Most of us have heard the expression “consistent with aging” from one medical professional or another. This term is applied to things about your body you’d like to change, but have no control over. Loss of physical strength in fingers, hands, back – this is “consistent with aging.”

The need for regular physical exercise cannot be ignored and is certainly consistent with aging. How we get that exercise is just one more choice to make.

There’s probably a percentage of us seniors who stick an exercise video into the machine and, ignoring everything else, go through all the movements while watching someone the age of our grandchild show us how to remain limber and flexible.

For most of us, however, simply doing housework presents a challenge. The days of washing floors on hands and knees is just another memory, but finding the mop, and squeezing the water out takes muscle. Reaching the upper shelves to put away canned goods, substitutes for lifting weights. And if you’re lucky enough to live in a two story house, well then, the step exercises are taken care of.

If you are one of those who exercises every day and takes pride in feeling just like you did at 20 (well, most of the time), you are definitely in the minority. And, by the way, your day is coming!

For the rest of us, there are several opportunities within our communities to stay in shape, or as close to “in shape” as possible. Running tracks are sometimes open to seniors; schools open very early for mature walkers. In some places there are sidewalks, but be prepared to step into the road from time to time. Think of dodging cars as the former moves you made on the basketball court.

Thank goodness for economic development, though. A side benefit to the bigger and bigger box stores moving into our towns, is the exercise benefit.

Whether they realize it or not, these stores provide a perfect place for the older person to get their exercise. Buildings are well lit and warm. You can get a half mile walk, simply by purchasing a paint brush. First there’s the walk from the parking lot to the front door; then the search for the department you want. Since there is no “information” booth, and these stores are mostly self-serve, the search can take quite awhile. Perhaps an eighth of a mile. Once you’ve located the department, and the item, there’s the final lap to the check-out counter. You’re on your way to chalking up your daily exercise quotient.

Personally, I try to convince myself and anyone who will listen, that making beds, vacuuming, sweeping, washing woodwork and walls, cleaning bathrooms, and walking to and from the mailbox, is enough exercise. If that doesn’t convince them, then I throw in a trip to the laundromat (loading and unloading clothes, folding, bagging and carrying to the car); and as a last resort, there’s always that package of nails I need to get. A trip to the big box store will add at least a mile to my exercise chart.

There are many organized exercise programs and plans offered, and I know that they are extremely beneficial to a lot of people. Some of them provide the social component many people crave, in addition to a well-orchestrated exercise program.

Sure, I’m concerned about the extra pounds the scale relates. And I worry that I’m not as strong as I once was, but I’m happy to wake up every morning.

For this senior citizen, it would have to be a really unique program that would make me want to attire myself in Spandex and go out in public to a place that had all the lights on. This would probably deter any “social” component.

When my doctor tells me not to worry about the extra weight and the fact that it appears to be misplaced, I’ll accept that it’s consistent with aging, stop fretting and confine myself to sweatpants and not Spandex.