Retirement Reality

[HadEnuff]

Just found out last night that SIL, same age as I,62, has a large, very likely malignant brain tumor...

OMY? screw that...

 

[athena53]

A very good friend who is a pretty well known wealth manager who specializes in retired and near retired told me this a few years ago:

After working with HUNDREDS of retired folks over the years I can safely say to my newly minted 60 year olds....Guys..when you turn 60 you have ABOUT 10 maybe 15 years left that you can do all those things on your list that you have talked about for 20 years. Sure ..some will only have 5, some will be a robust 85 BUT the vast majority of the 60 and beyonds that I have worked with and known for decades of experience have only had about 10 years to git er done. Once you hit your 70's, especially around 75, you just don't have the energy or the desire to take that trip to Upper Outer Inner Lower Slobovia...

Great advice. I'm almost 63 and DH is 77. Fortunately, we've been traveling together since we met in 1997. DH has limitations now that he didn't have when he was 60 and some of our expeditions, such as climbing Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, couldn't be done together now. We realized when I retired at age 61 that a trip to Australia and NZ, always a plan for after retirement, would be too much for him. We still do road trips and he happily does all of the driving, and with careful planning and pacing (and my doing the more strenuous stuff on my own) we can still travel internationally, but I am SO glad we didn't hold off till I retired.

I come from more durable stock and am hoping to travel well into my 70s (and 80s?), but there are no guarantees.

 

[LARS]

Clearly there are exceptions to the averages, but it certainly seems to me that 80 appears to be a real turning point for most whereby the decline begins in earnest. Certainly was the case for my own parents despite the fact that they "lived" deep into their 80's.


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[DrRoy]

Yes, I agree. That drive up to Jasper is truly breathtaking. Have done it a few times in a convertible.

++++++++1
Had 2 weeks in Banff, Yoho, & Jasper parks a couple years ago. Absolutely stunning mountain scenery. My most popular photos came from there.

 

[Car-Guy]

Ran into an old guy in a bar a few years back who told me the same thing: "ok, you're 60 now...even if you live to be 90, do you realize that you have only 15 or 18 good summers left to do the things you want to do?...After that things start to go wrong..."

I guess that's the way I looked at it too, until I hit my early 60's. I figured I'd be good to go and do anything I wanted until my mid 70's. Since then I've had to re-balance my "projected" AA (Age Activities) to be more in line with my new AA (Actual Abilities). I've played hard during the first few years of my retirement and I don't regret it for a minute. I may make it to 90+ based on my family history (but probably not). I'm adjusting, but not just using "summers" to do the things I want. Spring, fall and winters work too. (so far)

 

[DrRoy]

A very good friend who is a pretty well known wealth manager who specializes in retired and near retired told me this a few years ago:

After working with HUNDREDS of retired folks over the years I can safely say to my newly minted 60 year olds....Guys..when you turn 60 you have ABOUT 10 maybe 15 years left that you can do all those things on your list that you have talked about for 20 years. Sure ..some will only have 5, some will be a robust 85 BUT the vast majority of the 60 and beyonds that I have worked with and known for decades of experience have only had about 10 years to git er done. Once you hit your 70's, especially around 75, you just don't have the energy or the desire to take that trip to Upper Outer Inner Lower Slobovia..you just don't have the energy or desire.

I am 56 and DW is 55. We are still a year out from RE, but we realized this issue and started taking big trips 6 years ago. We have been to Europe a couple times and to the national parks out west and in Canada. I like to get off the road and do some hiking for the views. We know that we will get to a point where we cannot do that any more and we wanted to get a start on the list.

The photo is from a trail in Rocky Mountain National Park.

 

[photoguy]

Not sure but there are a couple of possibilities. Many mountain towns are travel destinations that attract a lot of young transients because of the hospitality jobs. They are often quite active. Climate might be a factor but I often see people in Canmore wearing shorts in the winter? So not sure.

I think culture and self-selection are huge factors. Climate too as winter in places like the front range can be way milder than a mid-west/north east winter.

I also thought altitude itself suppresses hunger. Front range is only at 5k feet so the effect might be small (compared to hikers in Nepal) but you're there 24/7 and a small effect could add up over the years.

 

[Rickt]

I am 56 and plan to ER in 2017.
Had an issue with sciatica nerve last year and since then joined the gym. I feel my legs have gained strength because of the leg exercises I have been doing. Also have lost ~ 8 lbs and feel lighter, stronger and better. I appreciate this forum--have learned a lot from you all!

 

[jollystomper]

I'm planning for 35 but am not going to be surprised if it is shorter. Dad passed away at 72, mom at 86. I'm healthier than both were at my age, so I figure I'll go somewhere in between them. DW's dad died at 70 but her mother and most of her uncles an aunts are still active in their late 80s and earlier 90s.

