I recently asked a few friends what physical activity they hoped to hang onto as they aged. “I want to be able to get down on the floor with my grandchildren and build with Legos,” said one man. “As for me,” a dear friend responded, it’s to keep my balance as my husband twirls me on the dance floor.”

So what‘s your physical capacity today? What do you plan to do to maintain it? And where would you like to be tomorrow? January seems to be an appropriate time to take stock and honestly answer these questions for yourself. I’m not suggesting any pie-in-the-sky resolutions.

Just make an assessment of yourself and take some action. Don’t wait for an event to happen or your doctor or chiropractor to prescribe. The best reason for exercising is to enhance your life style and maintain your stamina.

It’s easy to place blame on the weather or your age or your infirmities and even your economics as reasons for not staying fit. But come on, aren’t you a member of the generation who trekked all over Europe after college, climbed Pork Chop Hill, built wells in a third world country for the Peace Corps, walked three miles to school and skied Breckenridge before it became fashionable? Of course you are, and then some.

The key to staying fit is to own up to your physical status today and make that your starting point. If you recently had a knee or hip replacement, you may not be able to jog, but you can walk with much less discomfort. Get going…you have a new part to wear out! The pros suggest partners or walking groups. In the winter you can use malls, a large basement or garage.  If you can manage a gym or YMCA membership the treadmills are easy on knees and hips. 

If you are like my friend who wants to get out on the floor and twirl the night away, you need a program that emphasizes flexibility. Bending and stretching are key components that you can incorporate into every day movement in the comfort of your home. Try genuflecting every time your wife praises you, or bend over to pick up your own slippers instead of waiting for your dog.

You can also use TV exercise programs and DVD’s that incorporate plenty of bending and stretching to help maintain a flexible and limber body. The Stability Ball programs on DVD’s are very friendly to those of us who feel our once nimble bodies stiffening.

Several local health care programs support a senior exercise program known as Silver Sneakers.

The Silver Sneakers Fitness Program is oriented to enable older adults to take charge of their health and maintain an active, independent lifestyle. Check with your supplemental health insurance and local fitness programs to find out if Silver Sneakers is available. This program will help maintain and improve strength, flexibility, balance and endurance

As of today, it looks like this part of the country is in for a cold winter with plenty of precipitation. It’s also been especially gray and gloomy. This should not be a deterrent to getting out to exercise or to enjoy winter activities.  If parking and icy sidewalks keep you home, think about using the bus service to get downtown. Meet a friend at one of the many coffee shops. Go to the post office and stand in line. You are bound to meet an old friend or make a new one.

Better yet, in Saratoga stop in our Congresswoman’s office next to the post office and find out what her views are on Social Security, Medicare and tax relief.

You can always take a walk in Congress Park or the Spa Park. What could be more glorious than walking the Avenue of the Pines on a crisp day while the breeze gently blows snow off the tree branches? For the more active there is cross country skiing in the park. The trails are easily marked. And the solitude cannot be beat. An hour on the trails is worth a dozen sessions with a therapist.

The Spa Park often floods an area near the golf pro shop for skating. The rink is probably not used much on weekdays. So go ahead, give it try if you have fond memories and good balance.

We are also fortunate in this community to have two indoor skating rinks.

It’s quite possible that you and your friends or spouse will be among a handful of people on the slopes on a weekday. Get back into down hill skiing or freshen-up your skills. Believe it or not, the down hill ski industry is targeting you.  Several new teaching programs have been perfected to help older skiers renew confidence and technique. The ski industry views the 55-year-old and older person as a strong component of its customer base. Even the instructors of these programs are 55 years old or older. The theory is that they understand your body and its possible limitations.

As the sages say, “ If you don’t use it, you lose it.” So, bend and stretch, reach and screech but stay fit.