Cris Tupen shares his wisdom about getting older and loving God.
It seems like yesterday I was just starting my career and family. And then “boom,” I woke up, and I’m a 58-year-old aging, retired guy!
How in the world did I get here so quickly?
Let’s start with some history. I was around ten when my older brother and his friends allowed me to attend their “garage workout sessions.” We gathered in that garage almost every night. The workouts included a lot of bench pressing and arm curls, followed by boxing matches! The equipment consisted of a homemade wooden bench with carpet for the padding, concrete-filled plastic weights, and lightweight boxing gloves from J.C. Penney’s.
I learned a lot in that garage in those early days, and not all of it was healthy.
At fourteen, I joined a “Men’s Gym.” My dad had to sign for me because I was too young. The rules stated I had to be sixteen. Believe it or not, women were not allowed to join.
I’d get off the school bus and ride my skateboard to the gym after school almost daily. The gym was hardcore! The employees and the men who worked out there were intimidating. I’d often overhear conversations that went something like this, “Work harder, not smarter. You gotta eat big to get big. Lift heavy, don’t waste time on cardio, or you’ll lose muscle gains…”
As memorable as those days were, they were lacking in one (big) area. There was zero Jesus. Those days were about self, self-gain, accomplishment, recognition, and just plain ego.
I am thankful for many things during that period. I’m grateful for the men who took the time to teach me discipline, how to strength train, and how to eat to build muscle. But, there was an emptiness. But something was missing, and it was gnawing at me.
The fact that I still get to move my body, even if it is not how I used to, is an opportunity to magnify and glorify God.
Jesus: The Missing Piece
I didn’t grow up in a religious home and cannot remember religion being a subject of conversation.
But I found Jesus in the fall of 2008. I was baptized in 2009 and found Revelation Wellness in 2012. I went through the Instructor Training in November of that year. BOOM… I found what had been missing! I started to hear and understand things about God and my body I had never heard before.
I learned that:
– “Our bodies are His temple.” 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
– “The Lord is my strength and shield.” Ps. 28:7.
– “God did not create us with a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power and love and sound-mindedness.” 2 Tim 1:7.
Whoa! What a flip of the script! Everything I felt was lacking in my “obsession” to be bigger, better, and stronger was revealed!
I have stayed pretty consistent in the gym since those early days, and I still enjoy working out and leading Revelation Wellness classes along with my wife, Michele, to this day. But, as I age, my body moves and functions differently than it used to.
Aging has affected me physically, mentally, and spiritually. These tips and considerations have helped me care for my aging body, mind, and spirit, I hope they help you also.
Body
Our bodies are His temple.
They are also temporary, and they keep score.
It turns out that “harder, not smarter,” and “you’ve got to lift big to get big” probably were not the best mottos to follow!
The fact that I still get to move my body, even if it is not how I used to, is a reason to celebrate and an opportunity to magnify and glorify God. My workouts have become less about getting big and more about worshipping God. This is good news!
Sarcopenia and Joint Pain
Let’s talk about joint pain and sarcopenia, or the loss of muscle mass.
According to WebMD, “Starting around age 30, you begin to lose bone density and muscle mass, both of which can create strain and pain in your joints.” In addition, “After age 30, you begin to lose as much [muscle mass] as 3% to 5% per decade. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes” (Harvard University).
These are all things I am experiencing these days, and yet I can honestly say it’s all part of the “get to,” and it’s “okay too.”
These bodily changes require modified workouts. I’ve learned that exercise and movement are my friends IF I listen to what my body is saying. After all, it’s better for me to move slowly than to be on the sidelines because of injury.
These days I love a good, moderate cardio workout accompanied by a medium-weight workout. I also incorporate a warmup and cooldown into my workouts to help with my mobility and flexibility and avoid injury.
I don’t need to lift the weight I did in my 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. Quite honestly, I probably never needed to lift that kind of weight back then, either. The ego was alive and striving. That was the name of the game.
I can only praise Jesus for shaking that mentality out of me. All the heavy lifting, combined with years of football and other dare-devil stuff, certainly leaves a mark on the body. I think you’d agree we are our experiences, and as we age, we begin to feel our past experiences!
Don’t ignore the muscle aches, tender joints, and things that feel different. Coming to terms with the condition of your aging body will help you care for it better.
