My Nia instructor asked me how old I was last week and I told her.

“I thought much younger,” she said. Thanks, Mom, for the great skin and genes that help me look more youthful. If only my body looked and felt it!

I looked around me at the Tai Chi class I’m taking at a senior center and thought, God, please don’t tell me these are my peers….

Granny’s right, you know, about getting back up. We’re just not as flexible as we were in our youth and don’t I know it from Tai Chi and Nia. We feel stiff, we get aches and pains and generally show signs that our machine is slowing down.

Let’s face it. We’re aging. And we really have to work at staying healthy and mobile.

I don’t know about you, but I get kind of sick of all the “shoulds” thrown at us. All the studies that are so “conclusive.” Take this kind of vitamin. Choke down fatty fish three times a week or more. Get your heartbeat to a certain level for best aerobic benefit. No, don’t do that, do interval training, instead. Lift weights, that’s better. Drink red wine.

It seems like there’s no time to live!

Not everyone can spend hours at the gym, doing yoga or Pilates. Not everyone can afford a trainer.

That’s why I’ve been reading–and summarizing– a handful of easy –and fun– things we can do to promote good health as we age. You’ll start seeing them right now. Scroll down.

And no, this is not at all inconsistent with the Cupcake of the Day! I mean, we’ve gotta have SOME fun, don’t we?