One hour per day

You’re over 50.

For much of your adult life you’ve been saving and investing for retirement so you can enjoy the good life and relax.

Unfortunately, it’s likely that you didn’t bother to invest in your health and fitness.

I say likely because according to the CDC, over 46% of Americans aged 40 to 59 are obese.

That likely means well over 50% are at least overweight, if not obese.

Here’s another startling set of data I read yesterday on X…

Greece – Smokers: 39.1%, Life expectancy: 82.2 years
France – Smokers: 34.6%, Life expectancy: 83.5 years
Andorra – Smokers: 33.8%, Life expectancy: 83.9 years
Cyprus – Smokers: 36.7%, Life expectancy: 82.2 years
Spain – Smokers: 28.4%, Life expectancy: 84.2 years
Italy – Smokers: 22.4%, Life expectancy: 84.4 years
United States – Smokers: 24.3%, Life expectancy: 77.3 years

So, while 77 is a much longer life expectancy than when Social Security was created in 1935, it’s nowhere near as long as it should be, given the medical advancements.

If you actually want to enjoy your retirement years, don’t you want to be strong, fit and mobile?

Or do you want to rely on getting around the grocery store on one of those three-wheel scooters?

Just think of the effort you’ve made to achieve the good life.  You’ve worked your ass off (well not really, it’s in your stomach now) to have the money to do what you want, when you want.

But, when you get on a plane, you can barely lift up your carry-on luggage and put it in the overhead bin.

You can no longer walk 18 holes on the golf course… you have to ride a cart so you don’t pass out.

And when you take off your shirt on the beach? Nobody wants to see that!

One hour per day

All joking aside… if you are over 55, it’s time to invest in your fitness.

You have a choice… be like Dr. Life, the old muscular dude in this photo, or the other old dude.

Aside from the likelihood you are overweight, if you haven’t been lifting weights for a few years, or ever, you are losing muscle mass and strength.

This will really start to bite you in the ass once you hit 70 if you don’t start training now.

If you want to have the energy to keep up with your grandkids, you’ll want to get to work on your conditioning as well.

In spite of all the BS you will find online, there are no shortcuts.

You need to invest an average of one hour per day on your health and fitness.

Let me qualify that… initially, you won’t be able to handle that much work.

However, over time, as you train toward being the best you can be, whether you are 55 or 75, you’ll need to invest an hour per day.

Strength training, once it gets hard, requires more rest time between sets, particularly if you are doing compound lifts such as the squat.  You’ll need a minimum of two sessions per week once you get through the novice phase.

Cardio training will eventually require 30 to 60 minutes depending upon the workout.  You need three sessions per week.

Mobility work requires another to 20 to 45 minutes a couple days per week.

And, you’ll need to spend more time shopping for better food and cooking healthier meals, if you aren’t already doing so.

When you add all this up, will likely total 7 to 10 hours per week, so a little more than an hour per day.

However, I guarantee it will be worth it.

While those aches and pains that come with aging won’t go away, you will look and feel much better.

For those of you reading this saying you don’t have the time, I say BS.

If you are over 50, you have plenty of time, unless you are a new parent.  And even that is still no excuse if you make fitness a priority.

Most people over 50 have plenty of time and/or are more in control of their time.

Count up all those hours you spend in front of the TV each week, or doing some other hobby and you will find plenty of time.

And if you are one of those people who works 10 hour days or more… why?  If you are a workaholic, start learning how to delegate.

A huge reason why our life expectancy is much lower than in Europe is our work-life balance.  It’s out of whack.

That amount of work adds unwanted stress.  Combine that with the extra weight, and you have your reason why we don’t live as long as other people around the world.

One hour per day seems like a small investment to make to ensure you can maybe eke out a few more years, and live a high quality of life just in case you do.

Now, get to work!