Who Are You Calling Old? It's Never Too Late To Start Exercising

Not only is it the oldest excuse in the book, it’s the #1 excuse. The fascinating thing about the human body is that it adapts to our environment. If you tell it, “Hey we are sitting all day doing nothing,” it will respond and say, “Okay, since you are not moving, I will supply you with less energy and weaken those bones of yours. It’s true, move it or lose it.

Never say you are too old to work those muscles, because it’s never too late. I have seen, on a personal level, what health and fitness can do in a person’s life. For example, you will always find Indru dance exercising at my DanceX classes. He is 76 years old and he works out almost every day. Indru says he feels 15 years younger.

You don’t have to be a fitness guru, like my idol Jack LaLanne, to benefit from exercise. You can literally stop aging and turn back the clock by adding a little movement to your life. Exercising will increase your bone mass and density and make you less vulnerable to injuries. Studies have shown that those at 70 are able to double their strength (imagine that) when they exercise.

Walking is the crème de la crème of all movement. Walking is probably one of the best fitness activities for many seniors. It's relatively low risk and has enormous health and fitness benefits. The weather is nice this time of the year, so take a walk outside and marvel at all the changes in the world.

Here are some walking tipsnn • Keep a comfortable pace, you don’t have to racenn • Wear comfortable shoesnn • Make it part of your daily routinenn • Try to straighten your back and keep your head upnn • Again, make it part of your daily routinenn • Enjoy the walk with a friendnn • Find new routesnn • Make it part of your daily routine (You get the idea!)

Besides walking, there are many other ways to add movement to your life. Activities can include dancing (my favorite), swimming, playing sports such as golf, senior’s basketball, and bowling. The list is endless. The goal is to have you actively moving your body everyday. This is the secret to the fountain of youth and increased longevity.

Friend, I tell you, amazing things happen when you move. Your body says, “Hey we are moving, I will make you stronger, supply you with more energy and vitality, strengthen your bones and build more muscles.” Hey, do it right now! Take a brief walk. Let your body do some amazing things. Remember, it’s never too late!