Proactive Fitness

Give cottage cheese a whirl in the blender and get a silky-smooth, protein-packed base for an irresistible dip.

Add a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning, break out the crackers and crudites, and feel free to indulge with no guilt. Makes about 2 cups – Susan Puckett

Ingredients
• 16 ounces cottage cheese (low fat or full fat)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 teaspoons everything bagel seasoning
• Raw vegetables, crackers, bagel chips, or pita chips for dipping pita chips

Instructions
1. Combine the cottage cheese, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of the everything bagel seasoning in the container of a food processor or high-speed blender.

2. Process, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and creamy.

3. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with remaining seasoning.

4. Serve immediately with your choice of dippers. Or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.

𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸: 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻 𝗪. ⚾💪

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲!

Evelyn played fastball throughout much of her young and adult life, eventually leaving the sport at 41 when she felt it was time to retire her glove.

But she always said that if she ever had grandchildren who played baseball, 𝘀𝗵𝗲’𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗿𝘆.

Fast forward 30 years… and her 9-year-old grandson is playing baseball.

So Evelyn dug her glove out of the basement, grabbed some lacrosse balls and headed to the school park. What followed was 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝟵-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗼𝗹𝗱 who, according to Evelyn, “has an arm!”

After a break to hydrate, they went back out for another 𝟰𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀.

Evelyn says she was able to use 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵, 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 throughout their time together.

And does she credit ProActive Fitness for helping her have the agility, strength and ability to get back out there and compete with her grandson?

“𝗬𝗘𝗦! 𝗬𝗘𝗦! 𝗬𝗘𝗦! 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂.”

𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝗻! ❤️⚾

𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼, 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻!

Maybe you used to run, but your knees don’t like it anymore. Maybe you played tennis for years until your shoulder started complaining. Or maybe exercise was never a big part of your life in the first place.

Regardless, getting older doesn’t mean your physical world has to keep getting smaller.

Are you ready for a “fitness reinvention” yet? Maybe you want to get back to exercise, or maybe you want to make your first start.

It doesn’t matter. We are here to help. Aging bodies are changing bodies, so we need changing goals and tactics to stay on top of our health and fitness.

Jill Silva discovered that almost by accident. At 60, the writer had never exercised consistently. Then a friend invited her to a recreation center.

Silva started working out, connected with a powerlifting coach, and became something that shocked her:

“I might never be that skinny young thing again, but that’s OK,” she says. “I’m strong, I feel great, and I won’t need to use a walker when I’m 80.”

The National Senior Games Association says more than half of its athletes returned to a sport or took up a new one in midlife. Some use strength training as the foundation for their new pursuits.

Cheryl and Tom Snowden, for instance, started resistance training. As they grew stronger and more capable, they progressed to indoor and outdoor cycling and eventually trained for the National Senior Games.

Don Phillips started exercising at 56, first walking and then running. Decades later, his fitness life was still evolving. In his 90s, he added more whole-body strength training and took up powerlifting.

And Nate Wilkins completely changed course after a health scare in his 50s. He lost weight, built strength and regained his health. Then he became a trainer and coach himself.

“If I can do this at 64 and feel like this, then I can encourage other people to do it, too,” he says.

You don’t need big or exciting goals. “Feeling better” is a great goal!

Ready for Your Second Act?

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Don’t try to be 25 again. Work with the body you have now rather than trying to recreate one from decades ago.

2. Build strength. Make muscle the foundation of your fitness program. It will improve everything from sports to carrying groceries.

3. Try something new. Keep an open mind. Who knows what you might discover?

4. Adapt when you need to. A body ache shouldn’t mean you quit. Talk to us about what kind of activity might be good for you.

5. Remember what you're training for. Nate tells his clients to think about how they want to live. Whatever you want to do, you need strength, balance, stamina and mobility, now and into the future.

Your next chapter might surprise you. Start writing it here with us.

A common myth says we’re less happy the older we get, slogging through a long, unhappy decline.

But in fact, many people get happier.

A 2024 AARP survey found that 44% of adults over 50 say they’ve become happier as they’ve aged. Women were especially likely to say so. Another survey found that 86% of people over 50 describe themselves as happy, with happiness increasing after 65.

Women report feeling better about themselves. More than three-quarters of women over 50 say they’ve become more comfortable in their own skin, while 68% say they’ve grown significantly into their authentic selves.

What makes us happier? Relationships, hobbies, adequate sleep, travel, music, healthy eating — and exercise. Forty percent of adults over 50 specifically cite exercise as a contributor.

That’s one more reason fitness matters as we age.

Exercise can make us stronger, improve energy and mood, and help us maintain the physical ability to enjoy everything else that makes life rewarding. Travel is more fun when you can walk all day. Hobbies and sports are easier when you’re strong and mobile. And staying fit helps us remain independent and engaged with other people.

Getting older is unavoidable. Feeling old before your time isn’t.

We’re here to help you stay strong, active and ready to enjoy what could be some of your happiest years yet.

Healthy Recipe, Waldorf Salad with Buttermilk-Honey Mustard Dressing

This version, lightly adapted from one in “Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook” by Sohla El Waylly, pops with flavor and crunch supplied by grapes, toasted walnuts, and blue cheese. It's a sturdy alternative to flimsy lettuce salads and a great way to use up a half-bunch of celery before it dies in the crisper. It easily accommodates leftover bits of rotisserie chicken, boiled shrimp, hard-boiled egg, or other proteins to make it a nutrition-packed meal in itself. Serves 4. – Susan Puckett

Ingredients

Dressing:
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon mild honey
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more, to taste
• Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Salad:
• 8 medium celery stalks (leaves plucked and reserved)
• 1 small sweet, crisp apple, such as Gala or Fuji
• 1 cup seedless grapes
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts
• ¼ cup coarsely crumbled blue cheese

Instructions
1. Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mustard, honey, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Make the salad: Thinly slice the celery crosswise on the diagonal. Core and thinly slice the apple. Cut the grapes in half. Add the celery, apple slices, and grape halves to the bowl of dressing and toss to combine. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper if desired.

3. Divide among serving plates, along with some of the dressing in the bowl. Top with blue cheese, nuts, and celery leaves, and serve. Leftovers may be stored for a day in a covered container in the refrigerator.