Food
I love food. But even my relationship with food had to change. I had to rethink my consumption of foods I never thought twice about alcohol, sugar, salt, and caffeine, to name a few. Some of these foods I’m completely finished with, and others I still enjoy in moderation.
I believe food is to be enjoyed. After all, God made taste buds! At the same time, food can become an idol and lead us into unhealthy temptations which cause (unnecessary) problems.
[Learn about Intuitive Eating in our Christian’s Guide to Intuitive Eating on the Revelation Wellness Blog!]
Therefore, it’s become more important for me to know my numbers.
When was the last time you had your cholesterol checked?
At around 60, your metabolism declines (The New York Times). Your blood sugar, your blood pressure, HDL and LDL cholesterol, and hormones like cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, and TESTOSTERONE change as well! The foods you eat and other factors can affect these numbers positively or negatively. It’s important to get these checked regularly!
Mind
This category could also be titled “I am my experiences.” Like most of us, I had many great experiences growing up and many not so good. I’ve even had some horrible experiences. All of these experiences impact me in different ways. But some have a greater impact than others.
Let me share a quick snapshot of my “not-so-good” experiences.
My two brothers and I grew up in Hawaii before moving to the mainland to finish high school. Our parents both worked full-time, which resulted in us pretty much growing up “feral.” As a “Haole,” I experienced regular beatings from my local classmates. It was just a given that I’d get beat up weekly. I carried those memories and trauma with me for most of my school years in California. That period left a mark on who I thought I was.
After high school and some college, I became a career firefighter and put in almost 32 years before retiring last year. The trauma, death, and ugliness I experienced and witnessed have also left a mark. We all have our own stories, and many of our stories, as I stated earlier, leave a mark.
Men, your mental health is no joke!
It is not natural for the mind to see and deal with horrible things. God certainly did not intend for this. I’m thankful to witness mental health being taken more seriously these days. This is not a “rub-some-dirt-on-it-kid” subject. Please pay attention to your emotions.
Ask yourself these questions:
– How are you feeling?
– How are you treating loved ones?
– How are you experiencing life?
Better yet, listen to your loved ones. If something is off with your behavior, they will notice! Listening to their concern. Take this as a cue to get help from a trusted friend, counselor, or pastor. No matter your age, your mental health matters.
Soul
As mentioned earlier, I didn’t grow up with any religion or spirituality. I pretty much bull-dozed my way through life until 2008.
As my life began to crash and things were looking really dark, I found Jesus. Actually, He found me. I still get emotional when I stop and revisit this encounter. Man, I love Him so much!
I couldn’t see or understand what He was doing then, but I can now. There were so many things that were removed from my life. I considered so many changes a loss. But I can look back on those things now and see that they all took place to draw me closer to the Father. Even in, and especially through, the pain. Jesus knew what He was doing.
I was baptized in 2010. My life has been changed and continues to be consecrated as I age. I’m not sure what my life would be like today if I didn’t meet Jesus and put Him at the head of everything. My health, safety, finances, marriage, children, and grandchildren, all of it is His. Without spiritual health, I’ve got nothing.
This is the sweetest gift of aging I could have, to know JESUS as my Lord and Savior and surrender everything to Him. He really is the best, and without Him, nothing matters.
You can improve your spiritual health by reading God’s word daily, being engaged in Christian community, mentoring someone younger and newer in the faith, drawing near to God in prayer, and living your faith out daily.
Men, you have a place here at Revelation Wellness! We are for you. Better yet, God is for you!
Cris Tupen is a Revelation Wellness Instructor (Platoon 4) who resides in Washington with his wife, Michele. Together they have five adult sons.
Train Your Heart and Body
Do you love an intense, challenging workout that pushes your body to its limits, but you’re tired of aimlessly training for bigger muscles?
Do you train hard to smash those PRs and reach those gains, but when you finally achieve them, you still feel empty inside?
Do you know deep down in your soul that there’s something more worth fighting for?
If you’re looking for a high-intensity fitness challenge that trains not only your body, but also your heart, mind, and spirit because you were made for more, then you’re in the right place.
2 Responses
Cris Turpin…Dude!?! You might be my brother by another mother. It was NEATO reading your blog about your journey and considering my path which is similar.
Good Words! Press On!
Thanks for sharing, Russell! Part two comes out this week!