The “I want to retire soon” thread (1 Viewer)

[Terminalxylem]

Most of my family had kids young, worked like heck, raised their kids, but when it came time to retire, they didn't know what to do. They had no time for hobbies, interests, etc.
They had a bunch of kids way too early, raised them, worked and worked and worked, then moved to Florida to graze on buffets.

I'm not going out like that.

"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"

I like that quote, but fundamentally disagree with the concept of “using up” your body, and *poof*, then you die.

It won’t work that way for most of us, as diseases of excess and the resulting debility last a while. I’d prefer years-decades of healthy lifespan that follows taking care of one’s body. My preferred quote:

“The idea is too die young as late as possible.”

Bad habits and stress will facilitate a skid to the grave, but there’s a wealth of literature that eating right, exercising consistently and minimizing compensatory pleasures helps you live longer, and better.

I assume there are suggested exercise levels by age (or some other variable)? I’m late 40s and know my exercise has plummeted over the years. I haven’t been intentional about exercise in a while. I think it would be helpful to know what level to aim for each day/week.

Exercise recs aren’t stratified by age. Assuming you are healthy enough to participate, everyone is supposed to try for 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. But the best mortality benefit occurs if you do the same amount of vigorous exercise instead. Or you can double the duration of moderate intensity work outs.

Moderate intensity is enough to make your breathing increase, but not to the point you can’t carry out a conversation. So brisk walking, 4 mph, counts. High intensity/vigorous is enough you cannot talk while exercising. Running a 10-minute mile is an example.

If you fulfill the harder criteria, you‘ll reduce your risk of death 31%, which is better than any prescription medication. So walk for an hour 5 days/week, or run half as much, and you are doing great.

If you really want to optimize health, throw in some high intensity intervals, where you run as fast as possible for 4-6 minutes, followed by an equal period at a moderate pace, for 4 cycles/sets. This will increase your VO2 max over time. Those with elite (top 3%] VO2 max for their age are 4-5X less likely to die than those with the lowest 20%.

Strength training a couple times a week is also recommended, and things like grip strength correlate closely with all-cause mortality.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Most of my family had kids young, worked like heck, raised their kids, but when it came time to retire, they didn't know what to do. They had no time for hobbies, interests, etc.
They had a bunch of kids way too early, raised them, worked and worked and worked, then moved to Florida to graze on buffets.

I'm not going out like that.

"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"

I like that quote, but fundamentally disagree with the concept of “using up” your body, and *poof*, then you die.

It won’t work that way for most of us, as diseases of excess and the resulting debility last a while. I’d prefer years-decades of healthy lifespan that follows taking care of one’s body. My preferred quote:

“The idea is too die young as late as possible.”

Bad habits and stress will facilitate a skid to the grave, but there’s a wealth of literature that eating right, exercising consistently and minimizing compensatory pleasures helps you live longer, and better.

I assume there are suggested exercise levels by age (or some other variable)? I’m late 40s and know my exercise has plummeted over the years. I haven’t been intentional about exercise in a while. I think it would be helpful to know what level to aim for each day/week.

Read Outlive by Peter Attia. He goes into the athletic goals to stay young while getting old.

Yeah, that book is good, but he’s a little too enthusiastic about gaining muscle IMO.

 

[Judge Smails]

I'm 64. Planning on retiring in June 2024. Most of my friends are retired or will be retiring soon. A few retired and then went back to work part-time. No way that I am doing that.

I don't think I'll ever retire. I enjoy my job and work from home. Retirement is the #1 killer of old people.

If you don’t have a plan, or it entails an unhealthy lifestyle, maybe.

But if you love the outdoors, being active and traveling, seems like retirement can be at least as fulfilling as most jobs.

I always find that when I'm not working, I get into lazy habits. I certainly don't eat as healthy. I don't know, I'm a creature of routine.

My problem is since I retired, I spend a ton of time meal-planning for my wife and daughter. I have always loved to cook and now that I have time to really work on meals, the waist line of both my wife and I are expanding.

But the other thing is I have to really be careful about is that 3:00 pm beer that used to be a 6:00 pm beer and then became a 4:30 pm beer.

This isn’t talked about enough. I’ve looked at buying a 2nd home in Palm Springs. Huge retirement population. Seen and talked to people where happy hour started at 5. Then 4. Then 3. All of a sudden their popping the first cocktail at 11am and keep going all day. Not good

 

[massraider]

Yeah, that book is good, but he’s a little too enthusiastic about gaining muscle IMO.

I have seen almost zero written anywhere about how men of our generation took strength training cues from the steroid monkeys of the 80's and 90's. And men will still do some variation of the weightlifting they did when they were young, trying to gain mass. Even if they don't want to look like that, they are still using low reps, high weight.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Yeah, that book is good, but he’s a little too enthusiastic about gaining muscle IMO.

I have seen almost zero written anywhere about how men of our generation took strength training cues from the steroid monkeys of the 80's and 90's. And men will still do some variation of the weightlifting they did when they were young, trying to gain mass. Even if they don't want to look like that, they are still using low reps, high weight.

Attia makes a decent argument that you’ll invariably lose muscle mass with age, so starting at as high a baseline as possible can only help.

What he ignores is the classic scenario where guys just lift, at the expense of cardiovascular health, and accrue injuries by trying to get yuuuge.

