Last week I went to the gym with my dad.

Whenever I get the chance I try to do a session with him. He goes to the gym five days a week and has done since I was a small boy.

I grew up thinking everybody’s dad did the same. He won’t mind me telling you that it’s his birthday next week – he’ll be 68.

I know a lot of the staff and members at the gym he uses, and they often tell me how amazing he is and marvel at his strength. To me he’s just my dad, and it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

And do you know what? It shouldn’t be out of the ordinary. Age is no reason to stop being active and slip into a sedentary lifestyle. All the research tells us that continuing with an active lifestyle as we get older helps to stave off a myriad of conditions.

These can include, but are not limited to, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, type two diabetes and dementia. Many of these conditions are lifestyle related conditions, or at the very least have some element of lifestyle that affects them.

I am a great advocate of staying active, whatever your age or perceived limitations. This week some of my clients have included a 67-year-old grandmother, a 74-year-old retired fireman, a client with MS and a young lady with cystic fibrosis who had a double lung transplant three years ago.

All of them have one thing in common – they understand the importance of staying active despite their age or physical limitations. Getting active doesn’t mean you have to go and run a marathon, but you must do something.

Get out walking, go swimming or get in the garden and play some games with the children or grandchildren. Once you have made that start then you can start to build it up.

You should join the local gym. When I go to the gym I use I’m constantly amazed by the number of new members who are just starting on their new active lifestyle and the range of ages there.

So what’s your excuse? Don’t use age as one of them because, as you can see, that one doesn’t wash.

The biggest killer in America is, wait for it, inactivity!