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Retirement and Waistline, Anything in Common?

By Dr. Neli Stoyanova

If you think that retirement and waistline are not connected- think again.

How many of you know someone who retired a year ago and has put on some extra pounds since then? I know quite a few.

Is it because you are happier, less stressed and sit all day long in front of the TV? Or is it because you hate the fact that you sit ALL day in front of the TV because you have nothing else to do?

Is it because you sit around the house and the refrigerator is so close and it just happens that your favorite chocolate cake is on the top shelf? Or is it because you are so bored that you need to occupy your self by eating a slice (or two…or three) of cake.

Then you sit with a book that some one recommended to you some time ago but you never had the time to read it with that hectic working schedule you had. But now you can sit and read. But there is also the big bowl of pop-corn sitting right there. Right there!

After a long “relaxing” day at home comes bed time. Except instead of sleeping like a log you end up tossing and turning. You are thinking about selling the house and buying something smaller- now that the children are on their own. Or you keep thinking about how to solve the financial puzzle that you have postponed after you retire and it keeps you awake.

Maybe you can check if the there is some ice-cream left over. It is 2 am- almost snack time. Right?

I hear you saying- where is the retirement and waistline connection ?

Here is the retirement and waistline connection.

1. Stress over 50 (and you thought it would be gone once you retired)

2. Poor sleep (lack of sleep, not enough sleep or poor quality sleep)

3. Physical activity over 50 (I mean the lack of it)

4. Poor eating habits (junk food and lots of it).

What is the outcome?

It is rather predictable. Your stress hormone level goes up, leads to fat accumulation around the waist and voila! Remember what I said about the waistline numbers?

Waistline above 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men (according to the American Heart Association) or 32 inches for women and 38 inches for men (according to the very latest guidelines of the International Diabetes Federation) is a predictor for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

So what are you waiting for? Go grab the tape measure- I will wait here.

Ready? OK.

I know- it is far above 32 or 38. You better do something before it is too late.

People in the South like to say “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” but when it comes to your heart health you better fix it before it is broke.

Here are some Weight and stress control solutions.

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