- Dumbbell Rows (Use a Light Weight)
- Seated Shoulder Press (Light Dumbbells)
- Standing Calf Raises
- Plank (Hold for 15-30 sec, work up to 45 sec)
3. Walking (15-20 min)
Increase duration weekly
Moderate pace
That’s it for Week 1.
Nothing fancy. No gym memberships, no 5 a.m. alarms.
Just a guy in his 60s, finally doing what he should’ve done a long time ago.
If you’re in the same boat, tired of feeling tired, wanting to move better, feel stronger, and not sure where to start, maybe this gives you a starting point too. I’ll be back next week with an honest update: what’s working, what’s not, and how my body’s responding. One week at a time. Let’s see where this goes.
