It's never too late to transform your health. Don’t let your age, weight, fitness level, or busy schedule hold you back from enjoying exercise. Exercise helps you maintain your build, reduce stress, feel younger, build endurance, strengthen your heart and lungs, and maintain healthy bones and joints. If that's not convincing enough, exercise can help lower your cholesterol, prevent high blood pressure, and reduce your risk of developing coronary heart disease. So what's stopping you? Here are some fun fitness activities that are appropriate for the young, the not-so-young, and the young at heart.

Walk the Walk
Walking is an easy way for anyone and everyone to get into shape. Walk during your lunch with a friend, after dinner with your spouse, take your dog for a jog, or hit the mall for some power walking (and power shopping). Invest in a good pair of running shoes and buy a pedometer so you can track your progress and set long-term goals. Once you're comfortable with walking, mix up your routine by interval training—slowly integrate short periods of jogging and running into your normal walking routine.

Dive In
For an invigorating total-body workout that is also refreshing, head to the nearest pool and start splashing. Swim laps, sign up for water aerobics, or play water games with your kids. The buoyancy of water relieves 90 percent of your body weight, which means you can get an amazing cardiovascular workout without putting stress on your muscles and joints.

Stretch Yourself Thin
Stretching is an important component of exercising that is often overlooked. Stretching on a daily basis can improve your flexibility, circulation, balance, and posture. By stretching tense muscles and concentrating on steady, even breathing, you can help reduce stress and create a meditative state of serenity. If you enjoy the relaxing quality of stretching, but also want to slim your waistline and tone your muscles, try yoga or Pilates.

Put on Your Dancin' Shoes
Dancing is a great way to relieve stress, get your heart rate going, and have fun—so find the beat and get your groove on. Invest in an upbeat dance workout video, go out dancing with a group of friends, or take a walk on the wild side and sign up for belly dancing or another dance class.

Start Cycling
Looking for a fun way to elevate your heart rate and make you feel like a kid again? The answer may be collecting dust in your own garage. Next time the sun is shining, break out your old bike and start cycling your way toward better health. Try biking around your neighborhood, try cycling in the park for a change of scenery, or get ambitious and start riding your bike to work. Don’t forget your helmet and a bottle of water!

* Always consult a physician before starting a new fitness regimen.