FutureFitYou: How Backcasting Can Keep You Active for Decades

We often take for granted the activities we enjoy today—kayaking, fly fishing, skiing, trail runs, paddle-boarding, yoga, and so on. But can we still enjoy these activities 5, 10, or 15 years from now? It depends on factors like the activity itself, injuries, fitness, and mobility.

Expecting to continue "as-is" without making an effort today to train for strength, stability, and cardio is a fool's errand. Starting as early as age 30, we begin to lose 3% to 5% of our muscle mass each decade. This might not sound like much, but the effect is cumulative and accelerates alarmingly around age 60. By 65+, people experience noticeable reductions in strength and stability, increasing the risk of falls.

What is Backcasting?

Backcasting involves envisioning how you want to live during your last decade and then working backward to identify the steps you need to take now to make that future a reality.

Let's take a simple example. Say you're a 50-year-old female who competes in kayak races every Tuesday. At 60, you still want to kayak but not compete. At 70, you want to enjoy occasional paddles and be able to carry your kayak to and from the water. By your 80s, you want to be able to get in and out of your kayak, possibly with some assistance, and go for short paddles.

This is your personal goal. What will it take to get there? This is something you can put an effort in to control, notwithstanding injuries or illness. For me, it happens to be skiing. I want to ski into my late 70s. To get there, I need to make sure my knees are strong enough to do simple green runs. So I build extra training around knee mobility and strength training.

Backcasting forces you to think about the training you need to do now, whether you're 45, 55, or 65. It's never too late to start preparing for your FutureFitYou, but the longer you wait, the more you might have to sacrifice future goals.

How do you begin to Backcast?

1. First, think about how you want to be active in your later years. If it's golf, you'll need flexibility. If it's skiing, focus on knee health. If it's running, ensure joint stability and cardiovascular endurance.
   

2. Second, take the FutureFitYOU assessment to see where you currently stand in terms of Mobility, Strength, Agility, Cardio, and VO2 levels. This will give you a clear picture of what areas need improvement to align with your future goals.
   

3. Third, create a personalized plan that incorporates targeted exercises and activities to enhance these areas. This could mean adding strength training for muscle mass, yoga for flexibility, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for cardiovascular health.

Remember, the key to a FutureFitYou is to start now. The earlier you begin, the better your chances of maintaining an active, fulfilling lifestyle well into your later years. Don't let age define your abilities. By backcasting, you're taking proactive steps to ensure that you can continue enjoying the activities you love.

So, visualize your future self. See the strong, active, and healthy person you want to be. Now, make a commitment to yourself to start taking the necessary steps today. Your future self will thank you for it.