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A 67-year-old who ‘un-retired’ shares the biggest retirement challenge ‘that no one talks about’

 In 2007, at age 52, I was forced to retire overnight. An MRI had revealed a tumor, the size of a large eggplant, sitting on my pelvis. In 98% of these cases, my oncologist told me, bone tumors are secondary cancer. He estimated that I had about six months to live.

But after two successful operations, I took a few months to recuperate on crutches and learn how to walk again. After my near-death experience, I had been in retirement for 10 years. I found myself bored, restless and stuck. My enthusiasm and energy diminished. My mental health suffered.

No one else I knew who was retired told me these were things I might experience. But when I shared with them how I felt, they admitted to feeling the same way at times.

That’s when I decided to “un-retire” and launch a mindset coaching company to help people achieve a more fulfilling retirement than I had.

The biggest challenge of retirement

Retirement means different things to different people. I did a deep survey of more than 15,000 retirees over the age of 60, and asked them one question: “What is your single biggest challenge in retirement?”

Below is a small selection of responses I received under the most cited categories:

Regret:

• “I miss doing the work that I love.”
• “I don’t think retiring is for me. I want to go back to teaching.”
• “I’m not sure what to do with my time. I feel lost.”

Health:

• “Keeping my mind healthy and adding value to the world.”
• “Fear of dying in pain and discomfort.”
• “When you’re 70 with a heart condition, you don’t get that many more bites at the apple.”

Identity:

• “Fear of losing my identity created over a lifetime.”
• “People do not see you anymore.”
• “Feelings of rejection — internalized, not voiced.”

Here’s what this tells us: The biggest retirement challenge that no one talks about, in my experience, is finding purpose.

Sure, money is certainly a concern. “I have a fear of poverty and losing dignity,” one person said. Another wrote: “Money goes out, nothing comes in.” But surprisingly, financial worries weren’t among the top three in the list.

People often confuse retirement savings with retirement planning. But these are two different concepts. Google the words “retirement planning” and you’ll mostly see, for pages and pages, savings-and pension-related content.

There is nothing on actual retirement planning, which I believe is more about your life, and less about money. Having steady finances to last you throughout retirement plays a significant role in quality of life, but what’s more important is your life-planning.

In other words, what is it that you are going to do once you leave the workforce? You can retire from your career, but you can’t retire from life.

Finding purpose leads to a more meaningful, healthier life

In the same survey, I asked how people thought they might solve their challenges. A full 35% believed that the answer is in finding purpose in life through a new skill or interest.  

In fact, a 2021 study of 12,825 adults over the age of 51 published in the Journal of Applied Gerontology associated a strong purpose in life with healthier lifestyle behaviors and slower rates of progression of chronic illnesses.

Finding purpose can also help retirees find new side hustle opportunities that bring in income, helping to ease financial concerns.

How a Japanese concept saved me from a depressing retirement

I’ve helped countless retirees find their purpose. They didn’t go back to work in the traditional 9-to-5 sense, but they set up new businesses, consulted, volunteered and took on hobbies that brought them joy and satisfaction.

To identify what activities brought me purpose, I referenced the Japanese concept of “ikigai,” which translates to “your reason for being.”How to Find Your Ikigai

George Jerjian | CNBC Make It

The Westernized version of this concept is based on the idea that there are four components a person must have complete to achieve ikigai.

Each concept is represented by a question. As you actively pursue what you enjoy doing in service of yourself, your family, and your community, think about whether that activity allows you to answer “yes” to any combination of those four questions:

1. Are you doing an activity that you love?
2. Are you good at it?
3. Does the world need what you offer?
4. Can you get paid for doing it?

Japanese neuroscientist and happiness expert Ken Mogi also suggests considering if the activity has the five pillars that further allow your ikigai to thrive:

1. Does the activity allow you to start small and improve over time?
2. Does the activity allow you to release yourself?
3. Does the activity pursue harmony and sustainability?
4. Does the activity allow you to enjoy the little things?
5. Does the activity allow you to focus on the here and now?

On a deeper level, ikigai refers to the emotional circumstances under which individuals feel that their lives are valuable as they move towards their goals.