He also fails to acknowledge literature showing high protein intake, which is always part of the gym-bro lifestyle, is associated with increased mortality through middle age.

But older (>65) people need to ramp up their protein intake, as muscle/bone wasting and falls become a real risk as we age.

It‘s a complicated topic, but I believe regular physical activity, biased toward cardiovascular fitness, is most important. I’ve never met a ripped/bulky 80+ year old - most are thin and lean, and active outside a weight room. Moreover, no long-lived population consumes a high protein diet.

 

[3C's]

Healthy sleep habits also seem important, as deep sleep appears to be critical for cleaning up the molecular junk our brains accumulate during waking hours.

I'm so screwed...

 

[IvanKaramazov]

High intensity/vigorous is enough you cannot talk while exercising. Running a 10-minute mile is an example.

This the part where everybody from the 10K thread chimes in about how we can debate the finer points of epistemology while running a 10 minute mile.

(Sorry, stuff like this is a bat-signal for people like us).

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Yeah, that book is good, but he’s a little too enthusiastic about gaining muscle IMO.

I have seen almost zero written anywhere about how men of our generation took strength training cues from the steroid monkeys of the 80's and 90's. And men will still do some variation of the weightlifting they did when they were young, trying to gain mass. Even if they don't want to look like that, they are still using low reps, high weight.

Attia makes a decent argument that you’ll invariably lose muscle mass with age, so starting at as high a baseline as possible can only help.

What he ignores is the classic scenario where guys just lift, at the expense of cardiovascular health, and accrue injuries by trying to get yuuuge.

He also fails to acknowledge literature showing high protein intake, which is always part of the gym-bro lifestyle, is associated with increased mortality through middle age.

But older (>65) people need to ramp up their protein intake, as muscle/bone wasting and falls become a real risk as we age.

It‘s a complicated topic, but I believe regular physical activity, biased toward cardiovascular fitness, is most important. I’ve never met a ripped/bulky 80+ year old - most are thin and lean, and active outside a weight room. Moreover, no long-lived population consumes a high protein diet.

As usual,

I used to walk around at 200 lbs but now at 46, I don’t want to put all that stress on my body and heart. I made some diet changes (soda/excessive eating) and do long stretches of intermittent fasting and I’m down to 167 lbs. I don’t love being so light in the *** but I admit I feel amazing. I no longer have to take a deep breath before I go down to put on my shoes, I can again jump out of the gym and I look pretty damn good in a suit if I say so myself.

TL/DR

Slim and trim >>> yoked up

 

[Snotbubbles]

I always find that when I'm not working, I get into lazy habits. I certainly don't eat as healthy. I don't know, I'm a creature of routine.

You don't have to work to have a routine.

Many volunteer opportunities will create a routine for you if having a routine is something that is important to you in retirement.

Isn't that what working is? I'm volunteering my time for money.

 

[Snotbubbles]

I'm 64. Planning on retiring in June 2024. Most of my friends are retired or will be retiring soon. A few retired and then went back to work part-time. No way that I am doing that.

I don't think I'll ever retire. I enjoy my job and work from home. Retirement is the #1 killer of old people.

If you don’t have a plan, or it entails an unhealthy lifestyle, maybe.

But if you love the outdoors, being active and traveling, seems like retirement can be at least as fulfilling as most jobs.

I always find that when I'm not working, I get into lazy habits. I certainly don't eat as healthy. I don't know, I'm a creature of routine.

You just haven’t developed healthy routines. If one puts the same time/effort into health as they do their job, it’s possible to develop good habits, I assure you.

You can even get to the point you crave healthy food and enjoy exercise.

I wake up every morning at 5am and do an hour of cardio. Walk my dog. Get a shower. Start work. Eat my prepped meals throughout the day (chicken, rice and brocolli). Go to the gym at 4pm and do my weight training. Make dinner. Watch the local sports teams in action. Go to bed (usually around 9 or 10 pm). Rinse repeat.

I get bloodwork done yearly. The results say that I'm healthy. No high cholesterol. Nothing out of the normal ranges. I have a healthy routine. Problem is, when I take PTO, I get out of those habits. Like the week of Thanksgiving, I had off. I didn't gym, I didn't eat my meals. I spent it painting my daughters bedroom. I get out of my routine. I need to work on that.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I always find that when I'm not working, I get into lazy habits. I certainly don't eat as healthy. I don't know, I'm a creature of routine.

You don't have to work to have a routine.

Many volunteer opportunities will create a routine for you if having a routine is something that is important to you in retirement.

Isn't that what working is? I'm volunteering my time for money.

Yes but this thread is about people who want to retire soon not people who enjoy their work. If people are lucky enough to enjoy their work they should stay working imo.

 

[Snotbubbles]

I always find that when I'm not working, I get into lazy habits. I certainly don't eat as healthy. I don't know, I'm a creature of routine.

You don't have to work to have a routine.

Many volunteer opportunities will create a routine for you if having a routine is something that is important to you in retirement.

Isn't that what working is? I'm volunteering my time for money.

Yes but this thread is about people who want to retire soon not people who enjoy their work. If people are lucky enough to enjoy their work they should stay working imo.

I want to retire, but I can't stay on my routine, that's my problem.

