In the United States, you are considered a retiree once you hit the age of 65 or 67 depending on what year you were born. Once you enter this stage of your life, you would finally leave the workforce and receive your monthly benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). If you are about to retire and thinking of ways on how you can spend your time, here are some ideas that will keep you active and healthy as you enjoy your heard-earned money during the senior years of your life:
Have an Exercise Routine
We will start with this because a healthy body is key to enjoying your retirement years. Once you have reached the age of 60, you will notice some significant changes in your body caused by old age. These are perfectly normal and nothing to be scared of.
One of the most common changes is that at this point is that your walking pattern and posture starts to change. This is because people lose bone density and mass as we age and this could be amplified for women after they hit menopause. When left unaddressed, this could lead to other bone illnesses such as osteoporosis.
This is where exercise comes in. Being physically active helps your muscles and bones to become stronger. It is crucial to build strong bones when you were younger and helps you maintain strength as you grow older. Exercise is also proven to help improve coordination and balance. You don’t necessarily need a hard-core and rigorous exercise routine. You can simply walk briskly once a day or carefully climb up and down your stairs for at least 30 minutes every day.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Seniors like yourself are at risk of several illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. Because of that, it is extremely important for you to watch what you eat and maintain a healthy, balanced diet. At your age, you should be eating plenty of vegetables and fruits. Your aim should be at least 2 portions of fruits and 5 portions of vegetables every day.
When buying carbohydrates or starchy foods like pasta, rice, and bread, always opt for the wholegrain variety if possible. In addition to that, you should consume at least 2 portions of oily fish every week and non-dairy sources of protein like eggs, beans, and lean meat. It would also help if you’ll avoid smoking and limit your intake of alcoholic beverages.
Learn a New Sport
It is never too late to get involved in a sport. At your age, it is important for you to be physically active to reduce the risks of getting serious illnesses. One ideal sport for seniors is swimming. You won’t need to buy heavy or expensive equipment with this but its effects are amazing.
During a swimming session, you build up muscle mass and burn a lot of calories because of the resistance coming from the water. Generally speaking, water is around 800 times denser than air and because of that, your muscle works harder when you are in the pool. Swimming also helps significantly improve your cardiovascular health. Other sports you can do in the water are aqua aerobics and water polo.
Another ideal sport for your age is golf. One study shows that male golfers can burn around 721 calories while playing a nine-hole game while carrying their clubs on their back. It involves plenty of walking on hills and the distance between holes. Golfing also improves your balance, flexibility, and core strength. When you swing your golf club, your body tends to build more strength in your core muscles, legs, and arms. This kind of swift movement is beneficial for older people.
Open Your Own Business
The fast transition from working every day to suddenly not having anything to do can take a toll not just on your body but also on your mental health. You have been working for the majority of your life and it will be helpful if you will have some sort of purpose and source of income when you retire.
Almost all businesses nowadays can be launched and marketed from your own home. If you have a passion for cooking and baking, you can sell homemade cakes and pastries or venture into food catering. If you are into cars, you can consider a small garage repair and car wash business or explore hydraulic franchise business opportunities. Whichever you choose, it would be beneficial for your mental and emotional health to have a business that you can look forward to every day.
Retirement isn’t the end of anything but a beginning of a new, exciting chapter of our life. This is the best time to rekindle old hobbies, focus more on yourself and learn new things. Take this opportunity to further improve yourself and focus on the things that would make you happy.
