In September, seventy-three year old Ed Whitlock shattered his own world age class marathon record by completing a marathon in under 3 hours. Ed is first 70+ human in history to attain this goal and he has done it twice!

September 26th was Jack LaLanne’s birthday. The Godfather of Fitness turned 90! Still sporting his trademark jumpsuit, LaLanne is trim and strong. He’s living proof that diet and exercise are keys to a long, healthy life.

Why is exercise so important as we age? After 50, we begin to loose muscle mass at rate of 6 percent every decade (about 5 pounds) and we gain 15 pounds of fat every ten years to replace it. Less muscle and more fat stores in body, combined with inactivity and poor diet, can contribute to a wide array of degenerative conditions and disabilities, among them: osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoarthritis. Researchers speculate that Alzheimer’s disease and certain cancers can also be linked to a lack of activity as we age.

The Stanford University Medical Center has conducted several long-term studies on active individuals over 50, particularly runners. They found that runners had a lower death rate and dramatically less disabilities compared to non-runners. They observed that running regularly was associated with an increase of HDL (good) cholesterol, plus a positive effect on muscle mass, as well as heart and lung health.

Other studies have concluded that regular exercise increases bone strength, controls weight gain, and keeps diabetes in check. Active seniors are better able to take care of themselves, perform common household tasks, and remain mentally sharp.

5 Parts of a Healthy-Aging Workout: 1. Endurance Exercise: running, brisk walking, biking, aerobics, tennis, (a minimum recommendation of 25-30 minutes a day) 2. Strength Training Exercise: weight lifting, uphill training (walking, running, hiking up an incline). 3. Stretching Exercise: pre- and after workout stretches retain flexibility. Try yoga and pilates. 4. Balance Exercise: use a balance ball for core exercises or stand on one foot without support. 5. Meditative Exercise: reduce stress with yoga and tai chi.