WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Mature individuals who see exercise and fitness as a lifestyle are making good use of the fitness facilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. They say they want to see more, younger people joining them.

Kenneth McHenry, 85, retired as an Air Force master sergeant 46 years ago, then had a career as an administrator at Miami Valley Hospital. He works out four to six times per week at Wright Field Fitness Center, Area B.

While he had to quit running in his 70s, he said he has found the elliptical machine to be great for his cardiovascular health three times per week. Free weights, the machines and stretching complete his routine.

All of his six children exercise regularly - including his daughter, Cheryl McHenry, news anchor at WHIO-TV.

"I'd like to see more, younger people here," he remarked, "but I wasn't so diligent when I was younger and busy. I know people are busy. There are periods in your life when you just can't work out regularly. But you have to try."

He said sticking with an exercise routine has had a number of benefits for him.

"I think coming here has helped me with my life," McHenry said. "I'm a more positive, happier person when I work out. And the people you meet at the gym are very nice people with a positive outlook on life."

He enjoys the social aspect of chatting with his fellow "gym rats," he added.

McHenry is philosophical about fitness.

"It's a long process. We don't get in poor shape in a short period of time, and we don't get in great shape in a short period of time either."

He noted that at his age, it takes longer to achieve fitness goals, so "sticking to it" is even more imperative. McHenry is complimentary of the Wright Field Fitness Center and its resources.

"It's a gem. I thank the people on base for providing it," he said. "I'm glad I can still come here and enjoy it."

Charles Elias, 80, retired as a civil servant from the Sensors Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB. He visits Wright Field Fitness Center three days per week and plans his exercise routine so he is working a different set of muscle groups each day. He found a routine online and modified it for his personal use, he said.

"Sometimes you need a change, and I don't have a spotter, so I do things like machine chest presses rather than (weight) bench presses," he noted.

He also uses the elliptical and rower machines. He works out for more than an hour each session, and finds afterward that he is "pleasantly pooped."

He is enthusiastic about what he has found at Wright Field Fitness Center.

"It's a great gym; I've looked at some commercial gyms that are not nearly as well equipped, and the price is right," he laughed. "There is help, if you need it, to show you proper techniques. There is a sense of accomplishment when you work out, and it makes you feel better."

He records the particulars of his workouts, such as the weight and numbers of repetitions.

"Once in a while I slip backwards; you should always be improving," he said, "so that keeps me on my toes."

Louis Wright, 79, is a retired civilian who worked in warehousing, quality assurance and contracting for 36 years after serving four years in the Air Force.

He has been coming to the Wright Field Fitness Center for years three days per week. A doctor advised him to keep running and not take pain medicine. A physical therapist also advised him to keep moving, and he's taken the advice to heart the past 25 years.

"I wasn't thinking about longevity; I was just thinking about my health," Wright said, "how well I can be as long as I do live."

He runs 12 to 15 miles per week outdoors and is not a fan of running on a treadmill. At the fitness center he spends an hour and a half to two hours using the elliptical machine and other equipment.

"Get away from age and numbers," he advised. "Don't be negative. Your body can do a lot. Don't think that you are too old for anything."

He also wants people to be careful about what they eat and where it comes from. His homegrown vegetables are most beneficial to his health, he said. He's also not a fan of hybrids and vegetables scientifically modified to be seedless, for example.

Kirk Links, WPAFB fitness director, said, "You have to exercise, eat right and get your rest, but the mental/social part of your life can be so improved by exercise. So many people say, 'I can't'; you don't hear that from these folks."

People may develop aches and pains as they age, but getting the body moving is key, Links noted. Exercise is one of the best remedies for arthritis.

"Anyone can be fit; it just takes commitment, and these guys have shown it. When you burn energy, you build energy," Links said.