My mission is to help you manage the aging process with grace.
Healthy Aging and Women’s Fitness Expert
Joan Pagano is sharing her story at age 75
Short Bio: Joan Pagano, Recognized Fitness Expert
Joan Pagano has specialized in strength training for women since 1988 – training, teaching, and writing books on the subject, including Strength Training Exercises for Women (DK, 2014). As a natural segue, Joan developed an expertise in coaching women on the best exercises to enhance their bone health.
Her body of work includes a 10-part series of articles entitled The Best Exercises for Osteoporosis Prevention, which addresses all aspects of osteoporosis, from risk factors and screening, to appropriate exercise for different levels of bone density, to the best exercises for core stability, posture, body mechanics, balance, and fall prevention, as well as which exercises to avoid.
She is recognized by the industry as a leading authority on exercise program design for osteoporosis. Joan is certified as an Exercise Physiologist by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and is on the Ambassadors Leadership Council for the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation. She is the owner of Joan Pagano Fitness in NYC and the former trainer to Jacqueline and Caroline Kennedy. Joan is the proud finisher of seven marathons, and a member of the Shaker Heights High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
Joan Pagano is sharing her story: What Makes Me an Expert on Aging?
When I think back on how fitness has changed for me throughout the years, it makes me smile. The fluctuations would chart like the Dow Jones Industrial Average, with significant peaks and dips, yet rising over time along a steady incline.
My life began with a boom of athleticism that lasted many years, from the moment I could walk through college sports. However, this was followed by a bust when I moved to NYC and became sedentary, working first in fashion and then in the restaurant business. The extended low lasted for 15 years – talk about a recession!
In My 30s
There was a turnaround in my late 30s with an upward climb on a journey back to fitness and the path that led to my career in personal training. I took up yoga, then rediscovered the joy of swimming, a sport I had loved in my youth. I began to feel revitalized in body, mind and spirit.
In my 40s and 50s
I added running and strength training into the routine and became certified by the American College of Sports Medicine. By age 50, the chart hit a peak. I had trained extensively and completed seven marathons in five years! Concern about the risk of overuse injuries and their long-term effects convinced me to return to a more moderate exercise program. Like other women of my age, I began to think about a strategy to keep my youthful edge.
In my 60s
Motivated by the desire to manage the aging process and maintain an active lifestyle, I became focused on how a well rounded fitness program can help meet the challenges of getting older. While cardio exercise promotes longevity, strength training is the key to active aging. Stretching keeps us tall and straight, our movements fluid and supple.
Now at 75
I’m aware that the signals of aging are weak but persistent, causing gradual changes over time. To be proactive, we must override those signals with dedicated exercises to keep our immune systems healthy, our heart and lungs functioning well, our muscles and bones strong, our posture tall and straight.
My personal experience is reflected in the path of my career. The ups and downs of intensity, training and types of different activities have allowed me to relate to the needs of others and empower them within their level of ability. In creating individualized training programs, I use my expertise to enhance the capabilities of each person.
Joan’s Programs, Books and Online Course
As fitness consultant to SHARE, a breast cancer support group, I've worked with breast cancer survivors since 1992. Their concerns about menopause prompted me to study how exercise could help manage the side effects of this stage in life, and, in particular, how exercise could help fight osteoporosis. I developed and published fitness training guidelines for both of these conditions and am recognized by the industry as a leading authority on these topics.
I consider it an honor to write books on exercise that are distributed worldwide and translated into many languages, permitting me to share information with people around the globe. These books feature classic exercises that will work for you so that you can keep it up:
Strength Training Exercises for Women (DK, 2014)
Get Fit for Summer (DK, 2014)
Home Workout (DK, 2009)
15-Minute Abs Workout, plus DVD (DK, 2008)
15-Minute Total Body Workout, plus DVD (DK, 2007)
Strength Training Deck (DK, 2006)
8 Weeks to a Younger Body (DK, 2006)
Strength Training for Women: Tone Up, Burn Calories, Stay Strong (DK, 2004)
Joan’s online Fitness and Nutrition Course, “Beat Belly Fat, Bloating, Bone Loss and the Blues”, is available here.
My clients are an inspiration to me and living proof that fitness gives you an edge. I've had the privilege of working with prominent figures, like Jacqueline Onassis and Caroline Kennedy, as well as with the power brokers of NYC – the women and men at the top of their game in banking and financial services, real estate, journalism, public relations and fashion.
Whether a top-level executive, a high school student, an energetic mother, a breast cancer survivor or an active retiree, the common thread among these clients is that they know that their fitness training gives them a foundation of strength and the stamina to perform at their best. Just like the Dow Jones, we all want to be on a steady rise!
Today my focus is on osteoporosis prevention and treatment
Two main risk factors for osteoporosis are being female and of an older age. Since this is my own personal profile, I relate to other women who are also concerned about diminishing bone strength, putting us at risk of a serious and debilitating bone fracture. There are plenty of preventive measures, beginning with getting an osteoporosis screening to find out if there is any loss of bone and how targeted exercise can help. [link to Osteoporosis Screening post].