Some retirement lifestyle changes can help keep your body fit and mind sharp. Find out why it is important to monitor your health, eat healthy foods, practice regularly, and manage stress, including the stress of moving.
Do you think that reaching 50 or retiring marks the end of the active part of your life? You may want to take it easy and relax, at least for a while. But instead of thinking about getting older as the sunset years, think about retiring as when a whole range of new opportunities opens for you. A time when, largely liberated from the daily grind, you get the chance to reset your brain and body.
You may want to take up a hobby you always wanted to pursue, but never had the time. You may want to start a second career in order to balance the family budget, or simply to keep busy. You may even want to move to a new place, one with a climate that suits you better, or one that offers the best retirement lifestyle options.
AARP® Moving Services powered by Shyft is here to help you plan and execute your move smoothly. Plus, they have an exclusive offer for AARP members!
More about that later. First, let’s consider how to stay healthy and fulfilled after reaching 50 and over. Read on to find out what constitutes the best retirement lifestyle and how to reset your body to meet the challenges of active, healthy aging.
This is the time in your life when it’s of crucial importance to monitor your health and go for medical check-ups. Talk to your doctor to find out which tests are appropriate for your age group, and for you personally.
We all worry about our health as we get older. Routine medical checks make it possible to spot any problems early when it is easier to treat them. The most common screenings for people over 50 include:
Additionally, women over 50 should go for cervical and breast cancer screening, while men should get regular tests for prostate cancer. Your doctor may recommend additional exams. For example, current or former smokers may be screened for lung cancer.
Immunization recommendations for people over 50 include flu shots, hepatitis B vaccine, tetanus vaccine or booster, pneumococcal vaccine, shingles vaccine, and - of course - COVID-19 vaccine.
If you haven’t done this already, it is high time to add some color to your daily menu. Go for the green lettuce, red tomatoes, orange carrots, yellow squash, and so on. You get the picture!
When you opt for a body reset diet, you will soon reap the benefits. After all, it’s not a coincidence that a Mediterranean-style diet gets such high praise. Instead of saturated fats and processed foods, indulge in fatty fish, poultry, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, dairy products, and healthy oils such as olive oil. That way, you will get a daily dose of the nutrients crucial for your health, including:
Stock your fridge and pantry with healthy ingredients and check the internet for a whole body reset recipes.
It is also important to keep an eye on your calorie intake. In our 50s, we cannot continue to eat the same quantities of food as we did in our 20s or 30s. Our bodies slow down and are unable to burn the extra fuel, and the result is the dreaded middle-age spread.
Of course, it’s not a train crash if you indulge in a juicy steak or chocolate cake once in a while. However, eating the right foods and maintaining a healthy weight are the best ways to reduce the risk of ailments that often come with age, such as heart disease.
Those who exercise are healthier and have a better quality of life. The most difficult step is to actually get off that couch, especially if you have years of inactivity behind you. Start slowly and build up gradually until you manage to create a routine that you are happy with. Then stick with it!
For cardiovascular conditioning, choose walking, cycling, or swimming.
Be sure to include some strength training too. Research shows that muscles can continue to strengthen in old age if we use them. All you need are some dumbbells and resistance bands, and you are ready to go.
As for improving flexibility and balance, join a Tai Chi, yoga, or Pilates class in your area.
Aim for about 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week and watch your body get stronger and your mood improves.
Your brain needs as much exercise as your body does. Mental fitness is not all that difficult to achieve. Many activities can keep your mind active, from reading books and magazines to playing games and learning a new language. In short, remain curious and opt for lifelong learning.
Mentally stimulating activities are fun and can help to reduce or delay cognitive problems that sometimes occur with age, such as memory lapses.
When you embark on your retirement lifestyle planning, remember to include some time for keeping your mind active.
Lifestyle changes after retirement is a given. All of a sudden, you get a large chunk of time that’s filled with - nothing. You may need a plan on how to fill that void. This is an important consideration when mapping out your retirement lifestyle. Here are just a few ideas:
To continue to enjoy life after reaching 50 and after retiring, cultivate social interactions. Socializing helps you maintain physical and emotional balance.
Staying socially connected is especially challenging if you live alone. Invite your friends or family members for a meal or a cup of coffee, use modern technology to keep in touch, expand your social circle by signing up for game nights or a book club, or adopt a pet. All that can help to ward off the feelings of loneliness or lack of purpose that are likely to creep in every now and then.
Don’t shy away from romance either. We all know that finding a kindred soul gets harder as we grow older. Still, don’t give up. Be on the lookout for that special someone. If you can’t find them in real life, it is okay to turn to online dating services. Remember, you’re never too old to fall in love!
If you haven’t done so already, your 50s are a good time to say goodbye to tobacco and excessive alcohol intake. They jeopardize both your physical and mental health, and they waste your money, time, and energy.
Smoking and drinking are harmful at any age, but people over 50 are more susceptible to the harmful effects as the body’s metabolism and recovery capacities slow down with time.
Breaking bad habits is difficult, but it is certainly worth the trouble. It will definitely help you with the whole body reset.
A total body reset in your 50s and beyond won’t work if you cannot cope with stressful situations. Stress weakens the immune system, and people after 50 are particularly vulnerable.
The good news is that you can actually reverse the effects of stress on your body and health. All you need to do is eat right, exercise, find time to relax, surround yourself with loved ones, and maintain a positive attitude.
There are also a few specific things you can do when you feel that stress hormones just keep on rising:
One of the biggest causes of stress is the stress of moving. If you’re planning to move for retirement, to be closer to family, or just for a better climate, Shyft can help.
When you’re planning a move, you can spend many hours organizing your possessions, hunting for quotes, and overseeing the whole process. In such circumstances, you might be tempted to forget your total body reset and reach for a fast and easy, but not-so-healthy, snack or take-out.
For people in their 50s, maintaining a healthy lifestyle during a move and into retirement is important. Your best strategy to minimize the stress of moving is to call AARP® Moving Services powered by Shyft.
Shyft will arrange everything for you. Just download the free mobile app for iPhone or Android called Shyft Next, and arrange a video call with a Shyft representative. This representative will be your dedicated Move Coach.
During the video call, you will take your Move Coach on a virtual tour of your home so that they can create your inventory list. Learn more about what happens during a Shyft video survey.
The list that your Move Coach makes during the video survey is accurate in 95% of the cases, but you can add or remove specific items to make it more accurate. Once your list is complete, it goes to a secure Shyft platform, together with your moving details. There, independently verified moving companies submit their offers.
Shyft will send to you three or more top quotes so that you can select the mover that fits your needs and budget. Once you accept a quote, the price is locked. This means that it cannot be changed unless you add or remove items, change the move distance, or fail to book your move before the quote expires.
Your dedicated Move Coach will oversee the entire process from door to door. No matter which company is handling your move, Shyft ensures the same quality standards for all.
On top of that, AARP members get up to $250 off every move booked. That’s right, up to $250 off, only for AARP members, no matter how many times you decide to move and where you decide to move to.
You can learn more about AARP® Moving Services powered by Shyft on their website, or you can contact Shyft at 1-888-838-5981.
Shyft is available to you seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Start your stress-free moving experience now!
