"You should not stop exercising as you age, or you will age because you stop exercising."

"Youth is a gift of nature, but age is a work of art."

We should look to our older population with respect, and use their wisdom to make our world of today better. Our elderly friends and neighbors have seen more, experienced more, and in most cases, done more. We should turn to them more.

As you age, changes occur in your bodies. Body fat can start to increase, and you may lose muscle. Glycogen, which supplies energy, tends to diminish. Flexibility may decrease, and your lungs may be less able to supply oxygen during exercise and while performing daily activities.

Of course, notice I used words such as can, may, and less able. A healthy lifestyle can lesson or offset these bodily changes. Many people are in better shape in their 50s and 60s then they were in their 20s. I see this every year in my physical activity classes at NCCU and Duke, where older students, sometimes called nontraditional, outperform my 19 and 20 year olds.

One local lady who stays very active is 96-year-old Mabel Harris, who lives in the Wilton community of Granville County. On a recent visit with her, she only had a few minutes, because she had to leave to drive to Chapel Hill!

Another senior citizen who exemplified how to stay active through the years was Doris Haddock, who recently passed away at the age of 100. Mrs. Haddock lived in New Hampshire. She walked across the country in 1999 and 2000 to raise awareness for a political cause. She was 89 when she started walking in California, and by the time she reached Washington, D.C., 14 months later, Mrs. Haddock was 90 years old. She wasn't through however; in 2004 at the age of 94 she ran for the U.S. Senate. She lost, but received 34 percent of the vote.

Exercise is probably the single most important thing we can do to age successfully. Even in moderate amounts, exercise can help people enjoy life and lower the risk of diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, and some types of cancer.

Decreases in aerobic fitness, strength and flexibility are often accepted as a natural part of aging. These changes may be common, but they are not inevitable. The most significant factor contributing to these declines is lack of regular exercise. Most everyone has heard about the "use it or lose it" rule. How true that is. Unused muscles atrophy, metabolism drops and body fat increases when you don't remain active. Your muscles get stiff, then you don't move as well. Bones become brittle. Not as many "good feel" hormones are produced when you don't move a lot, possibly resulting in depression.

Think for just a moment about the following sentence. Whether aging is an extension of a full and active life or a gradual wasting away is largely determined by how you choose to live your life.

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Here are a couple of tests that are good to measure an elderly person's fitness. Use a 17- inch high folding chair for this first one, or very close to 17 inches. Cross your arms over your chest, and sit straight up. Feet are flat on the floor, shoulder-width. Count the number of chair stands you can do in 30 seconds. If you are a man from 60 to 64 years of age, 14 to 19 is recommended, at 65 to 69 (12 to 18), from 70 to 74 (12 to 17), 75 to 79 (11 to 17), 80 to 84 (10 to 15), 85 to 89 (8 to 14). For a woman 60 to 64, 12 to 17 is recommended. At 65 to 69 (11 to 16), at 70 to 74 (10 to 15) at 75 to 79 (10 to 14) at 80 to 84 (9 to 14), and at 85 to 89 (8 to 13).

For this next test, sit in a chair and hold a pair of 5 pound dumbbells if you are a woman, and a pair of 8 pound dumbbells if you are a man. Stabilize the shoulder and count how many bicep curls you can do in 30 seconds. For men 60 to 64, 18 to 22 repetitions is recommended. At 65 to 69, 15 to 21 is good, and at 70 to 74 (14 to21), at 75 to 79 (13 to19), at 80 to 84 (13 to 18), and at 85 to 89 (11 to 17). For women 60 to 64, 13 to 19 repetitions are recommended, and at 65 to 69 (12 to 18), at 70 to 74 (12 to 17), at 75 to 79 (11 to 17), at 80 to 84 (10 to 16), and at 85 to 89 (10 to 15).

Lewis Bowling teaches at N.C. Central University and Duke University. He is the author of several books on fitness and sports. His Web site is www.lewisbowling.com. Lewis is available to speak to area organizations. He can be reached at 530-6224 and at Lewis_Bowling@yahoo.com.