By Greg Pascucci
As Americans continue to search for the elusive “Fountain of Youth,” residents at The Carlisle Naples, a luxury active retirement community, know it’s the walk to the fountain that will keep you young and feeling young at heart!
Bernita Smith enjoyed running as a form of exercise throughout her life and, though her pace has slowed now that she’s in her 90s, she continues to have a love for the great outdoors.
“I walk six mornings per week, about a mile each day. Each outing is different,” she said. “I can encounter my neighbors along the way and admire wading birds and the unique Florida nature. It’s great to be outdoors and feel the wind blow. How lucky am I!”
According to the National Institutes of Health, walking is one of the best forms of exercise. It offers a wealth of health benefits, including lowering the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. It also strengthens bones and muscles and can also boost your mood.
Resident Phyllis Lazear is also an avid walker. She appreciates The Carlisle’s meandering walking paths and the sense of safety she has while exercising.
“I found many of the senior communities in the area are close to the street,” she explained. “The Carlisle is set back quite a bit from Airport-Pulling Road so we aren’t right out in traffic.”
In addition to the walking trails, Smith and Lazear participate in a wealth of fitness classes offered at the community that ranges from water aerobics to dance. The fitness programs have been reformatted to adhere to social distancing guidelines and safety precautions, such as being offered in a small group setting or virtually.
Smith attends the classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with her favorite being yoga. She’s been a student of the mind and body practice that focuses on breathing, flexibility and strength since the 70s.
“The classes are so convenient, and best of all, they are geared to every fitness level,” said the classically-trained singer. “I credit everything I can do to the fact that I exercise and take care of myself.”
Part of taking care of herself includes healthy eating. She eats organic whenever possible and is a fan of The Carlisle’s FreshZest menu. An initiative that encourages a plant-based, whole-foods diet, FreshZest is part of the expansive dining choices available in the community’s restaurant, The Carlisle Room. Numerous studies show a diet primarily focused on plants, nuts and whole grains offer numerous health benefits and may even reverse some chronic ailments.
“I eat mostly fruits and vegetables and lots of chicken and fish,” she said. “However, I do make an exception for Chef Marlon’s delicious lamb entrées.”
For Lazear, exercise played a significant role in her rehabilitation following back surgery. She went from hardly any movement in her one foot to working out 3-4 times per week.
“I told myself if I could move just a little, then I could eventually get back all the movement,” she recalls. “If it weren’t for exercise, I don’t know what I would have done.”
The longtime Carlisle resident is especially fond of the camaraderie that comes with being in a community-setting where others are committed to their health and wellness.
“It’s very hard to work out alone,” she said. “Even though we’re socially distancing, it’s much more fun to be with a group.”
Both ladies believe in the “use it or lose it” adage and encourage their peers to exercise, regardless of age, with Lazear pointing out, “You need to get out and move. We need to exercise more now than when we were younger.”
Located at 6945 Carlisle Court in Naples—on Airport-Pulling Road, between Pine Ridge and Immokalee Roads—The Carlisle offers spacious one-and two-bedroom residences, weekly housekeeping and flat linen services, basic cable TV, all utilities except telephone, and a complimentary full breakfast plus choice of lunch or dinner in the community’s gourmet-style restaurant. For more information about the active and vibrant lifestyle offered at the community, please call 239-221-0017 or visit www.TheCarlisleNaples.com.
Luxury Rental Retirement Living
6945 Carlisle Court, Naples, FL 34109
239-221-0017 . www.srgseniorliving.com