Getting fit in your 40's

The number one key to keeping fit in later years is making the exercise enjoyable. Something to look forward to. I must say ... and I know we're all different... but that doesn't look enjoyable at all. :)
As well as making it enjoyable I would add to that by saying make it part of your routine. I never really think I’m tired today because I’ve exercised, it’s just part of my day.
 
I found setting myself a goal helped me. I did bits and bobs but always had little man boobs and love handles going into my 40s😂

I decided one January to enter the Great South run. Its 10 miles and takes place in October. I started out running 3-4 times a week for around 2-3 miles. The best thing is it's pretty inexpensive as you only need trainers and you can do it any time and pretty much anywhere (that said now I've got the bug and have running watches and more expensive trainers).

I lost over a stone in about 3 months but didn't really realise until people started mentioning it. To he honest I did it to get fit rather than lose weight (I wasn't overly over weight). I have now done 5 great south's and various other paid / organised events. I probably run 5-10k 3 or 4 times a week. Although as I get older I find more things ache. I guess running does provide a lot of stress on body parts.

I'm without doubt fitter and it better shape than I was in my 20s and 30s. It's proof anyone can start from a low level and improve in a matter of months. I hate it when over weight people say 'I've tried everything' etc. It's not rocket science to get fitter.

Once you stop seeing it as a chore and love doing it. You will never look back👍

Although do still have a pretty poor diet. I had a 'old man MOT' done post lockdown and it was pretty clear. They said my blood pressure was slightly higher than it should be but nothing overly to worry about.

I used to see people in 50-60s smashing in training in my local gym. So I really think it's never too old to take up any kind of exercise.
 
I've got a belly recently. I'm planning on doing press ups and sit ups and maybes playing some sort of racket sports when this disease passes. The idea of running, going to the gym and dieting strikes me as the height of tedium. I figure id rather enjoy a short life than not enjoy a long one. Besides which I don't own a house so the idea of enjoying a happy retirement is pretty much zero anyway.
 
I've got a belly recently. I'm planning on doing press ups and sit ups and maybes playing some sort of racket sports when this disease passes. The idea of running, going to the gym and dieting strikes me as the height of tedium. I figure id rather enjoy a short life than not enjoy a long one. Besides which I don't own a house so the idea of enjoying a happy retirement is pretty much zero anyway.
No need to go to gym if you dont want to. Doesnt need to be a full on diet.

Eat healthy and go for a walk every day aim for 10,000 steps. If you dont manage 10,000 dont stress about it as long as you are doing some exercise.
 
The number one key to keeping fit in later years is making the exercise enjoyable. Something to look forward to. I must say ... and I know we're all different... but that doesn't look enjoyable at all. :)
That’s what I keep saying to my wife😜........but she’s not buying it.😭
 
I've got a belly recently. I'm planning on doing press ups and sit ups and maybes playing some sort of racket sports when this disease passes. The idea of running, going to the gym and dieting strikes me as the height of tedium. I figure id rather enjoy a short life than not enjoy a long one. Besides which I don't own a house so the idea of enjoying a happy retirement is pretty much zero anyway.
Refreshing honesty - as long as you are happy that’s all that matters!
 
Its odd - but years ago I was an avid fell walker and junior mountain leader in my teens with a mountaineering club.
I loved swimming early mornings and always cycled from my first bike at the age of 8. Then first racer at 14.
Into my 20s I could run miles without much effort and did the GNR in 88 and 89.
Into my 30s I found the knee and hip joints couldnt hack the running so took up long distance walking with a full pack and tent or bivvi.
Work eventually got in the way [I let it without realising it] - so the fitness was replaced by beer.
After 40 I started back hill walking / camping / cycling / swimming.
Its not always easy - its an attitude of mind.
I think its good to share experiences and tips for training.
As you get older the only person you have to prove anything to is yourself(y)
 
Similar story as the OP. I'm 36 now, always had a reasonable cardio fitness level, but this is the first year I've took the gym / weight training seriously and the benefits of it are great. Glad I've embraced it now and don't think I'll ever fall back into as bad habits, I knew this time would come and it feels natural and less of an effort now than it would have done 5 years ago as the urge to go out and party as much diminishes as I get older.

Never massively overweight but had a belly (mainly from too many takeaways and probably too many beers!), had two 2-month stints totally off alcohol this year, joined the gym and been going average 4 times a week for 6 months. Lost 14 kg since Feb, no massive crash diets but mostly cut bread and carbs out during the week, eat what I want on a weekend. Sleep better, feel more focused at work, jump out of bed on a morning now. Been doing the Wim Hof method intermittenly also with the breathing exercises and cold showers, find this works wonders too!
 
Slack this week.
Went out this morning and did 82 km.
Pushed it.
Numb nuts on the way out with the cold mist.
2624 Calories.
Keep it going if you`re doing the same(y)
 
If you have read this thread but not listened to the Ross Tucker "Science of Sport" podcast, I can highly recommend it. He has been a good, reliable analyst for many years (especially for cycling and athletics). This podcast is great and you can watch it on youtube .... which is actually very useful at one point.
 
