When runner Eileen Min suffered a stress fracture in her left femur in 2011, her normal regimen of running didn’t help her heal.

“I was getting so frustrated trying to get over it,” said Min, a retired Aliamanu Elementary School teacher from Pearl City.

Then a friend referred her to personal trainer Myles Dias, a certified senior fitness specialist, and Min was back on her feet in no time. Min discovered what Dias has preached for years: Age isn’t a barrier to fitness.

“Myles has really helped me to maintain my mobility and independence, and I’m really grateful to him,” said Min, who’s now 70. “As I get older, I don’t want to lose my independence and mobility, because I see so many people even younger than me lose their mobility. They get retired and have no plan about what they want to do. I became busier during my retirement than I was while I was a teacher.”

She’s definitely busy. Min practices taiko drumming, yosakoi dancing, jewelry and memory book crafting and runs marathons. She’s completed the Honolulu Marathon four times since 2010. And Min trains regularly with Dias, often focusing on core strength to prevent — and repair — injuries.

“Because of the activities that I do, like running, you have to make sure your ankles and legs are strong enough that you don’t sprain them or fall and injure yourself,” Min said. “By using the core, it will help the areas that you injured so not all the pressure is on that particular area.”

Dias, host of “Future of Senior Fitness,” a new Olelo Community Television series created to educate older adults, said the biggest myth about good health and older adults is that staying in shape is pointless because their bodies are going to decline regardless of exercise.

Seniors can have vibrant, active, healthy lives after retirement, said Dias, 61.

“Getting older doesn’t mean we have to get decrepit,” said Dias, whose clients’ ages range from 56 to 90. “Many symptoms we associate with old age, like weakness and poor balance are actually symptoms of inactivity, not old age. If we continue to stay strong and agile as we age, we can keep enjoying the things we enjoy and are less likely to need help, and that will assist us with our quality of life and to remain independent for as long as we can.”

The recipe for such an independent life, Dias said, includes stretching, yoga, tai chi and swimming in a pool for flexibility; resistance training to support joints and bones, which become brittle with age; and biking, swimming and brisk walking for cardiovascular health.

“Balance exercises can help prevent falls by improving ability to control and maintain your body’s position, whether you are moving or still,” he said. “Being flexible significantly reduces the chance of experiencing occasional and chronic back pain.”

To get this message to more seniors, Dias worked with Olelo to air 14 episodes on senior health topics and training throughout 2016 and into 2017. He’s excited about the broadcast program that will help more seniors take charge of their health.

“I can reach more people, and I can also have doctors and other professionals in the community to help support the message,” he said.

The series, “Future of Senior Fitness,” airs at 5:30 p.m. Saturdays on Olelo Channel 54. Each episode will air four times before the next one airs. The March episode is “The Impact of Aging on the Neurological Systems.” Episodes can also be viewed at futureofseniorfitness.com.

Co-produced by Dias, the series will feature health specialists, including guests from the Queen’s Medical Center and the American Diabetes Association of Hawaii.

Becoming healthy doesn’t require a gym. Outdoor activity is a great alternative. Min looks forward to her outdoor sessions with Dias, calling them one of the best parts about staying fit.

“We find a shady spot in a park under a tree,” she said. “The open environment, breathing the fresh air instead of the air conditioning, I found it more pleasing, more pleasant. And just being with nature, you overall feel better.”