 

[Terminalxylem]

High intensity/vigorous is enough you cannot talk while exercising. Running a 10-minute mile is an example.

This the part where everybody from the 10K thread chimes in about how we can debate the finer points of epistemology while running a 10 minute mile.

(Sorry, stuff like this is a bat-signal for people like us).

After a couple heart procedures, I ran for the first time in 2 years last week. I was struggling to maintain a 9 minute mile pace, shockingly slow compared to the sub 7s I ran in my last 5K. Granted, that was over a decade ago, but it was pretty disturbing nonetheless.

I felt better when I read an article about lifespan and exercise intensity. As it turns out, 10-minute miles are about the threshold for a 50% reduction in all cause mortality at our age.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

High intensity/vigorous is enough you cannot talk while exercising. Running a 10-minute mile is an example.

This the part where everybody from the 10K thread chimes in about how we can debate the finer points of epistemology while running a 10 minute mile.

(Sorry, stuff like this is a bat-signal for people like us).

After a couple heart procedures, I ran for the first time in 2 years last week. I was struggling to maintain a 9 minute mile pace, shockingly slow compared to the sub 7s I ran in my last 5K. Granted, that was over a decade ago, but it was pretty disturbing nonetheless.

I felt better when I read an article about lifespan and exercise intensity. As it turns out, 10-minute miles are about the threshold for a 50% reduction in all cause mortality at our age.

That's what I want to hear. I'm not running a lot of 7-minute miles these days

 

[Terminalxylem]

Yeah, that book is good, but he’s a little too enthusiastic about gaining muscle IMO.

I have seen almost zero written anywhere about how men of our generation took strength training cues from the steroid monkeys of the 80's and 90's. And men will still do some variation of the weightlifting they did when they were young, trying to gain mass. Even if they don't want to look like that, they are still using low reps, high weight.

Attia makes a decent argument that you’ll invariably lose muscle mass with age, so starting at as high a baseline as possible can only help.

What he ignores is the classic scenario where guys just lift, at the expense of cardiovascular health, and accrue injuries by trying to get yuuuge.

He also fails to acknowledge literature showing high protein intake, which is always part of the gym-bro lifestyle, is associated with increased mortality through middle age.

But older (>65) people need to ramp up their protein intake, as muscle/bone wasting and falls become a real risk as we age.

It‘s a complicated topic, but I believe regular physical activity, biased toward cardiovascular fitness, is most important. I’ve never met a ripped/bulky 80+ year old - most are thin and lean, and active outside a weight room. Moreover, no long-lived population consumes a high protein diet.

As usual,

I used to walk around at 200 lbs but now at 46, I don’t want to put all that stress on my body and heart. I made some diet changes (soda/excessive eating) and do long stretches of intermittent fasting and I’m down to 167 lbs. I don’t love being so light in the *** but I admit I feel amazing. I no longer have to take a deep breath before I go down to put on my shoes, I can again jump out of the gym and I look pretty damn good in a suit if I say so myself.

TL/DR

Slim and trim >>> yoked up

Congrats on your weight loss.

I used to lift religiously, but have always been pretty lean. Still, middle age caught up with me as well. Thankfully 75 Hard showed I could stand to lose a pound or 15, and I’ve kept it off.

Despite my sh!tty running pace, I feel waaay better at a BMI of 22 than 24.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I'm 64. Planning on retiring in June 2024. Most of my friends are retired or will be retiring soon. A few retired and then went back to work part-time. No way that I am doing that.

I don't think I'll ever retire. I enjoy my job and work from home. Retirement is the #1 killer of old people.

If you don’t have a plan, or it entails an unhealthy lifestyle, maybe.

But if you love the outdoors, being active and traveling, seems like retirement can be at least as fulfilling as most jobs.

I always find that when I'm not working, I get into lazy habits. I certainly don't eat as healthy. I don't know, I'm a creature of routine.

You just haven’t developed healthy routines. If one puts the same time/effort into health as they do their job, it’s possible to develop good habits, I assure you.

You can even get to the point you crave healthy food and enjoy exercise.

I wake up every morning at 5am and do an hour of cardio. Walk my dog. Get a shower. Start work. Eat my prepped meals throughout the day (chicken, rice and brocolli). Go to the gym at 4pm and do my weight training. Make dinner. Watch the local sports teams in action. Go to bed (usually around 9 or 10 pm). Rinse repeat.

I get bloodwork done yearly. The results say that I'm healthy. No high cholesterol. Nothing out of the normal ranges. I have a healthy routine. Problem is, when I take PTO, I get out of those habits. Like the week of Thanksgiving, I had off. I didn't gym, I didn't eat my meals. I spent it painting my daughters bedroom. I get out of my routine. I need to work on that.

That’s an impressive routine, and I’m really surprised you don’t maintain it outside of work. Do you enjoy exercising?

For me, I exercise more when I’m not working, and eat better. I actually think of exercise as as something I need to do, like eating each day.

 

[Snotbubbles]

I'm 64. Planning on retiring in June 2024. Most of my friends are retired or will be retiring soon. A few retired and then went back to work part-time. No way that I am doing that.

I don't think I'll ever retire. I enjoy my job and work from home. Retirement is the #1 killer of old people.

If you don’t have a plan, or it entails an unhealthy lifestyle, maybe.

