For many people it can become more difficult to prioritize physical activity, especially as they age. Even worse, older adults become more prone to injuries, which can diminish quality of life.
That’s why 82-year-old Chris Woodward works hard to stay active in any way he can.
Chris has been a GoodLife member for three years, and says he uses the gym both as a form of recovery, and prevention for age-related health issues.
“I was quite ill at one point a few years ago and spent six weeks in the hospital. The doctor told me it was going to take at least twice that amount of time to regain my strength. While in the hospital, I lost a significant amount of weight and was told I’d need a walker for support.”
While Chris loved fitness and physical activity up to that point, he says he recognized it was time to focus on reconditioning himself if he wanted to enjoy the activities he did before. Chris signed up with GoodLife personal trainer Krista Mcmillan at Mississauga South Common Centre, who worked with him to regain strength, balance and muscle tone he had lost during his hospital stay. After recovering, Chris was able to enjoy golfing and bowling with his wife again, and continued going to the gym twice a week.
Chris continued his fitness routine until March of 2020, when the pandemic forced closures of gyms and restricted other physical activities he enjoyed.
I couldn’t do anything. Being retired, the pandemic meant losing a lot of my social life and recreational activity. I wasn’t in the gym, and I wasn’t nearly as active as I think I needed to be.
Unfortunately, Chris suffered a nasty fall in the summer of 2020, which required 16 stiches and another period of recovery. He says he can’t help but wonder if he would have avoided the fall had he been able to continue working on balance and stability with Krista.
Chris was able to make a full recovery, and now uses home equipment and virtual personal training to keep his health and activity levels where he wants them to be until he can return to the gym.
“I really am lucky to have Krista working with me. Even when we train virtually, she works really hard to help me stay fit, and keep myself healthy. That can be a really hard thing to do at this age, especially with everything closed.”
With no intention of slowing down any time soon, Chris says he’s looking forward to getting right back in the gym as soon as he’s able.
The pandemic has been full of challenges and triumphs for our Members and Associates, especially in areas where gyms have faced frequent and lengthy closures.
Throughout June and July, we'll be using our channels to share your stories. We want to hear from you. Tell us what you missed most about gyms being closed during the pandemic and how it impacted your health. How did you adapt your fitness routine and what are you looking forward to most when Clubs re-open?
Please submit your story here.