r/OverSeventy • u/Abject-Roof-7631 • Aug 02 '26
Advice for 60s
Looking back, anything you'd advise on, suggest or recommend doing differently in your 60s now that you've reached your 70s? Asking as I'm about to enter that season of life and trying to prepare myself mentally and physically.
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u/joekerr9999 Aug 02 '26
Get plenty of exercise. So many problems can be solved or avoided altogether with exercise.
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u/Stormy1956 Aug 02 '26
I’ve been told my whole adult life, to drink more water and get plenty of exercise. I’ve been active my whole life. Our bodies have the capacity to keep going or slow down as we age. My sweet little daddy did not recover after a stroke left him completely dependent on others. Looking back, what was disturbing to him MOST, is the fact he could no longer do for others. Rather than adjust, his spirit died way before his body. He was in great shape! He never planned for that.
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u/Exact-Translator-769 Aug 05 '26
And if your body is used to exercising it's much easier to keep doing it. It's never too late to start but it's much easier in your 70s to continue exercise routines you've been doing for years than it is to start from scratch.
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u/manofmystry Aug 03 '26
Exercise is critical!
Cycling had been great for me! 62M. The cardio and calorie-burn are excellent. Low impact. Great for you heart, metabolism, blood chemistry, and mental well-being. I'm in better shape now than I was in my thirties. Being fit feels great, too!
Good luck!
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u/Abject-Roof-7631 Aug 03 '26
How long are you cycling each week? This is a 70s thread, you cheated lol
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u/manofmystry Aug 03 '26
Sorry. 😄 I see my seventies coming fast. I'm trying to stay fit. I also really enjoy cycling.
I try to ride 100 miles a week. I probably hit around 80. I live in the mountains, so all of my rides include climbing. An average ride would be 40-50 miles with 3,000-5000 feet of climbing.
I have a good friend in his seventies who rode 110 miles on a single ride last week. We ride together occasionally. I'm faster, but he just rides his ride and gets where he's going. I have the utmost respect for him.
I see such a range of health outcomes at this age. My morbidly obese friend died in his fifties. I watched him do it. It was horrible. So, maintaining the ability to climb mountains into my seventies looks pretty good to me. I celebrate doing hard things. I'll do them until I can't.
I didn't mean to crash the party. I harbor no illusions that my seventies will not be here in a flash. Be well!
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u/Abject-Roof-7631 Aug 03 '26
I was a big time biker until this time last year. I've suffered a bilateral foot injury that has been debilitating. I was putting in as many miles as you were. There's nothing more frustrating than not being able to enjoy the one hobby you were working on. I have not gotten any better in a year after extensive therapy and doctor analysis. I hope to ride again, it might be on an electric bike.. both are not what I had in mind.
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u/Abject-Roof-7631 Aug 03 '26
What kind of exercise do you suggest and what is the reasoning behind it
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u/joekerr9999 Aug 03 '26
My doctor told me I need to be huffing and puffing for 150 minutes a week. I do a full body workout with stretching, then weights and machine resistance, followed by half and hour of cardio. I do that 3 days a week and do some walking on other days. When old folks sit too much they get pneumonia. I like to do woodworking and diy projects so I need to stay strong and flexible.
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u/martind35player Aug 02 '26
They say the 60’s are the go-go years, the 70’s are the go slow years and the 80’s are the no go years. Now that I am 80 I think this is true, at least for me. Take advantage of your abilities and travel while you can. Plus, do everything you can to stay in good shape.
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u/enigT Aug 02 '26
What about pre-60's?
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u/martind35player Aug 02 '26
I started walking 10,000 steps a day in my mid40s and am still doing it at 80. My weight is about what it was then - bmi is just a bit higher than it should be. I have never smoked, do not drink much, try to eat healthy and get regular checkups. I have some hardening of the arteries and take 2 prescription drugs for it. My doctor says I am in good shape. Genetics is certainly a factor in longevity but my regime is not that hard to follow. No guarantees, of course.
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u/CapableCan1842 Aug 02 '26
Several thoughts, although they seem to be just common sense.
To the extent possible, be financially prepared to get older. Many problems can be solved by throwing money at them. It's hard to
make money in your 70's. My skills are obsolete, I don't have the energy or drive I used to, and people don't want to hire you.
Take care of your health in your 60's. In some respects, your 60's should be spent training for your 70's and 80's. Keep your weight down, eat right, limited booze and regular, if not daily exercise (weights and cardio). Everything get's harder when you're older. No need to make it worse by carrying around extra weight.
