Physical Fitness - Late 40s

SSG Jonathan Edwards — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:30:36 -0500

How do you keep in shape after all these years?

I recently started back to moderate working out... I dunno at my age if I can get to my "fighting" shape again. I know that dieting is a key factor, but I am interested to know if the RP community has tips.

I recently visited my doctor to told me that he sees a lot of veterans. He commented that most of us are like retired football players: our bodies are beat up (he said Combat Arms guys he has seen are like running backs in terms of injuries and such) from wear and tear.

Your thoughts?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 1 at 2015 3:36 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 15:36:38 -0500

I bike. A lot. And I can smoke most people half my age.
I can still run, although the odometer has climbed to a point that I pay for a legit workout where I really push.
But I can bike all day.

Response by SSgt Paul Esquibel made Dec 1 at 2015 9:16 PM

SSgt Paul Esquibel — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 21:16:06 -0500

Walking is the most underrated activity, it's easy on joints and knee's and provides moderate physical activity. Another thing to consider is living an Atkins lifestyle, note I said lifestyle and not diet. Meaning your cut out your fast burning carbs and sugars which your body typically converts and stores as fat, try to get a good mix of pork, chicken, fish, beef everyday with a solid anything green veggie, green veggies are complex carbs that your body digests very slow. On an Atkins lifestyle you can look to loose anywhere between 3-4lbs the first week and if maintained considerably more each week, because all your feeding yourself is complex carbs and protein and our bodies process protein better than any other source. Note you will need to drink allot of water, initially you will get headaches due to not having that insulin/sugar high, I drink allot coffee so I'm usually good. You can still have sweets just try to manage them on a certain day. Last the most important part is to make sure your eating at least 4x a day, that way your never hungry instead you continue to feed your body which never stops the digestive system and your metabolism speeds up to continue to digest all the food. Literally on an Atkins lifestyle you could do nothing but eat your body will loose fat on it's own, because your body uses Carbs for energy, if you restrict those carbs your body still has to pull something to produce energy, in this case your body naturally will burn the fat for energy vs muscle and you get skinnier and healthier, also Atkins is proven to lower your HC1/HC2 and blood preasure, once you get your lifestyle under control it's easier to add jogging and weight lifting maybe even Yoga for flexiability to your life as you will be lighter and tighter.....hope this helps.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 1 at 2015 11:05 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 23:05:50 -0500

I agree 100% with what SSgt Paul Esquibel said about diet.
In regards to exercise I think it’s important to find an activity that you enjoy or you won’t stick with it. I weight train and do enjoy it, but at 52 years old I keep it lighter than my younger years. My body doesn’t like it if I try to go heavy. For cardio and conditioning I train in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu at least three times a week. It works muscles I didn’t know I had, and after 30-40 minutes of sparring at 100% you definitely get a cardio work out. In a typical 90 minute class I burn roughly 800 calories. I’ve worn a heart monitor to measure this. It’s fun and it’s a skill that may someday come in handy. It is very satisfying to submit a 20-something year old musclehead.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 1 at 2015 11:26 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 23:26:49 -0500

I am pushing 40. I had trouble coming back from injury a few years ago, started running at my own pace, and later, joined a running group! Supplements help too. At your own pace and heart, you'll get something from it. Running or walking with other like minded people helps.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2015 1:35 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 01:35:29 -0500

Have you looked into total body fitness? It'll be tough at first but your body will become accustomed to it. If there's something you can't do, don't let that stop you, do what you can and build on it. Don't focus on your age focus on what you can do. My fitness buddy, sometimes coach, always a mentor, Rick is an excellent example of this ... he's over 50.

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/total-body-fat-burning-workout-0

Fast Track to Flex Appeal

"Man's got to know his limitations." Spend enough time in the gym and you gain an acute appreciation of what Clint Eastwood meant with that immortal line. Eventually, we all run up against the limitations of whatever workout system we're using. Some help make us bigger, some help make us stronger, some help make us leaner, but none seems to do all three at once.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 2 at 2015 4:00 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 16:00:05 -0500

I don't like gyms so I own many dumbbells.

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Dec 2 at 2015 8:28 PM

PO2 Steven Erickson — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 20:28:36 -0500

Pear-like is a shape! I keep in shape by working on it every day! Bagels, beer, bratwursts and anything on the barbecue...

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2015 9:56 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 21:56:25 -0500

How do you keep in shape after all these years? Well, I guess you can say my shape is oval. My thoughts? See meme above. :) Seriously, I would like to get back into running. I use to love doing it. However, because of my knee and lower back (thanks Air Force), I'm not able to do it any more. But the plus side is I'm still the same weight I was when I as active duty.

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Dec 4 at 2015 10:14 AM

SPC David Hannaman — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 10:14:02 -0500

21 years ago when I ETS'd I couldn't gain weight to save my life. 165lbs, 5'11". I remember one winter About 12 years ago purposely trying to gain weight because I'd bought a new house and knew I'd be working hard all summer on it.

Slowly over time I gained weight, until I hit my max of 230... I felt terrible, aches and pains, had a hard time keeping up with my son (who had just turned 13 and was really getting into sports).

I adopted a dog that needed to be walked every day. Lost 15 lbs.

A "biggest loser" competition at work prompted me to learn about diet, I realized I was drinking 6 Big Mac's a day in the form of Mt Dew, and switched to coffee. I cut Carbohydrates TOTALLY for two months, and won the competition. I stuck with it, on my 20 year Army Anniversary I was back to 165lbs and fit into my Class A uniform.

The secret that worked for me is to ignore the scale... it doesn't accurately measure weight. a 200lb weightlifter is not the same as a 200lb guy with a gut. If you're trying to loose fat, get some keytosis strips from the drug store. Your weight may be staying the same, but your body-fat might be decreasing rapidly. It's not how much you eat, it's WHAT you eat.

I still watch my carbs, but I'm not insane about it, I'm just purposeful about what I'm eating.

My son the athlete prompts me to lift weights, run football drills, play catch, and wrestle.

I'm 185 now, it's a good weight for me. The extra 20lbs are in my arms and shoulders, not on my stomach so I'm happy with it. I do need to find some Cardio that I enjoy though (I always hated running, and my knees and ankles hate it even more).

Response by SFC Stephen King made Dec 5 at 2015 9:16 AM

SFC Stephen King — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 09:16:02 -0500

SSG Jonathan Edwards variety is key. The first thing is find something you want to do. At 47 I enjoy weight training but my goal is to beat my only competition "me".

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Dec 5 at 2015 10:15 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 10:15:13 -0500

As hard as it is to admit, none of us are the men or women we were then. In some ways we're better. To be honest, in my head I'm still 15, but my body keeps screaming, "No, you're not!" I'm 72 now (well, almost 73, but I stopped counting years in halves and quarters when I got my driver's license) and I'm retired. I'm in better shape than I was during my 40s, 50s, and 60s. I worked at a desk in those decades and was sucked into far too many business lunches. Now I have the leisure to work out every day. That's the real secret. Working out takes leisure time and working parents have little of that. I've dropped 85 pounds (thanks to MyFitnessPal.com) and am in the gym 4 days regularly every week. BTW, I have to update my photo. This one was taken 85 pounds ago.

Response by CW2 Michael Berthiaume made Dec 18 at 2015 6:17 AM

CW2 Michael Berthiaume — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 06:17:34 -0500

Beachbody programs and Running for me.