Growing old healthily - start exercise as soon as you can, and do not stop

Have you ever wondered how old people in your sport club are so good?

If so, you might also have these kind of thoughts crossed your mind:
-- "He is thirty years older than me and can beats me to pulp."
-- "I wish I can be as strong as that guy when I am older."
-- "He has been at it for hours. How can he do that? I'm already out of my breath."

Do you want to know how do they do that?
I think I have an idea. Try reading my story.

An example drawing of a muscular old man,
Senzaemon Nakiri from a Japanese cooking manga - Shokugeki no Soma
(I do not own any rights to the image, just use it for demonstration purposes only) 

I am quite an active person exercising 4-5 or sometimes 6 days a week doing things like badminton, swimming, body workouts, and occasionally running.
Since I started my active lifestyle, I have met two amazing old dudes (sorry for calling other people 'old' but I have no bad intention and I think it's easy to understand).
One is an incredible badminton player, another is a phenomenal swimmer. Both of them are ~30 years older than me.

Putting their ages aside, they are so much better in the sport than me.
Of course they have been doing what they are doing long before me and have advantages in term of experience but it is not only that to make them great.
They are both physically and mentally very healthy. That is the thing that makes me admire them and wish I can be as healthy as they are when I get older.

Thinking of how can I achieve that, here are what I got from getting to know them.

They started doing their sport since they were much younger and, this is the most important part, they don't stop. Both of them are very disciplined, coming to exercise very regularly. I hardly see them absent unless they have something really important
-- That's the physically healthy part.

In addition to that, they also enjoy talking and teaching any newbies they see might need help. They make friends and share their experiences.
-- That's what keeps their mental health in check.

Seeing these two men inspire me to live a happy and healthy life as they do.

We all can't stop growing older, but we can choose how we will get older.

From what I have seen, if you do it right you can even be physically stronger than you are today when you are old.

So what are you waiting for?
Start today.
It doesn't have to be a physically demanded sport or activity.
Find something you enjoy and keep doing it.
Push yourself little by little. Make friends. And stay healthy.
Let's grow old healthily together.