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As we're moving closer to our "start date" one of the things we've been asking ourselves is, how much healthier will we be by doing this?
Right now we work 12 hour days, 7 days a week, mostly (but not exclusively) sitting at our computers. We get very little exercise, and when we do get it, it tends to be in intense bursts, on our feet morning until night at media events, sometimes for up to 5 days in a row.
Are we correct in thinking the RV lifestyle tends to encourage a LOT more movement? A lot more ability to take advantage of fresh foods (I'm thinking local farmers markets, etc)? A lot more mental engagement outside the confines of "home"? A lot more inspiration and excitement about getting up each day?
Or did your S&B lifestyle simply follow you on the road?
Are we correct in thinking the RV lifestyle tends to encourage a LOT more movement? A lot more ability to take advantage of fresh foods (I'm thinking local farmers markets, etc)? A lot more mental engagement outside the confines of "home"? A lot more inspiration and excitement about getting up each day?
Yes because the environment is ever changing & calling you, & the very nature of many RVers is adventurous.
Or did your S&B lifestyle simply follow you on the road?
No because the environment is never changing & holding you, & the very nature of many S&Bers is sedentary.
Spot
In my opinion, what you live in has less to do with improving one's health than other factors such as stress and amount of physical exercise and mental stimulation. While retirement can be stressful to some, it can reduce stress for others. If you will still be working the same amount, just from an RV, then I doubt your health will change much without a concerted effort to do so. If you have allergies or sensitivity to common air pollutants, or altitude; travel to some locations may affect those health issues. If you will be worried about your finances on the road, that stress might adversely affect your heath. Everyone is different. It is hard to predict how each will react to change.
Everyone is different. It is hard to predict how each will react to change.
Of course. 
I'm interested in hearing how it worked out, in general. Are you more active than you used to be because the lifestyle encourages that? Or do you find you still sit around reading or watching TV as you did in a permanent home, but maybe with a better view? 
Not looking for a hard-and-fast rule, just whether or not people do tend to BE more active, or if they've noticed an improvement (overall) in their health because of the lifestyle.
We carry our TV, Satellite system, stereo and DVD player with us in the RV to give us a variety of entertainment. At night, on rainy days and for other reasons, they all provide us with some form of relaxation and entertainment. During the days we are usually out hiking, biking, kayaking, climbing, swimming or any other outdoor activities we can find. We are pretty active while at home so these are just bonus activities while traveling. But yes, we do feel better while on the road. Whether this translates to better health, only our doctors could tell and they don't travel with us. Chuck
Of course.
I'm interested in hearing how it worked out, in general. Are you more active than you used to be because the lifestyle encourages that? Or do you find you still sit around reading or watching TV as you did in a permanent home, but maybe with a better view?
Not looking for a hard-and-fast rule, just whether or not people do tend to BE more active, or if they've noticed an improvement (overall) in their health because of the lifestyle.
When I worked, I had to pass an annual physical fitness test and my employer had a program to promote physical fitness. That all ended with retirement. On the other hand, I do a lot more hiking. I have gained weight and added a couple of prescription medications, but that may be as much a factor of age as anything else as I retired 15 years ago.
Dear Wife has changed her home routine little other than we do go places of interest much more frequently while traveling.
I do think we have both benefitted from a reduction in stress after retirement. I suffered from fairly frequent migraines when working. I have not had a migraine in the 15 years since retirement.
Edited July 14 by trailertraveler
We began this Rv adventure 14 years ago and two trucks two 5th wheels and over 130K miles we are still on the road. We are 14 years older my knees hurt, my eyesight is worse, my hearing is worse. We are slowing down. We are in comparatively good health but not the same as we were 14 years ago.IMO the RV lifestyle is less stressful than our job was so in that respect we are healthier. . We no longer hike, bike, climb, run boat belong to a health club. We did all those things in years past but we still got old eyesight and hearing deteriorated knees went bad. Mother nature takes its toll and we can not win.
We walked through way more museums and living history sites when we were RVing. We also took up geocaching. Which doesn't mean we didn't still spend hours in front of our computers; we had to research all those places to go. Being retired made it possible to do it all. As to formal exercise, I found stretch bands to be easy to bring along for strength training.
Linda
Definitely...... you can be MUCH more active and healthy when RVing..... if you set your mind to it. There are so many opportunities for staying active.
Still.... we know of some who go to a new place and basically just sit at their campsite. I think if you're not interested in being active in a S&B then you probably will have little or no interest in pursuing activity while RVing.
I think if you're not interested in being active in a S&B then you probably will have little or no interest in pursuing activity while RVing.
And if you don't make time for activity in your S&B you may have even less time in an RV since RVing itself makes demands on your time.
Linda
As you can see, it's an individual thing. But since your situation sounds a lot like ours, I'll share our experience to hopefully give you some insight on how it can work.
