Want to Live Longer? Move Your Butt. (No, Seriously.)

By C², Connie Colleen Wyatt, Occupational Therapist, PNW Home for Life PLLC

Alright, folks, let’s cut the kale smoothie fluff. You want to live longer? Want to keep up with your grandkids on the pickleball court without throwing out your hip? Want to keep climbing your stairs without looking like you just summited Everest?

You gotta move your butt.

I’m Connie Wyatt, occupational therapist and “let’s age well” enthusiast here at PNW Home for Life. I work with older adults every day who want to stay in their homes but sometimes forget the secret sauce: You don’t get to stay home if you can’t move around it.

Longevity Is a Sport

According to Dr. Peter Attia (who knows his stuff), living longer isn’t about waiting for science to inject you with unicorn tears. It’s about training for your centenarian decathlon. What’s that? Oh, just your ability to:

• Carry groceries without using your face for balance.
• Get off the toilet without calling your neighbor.
• Play on the floor with your grandkids and get back up (without cursing in front of them).

Why Moving Matters

Want to live into your 90s? Great. But want to live well into your 90s, moving like the cool grandma at the party? That’s the real goal. Exercise is the single biggest lever you have for longevity.

Resistance training, cardio, balance work, and flexibility keep you moving, reduce your fall risk, improve brain function, and keep you fun to be around. Because let’s be real, no one wants to visit Grandpa if he’s cranky and stuck in his recliner 24/7.

Don’t Know Where to Start? Let’s Keep It Simple.

• Lift heavy-ish things. It doesn’t need to be CrossFit. Bags of flour, grandkids, your own body weight getting up from a chair.
• Get your heart rate up. Walk briskly, dance around your kitchen, or chase your dog when he steals your sandwich.
• Work on your balance. Standing on one leg while brushing your teeth? Perfect. Just don’t fall into the sink.
• Stretch. If you haven’t been able to touch your toes since Nixon, let’s work on that.

“But Connie, My Knees Hurt.”

You know what else hurts? Not being able to do what you love. Pain sucks, but so does losing your independence. An OT (hi 👋) can help you work around arthritis, replace poor movement patterns, and build strength safely.

Make It Fun. Or At Least Less Boring.

You don’t have to love exercise. But you do have to do it. Put on music you loved in 1975, get outside, join a class, or grab a buddy to keep you accountable. Humor helps, too—laughing is core work, technically.

Final Pep Talk

Aging in place isn’t a spectator sport. If you want to stay in your home, keep gardening, dancing, traveling, or arguing about politics with your neighbors, you need to train for it.

Not next year. Now.

Because the truth is, you don’t get longevity without muscle, movement, and a little sweat. So, let’s get moving. I’ll be here, cheering you on—and cracking jokes—every step of the way.

If you need a fun OT to help you build your personal “live-long-and-prosper” plan, give me a shout.

Because your butt’s not going to move itself.

#AgingInPlace #Longevity #SeniorFitness #OccupationalTherapy #PNWHomeForLife #BoomersWhoMove #ActiveAging #ResistanceTraining #FallsPrevention

Because your recliner shouldn’t get more miles than you do!

By C²

pnwhomeforlife@gmail.com

360-770-1752