A New Adventure

justme111

hugheskevi wrote: »

I've lost nearly 20kg of weight

:eek: you had 20 k excess weight? And that happened to someone fit , not a slob who never could do a chin up?!
I suppose if you are really tall and have broad shoulders/chest/pelvis those 20 k may not be that obvious but still - does show how easy it is to deteriorate.
With sadness , resignation and slight pride ( kind of thinking "good going") at the age of 45 I stopped feeling "looking good " when I looked in the mirror and started thinking "looking good for 45":D:(

hugheskevi

you had 20 k excess weight? And that happened to someone fit , not a slob who never could do a chin up?!
I suppose if you are really tall and have broad shoulders/chest/pelvis those 20 k may not be that obvious but still - does show how easy it is to deteriorate.

It was more like 15kg of excess weight. I consider my ideal running weight to be about 74.5kg, my current weight is 75.6kg, my ideal weight (in general, rather than ideal for running) would be 78-80kg, and a BMI of 25 would be about 89kg.

Throughout my 30s I just steadily gained about a kg each year, so weight gain was very gradual, peaking at about 95kg at worst, but typically being just over the 90kg mark.

Mean BMI for 30-something males is about 27-28, so my BMI was still slightly below average even at the worst point. That in itself I find alarming - I could now put on over 22kg and I would still have below average BMI, showing the shocking condition of most of the population. I also cycled 80 miles each week, so despite doing no running my weight and exercise levels were probably better than average.

The main thing I think people need to appreciate is how easily a gradual decline compounds. Even year-to-year there is little difference, but eventually you can easily end up weak and fat, particularly as the inevitable natural muscle decline sets in with ageing. As things like having children get in the way of exercise and most do less exercise as they leave their 20s behind due to other commitments/interests, it is very easy for physical decline to steadily accumulate.

I think the 30s can be particularly tricky, as you can handle carrying extra weight and being unfit without it having any impact on your life or any adverse health issues. Whilst you may not be able to run great times, there is no effect on daily life aside from maybe preferring to take a lift rather than climb several flights of stairs. But if left unchecked in the 40s the health issues will start to emerge, and if continued to be left unchecked will progress to chronic conditions later in life

tigerspill

k6chris wrote: »

So dear forum reader, today I handed in my resignation and by the end of March I will have added the RE letters to my existing FI accreditation. A decision not fostered by stress or hatred of my job, but by the way that time was being taken from me for scant return. So what next, what great adventures to come? I have no idea. Armed with a blank sheet of paper and a dusty compass I will be setting off for lands unexplored.

Well that's the romantic view, but as a work colleague said to me this morning "why the hell have your done that and what the f**k are you going to do every day??". :rotfl:

So, somewhere between the sun dappled uplands of my RE dreams and a soggy chip cob watching The Kyle Show, lies my future.

Any advice??

This is exactly me - but at the end of April (but I have two weeks leave over Easter).

I am just enjoying the thought at the minute of no longer being beholden to work. My time will be my own.
My first objective is to slow waaaaaaay down. Take time to do the things I always have to rush.

Techno

I have to agree with hugheskevi - it is so easy for those pounds/ kg to creep on without you noticing until one day you look in the mirror and wonder who this portly stranger is :eek:

Inbetween 2 fairly active jobs (nursing and teaching) I worked as a project manager where my exercise involved walking between meetings, driving to meetings and a far too regular trip to the vending machine.

Long hours meant I couldn't be bothered to exercise and 15kg crept on over the 8 years. I have decluttered 11 of them (BMI is 25.1 so could de clutter a couple more ) and am now much fitter than I was in my 30s but it does take effort.

Tabby_cat

Well done k6chris!
I too took the plunge and left work in December so I'm a couple of months ahead of you. I had a different reaction from my work colleagues. They were all just jealous and wished they could go too. I've since learned one or two are seriously thinking about it, especially those who are older than my 53 years. My DH is 10 years older than me and I'd decided many years ago that we'd retire at the same time. As we worked together, we didn't have the transition to being together 24/7 but I've heard that can take some getting used to. Just a thought.
For me, no decent work on the horizon, and a hour + commute was a big incentive to finally go. We had dropped to 3 days a week but no days a week is even better.
I had also read on this forum the advice about not doing anything significant for 6 months and have taken that on board. I have joined 3 fitness classes which help to define my week but only loosely. After 30+ years of sedentary lifestyle, I've found classes I love to do and now the time to do them.
A piece of advice I was given was, don't feel you have to be doing something all the time. It did take me about 6 weeks before I started to settle into that one and finally had a "Manana Moment" when I really didn't feel like making the soup I'd planned and put every thing back in the fridge until another day.
Retirement is great and I look forward to hearing about your journey and sharing mine.

bluenose1

My husband has been retired 2 years and exercises a lot, gym most days, golf and plays football 3 times a week. He is very fit for his age of 51, and puts me to shame.

I only exercise 3 days per week. Friday before I start work and the weekend. I do a 5K Parkrun each weekend and love the social side of going for a coffee with them afterwards.
Apart from a 30 minute walk most lunchtimes by the time I get home at 6pm after leaving house at 7:20 and eat my meal I just watch tv.:eek:
This is one of the reasons I can't wait to retire.

Fortunately for the last year or so my husband and I have been doing Intermittent Fasting 19/ 5 and tend to eat high fat, low carb so if anything I am at my lowest ever weight since I was a teenager.
I now weigh 9stone 10lb and have spent most of my adult life between 11 and 12 stone.
Well worth considering if despite exercise you are struggling to lose weight.

.

Colombia

I’m really happy to have found this thread is very inspirational.I find myself in the same postion as some here.my situation is I live happily in Colombia South America I’m 58 years of age,though I’m Scottish, I return everyear to work the summer season as a waiter from April the 1st to October the 30th.Lovely to come back to the Uk but I hate the work and count every month till October and it always drags, finically I don’t have to worry and Colombia is about half the cost of living.therefore seriously thinking about not coming back and starting a new adventure.dont have any hobbies well enjoy cooking, but love the thought of having a dog I feel that would be a good thing for me walks company etc,,,I think Monday morning send my employer sorry not coming back and just see what comes along.everybody pressuring me in scotland Colombia,,,oh you’ll get bored , you need to be active .you need structure.so that makes me think maybe I’m making a wrong descion, but after reading all the comments let things come to you, you don’t have to achieve something everyday it’s your time you choose for yourself what kind of life you want.what do you all think....

londoninvestor

mollycat wrote: »

I think there's a potential trap for new retirees to fall into.

The trap is listening too much or giving too much value to the narrative from ex colleagues and others of "What are you going to do with all that spare time, you will get bored, you had better find a part time job etc", and then starting to think that this will definately be the case, and acting upon it.

Couldn't agree more (and just clicking "Thanks" didn't seem enough).

It can help to have a polite standard answer to the question of "what are you going to do with...", but don't force yourself to start meaning it!

k6chris

londoninvestor wrote: »

It can help to have a polite standard answer to the question of "what are you going to do with...", but don't force yourself to start meaning it!

"I'm going to take the summer off and then look for something else in the Autumn....." :rotfl:

crv1963

londoninvestor wrote: »

Couldn't agree more (and just clicking "Thanks" didn't seem enough).

It can help to have a polite standard answer to the question of "what are you going to do with...", but don't force yourself to start meaning it!

I'm going to become a gardener in the summer months and a beach bum somewhere hot in the winter months!