Retirement weight gain/loss

[ArkTinkerer]

Don't know if this belongs here or in the health forum but I choose this spot as its about lifestyle more than health--

Last couple years at megacorp have been stressful and deskbound. Joys of good food have continued to put a few pounds on every year.

In the past, vacations have resulted in either weight gain or loss depending on the season and the activities. Obviously, Thanksgiving/Christmas tend to be weight gain times. But when those times cross with hunting trips I either stayed the same or went down. Walking the outdoors, hauling game out of the woods tends to burn calories! Other times when I was working on a household project I might lose weight as well. I'm not one to do the gym or treadmills. If I'm going to expend effort it usually needs to have a result beyond weight loss.

What did most of you see in your weight after ER? Up, down, or the same?

ArkTinkerer

 

[Moemg]

My weight went up slightly after retirement . I then decided to lose some . I lost thirty pounds and have maintained the loss for five years .

 

[rodi]

I've only been retired 3 months. I'm *not* dieting (I don't do well on "diets" even though I need to lose weight.) I've lost 10 lbs... probably due to my frequent dog walks on the beach. (I go 4-5 days a week now.)

Also - my Italian class is on the 5th floor - and the elevator is broken... so I hike up 5 flights of stairs a few times a week. Walking down is much easier than climbing up.

 

[imoldernu]

About the same after 25 years. Less muscle, more fat.

 

[jjquantz]

Remains to be seen but the first indications, the intention and past history all point to a weight loss. I have always had a yearly cycle with a maximum weight in the February/March time frame and a minimum usually in October. This has typically been about an 8-10 pound range minimum to maximum. This tracks very closely to my level of activity throughout the year, I've always been able to be more active in the warmer months.

I fully expect my cold month activity level to be much higher in retirement than before. I should be able to get outside and workout during the warmer days and I am now well set up to ride a trainer inside. Also, darkness will no longer be an issue with outside workouts.

My first 3 weeks of retirement seem to indicate a 2-3 pound loss, but this is about the same as my daily/weekly variation, so I don't know yet but I am hopeful!

I'm interested in responses to see if I have cause to be optimistic.

 

[Walt34]

I lost 10-15 lbs after retirement and have pretty much stayed there since with occasional gains/losses in the 5-10 lb range.

 

[athena53]

I lost about 15 lbs. a few years ago and am at the weight I was when I got out of HS. I retired 5 months ago and have stayed at that level- probably a little more eating but a little more exercise, too.

 

[Cassie]

My weight went down. I was going to Weight Watchers before I retired Jan, 2014. I find it easier to sick to a healthy program and am at the lowest weight ever. I still have some to go, oh and now I walk 2x a week with the local Senior group.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Good question!!! I have been curious about this too as have added on a few (or more) pounds over the last 8-10 years of my w*rking years. It has been difficult to try and "fit in" exercise, so I fully hope that once retired, it will be one of my top priorities. I figure that if you're dead, than busting your rear to RE would be for naught.

 

[David1961]

After 2 years, I have lost about 20 lbs. I attribute this mostly to drinking less soda and exercising more. Coke and Pepsi got me through many long days at work.

 

[MichaelB]

We all deal with stress differently, my way included lots of coffee and cigarettes but less eating. After quitting my job I gained 25 lbs., and I must say I enjoyed every mouthful.

I lost most of it soon afterwards, and just recently had a tailor take in the last work suit I bought - it's too big and baggy. Like hesolderthanme, there has been an unintentional transformation from muscle to fat.

Here are a couple of related threads some may enjoy browsing

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/gain-or-lose-weight-at-retirement-start-69722.html

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/did-retirement-improve-your-health-61265.html

 

[braumeister]

My last couple of years of w*rk were somewhat stressful, so I was up about 20 pounds over my ideal weight.

Once retired, I lost all the excess over about two years. Then I had some injuries that precluded most of my usual outdoor activities and exercise, so I gained gradually until I was 25 pounds over ideal.

That annoyed the hell out of me, so I got serious about my diet and lost nearly all the excess again. I've been stable at about 5 pounds overweight for the last couple of years. My plan is to take those last five pounds of by the end of this year and try to keep it stable thereafter.

The biggest help has been my conversion to a low-carb, high-fat diet.

 

[uncaD]

After 10 months of retirement, I have dropped about 15 lbs. I've been going to the gym every morning and taking long walks most afternoons when i would otherwise have been chained to a desk. Blood pressure has dropped from 120/80 to 90/60.

 

[FIREd]

I gained about 15 lbs. But... I've lost 2 pant sizes (from 34 down to 32). I've lost some fat around the waist and gained some muscles, especially in my legs. All that hiking and walking is having an effect, even though I am not doing it primarily for exercise.

 

[Lakedog]

I am down 30 lbs (from around 210 at retirement) primarily due to going to a low carb diet. I run and/or bike daily and lift weights 3 days a week. Retirement allows lots of time to stay in shape and have fun doing it (kayak, paddle board, swim, bike, hike).

 

[Ronstar]

I'm down 28 lbs since retiring April 2nd. I normally lose some weight during the summer, primarily due to running more. But I quit running last year and I weigh less now than I did in past summers. I am walking a lot more, and I've drastically reduced beer consumption and improved my diet to fend off LPR(throat acid reflux). So maybe the diet changes are causing the additional weight loss. We'll see in the winter when I normally gain the summer's losses back.

 

[Animorph]

I'm in the same weight range I've always maintained, though it seems I have to eat less and less to stay there. Travelling doesn't help.

 

[pb4uski]

I hadn't really measured it but luckily I had a physical about a month before I retired and had the report. I'm 7 1/2 pounds heavier and would like to lose 30 or so but not so much that I'm really doing much about it.

 

[Khan]

Lost 80# in first 3 years of retirement.
Have gained back 15 in last year, need to get back on track.

 

[Unpaintedhuffhines]

Once I locked in my retirement date, proceded to lose 30 pounds. Not traveling 75% of the time and going out to incredibly large numbers of customer dinners (cocktails, wine, more cocktails) probably didn't hurt.

Also have been working with a personal trainer for 8 months. Goal is to get into the best shape of my life. I am getting closer every day.

 

[jimbee]

By three months after my retirement earlier this year, I lost 10 pounds of weight and 10 points off my blood pressure measurement.

 

[martyp]

After 3 years of RE my weight has remained about the same. I had the flu earlier in the year and lost my appetite for most of the week. I lost weight but regained it since. My weight has always been on the high side of normal.

 

[48Fire]

Lost 15 pounds, and gained more muscle.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[unno2002]

[FONT=&quot]From retirement 2 years ago this month, I'm down 55 pounds. Attributed to less… junk during the day, less stress, less sitting at a desk 10+ hours per day, running errands on my bicycle… whatever, it means I "get even" by hopefully collecting my pension for a longer period of time…[/FONT]
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[Katsmeow]

I have lost 46.5 pounds. DH lost 75 pounds. I did have one stretch of time (when we moved to our current house) when I regained some, but I've lost all that and am at my lowest weight in many years.