Living Better In The Later Years

Living Better In The Later Years Helping you thrive in your later years ✨ Tips for healthy aging, connection & longevity.

Education, exploration, experience, and the thoughtful examination of yourself and the world around you can enhance your...
05/03/2026

Education, exploration, experience, and the thoughtful examination of yourself and the world around you can enhance your well-being by:

1. Expanding available useful knowledge
2. Growing comprehension
3. Enhancing information recall
4. Strengthening reasoning skills
5. Enhancing the ability to visualize and think in the abstract
6. Evolving craft and artisanry skills
7. Honing problem-solving capabilities
8. And ultimately, improving personal decision-making

The objective of Key #5 is to Expand Personal Intelligence. Let us seek out what you do not know. Let us learn more. ...
05/02/2026

The objective of Key #5 is to Expand Personal Intelligence.

Let us seek out what you do not know. Let us learn more.

You don’t know what you don’t know. And therein lies the opportunity and our Key for the month: Learn More! Your greates...
05/01/2026

You don’t know what you don’t know. And therein lies the opportunity and our Key for the month: Learn More!

Your greatest strength might lie dormant. Your biggest life adventure may linger behind the veil. A best friend or colleague may exist along a life path not yet explored. Your biggest contribution to others may be a gift you cannot yet deliver or even conceive of, a gift to the world not yet unwrapped.

Let us seek out what you do not know.

And remember, what you don’t know can hurt you. Life and the world are full of risks. What hurdle have you not yet tripped over? What unknown have you yet to encounter? The potential for the inadvertent, unnecessary loss of health and wealth is higher for the less wise.

Peer pressure is a powerful force. A personal trainer, if affordable, can help by adding the discipline needed and bespo...
04/30/2026

Peer pressure is a powerful force. A personal trainer, if affordable, can help by adding the discipline needed and bespoke guidance.

Not affordable but needed? Try linking with a partner of similar or at least compatible ambitions. Additionally, consider a virtual friend in the form of workout videos. You would be surprised at the level of motivation and action a favorite online coach can inspire.

When was the last time you sprinted? Yeah, we thought so. 👀 Sprinting is the ultimate fast-twitch muscle exercise. It ca...
04/29/2026

When was the last time you sprinted? Yeah, we thought so. 👀 Sprinting is the ultimate fast-twitch muscle exercise. It can be employed when walking, running, jumping, swimming, biking, etc.

There are three skeletal muscle groups that are often forgotten and thus sadly neglected, with unfortunate consequences....
04/28/2026

There are three skeletal muscle groups that are often forgotten and thus sadly neglected, with unfortunate consequences.

- The neck: Many people experience an “ah-ha” moment during their first roller coaster ride after age 40. Neck exercises can enhance shock absorption and prevent injuries. They can also reduce the pressure on the cervical spine and help maintain posture. Finally, they can relieve pain by reducing tension, stiffness, and muscle tightness.
Our favorite neck exercise is isometrics. Face a wall, then step back. Lean forward and place your forehead on the wall. Add a towel or cushion for comfort. Hold for 60 seconds. Do similarly while leaning backward and toward both sides.

- Wrists (and forearms): Studies suggest a correlation between wrist strength and longevity. Though stronger wrists don’t necessarily mean a longer life, they do aid in daily task ex*****on and help when enduring the occasional fall or misstep.
Our favorite wrist exercises include bar hangs and grip squeezes using a rubber ball or grip device.

- The Face: The human face contains about 20 muscles. As face muscles deteriorate with time, the associated skin sags and wrinkles. Stay with this occurrence with a collection of facial exercises.
Our favorite exercises are a series of “contract and hold” evolutions and/or jaw-and-forehead motion repetitions. Couple these with other exercises (e.g., neck isometrics) or during other activities (e.g., showering). Warning: You can look silly doing these. Inform others lest they think you may be having a stroke! 😅

Guided sessions for exercise types are highly desirable. For example, a quality yoga or Pilates class will guide you thr...
04/27/2026

Guided sessions for exercise types are highly desirable. For example, a quality yoga or Pilates class will guide you through a comprehensive stretching routine that targets most, if not all, of the major muscle groups. Classes with qualified instructors are preferred, but these can be expensive. One can find quality online instruction at little to no cost.

There are several lifestyle behaviors and practices that improve your physical capability, and the resulting capability ...
04/26/2026

There are several lifestyle behaviors and practices that improve your physical capability, and the resulting capability can, in turn, positively impact those lifestyle behaviors and practices, i.e., the virtuous cycle.

If you follow Living Better closely, you will not be surprised by the following:
💪🏼 Safety first: Stress yourself, but do not strain (i.e., damage) yourself. Consult a physician before undertaking dramatic active lifestyle changes.
💤 Quality sleep: Most people experience a lower sleeping average heart rate and a greater heart rate dip during periods of sleep after an active day.
🥗 Healthy eating: Listen carefully to your body before and after rigorous activity. Eat what it needs, not what you can find quickly.
🙂 Moderation: If you celebrate, then take care to do no harm. If you do overdo it, there is no better remedy than exercise.

