What is it that makes us feel old? It is a common human desire to want to find the fountain of youth. As we age, we look at the young and wonder why we don t have the energy we did when we were young. It is inevitable that our bodies eventually wear out. However many of us get old long before our time.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is one thing that we can do to help delay the aging process. Many of the disabilities associated with aging are actually hastened by the increased stress being overweight puts on the body.

Obesity can cause wear and tear to joints, reduce exercise capacity, contribute to the development

of arthritis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Obesity can make simple things like shopping exhausting and difficult. This often leads to less activity, which in turn leads to a loss of muscle strength and mass, which further reduces activity. This downward cycle accelerates the aging process.

When you are at a healthy body weight movements are easier and less tiring. Losing excess weight and increasing your activity level, will gradually help you look and feel younger. You will find that you have more energy as you go through your day.

What makes us act and feel old has as much to do with our fitness level as it does with the number of years we have lived. Wrinkles are not the

only pointers of aging, there also tends to be a loss of muscle and bone strength resulting in slouching posture and inactivity.

Building muscle helps in two ways, it makes our body look and feel better and it also boosts metabolism. Researchers have discovered that what was once thought to be inevitable the gradual loss of muscle that happens after 40, leading to a frail old age can be reversed through strength training. Here is where the adage use it or lose it fully applies.

Additionally the decline in the body s production of the human growth hormone (HGH), which begins around age 25 and increases after age 50, contributes to the aging process and increased fat stores. You can

increase your body s production of HGH through strength training, leading to an increase in muscle mass, improved bone strength and less stored fat.

It would seem that increasing activity may be the closest thing that we have to a natural anti-aging formula. So if you want to feel and look younger get moving and permanently shed some pounds.

As always check with your doctor before implementing any exercise program.

Susan Derry
Professional Counselor & Life Coach Co-creator of a Healthy [http://www.remainthin.com]Weight Loss System Offers a free report: [http://www.remainthin.com/freereport.html]Weight Loss Myths Exposed