As for me, I’ve found that my purpose now is to help retirees “un-retire” and create a new life for themselves. Depending on when you plan to retire, you may have another 30, 40, 50 or more years of life — and that’s a hell of a long time to drift aimlessly.

George Jerjian is the author of “Dare to Discover Your Purpose: Retire, Refire, Rewire.” An Emmy-award-winning producer and author of 10 books, he earned his business degree from Bradford University in England and a master’s degree in Journalism from New York University. Follow him on Twitter @GeorgeJerjian.

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• This 64-year-old left the U.S. for Mexico. Now she’s retired by the beach—living on just $1,000 per month

‘Early retirement is one of the worst money mistakes’—here’s why you’ll ‘regret’ it

 

As an economist, pulling punches isn’t in my DNA. So, I’ll be blunt: For most Americans, early retirement isn’t just a decision to take the longest vacation of their lives — it’s one of the biggest money mistakes that they will regret.

The reason is simple: We are, as a group, lousy savers, making early retirement unaffordable. Financially speaking, it’s generally far safer and far smarter to retire later.

According to a Boston College Center for Retirement Research report, half of today’s working families risk a major living standard decline in retirement. The share would drop by roughly 50% if all workers were to retire two years later.

Of course, there are situations where retiring early is a great option. Some people have carefully planned and can afford to buy more leisure. Many have no choice; they run out of physical or psychological steam. Others find their jobs automated or outsourced.

Still, almost two-thirds of people — between ages 57 and 66 — choose to retire early out their own volition, despite having saved next to nothing. And most of them are able-bodied, without disabilities that would prevent them from staying on the job.

The baby boomer’s retirement debacle

Take the baby boomer generation, the 76 million-strong population of those born between 1946 and 1964, who are retiring droves. Almost half of them have little if any savings.

Indeed, their median wealth is just $144,000 — less than three years of median household spending. If they had significant private, state or local pensions on which to rely, things would look better. They don’t.

Less than 1 in 3 have a pension apart from Social Security. As for those with pensions, many had state- and local-government jobs that weren’t covered by Social Security.

Worse, those receiving such pensions can lose most or all of the Social Security benefits accrued from working part-career in covered employment due to Social Security’s Windfall Elimination and Government Pension Offset provisions.

Social Security is nothing to write home about

Social Security’s average benefit — $18,000 per year — could be far higher, but 94% of retirees take Social Security retirement benefits well before its benefit peaks, at age 70.

In fact, roughly 85% should be waiting until 70 to collect. The age-70 retirement benefit is 76% higher, adjusted for inflation, than, for example, the age-62 benefit.

Moreover, when Americans take their Social Security retirement benefits far too early, they potentially condemn their spouses or ex-spouses (to whom they were married to for a decade or more) to far lower widow(er)‘s and divorced widow(er)’s benefits.  

You can’t count on dying time

The failure of most of us to save reflects a misfocus on life expectancy, which is routinely used to set one’s planning horizon. Half of 50-year-olds will live beyond age 80. A quarter will make it to age 90.

To understand what adequate saving really involves, take Jane, a single 40-year-old Louisianan. Jane, who plans to retire and take Social Security at 62, earns $75,000 per year and has $150,000 in her saving account — an inheritance from a rich uncle.

Jane could live to 100. Like the rest of us, Jane can’t count on dying on time. She needs to plan to live to her maximum age of life, because she might. 

Jane has saved nothing. She’s counting on Social Security and her 401(k), with its $150,000 balance and to which she and her employer contribute 3% annually, to sustain her retirement. Jane is miles off base. Her retirement could last longer than she works. If she lives to 100, she needs to save 28% of her take-home pay each year through retirement! 

What if Jane takes Social Security at 70? Good move! This raises her lifetime spending by over 10% and lowers her requisite pre-retirement saving rate to 16%. And if she plays the odds of dying young and plans to lower her living standard by 1.5% annually starting at 80? Now her required saving rate is 13%.

Unfortunately, Jane is saving nothing. If she continues to do so, her post-retirement living standard will be half her pre-retirement living standard!

Even so, Jane is actually in better shape than many. About one-third of private-sector workers have no retirement plan. And a quarter of those that do fail to participate even to the point of getting their free employer match.