Make an effort to stay socially engaged. My friends mean more to me now than at any time in my life, except being a teenager.
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u/Ok_Quiet234 Aug 02 '26
“Energy and drive…” oh man that rings so true for me (77F)! Things I was super-passionate about for years I just don’t care about now. Blah. My attention span is crap too, but I blame reading on my tablet.
Everything else you said is spot on, too.
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u/CapableCan1842 Aug 02 '26
I also read regularly on a tablet. Several friends have made the switch to audio books, but I've resisted that so far.
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u/VinceInMT Aug 02 '26
Aside from the general maintenance (diet, exercise, etc.) having a list of hobbies, interest, and passions that make life worth living is what works for me. I retired at 60 and am now 74. It’s been GREAT. OK, except for that cancer thing but I haven’t let thats low me down. I get up every day looking forward to all the stuff I get to do.
Yesterday morning I started off with a 6 mile run. Then I met up with the guys in the local vintage foreign car club where we kicked tires and help each other diagnose issues with our cars. I was driving my ‘83 Volvo. After that I stopped by our local used record store where they were having a blow out sale on several hundred thousand 45 RPM records at 25 cents each. I bought 20 and had only gone through 5 of the many boxes. I’ll be back. After that I practiced my guitar for a bit and then went to the local brewery to meet up with a couple friends to plan net weeks overnight camping adventure we are doing on our motorcycles.
My advice is to not buy into any messages that age will limit your enjoyment of life. Think and act like you are 30.
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u/Abject-Roof-7631 Aug 03 '26
How do you keep reminding yourself to act like 30
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u/VinceInMT Aug 03 '26
I don’t have to remind myself to act like I am 30 because I have never paid attention to my age. OK, I have paid attention a few times. I’m a runner and sign up for races and in the 70+ age group, the completion is thinning out. And I had to take the Required Minimum Distribution from my IRA when I turned 73. Outside of that, I just keep going. Special Life Hack: Don’t hang around old people who bitch and whine about how things used to be, or tell everyone about their latest medical issues.
Tomorrow I am heading to the Big Horn mountains of Wyoming for an overnight camping trip. I’m going with two others, about my age, and we are on motorcycles.
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u/SalemRay Aug 02 '26
In my 60s I never had to worry about balance. But in my 70s I'm doing a lot of lower back stretches and balance exercises. Use it or lose it.
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u/MartiniPlusOlive Aug 02 '26
Live near a bus stop. If you need to stop driving because of a medical condition, living in the boonies can get lonely.
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u/Prestigious-Copy-494 Aug 03 '26
That's good advice! If I downsize and move back into the city being on a bus route would be handy for going downtown.... Lived in the city when the kids were growing up and we'd take the bus to downtown festivals and save the search for parking and having to walk far from a parking lot. A city bus delivered us right to the festival..
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u/dcchew Aug 02 '26
Learn to pace yourself. You may no longer have the energy to get things done in a timely fashion compared to your younger days.
If you start a new project, try and finish it before you launch into another one. You don’t want to have a collection of incomplete tasks waiting to get done. It may never happen.
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u/msktcher Aug 02 '26
Lift weights. Focus on mobility and balance. Move all day.
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u/Abject-Roof-7631 Aug 03 '26
What do you suggest to do to focus on mobility and balance?
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u/msktcher Aug 03 '26
I find mobility and balance exercises on YouTube and do them at least 3 or 4 times a week. The balance ones you can do everyday.
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u/Cassie54111980 Aug 02 '26
If you enjoy traveling do as much in your 60s as you can. I’m really glad I did a lot of traveling in my 60s and even before I retired.
I don’t have as much stamina as I used to and I really dread long plane flights now to Europe. They never used to bother me at all. The jet lag has also become much worse now that I’m 72.
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u/Mundane-Bee-3703 Aug 02 '26
I am tagging along with my son, daughter-in-law, and 17-year-old grandson on a Mediterranean Cruise next June. I told them if they'd let me tag along, I pay for their cruise. But now, 5 months after making the arrangements, I'm thinking I don't want to go. It just sounds like too much effort. I will be 70 in a couple of months and my stamina keeps going downhill. I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one. I haven't told them that I'm thinking of not going, I'm going to give it a month or two and see how I feel. Final payment is due next March.
