Physical activity, essential to overall health at any age, can help control weight, reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve mental health. This is especially true when one reaches retirement age. According the Center for Disease control, “In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.” No matter what age you are, being sedentary can be hazardous to your health! From the moment we are born, humans were meant to move. While starting an exercise program is always best done when you are younger, however it is never too late to begin. One surgeon general estimated that 85% of our most dreaded diseases could be prevented with appropriate exercise.

Being Sedentary or a so-called “Couch Potato” Can Be Hazardous To Your Health. In the U.S. Alone 300,000 deaths per year are related to poor diets and inactivity, 60% of U.S. adults don’t engage in a minimum amount of physical activity and 40% of U.S. adults are not active at all.

If you’ve not heard, retired adults in their 70?s and 80?s can achieve a level of fitness associated with people 30 years younger. To put that into some type of perspective, an active 65 year old could be as fit as a sedentary 30 year old. In short, if you remain active your bones will remain strong. Weight bearing exercises help to strength bones. You older guys and gals should be participating in weight exercises if you aren’t already.

As I have mentioned in previous articles it is easy for retirees and other foreigners can stay fit in Costa Rica. For starters the country’s year-round spring-like weather is perfect for practicing a variety of sports and activities. In Costa Rica you can hike, jog, horseback riding, walk, do weight training at the gym, swim, dance classes, surf, play tennis and golf, do yoga and Tai Chi, water aerobics and almost every other outdoor activity except snow skiing.

I like to “kill two birds with one stone” so I make it a point to walk as much as possible. For example, if I have to go to the supermarket, I will walk about forty minutes to one of the local supermarkets. If I have to go to San José from my home I Heredia, I walk 20 minutes to the bus top instead of talking a cab. I really try to use my car as little as possible.

So as you can see retirees can have a health lifestyle here just by getting involved in some type of physical activity. Another benefit is that you can make new friends by engaging in one of these activities.

Yesterday (Sunday) I took the bus from my hometown of Heredia to downtown San José to attend an outdoor art festival. The Municipality of San José in an effort to attract more visitors has been promoting festivals and other activities . Most of these events have been designed for the whole family and people of all ages including retirees. I keep reading all of the on-line posts by the fear mongers and negative people who say that San José is very dangerous and not to go there. Nothing could be farther from the truth and this weekend’s activities are proof of it.

San Jose’s annual outdoor Transiarte festival is really worthwhile. The events took place in different downtown areas: Morazán Park, The Jardín de Paz (Peace Garden), the adjacent Parque España (Spain Park), El Paseo de las Damas, the CENAC art complex and nearby National Park.

There were all sorts of activities for everyone including foreign retirees: music, dance, theater, a variety of craftsmen selling their beautiful wares, contests, face painting, classes in skateboarding, a variety of foods, games for children, a book fair and a whole lot more. In the evening there was a firework display. All of this was FREE of charge. The weather was perfect and I couldn’t think of a better way to enjoy a Sunday afternoon.

While strolling around I ran into a lot of friends who were also enjoying this wonderful activity. It was so nice to see people of all ages with smiles on their faces and having such a good time. The whole scene really made me feel good. I definitely plan to attend next year’s event.

Healthy activities like Transiarte abound for retirees and other foreigners in Costa Rica and are examples of the quality of life found here Rica.

I just read that Subway is now the largest fast-food chain in the world. At the end of 2010, Subway had 33,749 restaurants worldwide, compared to McDonald’s 32,737. The race for global dominance is an important one for an industry that’s mostly saturated in the U.S. High unemployment and economic uncertainty have battered the restaurant industry in the U.S., and chains are increasingly looking overseas for growth.

In Costa Rica Subway Sandwicherías (sandwich shop in Spanish) made heir appearance in the mid-1990s and chain has continued to expand since then. Actually, I had the option to purchase the Costa Rican franchise for Subway in 1989. I turned it down because of the stipulations in their contract and my heart just wasn’t in that type of business.

Subway is a healthy alternative to most fast foods since none of their products are fried. There are some fattening items on the menu but they can be avoided. There is even a widely publicized Subway diet whereby many people have lost weight.

Here is an example of the Subway diet:
Breakfast: Small bowl of cereal with skimmed milk. Black coffee with sweetener.
Lunch: Turkey Subway Sandwich. Diet Pepsi.
Dinner: Vegetarian Subway Sandwich. Water.
Snacks: Apple, orange, water.

If you retire to Costa Rica and get a craving for U.S.style fast foods you can find them here. We have MacDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Dominos and more. However, if you want maintain a healthy lifestyle during your retirement years it is best to avoid fried and over-processed foods and opt for more healthier options like Subway.

The vast majority of north Americans who live here are retirees. Some retires work but can only do so if the have residency free of restrictions (residencia libre de condiciones). Unfortunately, some of the retirees who don’t have this status work under the table illegally. This practice is frowned upon by the government but the law is very difficult to enforce because the Immigration Department does not have the manpower.

On the other hand, there are many Americans of ages starting a variety of businesses in Costa Rica. Even if you don’t have permission to work you can own and run a business provided you don’t do the work an employee does. For example, if you have a bar or restaurant you can manage it but you can’t work behind the bar or wait on customers.

Nowadays it seems that almost every foreigner has become an overnight expert and is involved in some business enterprise. This must be due to the entrepreneur spirit most Americans possess. Just look at the first two page of the of the on-line newspaper AM Costa Rica and you’ll see the following ads: an ad for business consultants, a real estate ad for the Orosí Valley, an ad for an American-owned casino and hotel, an ad for medical tourism, an ad for luxury vacations, two ads for moving companies, two ads for obtaining residency in Costa Rica, ads for accountants and much more.

I have written about this subject before but feel it is important to do it again to help retirees and other lead a happier lifestyle here.

With a bar on almost every corner and beer companies sponsoring many local events one would thing that alcohol consumption is more prevalent than ever in Costa Rica. The good news is that alcohol consumption is below the average of most countires in the Americas according to the World Organization of Health. Costa Ricans drink 3.1 liters less than the average of 8.7 liters per person per year in North and South America and the Caribbean. According to the report beer is the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in Costa Rica followed by distilled beverages (whisky, vodka and rum) and wine. Also men drink more alcohol beverages than woman.

The statistics above are good news for Costa Ricans but don’t take into account foreign retirees. Retirement poses a problem for many people because they have a lot more free time on their hands. Unfortunately, over the I have seen many many American and Canadian retirees become alcoholics in Costa Rica because of boredom. The sad part is that these people end up undermining their health and dying prematurely. The gringo bars in downtown San Jose are breeding grounds for this problem.

Costa Rica has hundreds of activities where retirees can stay busy and not get bored so as to not end up drinking their lives away. All one has to do is look in the Weekend Section of La Nación newspaper or the same section in the English newspaper, the Tico Times. There are clubs, restaurants, hiking groups, festivals, movies, concerts, dancing and a whole lot more where expats can have a good time and stay busy.

For those who have a problem with alcohol there are branches of Alcoholics Anonymous in Costa Rica. There are also English speaking professionals who can provide addiction therapy. Just look in the Tico Times or ask a local physician. By the way, alcohol abuse causes 4 percent of the deaths in the world.