The answer is to delay retirement

How to rescue non-saving Jane’s retirement? If Jane retires and takes Social Security at 70, she won’t need to save on her own. And her lifetime spending will rise by one-third!

Yes, this is a risky strategy. Jane could become disabled. Or she could be fired. But if she refuses to save a ton and doesn’t want to experience severe financial deprivation in retirement, her only answer is to keep on working.

As for me, I just turned 71. Fortunately, I have tenure and can keep doing research, writing books and columns and teaching. My current plan is to die in the saddle. My work is just too rewarding — financially, intellectually and psychologically — to give it up.

Laurence J. Kotlikoff is an economics professor and the author of “Money Magic: An Economist’s Secrets to More Money, Less Risk, and a Better Life.” He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1977. His columns have appeared in The New York Times, WSJ, Bloomberg and The Financial Times. In 2014, The Economist named him one of the world’s 25 most influential economists. Follow Laurence on Twitter @Kotlikoff.

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  Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/01/why-early-retirement-is-one-of-the-worst-money-mistakes-youll-regret-says-harvard-economist.html
  

A longevity expert shares the diet, exercise and sleep rules he lives by for a longer, stronger life: These are ‘non-negotiable’

Thanks to today’s advanced research and new innovations, it’s more than possible for us to live longer, stronger and healthier lives.

While life expectancy in the U.S. dropped one full year during the first half of 2020, according to a CDC report, much of that was attributed to the pandemic. Prior to Covid, however, life expectancy in the U.S. was 78.8 years in 2019, up a tenth of a year over 2018.

As a longevity researcher, I’ve spent the bulk of my career gathering insights from world-leading health experts, doctors, scientists and nutritionists from all over the world. Here’s what I tell people when they ask about the non-negotiable rules I live by for a longer life:

1. Get regular checkups

Early diagnosis is critical for the prevention of disease and age-related decline, so it’s important to get yourself checked regularly, and as comprehensively as possible.

At the very least, I make it a point to have a complete annual physical exam that includes blood count and metabolic blood chemistry panels, a thyroid panel and testing to reveal potential deficiencies in vitamin D, vitamin B, iron and magnesium (all nutrients that our body needs to perform a variety of essential functions).

2. Let food be thy medicine

Poor diet is the top driver of noncommunicable diseases worldwide, killing at least 11 million people every year.

Here are some of my diet rules for a longer life:

    Eat more plants: To reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, try to have every meal include at least one plant-based dish. I typically have broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus or zucchini as a side for lunch and dinner. When I snack, I opt for berries, nuts or fresh veggies.
    Avoid processed foods: Many products you find in grocery stores today are loaded with salt, sugar, saturated fats and chemical preservatives. A 2019 study of 20,000 men and women aged 21 to 90 found that a diet high in processed foods resulted in an 18% increased risk of death by all causes.
    Drink more water: Most of us drink far too little water for our optimal health. I keep a bottle of water with lemon slices at hand wherever I spent most of my day.
    Include healthy fats: Not all fats are bad. Low-density lipids (LDL), including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are considered “good fats,” and are essential to a healthy heart, blood flow and blood pressure.

3. Get moving (yes, walking counts)

Just 15 to 25 minutes of moderate exercise a day can prolong your life by up to three years if you are obese, and seven years if you are in good shape, one study found.

I try not to focus on the specific type of exercise you do. Anything that gets you up out of the chair, moving and breathing more intensely on a regular basis is going to help.

That’s why the method I practice and recommend the most is extremely simple: Walking. Brisk walking can improve cardiovascular health and reduce risk of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. It can even ease symptoms of depression and anxiety.

4. Eat early, and less often

Clinical data shows that intermittent fasting — an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting — can improve insulin stability, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, mental alertness and energy.

To ease into the “eat early, and less often” diet, I started with a 16:8-hour intermittent fasting regimen. This is where you eat all of your meals within one eight-hour period — for instance, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., or between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

But keep in mind that a fasting or caloric-restricted diet isn’t for everyone; always talk to your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet and eating routine.

5. Constantly work on quitting bad habits

One of the biggest toxic habits is excessive use of alcohol. Studies show that high and regular use can contribute to damages your liver and pancreas, high blood pressure and the immune system.

