It should come as no surprise that scientists and medical experts have determined that remaining active can extend your lifetime.

It’s kind of amusing because we have always known that being a couch potato is not going to do much for your health. Laying back, watching TV, eating pizza and sucking down cans of beer or soda has never been considered a healthy lifestyle. But now there is solid information indicating that the obvious is true, that remaining active will not only help you in better shape, it will actually add years to your existence.

This runs directly in opposition to what appears to be the ultimate goal of all working people. Retirement. For many, retirement is like the light at the end of the tunnel. The reasons to work are many. Some work because they have to. Others actually enjoy working and being productive. But either way, the idea that we will reach a point where we can retire and live out the rest of our life in relative ease is an almost universal concept.

The problem is that retirement generally comes at a time in life when it is more important than ever to remain active. Obviously, we are not going to be able to maintain, at 60 or 70, the pace we were able to keep at 30. But we can benefit greatly from, as my old Italian friend used to say, “keep a go”.