A healthy diet is certainly important for a healthy retirement, but exercise, or any form of physical activity, is possibly the most important way to keep healthy. It’s been scientifically proven that exercise can prevent disease and greatly slow down some signs of aging. But as you get older, your strength and sense of balance is not the same as when you were younger and you have to take certain precautions to lessen the chance of you getting injured.

By keeping to a physically active lifestyle, you can improve and increase joint and muscle suppleness. Physically active strengthen bones while reducing your risks of stroke and heart attack. All things considered, exercise is a rather easy way to stay healthy. However, if you are an older adult, it is important to use some safety guidelines, especially if you have not been physically active for some time. While it is never too late to start exercising, you have to prepare your body for exercise to prevent injuries.

• Stretch and warm up for at least 10 minutes before any type of physical activity. If you just jump into an activity, your cold muscles will stiff and you risk pulling a muscle or injuring joints. Walking or jogging on the treadmill is a good warm-up, as are biking on a stationary cycle, or even doing easy jumping jacks. Five to ten minutes of this warm-up is good followed up by some appropriate stretching exercises.
• Make sure you get some type of exercise in every day or at least four to five times a week. It is not healthy or smart to only set aside the weekends for physical activity. Set aside 30 minutes a day to walk or jog on the treadmill or go biking. Remember, physical activities could include routine chores such as gardening, raking leaves, using the stairs instead of the elevator at work, or even walking your dog.
• Choose a low impact sport or physical activity that you enjoy doing and get the appropriate equipments for safety sake. If you enjoy power walking or jogging, your most important accessory would be your shoes. Choose a pair of shoes that is comfortable and design for your particular sport – be it walking or running. Find a location that keeps you motivated and interested, and that will accommodate your increasing improvement in the sport.
• Take cues from your body. Listen to what it tells you. If an activity hurts any part of your body, stop doing it and consult with a trainer or doctor. Don’t “suck it up” as you could damage a joint or tear a muscle. Your older body is not as flexible and elastic as it was when you were younger.
• Follow a regular workout that improves your balance, endurance, flexibility and strength. Balance is important as you grow older to lower your risk of falling. In addition, having a varied workout regimen helps keep you from becoming bored and less prone to skip out on exercise sessions all together. Boredom is the biggest problem in continuing with physical activity.
• Use caution and common sense with starting any new sport or activity. If you have any pre-existing conditions like heart disease, diabetes or arthritis, consult with your doctor to decide the best physical activities that will provide you a great workout while avoiding possible injury or exacerbating existing health problems.

The main thing is that some physical activity is better than no physical activity at all. For that reason, it makes sense to find time for some type of exercise in your daily routine. Whether it is toe lifts or leg lifts while waiting in line at the bank or walking the mall in the early morning hours, opportunities abound to fit some form of exercise into your day.

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