YOUR RETIREMENT BAHBITS
Steps To A Healthy And Purposeful Retirement
Dr. Don Kennedy, MBA
Author: 5 AM & Already Behind
Their lives are unique, but their stories similar. They’re plumbers, housewives and executives and they’ve moved south to finally start the good life. Family and lifelong friends have been left up north; now the new retirees are busy trying to fit over sixty years of stuff into a smaller home. All have great intentions, but they also brought something that can ultimately ruin their retirement years: their bad habits or what I call them in my book, 5 AM & Already Behind, their Bahbits™.
Some are healthy, but most have health challenges such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. They think they have unique excuses for skipping their check-ups and some have never had a complete physical. They’ve gained weight and say they’re trying to quit smoking; ninety five percent have never had an exercise program and they cringe at the word colonoscopy. Tomorrow, they say, the habits will change but… tomorrow will be too late.
I tell them the habits they’ve had for sixty years won’t fit this time in their life; they need to stop the excuses and start a healthy lifestyle. The best way to start is with a complete physical and be sure to get one every year. With this knowledge they can focus on immediate medical problems as well as create the motivation to practice prevention. Most don’t know that seventy percent of people their age already have colon polyps; these can change to cancer within ten years. A colonoscopy is fifteen minutes that can save their life. The same goes for Pap smears and routine mammograms. Sudden death is the most common first sign of cardiac disease. Simply put, by age sixty they should have had a stress test.
Exercise is critical; it will be the most difficult habit to maintain, but will be the one greatest factor that will determine the course of their retirement. It doesn’t have to be painful; a brisk thirty minute walk can lower their heart attack risk by fifty percent. Strength training with weights or power bands will allow them to maintain function, I have patients who can walk four miles but don’t have the strength to pick up their grandchildren. I assure them that with regular exercise and a common sense diet the extra weight will be gone in a few months. Keep a regular regimen; make a habit of beginning each retirement day with exercise and a healthy breakfast. The satisfaction gained from early success can keep other bad habits away.
Smoking is an addiction. This habit will absolutely cause at least one major health event that will rob them of the quality of their retirement. Even worse, once it happens, it will ruin their spouse’s as well. Sure they’ve tried everything from hypnotism to gum; it’s time to try again. The excuses were used up long ago; they won’t beat this one.
Their family is important; make it a habit to keep them in their lives on a daily basis. Loneliness, at first, is common and I tell them to make a habit of finding new friends an early priority; it will enrich retirement and their lives. Also, make a habit of being part of their new community; churches, hospitals and volunteer organizations need their skills as much, or more, than those they left up north.
Changing their habits won’t be easy, their Bahbits™ will fight for control of their lives. I teach in my book and seminars to make a list of all their good, bad, and should habits and pick the one habit, if changed or added, will have the greatest immediate impact on their retirement. Focus on changing that one Bahbit™ within twenty four hours and continue for at least six months; then change another. Remember, your new habits require daily action… stay off the couch.
Dr. Kennedy is a board certified family physician, professional speaker, and author of 5AM & Already Behind. He is the world’s leading authority on smoking cessation and the habits that drive our lives.
For more information on speaking and seminars please contact Dr. Kennedy via the contact page.
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