At 49, I have been addicted to exercise and physical fitness most of my life. I have seen a lot of expert advice on fitness and nutrition come and go. Have you ever noticed how the “expert advice” tends to flip flop over time? I remember when vitamin E was good for you; then it was deemed unhealthy; then, news broke that it was good again! I think they change the advice to keep the headline fresh – news sells.
I have seen the same phenomenon with exercise. Trends come and go – Aerobics, kick boxing classes, group cycling – the list goes on. You don’t have to be trendy to be in shape!
For someone trying to lose weight or stay in shape, it can get very confusing as to who to listen to and what kind of exercise is best. Everyone has an opinion as to what is best for you – what you should eat, and how you should exercise. The point is, what is good for one person may not work for another.
I have always done my own thing, and I have learned that the best advice is to keep it simple. So, here are some tidbits that have come from years of experience.
Running is good. Long distance running is bad – I have the knees to prove it. You don’t have to run for an hour to get the benefits. I prefer short bursts of high intensity effort. Instead of running 10 miles, I run a mile – as fast as I can. Then, I run a half mile as fast as I can. then maybe I will do some hill sprints. In twenty minutes, I have a killer workout, and I am done.
For you, it might be walking a mile as fast as you can. Or, just a half mile! This whole exercise thing is scalable to your abilities. The idea is to get the heart rate up, then rest. Then, get it going again.
Body weight exercises have always worked best for me. You don’t have to spend hours in a gym to get results. Push ups, Pull ups, dips, and core body exercises are great! And, you don’t have to spend a fortune on equipment. Use your imagination! If you can’t do pushups on the floor, do them leaning up a staircase – or against a wall. Gravity is a great thing. Use it!
The best foods to eat are real foods. Whole natural foods are best in my experience. Beef, Chicken, Fish, Veggies, Fruits, and nuts are real, natural food that gives your body most of what it needs. If the food you are eating comes in a package, it is processed and has bad stuff in it.
Beer and Wine are good for you. Well, maybe not, but I like it. That’s my story and I’m stickin to it.
Let me know your comments! What kind of challenges are you having. Maybe I can help! Or if you have some creative ideas, please share!