But if you love the outdoors, being active and traveling, seems like retirement can be at least as fulfilling as most jobs.

I always find that when I'm not working, I get into lazy habits. I certainly don't eat as healthy. I don't know, I'm a creature of routine.

You just haven’t developed healthy routines. If one puts the same time/effort into health as they do their job, it’s possible to develop good habits, I assure you.

You can even get to the point you crave healthy food and enjoy exercise.

I wake up every morning at 5am and do an hour of cardio. Walk my dog. Get a shower. Start work. Eat my prepped meals throughout the day (chicken, rice and brocolli). Go to the gym at 4pm and do my weight training. Make dinner. Watch the local sports teams in action. Go to bed (usually around 9 or 10 pm). Rinse repeat.

I get bloodwork done yearly. The results say that I'm healthy. No high cholesterol. Nothing out of the normal ranges. I have a healthy routine. Problem is, when I take PTO, I get out of those habits. Like the week of Thanksgiving, I had off. I didn't gym, I didn't eat my meals. I spent it painting my daughters bedroom. I get out of my routine. I need to work on that.

That’s an impressive routine, and I’m really surprised you don’t maintain it outside of work. Do you enjoy exercising?

For me, I exercise more when I’m not working, and eat better. I actually think of exercise as as something I need to do, like eating each day.

Yes, I like lifting weights. I will admit, I don't like getting up at 5am to do cardio though. Never did like cardio.

 

[General Malaise]

Yeah, that book is good, but he’s a little too enthusiastic about gaining muscle IMO.

I have seen almost zero written anywhere about how men of our generation took strength training cues from the steroid monkeys of the 80's and 90's. And men will still do some variation of the weightlifting they did when they were young, trying to gain mass. Even if they don't want to look like that, they are still using low reps, high weight.

Attia makes a decent argument that you’ll invariably lose muscle mass with age, so starting at as high a baseline as possible can only help.

What he ignores is the classic scenario where guys just lift, at the expense of cardiovascular health, and accrue injuries by trying to get yuuuge.

He also fails to acknowledge literature showing high protein intake, which is always part of the gym-bro lifestyle, is associated with increased mortality through middle age.

But older (>65) people need to ramp up their protein intake, as muscle/bone wasting and falls become a real risk as we age.

It‘s a complicated topic, but I believe regular physical activity, biased toward cardiovascular fitness, is most important. I’ve never met a ripped/bulky 80+ year old - most are thin and lean, and active outside a weight room. Moreover, no long-lived population consumes a high protein diet.

As usual,

I used to walk around at 200 lbs but now at 46, I don’t want to put all that stress on my body and heart. I made some diet changes (soda/excessive eating) and do long stretches of intermittent fasting and I’m down to 167 lbs. I don’t love being so light in the *** but I admit I feel amazing. I no longer have to take a deep breath before I go down to put on my shoes, I can again jump out of the gym and I look pretty damn good in a suit if I say so myself.

TL/DR

Slim and trim >>> yoked up

How often did you do the intermittent fasting? I gave that a try 10 years ago and liked the results. I was doing two days a week and limiting myself to 600 calories on days I fasted. I think I might try two days a week with zero calories, but open to suggestions.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

What he ignores is the classic scenario where guys just lift, at the expense of cardiovascular health, and accrue injuries by trying to get yuuuge.

He also fails to acknowledge literature showing high protein intake, which is always part of the gym-bro lifestyle, is associated with increased mortality through middle age.

But older (>65) people need to ramp up their protein intake, as muscle/bone wasting and falls become a real risk as we age.

It‘s a complicated topic, but I believe regular physical activity, biased toward cardiovascular fitness, is most important. I’ve never met a ripped/bulky 80+ year old - most are thin and lean, and active outside a weight room. Moreover, no long-lived population consumes a high protein diet.

As usual,

I used to walk around at 200 lbs but now at 46, I don’t want to put all that stress on my body and heart. I made some diet changes (soda/excessive eating) and do long stretches of intermittent fasting and I’m down to 167 lbs. I don’t love being so light in the *** but I admit I feel amazing. I no longer have to take a deep breath before I go down to put on my shoes, I can again jump out of the gym and I look pretty damn good in a suit if I say so myself.

TL/DR

Slim and trim >>> yoked up

How often did you do the intermittent fasting? I gave that a try 10 years ago and liked the results. I was doing two days a week and limiting myself to 600 calories on days I fasted. I think I might try two days a week with zero calories, but open to suggestions.

So despite playing tons of sports my whole life I’ve never tracked anything. Never needed to.

My typical day is coffee at 5:30 AM
I don’t eat again until about 6PM. Rice, greens, protein. Water.

That’s about it. No soda. No breads.

If we have a party or event I eat whatever and go back to my routine. Once in awhile I’ll do a cheat day and just like a pig.

That’s about it.

ETA- as far as exercise goes I just try and stay active. Most days I get good work out just working in the yard but if I don’t, I’ll go for a walk to the school and do some sprints or ride my bike or if it’s cold outside, I might hit the weights, but I don’t have a definitive time of day or workout routine. TBA at this weight of you dont have to do much for it to show.

 

[gianmarco]

My typical day starts with coffee around 7:30am. I don't eat again until 7:45am. Usually good breakfast food.

I don't do that again until about 11am and replace breakfast food with lunch food.

