When you re getting older and thinking of retirement, you ll want to consider the quality of your health during the golden years of your life. You don t want to have worked all those years getting ready for the life of your dreams and suddenly be bogged down by health concerns.

The best thing you can do for yourself starting right now is just some good old-fashioned exercise. As you age, there are four areas that can begin to deteriorate: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.

The good news is that if you take the right steps and research what areas you need to focus on, you can maintain these areas for many years to come. Just by getting up and being active, doing things like gardening and going for brisk walks, you can have a big impact on the quality of your health.

You might think that you have to jog or lift weights to get a real workout. Or, you may worry that you could end up hurting yourself by jumping into some strict exercise regiment.

The key is to start with baby steps and slowly work your way up. Your body will tell you how much you can handle. If you want to start running, go for a brisk walk for a few day or weeks until you feel confident enough to move a little faster. If you re a golfer, try playing half the course on your feet instead of using the cart.

Here are a few types of exercise you ll want to consider:

Strength exercises are very important. You will begin to lose muscle mass as you age and keeping those muscles strong and healthy will prevent this from happening. Even short and simple exercises can go a long way.

Flexibility exercises are key and easy to do. You don t have to do advanced yoga or turn yourself into a pretzel to do the job. Just some simple stretches each day will work in your favor. Doing these exercises will help you keep your balance and may help in preventing falls.

Endurance exercises will keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system in great shape. Just get your heart pumping in whatever way possible. It doesn t have to be a track meet; a brisk walk four times a week with friends can do wonders.

Balance exercises, like standing on one leg for a few minutes each day, can help a lot as well. These sorts of exercises maintain that vital mind-body connection.

The great thing about different exercises is that one will often complement the other. You can vary your regimen throughout the week and explore all the different and fun ways to exercise.