Many of us picture retirement as a reward: the alarm clock gone, the calendar empty, a recliner waiting. The way we spend our retirement years has more influence on how long and how well we live than most of us realize.
My past articles have highlighted my experiences from those non-financial aspects, (social, personal and emotional), of retirement which do not receive the attention they should. There is another aspect I have not addressed which should receive attention – our health.
I have not specifically addressed this aspect as I am not a personal trainer, dietitian or psychologist -and- certainly not qualified to offer very specific details in this area. However, we all know how important our health is to our ability for living our personal best. So, I thought I would offer a good book to add to your reading list -and- also can become a good reference book in your library for re-reading.
The book I would like to offer You add to your reading list; ‘Younger Next Year’ by Chris Crowley & Henry S. Lodge, MD.
The book’s central claim is that the body is always doing one of two things, growing or decaying. Signals from our daily behavior tell it which. Move our body hard, stay engaged and eat well, and our cells get the message to repair and rebuild. Sit around and our body shifts toward breakdown, and aging shows up sooner.
Much of what we blame on “getting old” is really the result of lifestyle. Genes matter, although most of how we age is within our control. That is good news for us during our Encore Phase is retirement gives us what most working people lack: time to choose.
Rule One: Exercise As Much As You Can
This is the biggest demand You will find from the book.
The point is to treat exercise as the main job of your day. The hours we once spent commuting and sitting in meetings can go to a morning walk, a bike ride, a swim or a gym session.
Here are a few ways to place this into practice:
- Pick a consistent time, such as mid-morning, and treat it like an appointment.
- Choose activities You enjoy: walking, hiking, water aerobics, dancing, cycling.
- Join a class or group so that other people expect You.
- Have a plan for bad-weather days, such as a mall walk or a home routine.
- Ease in gradually
Rule Two: Work On That Diet
Of course the book addresses the need to work on our diet. And, as You would expect, the authors’ food advice is simple, (and we have all read or heard this story before)… Cut back on the main offenders: sugary foods and drinks, refined starches, heavily processed foods and excess saturated fat. Eat more of what builds the body: vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish and lean protein. They also suggest keeping alcohol modest, and they stress staying at a healthy weight, since excess weight puts a steady load on the body.
Rule Three: Connect With Others
Another strong key pillar to our healthy (later) years in our Life is emotional and social -and- may be the one we will need the most. The authors stress the fact we are built for relationships and purpose, and that isolation and idleness are physically damaging. Plan to encourage yourself to care about something and to build bonds with others.
Work often supplies friends, structure and identity without our noticing. When the job ends, all three can vanish at once.
Here are a few thoughts to keep the connection with others open:
- Build a (new) tribe. Exercise groups, clubs, faith communities, volunteer teams and enroll in classes.
- Keep learning. Take a course, learn an instrument or a language, or start a project that stretches You.
- Invest in Family and Friendships. Schedule calls and visits the way You once scheduled meetings.
After reading this book your attitude toward your Encore Phase can be summed up this way: don’t retire from Life, retire to a fuller one. A good later Life is active, social, curious and physically capable, and will help us well into our seventies, eighties and beyond.
Making Life better, not later, but Now! Living a fulfilled Life isn’t about having the most, it’s about making the most of what You have -and- maximize the Life You worked so tirelessly to build!
So, continue looking forward to your Encore Phase with enthusiasm. Take care of yourself, make the most of every day, and always remember:
“Never quit searching. Never settle. Never give up seeking your purpose.”
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