Why Fitness in Retirement Matters, According to Tom Pecht

Reclaim Lifestyles co-founder Tom Pecht is not like other people. Blessed with that natural athleticism that can carry some folks through an entire lifetime with a drive to maintain and challenge their physical fitness, Tom is aware that he is statistically an anomaly. We know from the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans that nearly 80% of American adults are not meeting the minimum guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. Inactivity leads to a range of worse health outcomes, particularly when it comes to age-related illness and decline. So as a former collegiate water polo player and swimmer who has vigorously trained for marathons, triathlons, and continues to train in the master swimming program at Swim Atlanta at age 68, Tom knows he is not like that 80% of Americans. But rather than resting on his (very fit) laurels, Tom has found another channel for his passion for fitness, and this one directed at that 80% of folks who may not have the benefit of his extraordinary motivation to be physically active: Reclaim Lifestyles and the Restart! app.

It’s Not About the Distance

One thing Tom recognizes is different about how he thinks about fitness, is he knows he doesn't feel good if he hasn't been active. (Arguably, none of us would if we were regularly active—you don't know what you've got til it's gone, but also not if you never had it.) But he also doesn't think about physical activity in the ways you might expect. He's not all that concerned with how far or fast he's swimming on any particular day: he gets in the pool at lunch every day because he knows he'll feel better for it. And not just for the physical part of it—the social aspect is a big piece of it too. And the physical plus the social equals tremendous mental health benefits. Add in the fact that he is regularly making and keeping a promise to himself and taking that time to do something good for himself, and there is so much more to be motivated by than simply "improving performance."

Now, he does also love improving his performance, and to that end devised a training regime with his Swim Atlanta coach that is something like a cross between lap-swimming and CrossFit, but that's Tom. Being physically active doesn't have to include all that extra credit overachiever stuff. In fact, Tom's a huge proponent of keeping things simple when it comes to reclaiming your fitness.

It Doesn’t Have to Be a Whole Production

When Tom goes on a bike ride, it's kind of a whole thing. You've got to load the bike up in the car, drive to where you want to ride, and then reverse the whole operation when you're done. When he first started riding in his 40s, he and his buddy Travis walked into a bike shop to ask some questions and the guy behind the counter was clearly an expert in his field; let's just say he didn't make it seem like an easy sport to get into. It was an intimidating experience, and for a lot of people, that can be enough to dissuade them from doing anything at all for years at a time. Until one day when you wake up and think, "Oh man, I gotta get in shape." 

But it's much easier to "get in shape" the earlier you start, and if you begin with baby steps, you're going to have a better chance of creating habits you'll maintain. So it doesn't have to be—and it really can't be—a whole production when you get started. If you're starting from square one, hold on a second before you buy that new weight set or expensive gym membership. Start from right where you are. You live next to a horse pasture? Go walk around and look at the horses. Need groceries? Do a couple extra laps around the store. Babysitting the grandkids? Take them for a nature walk. All of these activities can be done with little to no preparation or cost, and all of them are a move in the right direction. When Tom's kids were growing up, he noticed that a lot of parents would stay glued to the sidelines at their kids' extracurricular activities. Instead, let the coach run the soccer practice and take 15 minutes to walk around the park. You deserve those 15 minutes! And investing in yourself with even these small opportunities to move more will pay dividends over time, allowing you to maintain a higher degree of fitness as you enter your retirement years.

Portugal Is Really Hilly

When you're thinking about retirement, you're probably dreaming about the plans you've always had for how you'll spend that time. Maybe you want to take up a new sport, or travel the world. Maybe you want to go to Portugal. Fun fact: Lisbon was built on seven hills and the steepest one has a grade of 13.8%. If exploring Lisbon is your dream, are you going to be physically capable of making it come true? Tom has seen people realize, no, they aren't, and realize it when it's going to be way more difficult to become able than if they had started getting in shape years earlier. Which is not to say it can't be done! But if you could make it easier on yourself, wouldn't you want to?

And beyond preparing for your future retirement travel plans or golf and tennis goals, there are all the immediate reasons to start getting active now.

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

We know that mental and cognitive health are inextricably linked with our physical wellness. Multiple scientific studies have shown how higher levels of physical activity are correlated with lowered risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. But in the shorter term, exercise endorphins make you feel good. We went into greater detail on the effects of physical activity on mental health in this post here.

Beyond the chemical processes happening in your brain and body during exercise that make you feel good, there's also that social aspect Tom recognizes is so important for him to incorporate into a fitness routine. Chatting with a friend in the locker room, sharing tips with a swimmer in the next lane, and just getting out of the house and around other people are all hugely beneficial to your mental health.

Keep It Simple and Balanced

Fitness doesn't have to be about drastic changes or hardcore challenges. And it definitely doesn't have to take three hours. In fact, Tom says that after 90 minutes of doing anything, you're probably going to experience diminished returns or even negative effects. Pickleball fiends beware: the longer you play, the more at risk of injury you are. Play to the level of enjoyment, but don't hurt yourself.

With the Restart! app from Reclaim Lifestyles, Tom hopes that more people will be able to start right from where they are, with no big production. We built the app to honor that concept and create a tool that people at any level of fitness can pick up and start using right away. We can't wait to get Restart! into your hands so you can get moving and achieve your health goals, now and in retirement.

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