As a Healthy Aging Coach, I think a lot about what it takes to keep living in health … not just adding years to our life, but life to our years.

It’s not just about avoiding illness.

It’s about staying strong, energized, and capable, so we can keep doing the things we love, on our own terms.

 And I truly believe:

 Focusing on getting stronger is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. 

That’s why I want to share this with you today:

 I feel stronger at 62 than I did in my 40s (and that's a good feeling).

And not because I’m doing anything extreme, but because I finally got consistent about getting stronger. 
 
Why does strength matter, more than we think?  Well, the biggie is:

 Strength is the #1 predictor of independence as we age.

Yes, it’s a great tool for boiling the perfect egg.

But I want you to use it for something far more important:

To interrupt sedentary behavior - one of the biggest threats to our health.

What is sedentary behavior, really?

Think about your day:

You get up, sit down for breakfast. Or look at your phone.  Read the news.  You drive the kids to school, or yourself to work … sitting. 

You arrive and park yourself at a desk. 

Or maybe rather than driving to work, you sit down on the couch, the kitchen counter, or your home office to get your work done. 

Maybe you crush it for hours … but without even realizing it, you haven’t moved in 3+ hours.

You might not feel sedentary - but the science says otherwise.

I grew up with a mom who always served at least three different vegetables on our plate—and often added a side salad, too. She emphasized the importance of color, variety, and trying everything at least once. 

 👏 Hand clap for Mom.

She passed away 15 years ago, during a whirlwind season of my life - four young kids at home, a demanding corporate job, and very little space to process anything beyond the next to-do.

I wish I could thank her now for all the quiet lessons she taught me at the dinner table. 

Her wisdom—about food, nourishment, and showing up for family—has stayed with me in ways I couldn’t fully appreciate at the time.