My health means everything to me and I am doing all that I can before retirement to be in the best shape possible to continue to have a great quality of life once in retirement.
If you want to have great health in retirement, but you haven’t donned track shoes since your last gym class; you don’t eat well, sleep well, take time to recharge your batteries, are often stressed, or are generally in poor health, then you are at a crossroads and you have an important decision to make.
How do you want to feel and what do you want to do in the second half of your life?
If the answer is that you want to be able to play with your grandchildren, travel, hike, live relatively pain free; and feel excited about your life, then you may need to make some changes NOW so that you can retire in relatively good shape. So, what can you do?
Here are a few tips to help you make some changes.
🌟Check in with your Health Practitioner
🌟Have regular checkups (yes guys, that means you too). Make sure you understand your test results – what is normal? Too high? Too low?
🌟Discuss what changes you want to make – do you want to shed a few pounds; quit smoking, start exercising, sleep better; eat a healthier diet
🌟Talk to your doctor about an exercise program and they can help you get started
🌟Think about what kind of exercise you would like to do - it can be as simple as walking every day🚶♀️
🌟you can visit your pantry and pull out a can of peas, so you can flex your biceps and triceps while watching TV 💪
🌟you can exercise with friends, join a land or water class at your local Y; or play a team sport (Pickle Ball anyone?)
🌟It might even be worth your while to speak with a personal trainer –they can do an initial assessment, discuss your goals, and develop a fitness plan for you whether that’s exercising at the gym, at home or a combo.
🌟Whatever you choose to do, what’s important is that you like what you’re doing and having fun!!
🌟Eat a healthy, balanced diet – speak to Health Care Practitioner about this but you know what to do – cut back on the sugar, salt, unhealthy fat, red meat, alcohol, and increase your intake of veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy protein, healthy fats and water.
🌟Get enough quality ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ’s to feel well rested
🌟Keep stress at bay: Learn to deal with stress –
o recognize your stressors and stress signals
o take a few minutes for yourself every day - a relaxed cup of coffee / tea; a bubble bath; read a chapter: listen to music; or go for a walk
o talk to someone close when you are dealing with an issue that is troubling you
o develop some ways to decrease stress that work for you whether that is meditating, being more mindful or more resilient
🌟If you are feeling overly stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, overcommitted, out of balance, feeling like you have little or no control over your life, or depressed, speak with your health care provider to help you deal with these very important issues
🌟Reach out to your support system
🌟Stay engaged with your community and maintain healthy relationships with family, friends, coworkers
🌟Laugh often
🌟 Focus on the positives in your life and practice an ‘attitude of gratitude.’
Fears can be debilitating as they can stop us from achieving our dreams and doing the things we want to do. So, don’t let your fears stop you from living the life you want.
Identify, understand and take action to overcome your fears. These are important steps in preparing yourself psychologically for your retirement.
Visit www.powerupyourretirement.com to watch the ‘Ten Most Common Fears About Retirement’ Masterclass video.