Would you like to feel and function like age 40 for an extra 25 years? Would you like to have a ton of energy, able to work at something you enjoy? Would you like to be free of many of the physical and mental problems generally considered age related?

You can do it.. Here are ten sure-fire rules to make it happen:

1. Love yourself. Not in a narcissistic sense, but in a spirit of gratitude for the marvelous mind and body your have been given. Those who appreciate what they have are less likely to indulge in food, alcohol, and tobacco abuse, and are less likely to neglect exercise and other anti-aging tactics.

2. Believe its possible to control the aging process. This rule is not easy to accept because life is finite. You look at how family, friends and peers age, and not one of them is getting younger. However, that doesnt mean its not possible to Put Old on Hold. Recall a time in history when the most respected scientific minds decreed the earth was flat? It was an irrefutable truth until someone sailed off into the horizon and returned to talk about the adventure. We have an earth is flat mentality about the aging process. The reality is, we have more control than we think.

3. If you can believe it is possible to put old on hold, then visualize how you want to be when you are 60, 70 and beyond. You must have a clear picture of what you desire and commit to making it happen. That commitment will drive the choices you make about how you live, think and behave.

4. After you accept the first three rules, its essential to educate yourself about what constitutes a healthy anti-aging lifestyle. Your health is your number one priority. Nothing matters more. Pick up free magazines at health food stores they contain informative, well-documented articles. Visit a bookstore and check out the wide variety of books about diet, supplements, and exercise. You must know as much about vitamins as you know about your favorite TV personalities. Its not work, its an exciting journey. Read widely do not latch on to the beliefs of any one health guru. Take your time. Evaluate everything you read. Be ready to change beliefs when it is obvious something else makes more sense.

5. Find a traditionally trained physician who has expertise in anti-aging nutrition and anti-aging medicine. This will help you reach your goal. Another caution: Do not fall in love with your anti-aging physician. Other doctors know even more and it is appropriate to shop around until you find someone who is really in harmony with your thinking and approach to anti-aging.

6. Engage in rigorous mental management. No more negative self talk such as I must be getting old, or Im too old to do that anymore, or Im losing it. Your subconscious is your obedient servant. It listens to everything you say or think about yourself and will help get you where it thinks you want to go, faster than you can imagine.

7. Control lazy, human nature. Even if its ten minutes of walking, do it on a regular basis. Do not engage in mental discussion about being too tired or some other excuse. Just do it. As middle age approaches control thoughts about entitlement. Do not expect or allow others to do for you what you are capable of doing for yourself. Unnecessary dependence is selfish, costly to self-esteem and hastens decline.

8. Do not allow negative comments from others about your appearance, health, or activities to throw you off track. Develop a bulletproof attitude about yourself. When asked how you are your response must always be, I am terrific and believe that you are!

9. Keep a running inventory of your youthful attributes. Only you can determine what they are, and the best way to discover what you value most is to observe old people. What do they do, or how do they live, think or behave that you consider old? When you decide what youthful attributes are important to you, make certain to stay focused on what you want to achieve.

10. Do not retire. If you are healthy, you cannot retire if want a fabulous second life at 60, 70 and beyond. Retirement expedites decline and a poverty-level lifestyle. By age 50 at the latest have an exit plan in place, so at 60 or 65, you can go on to a second career, go back to school, or start a new business.

You wont be too tired for a second career if you have faithfully followed rules 4 and 5. If you have taken care of yourself early in life, you should be in reasonably good to excellent health later on, ready for more than a rocking chair, bingo games or a nursing home.

Those are the rules. Adopt them and put them into action.