As you get older, you may find yourself slowing down. But taking the lazy way out and not making the time to move and nourish your body can come with detrimental consequences to your health such as a decrease in your strength, cardio, balance, flexibility, and overall well being. That is why it is important to stay active as you age.

But staying active doesn’t have to take the form of laborious workout regimens or pushing your body to the brink. There are several less demanding ways to get active throughout the day that will have your mind and body thanking you later.

Here are ten of my favorite ways to stay active as you age:

1. Get Up

If you work a desk job or you spend a lot of time at home, then you may get in the habit of sitting for long periods of time.

While a more sedentary lifestyle can be tempting, it is essential to split your time sitting up with microbreaks so you can ease inflammation and rejuvenate your body and mind.

So stand up, stretch, walk around the office (or your house), or go outside at least every couple of hours.

Even if you only move around for just three minutes every two hours you will feel lasting results.

2. Do Strength Training

We lose as much as three to five percent of our muscle mass each decade after age 30.

The takeaway? If you don’t use your muscles, they will degrade. Performing weight-bearing exercises will help maintain and add muscle tone. These activities can include walking, jogging, hiking, and taking the stairs.

3. Stretch

As you get older, you may notice that your body isn’t as flexible as it once was. It is just as important to spend time stretching as it is spending time doing strength training or cardio.

Proper stretching will not only make you feel more limber, but it can also reduce injuries and improve balance.

4. Join a Team

If you’ve always been a team player and are motivated by working alongside others to achieve a common goal you should consider joining a team.

Basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, and many other sports are available in recreational activity centers. If you love to play or want to learn then you should consider signing up.

Sports take a tremendous amount of cardio, strength, and time. Playing just a couple of times a week will easily help you meet your exercise quota.

5. Attend a Workout Class

There are hundreds of different classes available for people of all ages. You can do anything from dancing to martial arts to spin classes.

Fun, interactive classes make exercising much more enjoyable and can take away the pressure of having to form your own exercise regimen.

For those with Medicare, there is an option of adding Medicare Supplement Insurance that offers SilverSneakers, a fitness program with access to gyms and other workout classes.

6. Try Balance Training

As you get older, your balance can diminish unless you take the time to maintain it. Practicing yoga or Tai Chi are both excellent ways to improve your overall balance as well as strengthen your supporting muscles.

7. Hit the Gym or Try Home Training

Another easy way to stay active is to take the time to do the work and go back to the basics.

Hit the gym and use their exercise equipment or stay at home and perform equipment-free exercises. You can exercise anywhere you like. The most important thing is consistency.

8. Gardening

When you think of staying active, gardening may not be the first thing to come to mind, but gardening is actually a fantastic way to stay active without feeling like you are working out.

Planting, pulling weeds, watering, and generally maintaining a garden takes strength and energy.

9. Traveling

Want to mix up how you stay active? Try traveling. This is another great way to incorporate movement into your day without feeling like you are working out.

Walking to different destinations, going on sight seeing tours, and discovering new locations will keep you on the move.

10. Have Some Fun

Keeping a busy social calendar is not only good for your relationships, but it also can benefit your physical fitness.

If you stay active doing healthy activities with family and friends, you won’t even notice that you are exercising.

Maintaining an active lifestyle will not only leave you more satisfied with life, but it will improve your overall health. Don’t become a victim of laziness. Find something active that you enjoy doing and incorporate it into your lifestyle.