Not so long ago, rest was considered the privilege of those once they reached a certain age, usually at retirement. This was the time to relax, put your feet up and refrain from anything too vigorous or that caused any physical exertion. Choosing to be deliberately physically active was not part of the normal life plan. This rest was considered payment for strenuous labor throughout ones working life.

Today, that viewpoint is changing. Technology has significantly re-shaped the working lives of most adults, and there are not the same physical work demands being made as there once were. Now most adults do little more than sit all day at their work so they are already living a sedentary life with all its inherent dangers.

Then add an inactive retirement situation to that and there is a recipe for chronic health problems which can devastate the last decade or two of a person's life. The reason for that is the fact that from the age of around 25 years - as part of the aging process ? we begin to lose muscle mass as a rate of somewhere around 300 grams per year.

The process accelerates at a frightening speed in the 60 years and older age group. If we sit back and do nothing to arrest that loss, then we run the risk of prematurely losing functionality and independence as we age along with our life-force being siphoned from us way before our time.

This muscle tissue is critically important for many aspects of our functioning. It drives our metabolism (our bodies engine), strong muscles hold our skeleton upright and together and it keeps our immune system strong to fight off invaders and disease especially the 'big three' heart disease, cancer and diabetes which kill 60% of us.

You have already noticed that your metabolism has slowed down, you have gained a few extra pounds and you are starting to become soft and sag a little (loss of muscle tone is really starting to show). You may be experiencing less energy and vitality, less drive to set and achieve new goals and pursue interests and may have numerous aches and pains.

To vastly oversimplify the theory: Your body has evolved so that behaviors that helped our ancestors survive harsh conditions - robust daily physical activity - send positive chemical signals to our most fundamental biological systems that say life is good: grow, heal, thrive. Being sedentary and inactive tells those deep wiring and plumbing operations to shut down, decay, die.

This message applies to anyone in the afternoon of their life who seeks an option to the decline, disease and despair of many folks' later decades. And there are options, but - you knew that word was coming - this all requires a big change:

A walk in the park isn't going to do it and a few sessions of gardening is not even close to what is needed to fend off Father Time. A proper exercise program needs to be set up by a fitness professional who can teach you correct exercise technique, monitor the program and change it regularly. If you try and wing it alone you will be disappointed with your results ? or rather lack of them.

Welcome to your "new job," and you will need to apply the same discipline that you would need to apply to any real job if you wish to hold off accelerated, premature aging and the risk of disease. Sit around with beer watching television and you are telling your body it's time to close down, its work on earth is complete. You in effect are creating your own 'shutdown mode' which will make way for younger, stronger more capable beings.

The alternative is continue being highly active especially strength building and maintaining exercise and you will be telling your body, in the code of its most primitive systems that this body is still needed on this earth, keep me strong and healthy as I have stuff to do.