Large amounts of sugar consumption is another bad habit. Sure, in the right doses, sugars from fruits, vegetables and even grains play an important role in a healthy diet. I eat fruits and treat myself to some ice cream once in a while. But make no mistake: Excess sugar in all its forms is poison. To lessen my intake, I avoid processed foods and sugary drinks.

Lastly, I don’t smoke — but for anyone who does, I recommend quitting as soon as possible. According to the CDC, cigarette smoking is behind 480,000 deaths per year in the U.S.

6. Make sleep your superpower

A handful of studies of millions of sleepers show that less sleep can lead to a shorter life. Newer studies are strengthening known and suspected relationships between inadequate sleep and a wide range of disorders, including hypertension, obesity and diabetes and impaired immune functioning.

I aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night. For me, an essential ingredient for getting quality sleep is darkness; I make sure there’s no light and no electronic devices in my room before bedtime.

Sergey Young is a longevity researcher, investor and the founder of Longevity Vision Fund. He is also the author of “The Science and Technology of Growing Young: An Insider’s Guide to the Breakthroughs That Will Dramatically Extend Our Lifespan.” Sergey is on the Board of Directors of the American Federation of Aging Research and the Development Sponsor of Age Reversal XPRIZE global competition, designed to cure aging. Follow him on Twitter @SergeyYoung200.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/25/longevity-expert-shares-his-non-negotiable-diet-sleep-exercising-rules-for-a-longer-healthier-life.html

Five effective weight loss ideas for people over 40

Losing weight is very much possible even at the age of 40 if you eat sensibly, stay active and sleep well.

If you are 40, you may feel that losing weight is a herculean task. But, according to Manik Dhodi, fitness expert and athlete, with healthy lifestyle changes and maintained activity levels losing weight is very much possible.

As such, he shares effective weight loss ideas for those over 40 years of age:

Eat your vegetables and salad first

Fill at least half of your plate with salad and vegetables and build your meals around them. Although meats and grains are equally important, fruits and veggies have more nutrient value from vitamins and minerals and are less on fat and calories. However, you could increase the intake of high fibre foods as they improve digestion, prevent weight gain and fat accumulation while keeping you satiated, reducing the chances of overeating significantly.

Do not skip meals

Eating at regular intervals during the day helps burn calories at a faster rate. It also reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar. By skipping meals, you could be missing out on essential nutrients that the body requires. Breakfast is an equally important meal of the day. Perhaps it might be even more important since your body has already fasted for 10-12 hours. A healthy morning meal like oatmeal with fruits or whole-wheat bread with fruits could take care of that mid-morning hunger that compels you to grab something unhealthy or overeat during your lunch. However, you could lay low over the dinner and eat while monitoring what to eat and how much.

Breakfast is an equally important meal of the day. (Source: Getty Images)

Water intake

Water intake plays a very important role in multiple aspects of a healthy body as well as in reducing weight. Staying well-hydrated helps in pumping up your metabolism, smoothening waste removal and in burning excess belly fat. Drinking water at regular intervals of the day also reduces the hunger you feel during the day between your meals. Multiple studies show that one should consume at least 2-3 litres of water every day. Drinking water before meals could keep you full, thus your body feels less hungry.

Also Read |Simple dos and don’ts for healthy weight loss

Be active and exercise regularly

Regular activity, in the form of cardio, abdominal exercises, as well as HIIT, in your routine can help burn extra fat and is especially effective when it comes to reducing weight. It keeps your heart rate up and increases fat burning. Another fun way could be Zumba dance. A moderate to vigorous activity for 30-40 minutes per day, could do wonders for your weight loss before you even realise. For those with injuries and health issues, they can practise yoga or walk with breaks to give their body a little jerk.

Avoid process food, junk food, and soda

Processed foods like chips, cookies, and convenience foods are typically high in calories, carbs, and fats, and are mostly low in key nutrients such as fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. Avoiding these processed foods from your diet and swapping them for whole foods can increase weight loss, reduce belly fat, and help you lose weight. Also the sweetened soda drinks could lead to weight gain and could also increase the risk of diabetes.

“Eat Sensibly, Stay Active, sleep well, and see the results because 40 is the New 20,” he concluded.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/five-effective-weight-loss-ideas-for-people-over-40-7375749/