That's about it. Until about 4pm. And 8pm. Maybe 10pm. Then absolutely nothing from then until the next morning again.

 

[SFBayDuck]

My typical day starts with coffee around 7:30am. I don't eat again until 7:45am. Usually good breakfast food.

I don't do that again until about 11am and replace breakfast food with lunch food.

That's about it. Until about 4pm. And 8pm. Maybe 10pm. Then absolutely nothing from then until the next morning again.

Your discipline is something to behold and is to be admired by all.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

@General Malaise I’m sorry, I don’t think I even answered your question. I started this a few months ago. I’m not even sure it should be called intermittent fasting at this point, this is just my daily routine.

When I played sports, obviously needed the size but now that I don’t, I’m kind of used to it. Humans aren’t really meant to eat as much as we do.

 

[General Malaise]

@General Malaise I’m sorry, I don’t think I even answered your question. I started this a few months ago. I’m not even sure it should be called intermittent fasting at this point, this is just my daily routine.

When I played sports, obviously needed the size but now that I don’t, I’m kind of used to it. Humans aren’t really meant to eat as much as we do.

All good, thanks for the clarification. That's mighty impressive.

 

[nirad3]

I haven't read through this thread and likely won't have the time... since... well... since I will probably NEVER retire. I made some poor financial choices in my 20s, 30s and even a bit in my 40s and most certainly won't have the savings to ever retire. Unless I win the lottery. And I rarely play.

Most likely I'll "work" until I'm in my 60s and then will try consulting of some sort. Hopefully by then I will live somewhere where the cost of living is significantly better.

I don't know if I envy you guys and gals that are either already retired or close to it. I think I'd be bored, and all I'd want to do is travel, which can obviously be expensive.

In terms of travel, something my wife and I have been doing in recent years is to travel on the state highways rather than the interstate system. It's a little slower, but it's so much fun to see the sights along the way, especially when you get to cruise through the center of a small'ish town instead of having a four-lane road passing around it. (Cracker Barrel restaurants are modeled on this ...stopping in town for a solid meal and a little shopping.) The focus becomes the journey as much as the destination. One trip we did was a "Triple D" tour, targeting some restaurants from Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives as we meandered from Chicago down to the Golf Coast and back. Fun times (including a dinner connection with @Sand and his wife)!

Because of my job, I get to see a lot of small-town / Middle America. It's a big-time perk (not joking). I also did a 42-day cross-country driving trip with a college buddy just after we graduated. Got to see a lot of our country that way, too. I've never been off American soil except to go to Toronto (during that post-college trip), Vancouver (with my family) and Cancun. So I would probably want to go to Europe, maybe South America.

 

[tri-man 47]

My typical day starts with coffee around 7:30am. I don't eat again until 7:45am. Usually good breakfast food.

I don't do that again until about 11am and replace breakfast food with lunch food.

That's about it. Until about 4pm. And 8pm. Maybe 10pm. Then absolutely nothing from then until the next morning again.

Your discipline is something to behold and is to be admired by all.

Who needs 75 Hard when you’ve got 24/7 Hungry? The numbers don’t lie.

 

[matttyl]

This question is probably a topic better served in 10-15 years, if the forum still exists, but what are the general hopes that there will be medication to help lesson the effects of dementia in say 30+ years from the present?

I am not hoping for a cure in this time frame but was hopeful that there could be some break through to help reduce the symptoms.

Interesting that you ask, I heard on the radio today of the results of a study of the effects of wasabi on memory, with really good outcomes.

 

[General Malaise]

This question is probably a topic better served in 10-15 years, if the forum still exists, but what are the general hopes that there will be medication to help lesson the effects of dementia in say 30+ years from the present?

I am not hoping for a cure in this time frame but was hopeful that there could be some break through to help reduce the symptoms.

Interesting that you ask, I heard on the radio today of the results of a study of the effects of wasabi on memory, with really good outcomes.

HA! I read an article on that today and made a note to pick up some wasabi from the store.

 

[ChiefD]

This question is probably a topic better served in 10-15 years, if the forum still exists, but what are the general hopes that there will be medication to help lesson the effects of dementia in say 30+ years from the present?

I am not hoping for a cure in this time frame but was hopeful that there could be some break through to help reduce the symptoms.

Interesting that you ask, I heard on the radio today of the results of a study of the effects of wasabi on memory, with really good outcomes.

HA! I read an article on that today and made a note to pick up some wasabi from the store.

Do you remember where you read the article?

 

[NewlyRetired]

This question is probably a topic better served in 10-15 years, if the forum still exists, but what are the general hopes that there will be medication to help lesson the effects of dementia in say 30+ years from the present?

I am not hoping for a cure in this time frame but was hopeful that there could be some break through to help reduce the symptoms.

Interesting that you ask, I heard on the radio today of the results of a study of the effects of wasabi on memory, with really good outcomes.

HA! I read an article on that today and made a note to pick up some wasabi from the store.

Thanks for the alert. It sounded very interesting when I read about. This passage caught my eye though

===========

But here's the rub: That tangy paste served up at nearly all sushi bars — even the ones in Japan — is almost certainly an impostor. Far more common than the real thing is a convincing fraud, usually made of ordinary white horseradish, dyed green.

