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]

- 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]

Has your health improved since retiring?

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

Nearly two years later, I still am...

 

[Khan]

"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]

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?

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]

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.

 

[youbet]

Martha,

My paddling partner lives up there and does most of the planning.  Basically, if the weather is good, we'll go out for three days/two nights and camp riverside.  If the weather is questionable, we'll do day trips based out of his house.  (The ladies will be at a two day quilt show.)

If we're out the three days, it'll probably be the Wolf River, which we've done stretches of before.

Wolf River
Offers variety, with relatively calm upper stretches to exciting whitewater below Lily. The stretch below Lily is recommended for experienced paddlers and is also popular for whitewater rafting. Area outfitters provide canoe and raft rentals. Access is available at road crossings with possible take-out near Markton and Hwy M before entering the Menominee Indian Reservation. Note: Regulations on paddling beyond Markton should be checked locally.

If we're doing day trips, the Oconto, Peshtigo and several flowages are nearby. We'll kayak if day tripping and take the canoe if camping.

I wish my paddling buddy would get himself ER'd!  It would be great to have the time to head up to the BWCAW or Quetico at this time of year!   

 

[Cut-Throat]

I have been retired unemployed now for 5 years and have been going to the health club for 20 years now. So, I was in pretty good health when working and not.

But the one thing I do notice, is that I used to get 2 colds a year, Now it seems like I get 1 cold every 2 years. Don't have to hang around all those folks with small children anymore!