If you have read this thread but not listened to the Ross Tucker "Science of Sport" podcast, I can highly recommend it. He has been a good, reliable analyst for many years (especially for cycling and athletics). This podcast is great and you can watch it on youtube .... which is actually very useful at one point.
Cheers.
That was excellent.
It puts certain issues like strength work and recovery into perspective. I started at the very beginning of April with daily training on the Tac C - pretty quickly reaching an hour a day [24 km].
Adjusted the diet and kept it going non stop, but then started to find it physically difficult to sustain after about August - I thought it was a loss of motivation - but I felt absolutely knackered but thought it was me being slack - so I upped the sessions to 90 mins, then 120 mins. I couldnt understand why mind-over-matter wasnt sufficient to keep going.
There have definitely been benefits: I can get out the saddle and power up hills with far more confidence and last longer - but I keep getting overtaken by guys half my age on group rides!
It sounds contradictory - Ive never been a sprinter, but my average speed over longer distances has increased. I can rattle off the first 40 km without any problems, but its got much easier to get to 65/70 km before the energy tank needs a top up [a gel or a snickers].
Listening to the stats - I realised why it took me an hour longer to complete the GNR in 2017 than it did in 1989! I put it down to having done hardly any training. Makes me feel better though.
Tomorrow is a rest day.
Then its "give it some" on Tuesday.
Ta(y)
 
Got diagnosed 3 years ago with Multiple Sclerosis aged 44, had never done any exercise other than dog walking and weighed about 15 1/2 stone and had a BMI of 27ish.
Looked for some form of exercise to do in order to build my muscle strength up in case I get a bad relapse and also didn't involve going to a gym or running due to getting shin splints and I found DDPY - a sort of yoga based exercise routine but without all the spiritual nonsense.
There's lots of different routines and plans depending on how fit you are when you start, costs about £8 a month for a subscription on the app and all you need is a yoga mat and possibly a heart rate monitor.
Been doing that for 3 years straight now, I've lost 3 1/2 stone, dropped 6" off my waist and feel better than I've done for years.
I've not massively altered my diet but its mainly home cooked stuff anyway with the occasional take away once every couple of months.
 
Cheers.
That was excellent.
It puts certain issues like strength work and recovery into perspective. I started at the very beginning of April with daily training on the Tac C - pretty quickly reaching an hour a day [24 km].
Adjusted the diet and kept it going non stop, but then started to find it physically difficult to sustain after about August - I thought it was a loss of motivation - but I felt absolutely knackered but thought it was me being slack - so I upped the sessions to 90 mins, then 120 mins. I couldnt understand why mind-over-matter wasnt sufficient to keep going.
There have definitely been benefits: I can get out the saddle and power up hills with far more confidence and last longer - but I keep getting overtaken by guys half my age on group rides!
It sounds contradictory - Ive never been a sprinter, but my average speed over longer distances has increased. I can rattle off the first 40 km without any problems, but its got much easier to get to 65/70 km before the energy tank needs a top up [a gel or a snickers].
Listening to the stats - I realised why it took me an hour longer to complete the GNR in 2017 than it did in 1989! I put it down to having done hardly any training. Makes me feel better though.
Tomorrow is a rest day.
Then its "give it some" on Tuesday.
Ta(y)
It sounds like you took the classic jump down the overtraining wormhole 😯
 
I'm trying, but working from home is not doing me any favours. I go out for the occasional bike ride, a 15-20 miler once a week, but apart from that, nothing. No strength training at all. Have addressed my diet as my cholesterol level is slighly raised, so trying to follow a better, low fat diet. Porridge with blueberries or banana most days with a spoonful of milled flax-seeds. also getting in my 5 (usually more) a day with lower number of days with red meat subbed for chicken and having oily fish at least once a week.

It's the booze I need to sort. Didn't drink for the first 2 weeks of Nov, but slowly slipped back into it, couple of beers and a bottle of red Fridays and Saturdays, but also drinking a bit on Thurs and Sun too, so usually 4 days on, 3 days off. Way too much.

Am going to cut back now for remainder of Nov/start of Dec. Enjoy Christmas and then really cut way back in Jan.... Hopefully!
 
Used to run a lot but road running means the knees are now shot.
Always kept reasonably fit but yoyo with weight. I'm in my mid 50s.
I can go from a belly to a set of abs in 4 months with a mixture of HITT sessions and weights with some walking and cycling thrown in.
As Joe Wicks says "You can't out-train a bad diet" and I've always found that to be true. I've found that if I knock the booze down to one session a week and keep the carbs right down I can get toned.
When I'm in cutting/weight loss mode I work out twice a day and never work the same muscle group consecutive days unless it's part of a HITT session.
Also if you play at it it won't work. The trick is to get absolutly flat out smashed. "If it don't hurt it don't work"
It helps having my own gym, very lucky.
 
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