Why do I want to do 50,000 push ups this year?

When I was 36 I managed to talk my doctor into getting my insurance company to authorize a bone density scan. Turned out my spirit guide had been right, I needed to know that I had the bones of a 50 year old. My legs and hips were okay probably a result of all my youthful dancing. Unfortunately my arms, spine and neck were severely osteopenic. I began exercising even more diligently than I had been. Three hours a week lifting weights, on “off” days doing push ups and lat raises and other exercises to strengthen the arms. I also increased my consumption of calcium rich foods. I was told that in order for calcium to actually strengthen bone mass exercise must be done. Otherwise the calcium might be deposited in soft tissue and organs.

Bone strength is usually directly related to muscle strength, which is why most men do not loose bone mass as fast as a woman. They have more muscle to begin with. My doctor told me that it is not uncommon for women over 30 to lose up to 1% of bone mass a year. Scary information for me to digest, I was only 36 and had the arms of a 50 year old and it could get worse.

Several years later my bone density was again scanned though on a different machine in a different country. I had increased bone density and lost some which resulted in about the same percentage as before. Frustrated I rededicated myself to diligent exercise.

Five years later the same machine scanned my bones and showed an increase in bone density of 5%!!! Wahoo! I had gained instead of holding steady.

They say there only two types of motivators in life, things you avoid and things you move towards. I developed a movie to play in my head when I was tempted to skip a workout. First I would experience being in a hospital bed, the sounds of the heart rate monitor, the feeling of dark hopelessness because I had broken my arms and back and therefore was incapacitated. I would feel significant pain from the broken bones and because I was thirsty and unable to get myself a drink of water. The room was dark because I could not reach the light switch. Then I would smash through that experience with a brilliant view of the mountains surrounding Garmish Germany and experience the pleasure of powering up the beautiful mountain trail with my children and Grandchildren. I can picture the wild flowers and the hay barns and gorgeous meadows because my children and I used to climb it. I imagine laughing and playing with my grandchildren and being an energetic vibrant example to them. With that image in my mind going to spend an hour on the weight bench seemed like a great investment of my time.

Now that I am in my 50th year of life I hope that my bones are younger than my age. And when younger woman ask me why I do Tae Kwon Do and push ups I tell them I am preventing broken bones and osteoporosis and investing in my unborn grandchildren. 