If you are in your 60s and 70s and used to exercise, are you better off that people your age that don’t do as much?

I am a year off 60, and am in great shape.
I have had an active lifestyle, playing sport in teams at school, and Uni. Cycling everywhere as a young woman in my 20s til I could afford a car.
Skiing holidays, walking holidays where 10 to 12 miles a day is normal, Hardly ever have a whole day sitting by a pool or on a beach on holiday
Have also done exercise classes since being a student, and have done aerobics, spinning and added yoga and Pilates in the last 10 years. Needed to do 2 classes a week to make belonging to the gym worth it.

Just back from a week hiking and did 11 miles one day, and 6 to 8 the others.

Will be booking skiing for Next winter soon.

Also garden a lot.

I have a normal BMI, very low blood pressure, and the only medication I am on is HRT and antihistamines for hayfever.

I feel strong and fit and about the same as I did in my mid 40s.

So yes, a daily walk of 40 mins and a daily Pilates 20 mins and some gardening, and active holidays is setting me up for an active retirement

My friend’s yoga teacher is in her 80s.

My DPs are early 70s. They've both always been fairly active and both have had a personal trainer for the last 10(?) years. My dad has had two knee replacements but otherwise, they definitely look much fitter than a lot of their peers. A few of their friends have really started to shuffle rather than walk, for example, or are hunched over whereas my DPs are striding around everywhere and look much younger than they are. I think it's made a huge difference.

Also following with interest.

My mum is 75 and has always been super active - she still walks miles every day and has loads of energy. Compared to my in laws of the same age who have always been quite sedentary and now can’t walk far and tire out easily. But otherwise in good health.

Following with interest. I want to be active but my idea of relaxing is hunkering down on the sofa. Both parents still pretty fit and active - one late 60s one early 70s, with one being much more active than the other in terms of exercise when younger, but both were always on the go.

I can see that my 80 year old neighbour who still mows her lawn, and my mum’s mid 70s neighbours who do a lot of walking are in a much better state than my mid 70s mum who disapproves of walking.