Getting Older? Get in Shape.

No point in talking about what happens to your body as you get older.  You’re there.  You know what happens.  Been there, done that.

So how do you get in shape at your age?

1.  Turn off the TV. Yes, turn it off.  That insidious box is stealing your life away.  Before you know it, you’ll be in the hospital facing bypass surgery or knee replacement and you’ll be sorry.  Turn that life-sucking, brain-vaporizing machine off.  You may need a week or two to decide.  That’s okay, but make the decision and turn it off.  You’re sitting there getting soft and pudgy, consuming too many calories as you watch another episode of whatever.   Does it mean you’ll never watch TV again?  No.  But it does mean that it gets LAST priority.  Turn it off and get yourself in gear doing something else.  Get up, get outside, and get it moving.

2. Your eating plan should look like this:  BIG breakfast, MEDIUM lunch, SMALL dinner. Drink eight glasses of water throughout the day.  Eat fruit in the morning and vegetable in the afternoon.  Throw away all your sweetened beverages. 

3.  Your exercise plan should look like this: You should walk 1 hour at least four times a week or something equivalent.  Lift weights to maintain muscle mass, a good body shape, and strong bones.  Mix it up.  Do a solid four hours each week (of something) with your heart rate pumping.  Anything less and you won’t get the results you want.

4.  IT BOILS DOWN TO THIS:  Exercise more and eat less.  Forget about all those diet plans out there.  Here’s your plan:  exercise more and eat less.  Do you understand?  Exercise more and eat less.  It’s just that simple.

5.  Your goal should be one pound per week.  If you’re doing it right, figure on losing one pound per week.  This means losing a pound of fat but keeping the muscle.  Right?    Since muscle weight three times heavier than fat, it’s not easy to lose weight.  Remember, you didn’t put your weight on overnight and it won’t come off overnight.  If you want to lost 15 pounds of fat, think 15 weeks.

Now push away from this computer and get started.  It's Saturday, cool outside, and a good day to get active.