It's important to stay active and exercise at any stage in life. Staying in shape, however, is arguably more important the older you get, as regular activity can boost your energy, help you maintain your independence and alleviate any illness or pain. In many cases, staying active can even help slow the signs of aging. Other benefits of staying active include:

• Reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Reducing your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
• Reducing your risk of certain cancers, such as colon cancer and breast cancer.
• Maintaining a healthy weight.
• Improving mood and mental health.
• Keeping bones and muscles strong.

While understanding the importance of staying active is one thing, actually making the effort to stay active is a whole other thing. With that being said, here's a look at some ways to stay on track and continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle as you get older.

How to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle as You Age

• Join a senior center and/or gym: One way to stay active and healthy is to acquire some sort of membership - whether it be to a gym, senior center or community center - that allows you to exercise and participate in activities with your peers. Not only will doing so help keep you on track, but it also makes being active much more enjoyable. There's no shortage of group and individual activities at such facilities.
• Walk, don't ride: Many seniors take up golf as they age. But leave the golf cart at the clubhouse next time and walk the rounds you play from now on.
• Manage incontinence symptoms: It's estimated that over half of all senior citizens experience incontinence, or the involuntary leakage of urine. This, as well as any other symptoms commonly experienced by seniors, can be something that stands in the way of staying active - but only if you let it. One way to manage incontinence symptoms is by wearing incontinence underwear before any type of strenuous workout. Unlike adult diapers, incontinence underwear looks and feels like ordinary underwear - it's just designed to absorb urine leakage. What's more is that such underwear can be washed and reused.
• Set schedules and goals: Sure, you likely woke up early every day for 40 years or so to head to work, so the last thing you want to do is wake up early in your retirement years. But studies show that waking up and exercising early not only makes people feel more accomplished and helps start the day off right, but it can also do wonders for their metabolism, helping to maintain a healthy weight. So consider waking up early to work out - and set goals to meet to keep you motivated!

Don't underestimate the importance of staying active as you age. Your body will thank you as you stay healthy for longer.