Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1215963
Active aging | Brain awareness | Athletics open house | Exercise of the month | And more 24 WAC Magazine | wac.net Active aging Brain awareness Athletics open house Exercise of the month Although I am a kinesiologist and not a cer- tified financial planner or wealth manage- ment specialist, I love talking about investing for retire- ment. At some point during your career, the time comes to develop a sound financial plan to ensure a happy retire- ment. Savings strategies need to change over time to maximize the accumulation of wealth and to ensure its security in times of economic trouble. at said, I'd like to assert that an equally important investment comes from the accumulation of physical fit- ness and vitality. Although aging brings inevitable declines, developing and maintaining fitness can protect against the challenges of aging just as good financial planning can help weather economic slumps. In this way, WAC members can consider the Club as important to their future as their 401(k) or IRA. e more oen you invest, the better you'll be. A colleague of mine, Dr. Joseph Signorile, coined the term "aging curves" to describe age-based changes in physio- logical function and the protective effect that fitness has on that rate of change. Early in life, the human body im- proves its physiology through natural growth and maturation processes, allow- ing even physically inactive youngsters to gain strength and improve endurance. Generally, by the age of 30, the body will be at its physical best. What comes next is a maintenance of function through middle age and then a steady decline in the later years as the body goes through the aging process. Our individual rate of the decline, Living Fit Invest in a great retirement Grow your physical capital at the WAC By Chris Thompson, Exercise Physiologist