Young at heart, and aging well

Seniors weigh in on how being active, engaging with others and squeezing the joy out of life helps them stay mentally and physically fit

by

While some people look at their “golden years” as a time to slow down and take a backseat to the rest of the world, others enjoy the freedom to do more of the things they love, or to do them more often. For this article, we spoke with a couple of readers who are growing older on their own terms – and loving it.

‘Age is just a number’

Sally Bolin spends her days teaching multiple yoga classes and participating in fitness classes including cycling, cardio, strength and line dancing. Most nights you’ll find her dancing – line, Latin, swing or shag – or hosting game nights at her home or out with her girlfriends at a concert or local event. All this, and she still manages to find time for her sweet dog, Cooper, her book club, church activities, traveling and an occasional date here and there.

Just weeks away from her 70th birthday, this fun-loving firecracker manages to squeeze every bit of joy she can out of life and believes it’s her purpose to help others – regardless of their age – do the same thing.

Since moving to Kernersville from Utah in 1994, Bolin has been involved with the Kernersville YMCA, where she taught classes for many years. She still shows up at the facility twice a day, five days a week, to take fitness classes.

That’s where she “accidentally” ended up becoming a yoga instructor.

“At the time, I was teaching a cycle class and taking yoga,” Bolin explained. “One day in yoga class, the instructor said he was leaving and told me he had informed (management) that I would be taking over the class.”

Always up for a challenge, Bolin decided to give it a shot. She began teaching while earning her various yoga instructor certifications. That was 23 years ago. These days she teaches numerous classes in her in-home studio and a couple of weekly classes at Fitness One Training in Kernersville.

Bolin’s love of fitness not only keeps her in good physical condition, but it also boosts her energy level and mental outlook.

“My neurosurgeon told me that I

...continued on p. 18