Retirement is just around the corner. Any fitness tips for the aging military athlete?

COL Lee Flemming - See a doc at least once a year for a full physical with complete blood workup . . . and electrocardiograph. Thoroughly discuss and understand your test results, whatever treatments and/or medications may be recommended. Take medications as needed to protect your blood pressure, blood sugar, and lipid levels to protect your heart, kidneys, and other vital organs. Do whatever it takes to get at least a half hour each of serious cardio exercise and a half hour of major muscle group exercise three to five times a week . . . preferably with physical trainer, workout buddy, and/or spouse . . . run, walk, and/or swim as much as possible. Modify diet . . . minimizing salts, fats, carbohydrates, and sugars. Record your weight daily . . . keep within healthy limits recommended by your doctor for your age and activity level. Keep your weight under rigorous control helps to protect you from serious killer diseases like heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes. Get vision checked annually to protect eyes from serious eye diseases. See a dentist at least annually and carefully care for your teeth . . . they are designed to last a lifetime. Know your family medical history . . . diseases your genetically related relatives died from. Stop smoking and/or chewing tobacco and other plants or chemicals. Keep alcoholic drinks to a minimum. Be in a relationship . . . marriage isn't all bad . . . but at least be with others who help to keep you happy, optimistic, and will be there to call the doc when you can't or won't . . . remain by your side to nurse and coach you back to health . . . and stay by your side particularly in hospital to ensure staff attends to,your needs and does not kill you due to inattention, unprofessional,conduct, and/or negligence. Know and understand that there is a difference between prolonging life and prolonging death . . . when it is time to go . . . when quality of life disappears and/or cannot be substantially improved by some treatment . . . well then it is time to go home . . . and stop beating a dead horse. Love and be with your family and friends as much as you can . . . and when family and friends drop away . . . well . . . do everything possible to meet people who can and will be significant partners for the rest of your life. Being part of a religious community with annual cycle of liturgy ( Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Moslems, Unuversalists, Hindus, Shinto, Bahai, Wiccans, Druids, etc ) can help to keep you engaged. Being socially involved with others instead of being a recluse will help to extend your life. Talk to close friends and/or see a counselor when major life events ( e.g. depression, disease, loss of a loved one, etc ) make life feel painful or not work striving as hard as possible to improve and maintain. Keep your mind active . . . do some significant reading, writing, and talking every day . . . don't just be passive consumer of TV / NetFlix.

Take pleasure in life's little things . . . the breeze/wind/sun upon your face . . . sunrises / sunsets . . . personal cuddly pets like dogs/cats who love you unconditionally . . . flowers / music / dancing. I personally love waking and listening during the quiet times in the middle of the night . . . particularly along the Patomic River and/or the Pacific Ocean. I dearly love walking through the National Mall with so many memorials and museums . . . particularly in the wee hours of the morning portending sunrise. I have come I love travel for the sake of meeting and getting to know people in new places and cultures . . . just yesterday walking islands of ancient Irish family ruins, fishing, and crabbing with a simple Irish fisherman, mother, and son . . . who knew the history of everyone and everything in the towns and waters surrounding our hosts converted / modernized midevil castle. We caught mackerel . . . cooked them up while sitting still in the middle of a huge fiord / bay . . . met up with another small fishing boat . . . where the other three locals on our boat ( other than my partner and I ) through quick conversation established their ancient and recent family connections with the five member family in the other boat . . . discussed who married, gave birth, should be married next ( for the good of their community ), who passed away, the impending weather, local and national politics, and bid farewells . . . relying solely on the first names and places they knew in common. A lonely goat followed us on our walks around one island . . . bleating, rubbing up against us . . . seeking not so much food . . . as the touch of human companionship . . . then he rejoined his partner sunning on the rocks by the surf. The three hour trip was sunny and warm, drizzly, and ran through a few rain squalls. I loved all of it. So . . . what I am trying to say . . . don't just survive . . . travel, meet new people, enjoy new cultures. Warmest Regards, Sandy :)

CMDCM Gene Treants LTC Stephen C. MAJ Joseph Parker COL Mikel J. Burroughs SCPO Larry Knight Sr. CH (CPT) Heather Davis
SPC Jeff Daley, PhD LTC Yinon Weiss CPT Aaron Kletzing
SSgt (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) Capt Jeff S.
SFC Mark Merino SGM (Join to see) CSM Charles Hayden
SCPO (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) Capt Brandon Charters
RallyPoint Team

Don't eat like you did when you were still active. The extra 500 calories you burn every day in the Service adds up to a 1lb of fat a week, and it's easier to make dietary changes than to lose the weight.

Modify eating habits consummate to new physical levels if that is not adjusted, weight creep is likely.
Physical activity.. DO SOMETHING. I see a lot of vets that go from uber high levels of activity to NOTHING because they no longer have that structured high level presented to them.
You don't have to get up at 0430 and do PT, but you do need to do something, be it walking the links each day, dance 3 times a week, run with the dog, or walk/run on a parking lot 9 miles a day 4 days a week teaching others to ride a motorcycle