Gain or Lose Weight At Retirement Start?

[CyclingInvestor]

My all time high weight was in my retirement month 7 years ago. Since then I have lost steadily but very slowly, about 60 lbs so far, mainly from eating better. I still have a ways to go.

[Ozstache]

Only 2.5 months into ER here, but l have lost about 1kg and one belt notch in that time and am very near my ideal weight now. That and at least 30 mins walking a day plus a bit of a tan from the sun and people keep telling me I look great, and I feel it too!

[racy]

About 2 months before retiring, I focused on losing weight and lost 30 lbs. Mostly by choosing better food and avoiding second helpings. I've kept it off by hitting the treadmill in the morning and walking with my dog pal a couple of miles in the afternoon. Speaking of better food, here's a great recipe for homemade granola: Megan's Granola Recipe - Allrecipes.com

[jowi]

It all depends on your lifestyle. One person could sit at home 'bored' too much and if they tend to eat when they do that and if they aren't active, then they'd probably gain weight. If you keep busy so your eating doesn't increase and increase your activity, then you might lose weight. My DH retired last year and has hardly missed a day at the gym. That's not my cup of tea - I prefer to work out here at home (treadmill/TV is my daily workout and I like to hike or take walks with the dog). The stories he tells about the people at the gym ... don't know WHY he likes going! Other than that, he's either playing his guitar or working around the house - he keeps busy. Finding healthy hobbies that don't include eating or sitting around (for example, NOT baking combined with video gaming, lol) and you should be good

[Rena]

I've only been retired 2 months but I am surprised that I haven't lost weight. I really thought it would fall off once I stopped the stress eating and sitting at a desk all day. I'm more active and eating better ( I think ) but my weight has stayed the same. Hopefully after the holidays dh and I can both revamp our diet. I also plan to join a gym in the new year so that "should" help.

[RAE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut Thanks to retirement I starting eating real food, the kind that takes some time to prepare. Out went the easy convenient foods high in sugar, highly processed and containing all sorts of odd sounding things. As a result I am down about 25 pounds and almost 4 inches off the old waistline. :-) I also exercise more. The main benefit is increased endurance and more 'energy' during the day. I do not attribute the weight loss to exercise, that is probably 90%+ the difference in the foods I eat.

Yes, my experience is very similar to Chuckanut's. I lost 20 lbs. within a few months after retiring, after improving my diet. Cut way back on my consumption of processed foods, which is probably responsible for most of it. Since then (almost 4 years) I have maintained the new weight and improved my fitness as a result of more exercise. So, retirement was a very good thing for me, in terms of improving my health and fitness. Yeah, I should have done this before retirement, but it's much harder to do when work (and daily commute) occupies so much of your time.

[Moscyn]

Retired 3 years. At the first year, I did not lose much weight - was celebrating too much. I lost around 5 lbs the second year due to more exercise. Since then I have experimented with losing more but realised that my ideal weight is 111lbs, so I just try to maintain this.

[NW-Bound]

No change immediately after full retirement, but then I had been working sporadic part-time for 10 years. BMI had been 25, but recently is down to as low as 22. It's 23 right now. I am lean and really mean.

[gardenfun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donheff First 7 years no change. My stress levels dropped, I continued exercising regularly, and I added in cycling (near 100 miles/week) but continued to add a pound a year which I had done for 35 years. Two years ago I dropped virtually all processed food, all low fat stuff, almost all sugar, and reduced bread and other carbs. I quickly dropped 35 pounds and have effortlessly stayed at my college weight ever since. Since I love meats, fish, eggs, bacon, and butter I am in dietary heaven. YMMV.

Pretty much the same for me. Exercise never really affected my weight very much--I've always been active, but the pounds kept creeping up. Exercise does help me feel better and have more energy. I do pilates and ballet to work on flexibility, balance, and strength.
Recently I went on low carb/high protein/fat diet, for the second or third time. This time it's sticking. I lost 20 pounds and no longer crave sweets or bread. did you know distilled spirits have no carbs?