DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor or other medical professional. I am only relating the experiences of my fitness journey, specifically this attempt to become my fittest self ever between the ages of 49 and 50. So, before you try any of the tips or techniques I cover get cleared by your doctor!
Now that the legalese is out of the way.
Tip #1 Start Small
When you make the decision to get in shape, whether for the first time or the nth time, the temptation is to do everything you can all at once. This is especially true if you feel you have a lot of weight to lose or if you perceive that there is another big hurdle to go over.
You’ve been a couch potato for years, then all of sudden you decide to run 4 days a week and lift weights 3 days a week and walk every day at lunch and fit in some yoga when you get a chance. Two big things are likely to happen. The first is that you’ll keep it up for a week or two and then gradually start missing workouts because you’ve burned out. Well it’s actually not burn out, you’ve just tried to move the needle too far. We as people have a tendency to regress to our mean, to fall back to our habitual state.
The other likely outcome is injury. Imagine you go from not running at all to trying to run every day. Even if you follow a relatively gradual buildup program by going from 0 to 7 you increase the chance of shin splints, IT Band friction syndrome, etc. Start slow, start small. Get used to your new activity before going full bore.
Another drawback of changing many things at once is that you won’t know which thing you changed is most effective. Make one change, stick with it for a month at least and measure. Then add another change and repeat. You don’t have to get rid of the first change, they can be additive. Just don’t try to do it all at once.
Tip #2 Try Intermittent Fasting
My best weight loss has come when I’m practicing intermittent fasting. What does that mean? In the words of Brad Pilon author of Eat Stop Eat, “You’re taking a break from eating.” Simple. A lot of diets and ways of eating focus on removing a macro nutrient, usually carbs or fats. One of the reasons those restrictions works is because the naturally limit caloric intake. It’s still about energy ingested and energy expended.
Intermittent fasting limits caloric intake. Many people think that skipping a meal or meals will automatically slow your metabolism but that’s not true. IF can also increase insulin sensitivity as well as lower levels of insulin and glucose in the blood which may reduce diabetes risk and also aid in weight loss. Check out this Scientific American article on IF.
Five methods of IF are covered in this article. I prefer the Eat Stop Eat method, but the others look interesting, too. With ESE, I eat breakfast one day and then don’t eat again until lunch the following day. I drink plenty of water and stay active. I find it easier to fast on days when I’m not just sitting around watching TV. I also have a great sense of clarity and well being that second morning. That pattern seems to work for me, but perhaps eating breakfast and lunch one day and then not eating until dinner the next would work better for you. Try different patterns and find what works best for you.
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