Native to Japan, wasabi is notoriously difficult to cultivate. The plant takes nearly two years to reach maturity and requires exacting temperature, shade, gravel and water conditions. It can cost more per pound than even the choice tuna it sits on.

Genuine wasabi must be consumed fresh, with the stubbly rhizome, or stem of the plant, grated tableside just before eating

 

[massraider]

How often did you do the intermittent fasting?

Every day.

Two meals a day, about 4 hours apart. Few days a week I eat one meal. No breakfast, late lunch. Eat at 3 or 4 pm, then 6 or 7 for dinner.

If I break my routine, I break my routine, no big whoop. Late dinner, Sunday brunch, whatever.

 

[General Malaise]

This question is probably a topic better served in 10-15 years, if the forum still exists, but what are the general hopes that there will be medication to help lesson the effects of dementia in say 30+ years from the present?

I am not hoping for a cure in this time frame but was hopeful that there could be some break through to help reduce the symptoms.

Interesting that you ask, I heard on the radio today of the results of a study of the effects of wasabi on memory, with really good outcomes.

HA! I read an article on that today and made a note to pick up some wasabi from the store.

Do you remember where you read the article?

Saw a few articles this morning, but here's one from the NY Post: https://nypost.com/2023/12/05/lifestyle/wasabi-linked-to-really-substantial-boost-in-memory-study/

 

[General Malaise]

This question is probably a topic better served in 10-15 years, if the forum still exists, but what are the general hopes that there will be medication to help lesson the effects of dementia in say 30+ years from the present?

I am not hoping for a cure in this time frame but was hopeful that there could be some break through to help reduce the symptoms.

Interesting that you ask, I heard on the radio today of the results of a study of the effects of wasabi on memory, with really good outcomes.

HA! I read an article on that today and made a note to pick up some wasabi from the store.

Thanks for the alert. It sounded very interesting when I read about. This passage caught my eye though

===========

But here's the rub: That tangy paste served up at nearly all sushi bars — even the ones in Japan — is almost certainly an impostor. Far more common than the real thing is a convincing fraud, usually made of ordinary white horseradish, dyed green.

Native to Japan, wasabi is notoriously difficult to cultivate. The plant takes nearly two years to reach maturity and requires exacting temperature, shade, gravel and water conditions. It can cost more per pound than even the choice tuna it sits on.

Genuine wasabi must be consumed fresh, with the stubbly rhizome, or stem of the plant, grated tableside just before eating

Funny you mention....I get a calendar every year from our workers' comp insurance company and I like it because 1) I'm a dinosaur who likes a physical calendar next to me at work and 2) it features local businesses to Oregon/Washington. The calendar arrived last week and I thumbed through it was fascinated by February's profile: Oregon Coast Wasabi

Turns out this is the largest Wasabi farm in the country and Oregon's climate on the coast yield the same humid and cool conditions that Japan has for their wasabi plants. Who knew? You can order genuine wasabi powder from them: https://www.thewasabistore.com/shop/genuine-wasabi-powder

ETA: Their powder is freeze-dried from China. They don't have enough rhizome at this time to freeze dry it on site.

 

[Terminalxylem]

How often did you do the intermittent fasting?

Every day.

Two meals a day, about 4 hours apart. Few days a week I eat one meal. No breakfast, late lunch. Eat at 3 or 4 pm, then 6 or 7 for dinner.

If I break my routine, I break my routine, no big whoop. Late dinner, Sunday brunch, whatever.

This is almost exactly what I do. No counting calories, macronutrients or daily weigh-ins, either.

It’s easy to maintain and good for weight management, as long as you eat non-processed plant stuff 90+% of the time.

 

[Sand]

Yeah, that book is good, but he’s a little too enthusiastic about gaining muscle IMO.

I have seen almost zero written anywhere about how men of our generation took strength training cues from the steroid monkeys of the 80's and 90's. And men will still do some variation of the weightlifting they did when they were young, trying to gain mass. Even if they don't want to look like that, they are still using low reps, high weight.

Attia makes a decent argument that you’ll invariably lose muscle mass with age, so starting at as high a baseline as possible can only help.

What he ignores is the classic scenario where guys just lift, at the expense of cardiovascular health, and accrue injuries by trying to get yuuuge.

He also fails to acknowledge literature showing high protein intake, which is always part of the gym-bro lifestyle, is associated with increased mortality through middle age.

But older (>65) people need to ramp up their protein intake, as muscle/bone wasting and falls become a real risk as we age.

It‘s a complicated topic, but I believe regular physical activity, biased toward cardiovascular fitness, is most important. I’ve never met a ripped/bulky 80+ year old - most are thin and lean, and active outside a weight room. Moreover, no long-lived population consumes a high protein diet.

He does go into muscle building a lot (he is kind of a meathead, NTTIAWWT). A lot about rucking, because he likes to do that, as well. However, he does go into cardio, a lot. One thing that stuck out was his discussion on the strongest correlation between a health marker and longevity turns out this is VO2 max. So cardio is incredibly important; Attia talks about trying to get into the top 5% of VO2 Max population for your age and then holding that for as long as you can. You can extend your "healthspan", as he puts it, well into your 70s if you can do this along with weight training. One thing I do like about his book is he does provide literature (refereed journal articles) to back up what he talks about.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Yeah, that book is good, but he’s a little too enthusiastic about gaining muscle IMO.

