THE QATSPY® Quapaw Aviation Tactical Sportswear Performance Yukon Company OUTFITTERS
How to Protect Your Greatest Assist– IRA & 401(k) are Critical for Your Retirement; but Investing in Your Health & Fitness are Essential
This featured photo was taken on August 13, 2022, after we did a photoshoot for our Quapaw Aviation Tactical Sportswear Collection and our TOP GUN: MAVERICK Collection, what I call an AB Challenge at age 65.
One reason that I was able to retire in June of 2015 at age 57 was the investment that I did on my own since my early teens into mutual funds and later into a 401(k) plan at my place of work. I plowed as much as I could into these two investment vehicles after high school and my military stint until I retired in June of 2015.
I wanted to work as hard as I could while I was young and attending college. I worked as a project engineer in heavy bridge construction while attending college. Then later with Entergy, a transmission line company utility, as a Grid Engineer for 33- years. The photograph below was taken during my last month working before I retired. I’m the one in the middle on the steel crossarm.
For those wanting to start a 401(k), I strongly recommend you use payroll deduction, which is the best method to reach your goal, especially if your company matches a certain portion of your payroll deduction. Just a sidebar, it took me 8-years to finish my Engineering degree because I wanted to pay as I went during all three semesters of each year.
Why Should You Work Hard while Young to Enjoy Life Later?
I paid just as much attention to my health and fitness as I paid to my financial investments. One reason is because I didn’t want to work hard doing what I had to do for 35- odd years just to retire and not be able to do the things that I enjoyed doing and wanted to do after my 60’s.
Both diet and exercise are important to me during my entire life in order for me to have an active lifestyle even over the age of 65. My personal philosophy on my retirement is this- I don’t want to cut back on my activities; but actually increasing my activities with a pace that includes working- on my farm, welding shop, coaching golf and fitness, and riding my INDIAN Motorcycle. I traded two wings in for two wheels.
Now when I workout in my gym along with these other activities, that I mentioned above, do I have stiffness and soreness in my joints and muscles? I most definitely do, but the more active I am even at age 65, the shorter my recovery time is. Stay Active especially in sports!
Here’s a Question I get all the Time– How Aggressive of a Workout Do I Need?
In my gym, shown above with all my exercise equipment that I use. I don’t use heavy weights or expensive equipment. The only two pieces of exercise equipment that I have that is over $100 are the 80 Lbs punching bag and my programmable exercise bike. I follow a simple Cardio-Aerobics and Strength/condition Training (CAST) that is very basic. My focus is more on reps rather than the amount of weight that I lift. So don’t get hung up on how much weight you can lift.
Since I started my CAST FITNESS, I have increased my muscle mass and mobility even during my retirement. I know that aerobic exercise gets a lot of attention during people’s workouts which are great for mobility, but don’t neglect your strength training. We start to lose muscle mass by our mid-30’s and continue to lose muscle mass at a rate of about five percent (5%) every decade thereafter.
If there is one thing you can’t afford to lose, it is your muscle mass that is important to maintain your strength and balance. Falls are the number one cause of disability that can lead to death. Believe me for someone that has had a hip replacement, you don’t want to injure a hip, especially in a fall. Best thing you can do is become more active, workout on a regular basis, and follow a healthy diet and lifestyle that includes sports. I also cover sports as a writer for my post. Below, I’m at the Kentucky vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs Football game covering the night when the MSU Baseball team received their NCAA College World Series rings on October 30, 2021.
Start Your Workout with What You Can Do! Don’t Focus on what You Can’t Do
Advice to those who are just starting a strength training program- if all you can do is to curl 5 Lb dumbbells 5 times, guess what, that is where you start and work toward building reps and weight from that point. One other technique that I use in my training is what I call a RIP (Rest Interval Period) where I take a 15-to-20 second rest period between sets of 10 reps.
So the moral of my story is to invest in your financial, mental, and physical investments. Consider every 20 or 30- minute workout period at least 3- times a week as an investment in your retirement years. You don’t want to get to your retirement and have the finance part taken care of, but not be able to enjoy it due to poor or limited health. I worked too hard and walked a few too many miles to not enjoy my retirement after 35- years.
Therapy for Sciatic Nerve Issue that Can be done with a Simple Elastic Resistant Tubing
Flying aerial patrol for long hours place pressure on your lower lumbar area of your spin. This can cause disk to place pressure on the sciatic nerve. I found the Rowing Exercise to be a great treatment for this.
Also, for those that suffer from sciatic nerve issues, I discovered the rowing exercise with an elastic resistant tubing, shown above, has eliminated my pain and numbness that used to run down the back of my legs, calves, and feet. Also my blood pressure 110/65 reading, shown below, is my regular reading without any medication of any kind or type.
For those that Like to have my NEW BOOK on THE DELPHI DIET & CAST FITNESS, please use the KINDLE Link Below: