Health

Tune-Ups and Body Work

Tune-Ups and Body Work:

Aging, Metabolic Syndrome, and How Movement Can Give You Power

September 4, 2025 – Frank Bills, PhD, CPT

Let’s be real: aging is like owning a car past its warranty. The paint’s chipped, the brakes squeal, and that rattle you’ve named Harold is always along for the ride. But that doesn’t mean you’re broken—you just need a tune-up.”

So let’s talk about the signs, the nonsense advice we should toss, and how to find the sweet spot between beast mode and nap mode.

What is Metabolic Syndrome All About?

Metabolic syndrome is like your check engine light for your body. It’s a combination of issues—abdominal fat, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and cranky cholesterol—that are apt to gang up on individuals 50+. Untreated, it flags you for a risk for heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

The best thing? You can shut off that dashboard full of warning lights with exercise. Strength training in particular is a high-performance fuel additive—it builds muscle, improves insulin use, and clears out belly clutter (more on clutter later).

Strength Training: Your Body’s Tool Kit

So how do you reverse these warning signs before they escalate? That’s where strength training comes in. Strength training is lifting the hood and taking a close look around. When you strengthen a muscle, you’re upgrading your chassis. When you strengthen your core, you’re adjusting the alignment. When you raise your heart rate, you’re cleaning out carbon deposits in your pipes.

Want a morning boost? A few sets of strength training will get your engine humming. Want to avoid blowing up when you cough? Strengthen those hips and glutes. And let’s be honest—who doesn’t love being able to haul a whole mess of groceries in one trip, superhero-style?”

What You Get When You Let Go

Here is the hidden secret that catches you off guard: the more you exercise, the more you want to exercise. You feel strong. Your sleep improves. Your hazy head clears a level. You walk in front of a mirror and comment, Hey, not bad for an old model.
And you know what? You start to feel like yourself again. Not the fatigue-prone you who monitors your blood pressure more regularly than you check e-mail, but you: curious, active, still-got-it you, who gets it: aging doesn’t mean fading.