Planning Retirement Over 50 Healthy Living



Healthy Living over 50

Why is it important?

It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle at all times especially as you grow older because if you don’t look after yourself who will be there to look after your loved ones?

But not to fear if you are over 50 and reaching retirement age there are lots of things you can do to keep fit. Exercise is not just for the young, by simply adopting a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise and a balanced diet you can dramatically increase your fitness over time and are likely to notice a positive difference in your general energy levels.

Exercise

It is estimated that around four in ten people over 50 do little or no exercise at all despite the recommended thirty minutes a day. Exercise can not only make you physically stronger but make you feel more confident and sociable so there are not just physical benefits involved. Even if you increase your physical activity by just a little each day, you are likely to make a big difference to your lifestyle in the long run.

It is useful to start off with moderate forms of exercise if you have not done any regular exercise or activities for a while. A good starting point is to take regular walks as this will allow you to ease yourself back into a routine and gradually work your way up to other types of activity. If running is not your idea of exercise there are various other sports you can try such as tennis, swimming, dancing, cycling or even yoga. These are also a great way of meeting new people and keeping yourself occupied during retirement.

When partaking in any form of activity always be sure to avoid excessive overworking or poor technique which could lead to injury. You can help avoid injury by remembering to perform a warm up and warm down to work the whole body area and ensure you are performing all exercises in the correct manner and with the correct type of equipment.

Diet

As you get older your metabolic rate generally slows down, so you may not be able to consume the same amount of food and drink as you could when you were younger. This means that it can be far easier to put on weight if you are not exercising, eating or drinking in the right way.  You will need fewer calories in your 50s and 60s than in your younger years.

Your daily food intake depends on you as an individual by how much you exercise and your body build. This is measured by your BMI (body mass index) which differs between people depending on height; you can get this information by visiting your local GP.

Previous research has shown a link between diet and major diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes. By doing moderate exercise five times a week and eating foods that are good for you such as fish, poultry, vegetables, fruits and rice you can significantly lower the chances of these diseases and improve your sense of well-being. In addition to this, it improves sleep and general energy levels throughout the day and be sure not to skip important meals such as breakfast!

Mental Wellbeing

As well as maintaining your general body fitness it is important y to exercise your brain so it stays active! Research shows that Alzheimer’s and dementia are far more common in older people who do not lead stimulating lives so looking after your mental health is vital.

There are many ways you can help to keep your mind active by taking up a new interest or encouraging day to day activities like reading, playing games such as chess or cards, doing puzzles, memorising your shopping list or even just socialising with friends. These are all great ways to start stimulating your brain!

Avoiding Falls

Falls can be a devastating experience when you are older with about one third of people over 65 suffering from falls each year with 20 per cent in need of some type of medical aid as a result.

A large proportion of people who suffer from a fall need hip replacements so finding ways to try and avoid these falls is beneficial.

Firstly, you could consider making some changes around your home. Hand rails can be installed to keep you steady and some local authorities offer 24 hour alarm services. This helps to reassure you that if they were to suffer a fall when nobody is around you can easily get in touch with someone to help.  By arranging a falls assessment you can uncover anything that might increase your chances of a fall and find ways in which this can be prevented.

Again, regular exercise, maintaining healthy feet, paying attention to your own home safety and having regular check-ups and a healthy diet can help reduce your risk to a fall.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) provides useful information on health issues relating to older people to help you better safeguard against illness and better prepare you for leading a healthy lifestyle during retirement.

Summary

There are many benefits to keeping active as you are likely to help reduce your risk of falling ill to life threatening disease, improve sleeping patterns, a greater likelihood of maintaining a healthy weight as well as having an overall greater sense of well-being  and daily vitality.

So by taking the steps to make sure you keep physically and mentally active you can not only improve your health and quality of life but also help you live for longer.

Remember it is never too late to start doing some exercise and eating healthily to keep fit but it is important to talk to your doctor first if you are unsure about anything before deciding on a change of diet or when taking part in any new types of activity.

Compare Over 50s Plans

Provider Premiums from Extra benefits Welcome gifts Reviews More Info
36p per day Automatically become a Foresters Friendly Society Member with access to a range of social and health benefits and financial support Full legal Will worth £199 with monthly premiums of £25 or more Read Foresters Friendly Reviews
£5 per month Early payout for terminal illness – if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness, you can ask for a reduced benefit to be paid out early instead £60 M&S voucher Be the first to review this product and get a free Mr Men bruise soother
27p per day £250 Contribution towards your funeral costs with the Funeral Funding Option £30 in M&S vouchers
OR
a DAB digital radio
Be the first to review this product and get a free Mr Men bruise soother
27p per day • Fixed rate, risk free
• You can transfer the ISA
• Tax free interest
£15 M&S voucher
OR
£15 High Street voucher
Be the first to review this product and get a free Mr Men bruise soother
£5 per month • Tax free end cash pay-out
• Monthly contribution starts at only £10
• Life cover included
£30 M&S vouchers OR a DAB radio OR a Digital photo frame Be the first to review this product and get a free Mr Men bruise soother


[scg_html_links1]

  • Recommend Us - With Google Plus One



A A A