Need some extra motivation to get you out the door for that walk or gym workout? I know the feeling. Some days I feel swamped with work or too tired to exercise…and that’s when we need it the most!

Here are 8 great reasons to schedule exercise time and prioritize it. A regular routine might well save you some of the dollars you’re spending on other anti-aging products!

1. Great Posture – fit people walk tall, tummy in, shoulders back. Think of the hunched-over, shuffling gait of the aged. Not for us!

2. Super Flexibility – fit people can bend over and grab something they’ve dropped, hop out of the way, tie their shoes without groaning, and get themselves out of the bathtub.

3. Youthful Glow – fit people have rosy skin and bright eyes thanks to improved circulation to every cell in the body. We may be getting a few more lines, but who wants to look pasty and dull, too. Not me!

4. Trim Silhouette – fit people look fit. We may be struggling with our meno-pots, the few extra pounds that magically appeared after menopause, but regular exercise keeps us toned and fabulous regardless, and gives us options for trendier clothes when we go shopping. We can bypass that moo-moo rack!

5. Excellent Endurance – fit people can keep up and keep going. Nothing says old like someone who has to sit and watch the action. Need I say more?

6. Sharp Memory – fit people have optimal blood flow to the brain, which delivers oxygen and removes toxins – the toxins that cause inflammation and are associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia. Getting fit will help reduce your risk of memory loss – even if one or both of your parents had or has dementia.

7. Better General Health – fit people have less chronic illness; arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and even some cancers can be prevented by physical activity. Even those who have a medical condition can enjoy improved quality of life and reduction of symptom severity – but exercise must be undertaken with expert advice and direction.

8. You Feel Great! – fit people are happy people, due to the endorphins (hormones of joy) that are released during exertion. Because you’re active, you still feel young, so you are better able to embrace aging and not let it get you down.

Bonus reason: Scientific evidence! We now have proof that physical activity prolongs the life of our very cells. A recent study discovered a compound that protects cells from aging and dying off, and the release of that compound is increased with exercise.

Take a break from whatever you’re doing  - grab your trainers and your pedometer and let’s get out there and move!

Know that you are doing the very best thing you possibly can to slow the aging process - to prevent looking, acting and being old – and it’s free.