I have seen almost zero written anywhere about how men of our generation took strength training cues from the steroid monkeys of the 80's and 90's. And men will still do some variation of the weightlifting they did when they were young, trying to gain mass. Even if they don't want to look like that, they are still using low reps, high weight.

Attia makes a decent argument that you’ll invariably lose muscle mass with age, so starting at as high a baseline as possible can only help.

What he ignores is the classic scenario where guys just lift, at the expense of cardiovascular health, and accrue injuries by trying to get yuuuge.

He also fails to acknowledge literature showing high protein intake, which is always part of the gym-bro lifestyle, is associated with increased mortality through middle age.

But older (>65) people need to ramp up their protein intake, as muscle/bone wasting and falls become a real risk as we age.

It‘s a complicated topic, but I believe regular physical activity, biased toward cardiovascular fitness, is most important. I’ve never met a ripped/bulky 80+ year old - most are thin and lean, and active outside a weight room. Moreover, no long-lived population consumes a high protein diet.

He does go into muscle building a lot (he is kind of a meathead, NTTIAWWT). A lot about rucking, because he likes to do that, as well. However, he does go into cardio, a lot. One thing that stuck out was his discussion on the strongest correlation between a health marker and longevity turns out this is VO2 max. So cardio is incredibly important; Attia talks about trying to get into the top 5% of VO2 Max population for your age and then holding that for as long as you can. You can extend your "healthspan", as he puts it, well into your 70s if you can do this along with weight training. One thing I do like about his book is he does provide literature (refereed journal articles) to back up what he talks about.

It’s a good book. I‘ve looked at the primary literature he cites for goal VO2 max (upper 3%), and the 4-5 fold mortality benefit it provides, which is awesome. I’ve also read other studies on optimizing healthspan.

Good habits, adopted early, get you an extra 8-12 years, and a reduction in debility by a couple years. If you start later you still can add 5+ years to life. For me, that’s a non-brainer, which is a big reason why I strongly disagree with “using up” your body to “skid“ to the grave. Whatever fun you might gain (debatable, imo) it isn’t worth living a decade less and extra years of suffering.

Attia is pretty well respected in this field, as far as I can tell, but I think the book caters to his “bro science” audience a bit. He dances around dietary hot topics, avoiding going into potential downsides of (animal) protein, and is clearly biased towards weight training. That said, I agree with him that the entire field of nutrition is rife with bad science.

 

[Judge Smails]

When did this turn into the Otis diet thread?

 

[Orange&Blue]

How often did you do the intermittent fasting?

Every day.

Two meals a day, about 4 hours apart. Few days a week I eat one meal. No breakfast, late lunch. Eat at 3 or 4 pm, then 6 or 7 for dinner.

If I break my routine, I break my routine, no big whoop. Late dinner, Sunday brunch, whatever.

i tried that but couldn't do it. how do you avoid snacking? i tried fasting several times and I always end up having the munchies outside that 4 hour timeframe

 

[3C's]

All this talk about living longer. My daughter made a comment the other day about me doing something in my 90s....no thanks. If I'm still alive at 85 someone please shoot me.

 

[3C's]

How often did you do the intermittent fasting?

Every day.

Two meals a day, about 4 hours apart. Few days a week I eat one meal. No breakfast, late lunch. Eat at 3 or 4 pm, then 6 or 7 for dinner.

If I break my routine, I break my routine, no big whoop. Late dinner, Sunday brunch, whatever.

i tried that but couldn't do it. how do you avoid snacking? i tried fasting several times and I always end up having the munchies outside that 4 hour timeframe

The 16/8 eating plan (some call it IF) is the only way I can keep from snacking. Otherwise I'm grazing all day like a cow in the pasture.

 

[Terminalxylem]

All this talk about living longer. My daughter made a comment the other day about me doing something in my 90s....no thanks. If I'm still alive at 85 someone please shoot me.

I’ve definitely known people to “give up” in old age, effectively just waiting to die. Philosophically, I have no objections to saying enough is enough. Assuming mental health is OK (always a big “if” in these situations), I have no problem with suicide, or euthanasia.

But I’ve seen far more people clinging to life at the end, wishing they had more time.

Considering most of us won’t directly choose the exact moment we check out, and there’s always a chance medicine/technology advances to the point we can extend functional healthspan, I see no reason not to do everything in my power to maximize quantity of life. In doing so, quality of life will surely follow.

Do you believe people in their 80s and 90s exist who still do stuff they enjoy? Why wouldn’t you want to be one of them?

 

[-OZ-]

High intensity/vigorous is enough you cannot talk while exercising. Running a 10-minute mile is an example.

This the part where everybody from the 10K thread chimes in about how we can debate the finer points of epistemology while running a 10 minute mile.

(Sorry, stuff like this is a bat-signal for people like us).

“I can’t talk while swimming so I must be doing high intensity!”

 

[-OZ-]

You can extend your "healthspan", as he puts it, well into your 70s if you can do this along with weight training.

