Book excerpt: According to former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, inactivity among Americans is reaching crisis proportions. Sixty percent are not active on a regular basis, and one in four are not active at all. Yet medical science has proven that keeping fit is the key to staying young, and as you get older, regular exercise and good eating habits–or their absence–will be crucial to determining the quality and enjoyment of your life. In this book you will learn: •17 benefits to staying active after 40 •8 tips for those who don’t have time to stay in shape •Common injuries and how to avoid them •Practical ways to remaining healthy and active after retirement •11 ways to stay motivated •How to eat right for weight control •7 reasons why crosstraining is important for those over 40 •11 indicators that you may be training too hard • Vitamins and minerals: what you need and why you need them Features critical advice for your forties, fifties, and beyond from nine experts in the fields of exercise, health, nutrition, and counseling: • compiler, author,and triathlete Don Otis • author and physician Andrew Seddon, M.D. • world recognized nutritionist Judy Lindberg-McFarland • author and Barley Green® founder Mary Ruth Swope, Ph.D. • counselor and health psychologist Gregory Jantz, Ph.D. • sports agent Maryanna Young • pastor and Ironman triathlete Jeff Mitchum • vice president of Focus on the Family and runner Tom Mason • personal trainer/fitness educator Laurie Ellsworth