We do work long hours, more than we did before we hit the road in 2007 because the Internet has changed customer expectations. Whereas before we had work hours, today it all blends together. As you know that's the nature of being self employed. But...
Pre full-timing we were outdoorsy people but our physical health was just meh. Sure, we biked and hiked more because we started living in beautiful places. But we never challenged ourselves physically. It was pretty much status quo, just in more beautiful places.
Twelve years later, hitting 50 made something click. We just ran our first marathon and plan to continue doing so well into our later years. This didn't necessarily have anything to do with full-timing, but the ability to train in freekin' awesome places is quite motivating!
So yeah, we're in better shape than when we started. We still work crazy long hours, but without the burden of homeownership and all that accompanies it, we have waaaaaay more free time to pursue a higher level of fitness.
Good luck to you! Keep in touch and let us know how your adventures go. See ya down the road!
Thank you for that insight, LiveWorkDream! If you're the LiveWorkDream I think you might be, your situation is a LOT like ours. The demands can be crushing at times, and working from home it's just too easy to sit down at 8am and not get up again for 12 hours, other than to grab a meal and use the bathroom. We plan to change that with a change to our business. Although we'll still be working, it will have a slightly different focus.
It does seem like the changing scenery and the chance to see new places and meet new people would be a big inspiration. Even if it isn't a massive change physically, the mental side of it seems so much healthier, and that counts for a lot.
Interesting to read the replies. We're definitely interested in being active, but our current workload doesn't really lend itself to that, hence the need for a life-changing move in another direction.
Are we correct in thinking the RV lifestyle tends to encourage a LOT more movement?
There really isn't a pat answer to this question as living in an RV is not enough to cause a change of personal life habits, but the majority of those who RV fulltime or even extesively do tend to be more active people. I'm not sure how much of that is due to a change of lifestyle or if it may be that most of us were at least somewhat active before our RV living began. If you actually enjoy active persuits, there is little doubt that being retired will allow more time for physical activities and scenic areas do tend to offer more new and varied places to walk, hike, or move about and it can also offer opportunities to do new activities. But what you most enjoy will probably not change. If you work in a pressure job, retired fulltimeing can be a huge stress reliever and help a great deal with things like blood pressure and probably also eating habits. We were square dancers before we retired and we found that to be a very available activity while traveling and an excellent way to meet new people and develop more friends. We also did a lot of volunteer work with parks and wildlife refuges which tended to be outdoor work that was physically active. Pam's health did improve partly due to getting her out of the cities where air is poluted, since she had a breathing issue. We had always done a significant amount of walking and that did increase and our consumption of fast foods decreased. I am not sure that I can actually correlate to an improvement in health.
I can offer one other observation that may support what you are thinking. We left fulltime to take up a home-base in a community where the majority of residents are former fulltimes and the average age is well above the official life expectancy that is published. We have several neighbors who are past 80 that still TV and who take part in volunteer maintenance chores in the community. I really do believe that most fulltimers stay healthy and active much longer than do the average retirees, but I can't document that belief.
I really do believe that most fulltimers stay healthy and active much longer than do the average retirees, but I can't document that belief.
Empirical evidence works for me in this instance. 
I could get hit by a bus tomorrow, so there's no guarantee when it comes to health, but it does seems like a lifestyle that encourages new perceptions, more movement, and an overall better attitude, if that's the change you're looking for. And we are.
if that's the change you're looking for. And we are
Just remember that the change of activity level will not happen by accident but must be planned and worked at. It is going to be much like joining a gym in that if you walk far more than usual on one day you will have sore muscles the next day but to make progress you have to stick to the activity anyway. Plan to spend time in places that offer a lot of activities and walking. When you get to the places that offer active choices, go for it! When we spent our summer near Yellowston NP, one of the rangers told me that studies have shown that 80% of the visitors there never get more than 1 mile from the automobile the arrived in. Our observation supported that opinion. My point is that when you get places that offer a lot of walking, it takes more than just being there and the rewards for your efforts are great. If you want a prime example of what walkers see in Yellowstone that most visitors do not, check out this map of the gyser basin around Old Faithful Gyser. Most of the national parks and monuments are much like that. The most beautiful ocean shore that we have ever seen was in Olympic NP after a 3 mile walk(6 miles round trip). Get yourselves some good daypacks (not the cheapest ones) that have water bottles and such, pack your lunch, rain gear, sun protection, but spray, and a first aid kit as well as your lunch and just spend the day where others only take a few pictures and drive on. We are not hikers any longer but just go for long walks. If properly equiped you can go a surprising distance by walking slowly, taking time to read all of the storyboards, take pictures, and sit down to observe things. Our typical walking day we will spend at least an hour to cover 1 mile and sometimes more. This style of walking (not hiking) means that you see things other pass by, and it takes far less effort with better results. The beach hike took us 2 hours to walk the 3 miles out, then we spent more than an hour there and ate our lunch, then spend another about 2 hours on the 3 mile return trip. It does take comitment and planning but the rewards are great.
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