Learn more on our blog: https://hubs.ly/Q0460QlD0

Staying fit and growing stronger means work, often work on top of a full day of other work. So, how can we become and st...
04/25/2026

Staying fit and growing stronger means work, often work on top of a full day of other work. So, how can we become and stay motivated?

Four things to consider:
💪🏼 Find your “Why." Work your way through several levels of the why questions to find the foundation of your motivation. Why? I want to hike five kilometers. Why? It would be a personal best. So what? I want to be able to hike on an upcoming vacation. Why? That is what the grandkids will be doing. So what? That is where I want to be. Oh, I see.
💪🏼 Set a minimum expectation for acceptable progress. Every day does not need to end with an ascent up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Set a minimum expectation for satisfactory progress – a contract goal. By so doing, you create a reasonable opportunity for achievement. The contentment gained from achieving your contract goal can fuel further efforts towards higher marks.
💪🏼 Aspire to achieve levels of personal greatness. New bests can be motivating. So, set challenging “stretch” goals. New bests can occur at any age – so do not be afraid to pursue them at any age. Some new bests may be relative, “my highest number in the last twenty years.” Some can be an absolute new best, “the first time I swam a mile was in my 70s.” You might have to get a little creative, but seek out and get motivated by the prospect of “new bests.”
💪🏼 Use a calculated first step. Initiating a significant effort can be intimidating. Sometimes, you just need an easy, enjoyable way to get started. To get going, define a pleasant first step and indulge in it.

Stress is a positive force that challenges the body and, in so doing, helps sustain physical resilience and build streng...
04/24/2026

Stress is a positive force that challenges the body and, in so doing, helps sustain physical resilience and build strength. Strain is an excess of force that causes deformation (including injury). We want to stress the body, not strain it.

General safety precautions when exercising include:
✔️ Ask Your Doctor – Whether embracing new physical activity or resurrecting old exercise routines, consult a physician before making dramatic lifestyle changes.
✔️ Set Realistic Goals – Prevent excess strain by setting challenging but achievable goals. Set interim milestones to progress one step at a time.
✔️ Add Some Fuel Before Exercising - Avoid exercise on an empty stomach. Consider a light, nutritious snack prior to your workout; avoid heavy meals.
✔️ Hydrate - Drink water before exercising.
✔️ Wear Proper Gear - Choose clothing and footwear that provide support and comfort for your activity of choice.
✔️ Accident Proof Your Environment – Identify and remove obstacles and other safety concerns. Verify adequate lighting and ventilation.
✔️ Clean and Sanitize Equipment – Keep germs and bacteria at bay to prevent illness.
✔️ Learn Proper Form - Focus on correct techniques to avoid strain or injury. Seek professional guidance if unsure, e.g., trainers or instructional videos.
✔️ Warm Up - Spend 5–10 minutes warming up with light cardio or dynamic stretches to prepare your muscles and joints for activity. Proceed gradually.
✔️ Listen to Your Body - Pay attention to how you feel. Stop immediately if you experience pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath.
✔️ Progress Slowly Over Time – Increase the intensity of workouts gradually as your fitness level improves.

When trying to raise your level of strength and physical fitness, a little bit of personal vanity can be a good thing. T...
04/23/2026

When trying to raise your level of strength and physical fitness, a little bit of personal vanity can be a good thing.

Take time to:
✔️ Look in the mirror and assess improvements and opportunity areas to pursue. Stand tall and suck in that gut when doing so to help envision the next version of yourself.
✔️ Create a younger-looking you with extra grooming efforts.
✔️ Looking old is often a matter of hair in new and unusual places. Remove or trim it! Same with finger and toenails – keep 'em trimmed and clean.
✔️ Brighten that smile with proper brushing, flossing, and whitening.
✔️ Use lotions to moisturize skin and defer (if not prevent) the negative impacts of aging.
✔️ Consider applying a subtle fragrance that is pleasing to yourself and others.
✔️Wear clothing (both professionally and casually) that complements your look. Engage unbiased professionals to suggest what best fits your specific body type. Be sure to tailor clothing items to ensure a proper fit.

A modicum of effort in this area can inspire future actions toward higher levels of physical well-being.

Occasionally, time seems to crawl during a particular stretch, exercise, or routine. Help yourself go the distance by us...
04/22/2026

Occasionally, time seems to crawl during a particular stretch, exercise, or routine. Help yourself go the distance by using a simple timer.

Examples:
⏰ Set the timer for 60 seconds; now hold that stretch. Repeat with the next stretch.
⏰ Set the timer for 2 minutes and perform small jumps until the alarm.
⏰ Set the timer for 30 minutes; now, start walking.
⏰ Set the one-hour timer, get on your bike, and ride.

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