BATON ROUGE — Starting a workout program or being physically active takes motivation and commitment. The key is to start slowly and do something you take pleasure in.

"If you hate swimming, don't try to start to become a swimmer. But (if) you enjoy dancing or other activities, (such as) gardening, those are forms of activity that once you engage in, you increase your consistency and compliance that will have the most health benefits," Nathan Lebrasseur with the Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging said.

Being active can build muscle strength and improve cognitive and cardiovascular health.

"Three percent or 30 minutes a day of our waking hours, if we commit that to physical activity, it will have huge benefits," Lebrasseur said.

And for those young at heart, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week.

"As we get older, dedicating time, purposeful time, to getting some form of aerobic exercise or endurance exercise, like walking or cycling or swimming, and also getting some form of strength training is critically important," Lebrasseur said.