Why Regular Exercise Becomes More Important as You Age

An NPR broadcast this morning discussed the importance of exercise for aging people. As people get older they lose muscle mass, meaning your body weight can stay the same but your percentage of body muscle decreases.  Muscle repair also becomes much slower during your “golden years.”

Carrying muscle means burning calories,  affecting your weight, health and body shape. Cheryl Phillips, president of the American Geriatrics Society Cheryl Phillips says “aging muscles actually contribute to the increase in the amount of fat we store in our bodies.”

What should you do about it?  Before you get out of your chair and start doing yoga, listen to the program online to learn more details about “why we gain weight as we age.”

• Link: National Public Radio