Aging Well: What I’m Learning About Strength, Purpose, and Midlife

If you had told 30-year-old me that when I was 60 I’d be standing on a beach in workout clothes, flexing my arms and writing about strength training, I probably would’ve laughed! Not because I’d be unhappy, but because I’ve never been someone who loves exercise. And honestly? I still don’t. I’m not that person who wakes up excited to work out, and I’ve never become one of those people!

I don’t wake up early because I can’t wait to exercise. I wake up because I want to be a good steward of the body God gave me and keep living a full, active, joyful life for as long as I possibly can. I want to be the grandma who plays in the ball pit, goes down the slide, sits on the floor with my grandkids, and still gets back up without needing a team of helpers and a heating pad! I want to travel, explore, and go on physically demanding trips like our upcoming Walt Disney World adventure without worrying whether my body can handle it (or whether I’ll need a nap before lunch!).

So I move my body. Not because it’s my passion, but because it supports the life I want to live. And that feels like a pretty good reason to keep showing up.

We Don’t Age Slowly, We Age in Waves

One of the most fascinating things I’ve read recently came from a 2024 Stanford Medicine study published in Nature Aging. (THIS article in The Guardian explains the study in layman’s terms really well.) Researchers followed 108 adults over several years and analyzed more than 135,000 biological markers. What they discovered surprised even them.

Human aging doesn’t happen at a slow, steady pace. It happens in two major biological “waves,” around ages 44 and 60. In fact, 81% of the molecules they studied changed in non-linear ways during these two periods.

The first wave (age 44) tends to affect things like lipid and alcohol metabolism, as well as skin and muscle structure. The second wave (age 60) impacts immune system function, carbohydrate metabolism, and kidney function. The study, led by Dr. Michael Snyder, suggests that we don’t gradually age… our bodies go through sudden shifts.

And this idea is now being supported by even more research. A July 2025 article in Nature, drawing on findings originally published in Cell, reported that human aging is not linear, with a significant acceleration happening around age 50. Researchers found a major midlife “inflection point” at which protein levels suddenly shift, and organ-level aging accelerates, particularly in our cardiovascular system.

What’s especially interesting (and honestly pretty eye-opening) is that different organs age at different rates. The aorta, heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs showed distinct aging trajectories, with the aorta exhibiting the most rapid decline. The researchers even introduced the concept of “extreme agers,” meaning some people may have specific organs aging much faster than their overall biological age, which is linked to increased risk of disease and mortality.

Here’s the bottom line: Our bodies don’t just slowly wear down. They enter a new phase of accelerated structural and molecular change.

And here’s the part I actually find hopeful. All of this research gives us information we can use. This season we’re in is full of moments when lifestyle matters even more, which means the choices we make really do have the power to influence how we feel, how we function, and how well we age going forward.

What I’ve Personally Noticed in Midlife

I definitely feel the shift that comes with this season of life. I need more sleep than I used to; I have to work around bursitis that loves to pop up in my hip at the most inconvenient times, and recovery matters so much more than it ever did before. Stretching matters. Strength matters. Balance matters. Listening to my body matters. Not because I’m trying to look younger, but because I want to stay capable, independent, and energized for what’s still ahead.

I’m not chasing perfection or some unrealistic version of fitness. I’m chasing a life where I can keep doing the things I love for as long as possible. What about you? Why are you working to stay healthy and strong?

My Real-Life Wellness Routine

My routine is simple and very real. Five days a week, I get up at 5:30 am and work out until about 7:00 am. I start with about 30 minutes of cardio, either on the treadmill or the recumbent bike, and then I move into bodyweight exercises. I work on core, balance, and stretching every day, and I alternate leg days (squats and lunges) with arm days (pushups, planks, and light dumbbell work).

Nothing fancy. No extreme programs. Just consistency.

And here’s my honest confession: I make exercise tolerable by pairing it with something I actually enjoy. I watch shows and movies on my iPad mini, or I read books on my Kindle. Half the time, my motivation is literally, “I just want to see what happens next in the story!” If that’s what keeps me showing up, I’m calling it a win. Hahaha!

A few simple things that really help me stay consistent are adjustable dumbbells and resistance bands for home workouts, a good pair of supportive walking shoes, a balance trainer for balance practice, a yoga mat for stretching and core work, and a foam roller or mini massage gun for recovery. Nothing complicated, just small tools that make it easier to keep going.

Since I have lupus, inflammation can be an issue for me, and my muscles and joints can take longer to recover than those of someone who doesn’t have an autoimmune disease. I find my Maysama Red Light therapy belt (code SUZY for 10% off), Epsom-It lotion (code SUZY15 for 15% off ), Ancient Minerals Magnesium Bath Flakes, and, if necessary, Voltaren helpful when I’m really hurting.

Why Exercise Variety Matters More Than You Think

Another study I loved came out in January 2026 and looked at how different types of exercise affect longevity. Researchers found that people who engaged in the greatest variety of physical activities had up to a 19% lower risk of mortality than those who stuck with one type of exercise, even when total workout time was the same.

High-variety exercisers also had a 13–41% lower risk of dying from heart disease, cancer, or respiratory illness. The recommendation was about six hours of moderate activity per week or three hours of vigorous exercise, but what I love about this is that it’s not about doing more. It’s about doing different.

Walking, cycling, strength training, stretching, and swimming. It all adds up. And yes, walking absolutely counts.

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The Most Powerful Longevity Factor Isn’t Physical

This is the research that really stopped me in my tracks. In 2022, researcher Eric S. Kim and his team found that older adults with the highest sense of purpose had a 46% lower risk of mortality over 4 years than those with the lowest sense of purpose. That’s almost 1.8 times as effective as not smoking or even exercising.

Purpose-driven adults were also less likely to become inactive, less likely to develop sleep problems, and were more protected against cognitive decline and dementia. They even showed signs of reduced biological aging at the cellular level.

In other words, having something to live for may be one of the most powerful wellness tools we have.

This Is What Gives Me Hope About Aging

We don’t control our genetics. We don’t control the passage of time. But we do control how we move, how we fuel ourselves, and how we engage with our lives.

I don’t exercise because I love it. I exercise because I love my life. I love the Lord, I love my husband, my kids, my grandkids, my calling with Empty Nest Blessed, and my future. And I want to be present for all of it.

This is also why I care about what I put into my body. Simple, nourishing foods. Plenty of protein. Using Collagen peptides. Staying hydrated. Drinking Guayusa Green tea.

If You Take Nothing Else From This

Here’s the bottom line, I truly believe. Everyone can do something. We already know what we need to do in our hearts. And consistency matters more than perfection.

You don’t need to become a fitness person. You don’t need a perfect routine, fancy equipment, or a brand-new personality. You just need to become a keep-showing-up person. Walk. Stretch. Lift soup cans. Stand on one foot while brushing your teeth. Watch Netflix while pedaling. Listen to podcasts while walking around the block. It all counts, and it all adds up more than you think.

Because the goal isn’t to stay young. The goal is to stay alive. To stay curious. To stay strong enough to say yes to the life that’s still unfolding in front of you.

So if you’re reading this and thinking, “I know I need to start… I just haven’t yet,” let this be your gentle nudge. You don’t have to overhaul your life. You just have to take one small step today. Then another tomorrow. And another after that.

You’ve got this. Truly. I believe in you. And I believe that taking care of our bodies is one of the most meaningful ways we can honor God, serve the people we love, and say yes to the purpose He still has for our lives.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, okay?

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