Thriving Through the Heat

Thriving Through the Heat: Real Talk on Healthy Aging After 60

As someone in my early 60s, I’ve learned that healthy aging isn’t just about what you eat or how much you move. It’s about learning how your body speaks to you, and being willing to listen, adapt, and stay curious.

My husband and I have followed a mostly plant-based flexitarian lifestyle for years now. It’s helped us maintain good digestion, steady energy, and a positive mindset. But even with a solid foundation, our bodies are changing. And with those changes come new lessons—some empowering, others a little frustrating.

Creatine and the Shift We Didn’t Expect

Recently, we started using clean creatine to help support recovery, strength, and brain function. Within just a couple of weeks, we both noticed real benefits. My husband’s joint recovery improved. His muscle definition and strength noticeably increased. I started feeling more solid and steady in my movement and posture. Mentally, I feel sharper too.

But something else showed up almost as quickly. Unexpected weight gain and a heavy, bloated feeling. Not from overeating. Not from skipping workouts. This felt different.

What we’re noticing is likely water retention. Creatine naturally draws water into your muscles to aid with performance and recovery. For many, that’s a bonus. But for us, it’s caused midsection puffiness, tight rings, and an overall heaviness that doesn’t feel like fat, but still feels uncomfortable.

Belly Fat and the Hormonal Puzzle

While the creatine-related water weight feels new, I’ve been managing belly fat for years. Even at my lightest, I carried what I call my post-menopausal fatty liver belly. It’s not just about appearance. It’s about how my body holds onto fat differently now. Hormones, liver health, and aging metabolism all play a role.

My focus isn’t on “fixing” it overnight. I’m paying attention, staying consistent, and continuing to make small changes that support inflammation reduction, hormone balance, and liver function.

When the Heat Changes Everything

Living in Arizona during the summer means we’re dealing with daily highs between 105 and 113 degrees. That kind of heat changes how we approach everything from hydration to movement.

We’ve scaled back long outdoor walks and focus more on indoor movement, light strength training, stretching, and short walks in the early mornings. The goal is to stay active without adding stress or inflammation. The heat makes everything harder, including digestion, sleep, circulation—so we’re careful not to push too hard.

Two Meals a Day: A Game-Changer

One of the biggest shifts that’s helped us feel better is changing our meal schedule. We now eat two main meals a day, usually breakfast between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., and lunch between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Some days include a light snack or two, depending on what our bodies need.

This new rhythm has helped with digestion, energy, and even mood. We’re no longer snacking mindlessly, and we’re giving our systems time to rest and reset between meals.

From Iced Coffee to Herbal Tea

For a while, we enjoyed a little iced coffee in the early evening—almost like a relaxing “nightcap” while winding down with a show. It felt like a treat, but over time, we noticed it was disrupting our sleep and causing some mild acid reflux.

So we switched to herbal iced tea. It’s caffeine-free, hydrating, and gentle on the stomach. That one small change has made a huge difference in how we sleep and how we feel the next morning. Sometimes it really is the simple swaps that offer the biggest returns.

We do plan to still have our coffee on occasions. We just need to be more mindful as to when, how much, and with what we consume it with.

Still a Work in Progress

Even with these changes, we’re still navigating things. My husband is working on losing about 10 pounds of extra weight that came with these recent shifts. He’s strong, lean, and looks great, but the scale isn’t cooperating just yet.

For me, the water retention from creatine is still lingering. I’m adjusting my intake, drinking more water, and adding trace minerals to see if that helps. I may not be sculpted, but I feel stronger, more stable, and more capable, and that matters just as much.

What Healthy Aging Looks Like (To Us)

This season of life invites us to look deeper. To ask better questions.

• What’s working?
• What needs adjusting?
• What habits feel nourishing, and what needs to go?

We’re not trying to look 30 again. We want to to look youthful, vibrant, and young beyond our years without putting a number on it. We’re focused on energy, mental clarity, joint comfort, and strength. These are the new “goals” for us. And we’ve learned that the more we tune in instead of fight our bodies, the more we’re able to feel like ourselves.

What’s Coming Next

We’re just getting started with sharing more of our journey. Potential upcoming posts will explore:

• Managing belly fat and liver health after 60
• Hydration and electrolytes during extreme heat
• Eating Patterns that Support Hormonal Balance—Even Years After Menopause
• Smart supplement strategies for recovery without the bloat
• Herbal swaps and soothing nighttime rituals
• Anti-inflammatory meals for energy and digestion

If you’re walking a similar path, I hope this helped you feel seen and supported. We’re all figuring it out in real time. Aging well isn’t about doing it perfectly—it’s about showing up for your body, one day and one adjustment at a time.

Let’s keep thriving—inside and out.

A Quick Note Before You Go

I’m not a doctor, licensed nutritionist, or health coach. Everything I share, whether free or paid, is based on my personal experiences, research, and the lifestyle my husband and I have created through trial and error.

I’m not a super-fit, over-60 health guru—but I’ve been able to stay off medications, avoid chronic illness, and stay well for most of my later adult years. Aside from the occasional sinus irritation from the Arizona desert, which I manage naturally, I haven’t dealt with illness or needed prescriptions to maintain my health.

My goal is simply to share what’s working (and what isn’t), and hopefully encourage others like me to take steps toward living their best life.

I believe we all deserve to feel good, age well, and enjoy the years ahead with strength and clarity. None of us knows when our time is up, and we weren’t put here just to wait for that moment to arrive. Every day is a gift from God—one more chance to care for our bodies, love deeper, and live fully. If I can do it, you can too.

Want a simple daily guide to support your healthy aging journey?
Download my free resource: Daily Healthy Aging Habits After 60—a quick, printable checklist filled with the everyday habits that are helping me stay strong, clear, and energized in my 60s.

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