That’s a huge motivator for many of us. Especially if your dad happens to have multiple heart attacks starting in his 40s and had a walker for over a decade. He’s only 77 but has lived like an elderly guy for the last 15 years. I spent my 40th and his 70th Birthday (two days later) in the hospital when he had back surgery which went horribly. They had to move out of their home and into an assisted living facility immediately afterwards.
Hard pass on all that. But then, the man was told he was going to die a few times and he keeps on kicking. Thankfully he’s been improving mobility these past few years but it is SO much harder now.

 

[massraider]

All this talk about living longer. My daughter made a comment the other day about me doing something in my 90s....no thanks. If I'm still alive at 85 someone please shoot me.

Me too.
For me, it's about feeling good and healthy while I am here. I'm not trying to live to 90.

Living to 90 sounds like no fun. But being 53, and unable to walk up a steep hill without wheezing because I haven't exercised in 12 years sounds like no fun either.

My best friend is 48, and takes heart pills. That's a direct result of him eating like he didn't care for his adult life. He is not thinking about living to 90. He is thinking about not going too hard down the ski mountain, so he doesn't have a heart attack--at 48.

 

[3C's]

All this talk about living longer. My daughter made a comment the other day about me doing something in my 90s....no thanks. If I'm still alive at 85 someone please shoot me.

I’ve definitely known people to “give up” in old age, effectively just waiting to die. Philosophically, I have no objections to saying enough is enough. Assuming mental health is OK (always a big “if” in these situations), I have no problem with suicide, or euthanasia.

But I’ve seen far more people clinging to life at the end, wishing they had more time.

Considering most of us won’t directly choose the exact moment we check out, and there’s always a chance medicine/technology advances to the point we can extend functional healthspan, I see no reason not to do everything in my power to maximize quantity of life. In doing so, quality of life will surely follow.

Do you believe people in their 80s and 90s exist who still do stuff they enjoy? Why wouldn’t you want to be one of them?

Both of my wife's parents are in their 80s. Her mom basically can't take care of herself anymore, and her father often says he wishes he could just "go." Someone, mostly my wife and her sister, has to be there round the clock. No thanks. I've seen both sides of parents aging, hers vs mine (both of mine went unexpectedly and before I was 40). If I ever get to the point where I can't take care of myself I'm out of here. I prefer to go the path of my dad who died sitting in his recliner drinking a cup of coffee, even though I don't drink coffee.

I have a friend who believes carbs are a detriment to longevity and I tell him if I can't have pizza and beer why would I even want to go on.

Wife and I both assume we will be healthier in our later years since we both exercise regularly, though I've been a little slacking lately, turned 60 recently and took a short break. You mentioned grip strength and if having good grip strength is a positive marker for longevity I'm going to live forever. I keep something like this in the car and use it while driving.

 

[3C's]

You can extend your "healthspan", as he puts it, well into your 70s if you can do this along with weight training.

That’s a huge motivator for many of us. Especially if your dad happens to have multiple heart attacks starting in his 40s and had a walker for over a decade. He’s only 77 but has lived like an elderly guy for the last 15 years. I spent my 40th and his 70th Birthday (two days later) in the hospital when he had back surgery which went horribly. They had to move out of their home and into an assisted living facility immediately afterwards.
Hard pass on all that. But then, the man was told he was going to die a few times and he keeps on kicking. Thankfully he’s been improving mobility these past few years but it is SO much harder now.

My PCP, before he moved to HI (jerk!), took a look at some xrays when I mentioned that after having 1 hip replaced the surgeon mentioned the other would need to be replaced as well. He says, "I don't think the other hip looks too bad but your back and neck are a mess."

 

[NewlyRetired]

I have no idea what age I want to live to.

My dad did great until 85 and then the dementia slowly kicked in. He is 91 now and needs 24 hour care.

But my mom is amazing mentally and physically at 89 and besides not driving, she is fully functional including providing all the care my dad needs.

 

[NutterButter]

My only desire is that I'm in good shape throughout the grandparent years. I'm really looking forward to those if they happen. So assuming my kids have kids latest 35, that would put me around 80 by the time the last grand kid becomes a teenager. After that, I think I'll have done everything I've wanted to do and its just gravy. I do financially plan as if I'm gonna live to 100. I think that's a safe number. More for the inheritance if I don't.

 

[coopersdad]

So a question for you experts..........................divorced 4 years ago after 19 years. For most of the time she made more/year than I, but recently I've caught up in annual pay (lets not worry about the fact that she hasn't worked full time the last few years burning through the 1/2 of my retirement that she received).

When I retire at age 68/70, does she get part of my social security? How does that work with divorced couples?

If so, I need to readjust my savings plan.

 

[NewlyRetired]

So a question for you experts..........................divorced 4 years ago after 19 years. For most of the time she made more/year than I, but recently I've caught up in annual pay (lets not worry about the fact that she hasn't worked full time the last few years burning through the 1/2 of my retirement that she received).

When I retire at age 68/70, does she get part of my social security? How does that work with divorced couples?

If so, I need to readjust my savings plan.

There are lots of different rules

Ex-Spouse Benefits And How They Affect You | SSA

Just like during tax season, it’s good to have all the information you need early so you can prepare and get any money you are due. If you are age 62, unmarried, and divorced from someone entitled to…

blog.ssa.gov

 

[NewlyRetired]

If so, I need to readjust my savings plan.

Maybe not. I saw this on a different SS web page

The amount of benefits your divorced spouse gets has no effect on the amount of benefits you or your current spouse may receive