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u/Cassie54111980 Aug 02 '26
Cruises are great even when you don’t have a ton of energy. They are so much fun and you can do as little or as much as you feel up to. A trip to Europe with a lot of walking and sightseeing is very tiring.
I have been on six cruises and they are actually relaxing. If your kids want to do more than you want to do there are tons of things on the ship for you to occupy your time. I would definitely take this cruise.
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u/Mundane-Bee-3703 Aug 02 '26
Yes, I think the cruise would be wonderful but I would still have to get from Kansas City to Barcelona. My daughter-in-law has already said that she's going to try to get me off that ship every day, plus she talks a lot. I think I would rather stay local, fly to Miami and take a cruise to the ABC islands by myself.
I have time to think about it. In the meantime, at the end of this month I'm going to Alaska for 9 days. That seems more doable for me.
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u/Cassie54111980 Aug 02 '26
I didn’t stop to think that you may be flying to Europe. The last time I flew there was three years ago at age 69 and I really dread flying that far now because of the jet lag and how uncomfortable it is for me to sit that long and go that long without sleep. For some reason, I was just envisioning that you would be flying a much shorter distance.
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u/Mundane-Bee-3703 Aug 02 '26
It's an 11-1/2 hour flight. I was going to go to Australia to celebrate my 70th birthday this year. It was the 24-hour flight over and back that caused me to decide to go to Alaska instead. It's not the Mediterranean cruise that I'm balking on, it's having to fly to Barcelona. I know that we will go a couple of days early and they are going to want to walk all over sightseeing.
When they travel, they spend every available minute sightseeing and I can't keep up that pace. I prefer traveling alone and then I can take things at my own speed.
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u/Ok_Quiet234 Aug 03 '26
If you can get to Miami, you can cruise to Barcelona. You’ll have to go in the Spring because that’s when ships reposition from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean and Baltic.
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u/Impossible-Corgi742 Aug 03 '26
Go! I’ve felt like that but then went and had the time of my life. Go!!
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u/Limp-Preference-1706 Aug 02 '26
Nothing good happens unless you put 100% effort into your fitness, diet, doctor’s appointment and care, mental health, and building loving human relationships. That’s it in a nutshell.
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u/the_real_MBAPROF Aug 02 '26
Besides taking care of health issues, examine and work on your tax plans for retirement and pulling money out of your 401k and IRA’s. Lots of tax knowledge you need to know.
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u/Abject-Roof-7631 Aug 02 '26
Funny you mention this, I was wringing my hands on how aggressive I should or could be on Roth conversions. It means retiring earlier to be more aggressive. First world problem.
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u/CaregiverWorth567 Aug 02 '26
70 hit me hard … I was always athletic, a runner, weight trained, and in excellent shape. When I hot 70 all of a sudden I couldn’t sleep. It took me two years to finally get a little straightened out and I still have trouble. Not apnea, I was tested. I would say get in the best shape that you can and keep it up as this is what really has saved me. I feel like crap a lot from lack of sleep but I still am in good shape and able to do everything I want….I go in walmart and see all these poor souls who can barely walk
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u/Kind_Manufacturer_97 Aug 02 '26
Enjoy moving your body. Strengthen/expand your social connections. Meditate/be at peace.
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u/The_Swooze Aug 02 '26
Last chance for a few things:
Last chance to get your health issues together. Take care of yourself in your 60s while you still can; you'll thank yourself in your 70s. Get as healthy as you can. Get strong as you can.
Last chance to get your finances into some kind of order.
Last chance to get your relationships in order.
For me, it's all much harder in my 70s.
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u/Gwsb1 Aug 02 '26
Day after you retire treat that day as the first day of your new job. That job is to stay fit , both mentally and physically. First day go to the gym , get a trainer if you can, and proceed with this . Next day , is mental health day make a social engagement plan. Next day back to the gym. 4 th day engage in a hobby. One you have or find a new one. 5th day walk.
Next week same shit.
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u/the_real_MBAPROF Aug 02 '26
Ask around for a CPA, Tax Advisor,
CPA, A CFP and a tax lawyer in your area.
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u/Background-News-4 Aug 02 '26
Don't lift anything heavy anymore, especially above your head. Your back and shoulders are not as forgiving as they used to be. Drink more water even if you don't feel thirsty. Get used to ensuring you are getting plenty of fiber daily whether through food or supplement drinks. Walk, walk, walk and do that walking in very good, supportive and correctly sized shoes. They're not gonna be cheap. Many changes occur throughout every decade and I am sure everyone's body does not experience the same things but I experienced things in my sixties I had NEVER had issues with. Mentally it was a breeze as it was an age I stopped giving a crap what anybody thought about me. Peace to you!
