As you near or hit retirement, it may seem like life is about to get a lot easier. You won't have to work any more, you'll have plenty of time to spend with friends and family and doing what you love. You might even think that you can slow down or stop dieting or exercising, because the "hard" part of your life is over and now's the time for ease and fun.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. You might even say that being in good shape is even more important as you get older because as you age systems start to slow down or shut down. Older people lose their ability to balance, their stamina and their strength.

Even if you've been in good shape up to now, if you stop working out regularly you'll start losing muscle mass fast. You also lose bone mass as you age, making broken bones more of a possibility (especially considering the lack of balance that contributes to more falls).

But if you keep exercising (or start, if you've never done so before) you can slow many of the side effects of aging and in some cases even stop them in their tracks. Even something as simple as walking every day will keep your major body systems in good working order, keeping your bones strong.

What's more, exercising may help delay or prevent the onset of dementia or age-related memory loss, which is something a lot of seniors rightly fear. Keeping the blood pumping keeps your brain healthy as well as the rest of your body.

Being in good shape, along with eating sensibly, may also keep you from getting some diseases that are among the more common causes of death, things like heart disease and other cardiovascular problems and certain types of cancer.

Good health protects everything from your vision to your attitude, your energy levels to your level of happiness, your ability to play with the grandkids and the quality of your sex life. It's no underestimation to say that being in good shape can make your whole life better.

The best part is, getting in shape and staying that way doesn't have to take a big commitment in terms of time, money, or space for workout equipment in your house. All it really takes is a commitment from you to make your life and your health better than it has ever been before so you will have the freedom to do whatever you want with your retirement years.

Jackie Orman is an expert at helping baby boomer and seniors get and stay healthy through diet and exercise plans. Learn more at Fitnaire.com.