Fitness in Retirement

A common complaint among retired people is that our clothes just don't seem to fit any more! Especially the waist bands of our pants which somehow seem to have shrunk. Why is this? Obviously, we consume more calories and our activity level decreases as we age, as well as some metabolic changes that occur despite our best efforts to fend off those seemingly inevitable extra pounds.

The good news is, that retirement affords us more time to examine the causes of these extra pounds, and to be able to make some changes in our lifestyle that will hopefully reverse the trend, or at least slow the gains.

One very interesting factoid about weight gain is that people who watch as little as 1 to 2.5 hours of television a day are at significantly greater risk of gaining weight. The reason for this is that heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolic rate are slower when we watch TV than if we were just sitting in a chair reading or knitting! So the moral of this story is easy - turn off that TV and go for a walk! Or set up your stationary bike or treadmill and exercise for a half hour while you're watching the news or your favorite reality show. (Actually, I think my blood pressure goes UP when I listen to the news these days!) Or work on some craft or project that will give your metabolism a little boost while you are watching TV. Every little bit helps!

Be fit in retirement

One benefit of escaping the 40-hour-per-week grind is having more time to attend to physical fitness. Haven't you often looked at those trim, sprightly people streaming in and out of the gym and wistfully said to yourself, "If only I had more time to work out..." Well, now that you're enjoying retirement, you do have the time!

That's the good news. The bad news is, you're feeling guilty that you are wasting these "golden years" of retirement. Those lengthy aerobic workouts and the washboard abs are not spontaneously just happening.

How do you develop a fitness program that becomes part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth? For most folks, it means joining some kind of health club or spa, like Gold's Gym (www.GoldsGym.com), 24-Hour Fitness (www.24hourfitness.com), or Curves (www.curves.com).

Two very popular clubs who specialize in programs for Ashland, Oregon retirees are Baxter's and the YMCA. Of course, before embarking upon a new exercise program, you should probably check with your physician or physical therapist to screen for any medical conditions that would make an exercise program contraindicated. You might also want to hire a personal trainer to help you set up your program and give your workout a structure.

One advantage of "The Y" is the great variety of programs and classes that cater to seniors. To To name a few: Best-Bones (to help guard against osteoporosis), water exercise, Tai Chi for Better Balance, and Senior Circuit as well as Low Impact Aerobics, spinning (and I don't mean something you do with wool!), and Yoga which can be wonderful for older adults.

In addition to the many benefits a regular exercise program bestows upon our physical bodies, it can also be a social outlet, and a fertile source of new friends. Retirement can mean a new type of social isolation when we no longer have our daily work contacts, so joining an exercise class can meet that need as well. Plus, it's just a lot more fun to work out with other people.

In short, find something that you can do every day, and above all - Have Fun!

Let me know your favorite technique for keeping your exercise routine fresh and fun.

Flagstaff, Arizona Retirement

Flagstaff (Navajo: Kinłání) is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. It is the county seat of Coconino County. In 2005, Men's Journal named Flagstaff as No. 2 on its Best Places to Live list, and National Geographic cited the city in its list of "10 Great Towns That Will Make You Feel Young." The city is named after a Ponderosa Pine flagpole made by a scouting party from Boston (known as the "Flagstaff Tea Party") to celebrate the United States Centennial on July 4, 1876. Flagstaff lies near the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau and along the western side of the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the continental United States



Population: As of July 2006, the city's estimated population was 58,213, with a Metropolitan Statistical Area population of 124,953



Climate: Flagstaff has a highland semi-arid climate with four distinct seasons. The combination of high altitude and low humidity provide mild weather conditions throughout most of the year, and the predominantly clear air radiates daytime heating effectively. Temperatures often fall precipitously after sunset throughout the year, and winter nights can be very cold. Winter weather patterns in Flagstaff are cyclonic and frontal in nature, originating in the eastern Pacific Ocean. These deliver periodic, widespread snowfall followed by extended periods of fair weather.



Colleges and Universities: Flagstaff is home to two institutions of higher education, Northern Arizona University (one of the three public state universities in Arizona), and Coconino Community College.



Transportation: Passenger rail service is provided by Amtrak at the downtown station, connecting on east-west routes to Los Angeles and Albuquerque via the Southwest Chief line.

Air travel is available through Flagstaff Pulliam Airport , located just south of the city. The airport is primarily a small, general aviation airport.



Health Care: The city's primary hospital is the 270–bed Flagstaff Medical Center, located on the north side of downtown Flagstaff. The hospital was founded in 1936, and serves as the major regional trauma center for northern Arizona.



Housing Costs: Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $241,200 (it was $161,000 in 2000)


Things To See and Do:
The Grand Canyon is located approximately 120 miles North of Flagstaff. Meteor Crater, the world's largest intact meteor impact crater is located 35 miles East of Flagstaff. The Arizona Snowbowl is located on the San Francisco Peaks and is the major ski resort and winter fun site for the area. Coconino National Forest surrounds the area and provides many scenic views, trails and outdoor recreation opportunities.



Retirement Communities: The Peaks offers the full continuum of care and services including Independent Living, either in the Bungalows or the Lodge, Assisted Living and Memory Care. We allow our residents to "age in place" which allows them to remain in their apartment homes and have increased services brought to them.