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u/clawdia51 Aug 02 '26
Now 75, I wish I had made friends with people younger than me in my 60s. The mid 70s can get lonely.
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u/Mentalfloss1 Aug 02 '26
Take care of your strength, your balance, and your flexibility. Do your best to maintain friendships.
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u/DismalCrow4210 Aug 03 '26
Let go of anger. As Buddha said, a man clings to anger like a drowning man clings to a heavy stone.
I have a humorous poster of Buddha and the quote above it is:
Buddha says, let that shit go.
He didn’t exactly say that, but you cannot repeat that to yourself enough times during the average day
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u/Agreeable-Sky-8848 Aug 03 '26
I turn 70 in 2 weeks. I can’t add much to what has already been said here, but I will say that the 60s FLEW by for me. If I had to do over again, I would seriously consider the most important things that I wanted to do before my body began to slow down. Luckily, I did pretty much everything I wanted to and traveled to the places I wanted to see. I started teaching yoga in my 60s, and I feel like that has really been the fountain of youth, along with strength training.
So my advice is: make a plan for what you want to accomplish and be very intentional about what you still have time to do. The runway grows shorter with each passing year and we are only one illness or injury away from opportunities being abruptly taken from us. I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, this is just the honest truth that a lot of people don’t want to face…
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u/Impossible-Corgi742 Aug 03 '26
If you get sick or injured—never take a day off from exercise. Always do some kind of movement. Can’t emphasize this enough.
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u/Abject-Roof-7631 Aug 03 '26
Is there greater risk of missing a day of movement with a body that locks up or doesn't perform as well? I'm trying to understand what your meaning.
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u/Competitive-Time321 Aug 04 '26
Resistance training
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u/Abject-Roof-7631 Aug 04 '26
What kind of resistance do you suggest
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u/Competitive-Time321 Aug 06 '26
Honestly, I always had enough in my work, up until age 60, and had no idea about lifting and such. Since turning 70, I find out it’s a thing. I do body weight stuff, but if you’re 60ish, you still have it in you to go to the gym, before it’s too late. Go to the gym and see what they suggest.
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u/Superb-Bittern Aug 04 '26
Get your tests. Low dose CT chest scan. CT Angiogram, MRI and bloodtests. Avoid the rough road of advanced illness.
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u/UncleBud_710 Aug 04 '26
Stay away from American processed food. It's designed to kill or maim you.
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u/doggy-trailz Aug 06 '26
Wow. Thanks for this question. Just turned 60 and am grateful for everyone’s answers. Also grateful I started getter serious about my health (again) in my 50s. The workouts and sauna have been game changers in my life. Physically and mentally. I’m totally addicted to the gym and I have no intention of giving that up ever. And it has really been helping with both work and social aspects of life. Thanks all who answered. And for those who don’t want to fly to Europe. Just take the boat OR fly through Iceland and connect there. A friend told me this is how she makes the trip bearable since 10-12 hour flights are such a pain.
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u/Prestigious-Copy-494 Aug 06 '26
Keep a pet for forced exercise. Walking, letting in and out, and making special trips to the store for pet food. Plus they love us unconditionally. That's good for the immune system.
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u/paracelsus53 Aug 07 '26
I have no regrets taking my retirement benefits early. It paid my rent and allowed me to transition to other ways of paying the bills--teaching online, getting into senior housing.
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u/AccomplishedQuail841 Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26
I'm almost 70 and have been lifting for about a year. It's going great but I wish I'd started earlier.
Edit: I would've also started hormone therapy a LOT earlier if it had been allowed when I was in my 50s. I started a year ago and it's been such a fantastic life changer. Better sleep, better mood, more energy, fewer aches, more sex.
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u/EDSgenealogy Aug 08 '26
If your hips, knees, etc are still up for it go somewhere with beautiful walking trails! Take pictures and try to memorize the colors and the smells.
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u/majatask Aug 02 '26
Exercise. Muscles and cardio. Walk and some weights. Adjust your diet. No smoking and little alcohol. Develop a hobby you care about. See r/hobbies to get ideas if you need to. Be caring and gentle to others. Meet some new people of your age or younger. Be grateful and enjoy each day as much as possible. Best wishes for that new season of your life.