Years ago I started looking at folks who were still healthy and active in their 70's and 80's and made some lifestyle adjustments with better eating, more physical activity, and less mental stress. We have loosened up our spending but are still LBYM. I still plan to retire next year but, though working, have formulated a "glide path" that is much less stressful and is allowing me a nice transition to retirement. Even if Megacorp downsizes (again) and I am let go, it will still work into our plans.

No one can predict a long future for themselves, but no reason not to try, and sometimes the journey in trying is a lot of fun in itself.

 

[Danmar]

Clearly there are exceptions to the averages, but it certainly seems to me that 80 appears to be a real turning point for most whereby the decline begins in earnest. Certainly was the case for my own parents despite the fact that they "lived" deep into their 80's.


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Agree. Unless you know you have a likely life shortening illness, you really have to go with established averages or norms. My generation does seem more active than our parents but eventually...... Our current spending plan only includes dividends and pension so unless we ramp up spending (quite possible) we will never run out. The question really is "what do you enjoy doing?" You want to make sure you get your fill of that while you can.

 

[Danmar]

I also thought altitude itself suppresses hunger. Front range is only at 5k feet so the effect might be small (compared to hikers in Nepal) but you're there 24/7 and a small effect could add up over the years.

Interesting, never thought of that. When I go back to Canmore after being away for a while my workouts are real killers. Conversely, when I leave Canmore for say Ontario, I feel like a superman. Never really noticed the hunger thing.

 

[LARS]

I think culture and self-selection are huge factors. Climate too as winter in places like the front range can be way milder than a mid-west/north east winter.



I also thought altitude itself suppresses hunger. Front range is only at 5k feet so the effect might be small (compared to hikers in Nepal) but you're there 24/7 and a small effect could add up over the years.

Well all I can say is I never noticed a change in appetite () and we spent a combined ten years in Jackson WY (6,000 +) and Bend OR (3,500+).


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[Ronstar]

I don't eat as much in Az (2000') as I do in Il at 500'. Could be altitude related- or it could be temperature related. I do notice the altitude difference in hiking, biking or running between the 2 places.


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[FI by 2024]

Can I blame altitude for the five pounds I've gained since leaving CO?


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[Hermit]

Can I blame altitude for the five pounds I've gained since leaving CO?


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BINGO! I had the same experience! I gained over 20 pounds in the 12 years I lived in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia (altitude 12 ft). Unfortunately, I haven't lost it all since moving back to Colorado. (altitude 8700 ft)

I'm sure it had nothing to do with being in Virginia during my 50s and early 60s.

 

[photoguy]

Personally I never noticed the difference in hunger living at various altitudes (sea level to maybe 7k ft). When I went hiking above that level I explicitly try not to eat that much as I will pay for it later on the trail. When we were hiking in Peru at high altitude, my wife had a severe loss of appetite and couldn't eat much.

Apparently there are some studies that have look at this:

Overweight, sedentary people who spent a week at an elevation of 8,700 feet lost weight while eating as much as they wanted and doing no exercise. A month after they came back down, they had kept two-thirds of those pounds off. The results appear in the Feb. 4 Obesity.

Altitude Causes Weight Loss Without Exercise | WIRED

and

While it is always important to remember correlation does not prove causation, in this case, we already know hypoxia causes anorexia and weight loss based on well controlled interventional data.

Studies have indicated that decreased energy consumption due to lack of appetite is one of the more significant causes of weight loss during high altitude exposure.

from http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/food-matters/into-thin-air-weight-loss-at-high-altitudes/

 

[travelover]

Where has this thread wandered off to now?

 

[34rlsa]

I like pizza...

at any altitude

 

[shotgunner]

I live in coastal NH and I am about 30 feet above sea level, I now expect I will die due to morbid obesity unless I move.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Where has this thread wandered off to now?

pizza and golf

 

[NW-Bound]

It may not be what the OP had in mind for the thread topic, but this is also the reality of retirement.

A bunch of geezers with lots of time on hand, and with the winter outside the door and the stock market in the gutter, they are stuck indoors, so they can talk about anything they want. It's all free and healthy.

 

[Moneygrubber]

It's all good,,,


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[W2R]

I live in coastal NH and I am about 30 feet above sea level, I now expect I will die due to morbid obesity unless I move.

I live in New Orleans, and I am 2.9 feet below sea level. Pass the beignets, please.

 

[Ronstar]

I live in New Orleans, and I am 2.9 feet below sea level. Pass the beignets, please.

I could eat a dozen of NOLA beignets at 10,000'

 

[harley]

things happen in 3s - who's next?

Already happened. Lemmy died 4 days after turning 70.

I read this whole thread, and have only one question. Why did anyone respond to the OP, and is there a topic? Never mind, I'm unsubscribing right after I post the sad news about Lemmy.