health after retirement

[Khan]

Has your health improved since retiring?

personally:

lost 40 pounds
blood pressure is down
headaches tapered off to none for last several months
no more tooth grinding in sleep (once cracked a filling)
almost no back or knee pain

I think my hair has ceased turning gray

[LakeRat]

My blood pressure is down, my weight is down, and my over all health seems to have improved greatly since the days when I set the alarm for 4AM and scrambled to get to work on time.....Life for me has improved 10 fold. Wish I had listened to others and had done it sooner....

[AltaRed]

Retired only 4.5 months so far. *But can say I have made progress on:
- virtually ceased having to take Alka Seltzer for heartburn et al
- no headaches as a result of sleeping in to 8am
- less teeth grinding as well during my sleep
- more easy going and less irritable - as indicated by family members

But alas, no measurable weight taken off yet, though I have started a stronger exercise program.

[burch64]

I have been retired six years, I lost 20 pounds the first year of retirement and I have managed to keep it off.

I am able to excercise every day (walking) and sleep until I want to get up in the morning.

[windsurf]

My blood pressure is down from a typical 140's over 90's to 120's over 70's.* As I was "tapering" at work for the last year, my workouts became and remained regular.* Now, I am motivated by the availability of a 32 million dollar rec center on the campus of the university where I am pursuing my MFA.* The problem has become keeping my weight workouts from being too frequent!* Of course, there are some very fit kids who toss around mega weights but I am still one of the few who uses 50 lb or more dumbbells for my curl sets.* Also, I sometimes load the leg press sled up toward 850 lbs for my final reps.* I don't do squats out of concern of too much spine compression.* Mentally, I actually did better on the gre last year than I had as a 22 year old. It's fun to do this anonymous bragging!* 58 years old.

[Zoocat]

So far, so good for me as well. Blood pressure down from 135/75 to 118/70. Constant depression moderated to the occasional blue day. Exercising lots more, hiking mostly.*Since I moved from the midwest, I now get to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Almost every day I wake up with a smile and hug my dog, happy to be me at this time of my life!*

[jclarksnakes]

Windsurf,
...You have plenty to brag about. Sounds like you have an ideal situation there and are using it to good advantage. Good on you.
jc

[audreyh1]

Yes - it's way better. I have lots of time to exercise, not to mention much less stress in my life.

Audrey

[Martha]

I just took a one month trial membership at a gym. As I am not working much, I can go during the off hours and not be part of the big after work and before work rush.

Winter is on its way. We just got home from a trip and it is 42 degrees. I really have a hard time exercising in the winter. Especially when I used to go to work in the dark and come home in the dark.

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AltaRed - no headaches as a result of sleeping in to 8am

After I went from working too much to a part time schedule, my frequent migraines disappeared to nearly none. I told my doctor and she said it could be less stress but more likely it was menopause--less hormones. That probably isn't the case with you tho Alta.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khan Has your health improved since retiring?

"I'm in the best shape of my life!"

Nearly two years later, I still am...

[Khan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords "I'm in the best shape of my life!" Nearly two years later, I still am...

I'm not in the 'best shape of my life', but am of the last 10 years.

[sgeeeee]

Since I retired I've lost weight, excercise daily, feel better, sleep better, have better luck, and beautiful women won't leave me alone. Well . . . I did lose weight and feel better.

[LRS]

I finally got to a frame of mind where I could take time out to excersize and try to lose weight. While I was working fulltime, I had to be either at work, at my kids' school, taking the kids to appointments, grocery shopping or cleaning house. Period. 5 hours a night for sleep, the rest of it was earmarked for chores.

Now I work half time, I get a full night's sleep, I have lost 25 lbs (although I have 25 to go). I think the worst thing about working full time was not getting enough sleep--I slept about 5 hours a night for 5 years (and I gained 40 pounds during those years).

So yes, my mental and physical health are much better now.

[magellan_nh]

Siince retiring just over a year ago I definitely feel better.

Like many of the other posters, I get a lot more exercise. In my case it's taking my dog for a hike for an hour or so each day. Before I wouldn't get out nearly as much.

One thing that was strange was that my hip used to bother me when I went on long walks. It kept up for the first 6 mos. or so after I retired, then went away completely.

Oh, the healing powers of the slacker lifestyle...

Jim

[scrinch]

Quote:

One thing that was strange was that my hip used to bother me when I went on long walks. It kept up for the first 6 mos. or so after I retired, then went away completely.

So how are you getting along with only one hip?

Quote:

We just got home from a trip and it is 42 degrees.

It was 84 here in sunny northern California today (but El Nino will slam us with another wet winter, I bet.)

[youbet]

I've been RE for 11 weeks and so far it hasn't been all that good for my health, or at least my conditioning.* I love to prepare big meals on the Weber and wash them down with lotsa wine and now I have plenty of time for that.* We've had everyone we ever knew over for cocktails on the patio.* We went on two vacations where fabulous meals were part of the package.* I have yet to join a local health club to replace the one I used daily at work.* So, gotta let up on the fun hog stuff as the initial three months of RE celebration comes to a halt!* No serious damage done yet, but there's no doubt that this can't keep up indefinitely!* It's just been so damn much fun!*

Oh, it's not all bad.* Despite a reduction in exercise, excessive alcohol consumption, meals that take 15# of charcoal to cook and all that, my BP is down and DW reports my "attitude on life" is much improved.* Just call me "Mr. Mellow."

I'm doing a three day paddle in northern Wisconsin in early October that I need to tone up a little for.* Looks like I better use that as the stake in the ground to get this turned around.............



*

[audreyh1]

Yeah, youbet, you gotta pace that high living!!!

[And you're right - you gotta get that exercise going to counteract all the indulging you now have time for. The good news is that you now have time to do BOTH]

Audrey

[grumpy]

I can't say that my health has improved since retiring. It was not that great before and is gradually getting worse. I had major back surgery at age 18 and now have arthritis, bone spurs, deteriorating discs, etc., etc. I was on various anti-inflamatory meds for years until my digestive system rebelled. Now I take prescription narcotics. I live with a constant level of pain and significant limitations on physical activity. I had testicular cancer 23 years ago and I never fully bounced back in terms of stamina from the heavy radiation treatements. Although I keep my weight reasonable with lap swimming and walking, my BP got high enough this year that the doctor put me on medication for it. I also am on Zocor for high cholesterol. My medicine cabinet looks like a pill factory! I will turn 60 on my next birthday. At the rate my health is deteriorating, I am trying to enjoy life as much as possible now. We leave for a three week Mediterranean cruise in a month. I have started going back to the acupuncturist I used when we lived in Maryland before FIRE. Its a 120 mile round trip drive but it is worth it. I tried a local acupuncturist but her treatments just didn't give me the pain relief.

Of course, all of these conditions would probably be much worse if I was still working. That was one of the primary reasons I retired when I did.

Grumpy

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet I'm doing a three day paddle in northern Wisconsin in early October that I need to tone up a little for.*

What are you paddling? The Brule? Be forwarned, the water is low.