Late in 2009, I had a doctor’s visit and when they checked my weight, I weighed in at 205lbs.  I’ve “NEVER” weighed that much and it really hit home that day!  I had to do something!

I really struggled with what I should do.  I don’t mind exercise, but I was really out of shape and knew that getting back into it would be tough.  And I really didn’t like the idea of “dieting”, although I knew I would ultimately have to change my eating habits.

I had tried the “low carb” diet before and knew that if I could get a week or two of it under my belt, I would lose some weight.  And just losing “some” weight can really make a difference for some long term health changes.

So that’s what I did…low carb eating and walking during my lunch hour.  While I don’t really advocate a low carb diet for long term weight loss, I think it’s an excellent way to “jump start” your weight loss.

Within about 3 weeks I had lost about 8lbs and could really feel a difference in the way my clothes fit.  Let me tell you…when you get to this point and can actually see & feel some results, it really makes you want to keep on going & do more!

Again…I don’t really like the idea of “long term” low carb dieting, so at about 1 month into this, I switched to more of a “low fat” diet.  I started eating LOTS of fruit, vegetables and really watching my fat intake.  If food had much in the way of fat calories, I tried my best to avoid it.  (I later found that this is not the best way to eat either…I’ll go into “why” in an article I’ll write later)

Along with changing my eating habits, I increased my level of exercise.  I had gone from strictly walking to a combination of walking & jogging.  I’ve never really gone crazy with exercise.  I’m not trying to set any speed or endurance records.  In fact, I’ve learned a lot about how the body burns fat vs. burning carbs, and if you’re looking to lose fat, you’re actually better off working out at about 70% of your target heart rate.  70% of your target heart rate is relatively low intensity and pretty easy for most of us to do.

I weigh myself most mornings…first thing in the morning.  At the time this article is being written, I’m at about 177lbs.  It’s hard for me to say exactly what my goal weight is because I’m beginning to add some weight training into my exercise routine to try and recover some lost muscle mass, (which will hopefully add a little lean muscle weight).  My goal is really “fat” loss.  I could probably see myself in the 160-165lb range because I feel like I’ve probably got another 10 or so pounds of fat on me.

I’m going to write more about some of the specifics I’m doing to lose weight because I know it’s probably of interest to most of you.  When you pass 40 years old, it can become harder to lose weight, but it is certainly not impossible.  I’m living proof as are so many others.

More info to come.  If you have questions, PLEASE feel free to use this contact form, and let me know what I can do to help.

*** Short-cut Link:
*** My Favorite Foods Dietplan <== click here

One of the most common questions I get asked is:

“What should I eat before my workouts if I want to get rid of bodyfat?”

The answer?

NOTHING.

I’ve been saying this for almost a decade now… and research is catching up with the idea.

It’s nice to be right. : )

Several studies now confirm that exercising while your body is low on food may be a good way to trim excess fat.

European researchers found that cyclists who trained without eating burned significantly more fat than their counterparts who ate. Now, this is important: Cycling requires a LOT of energy. Far more energy than you need to get rid of bodyfat.

Working out with weights and doing moderate to intense (but short) cardio will take care of 99% of your needs when it comes to fatburning.

But with weights, and espeically with the cyclists that were tested, performance may be an issue.

In fact the members of the group of cyclists that didn’t eat performed worse on the intensive training. Still, they burned a higher proportion of fat to carbohydrates than the group that ate. (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.)

Why? Simple. Your body’s blood sugar is lowest in the morning prior to eating. When you train, moderately or with intensity, most of your fuel comes from your bodyfat and NOT ingested carbs. Isn’t that cool?

Which would you rather burn… bodyfat or carbs?

Yeah, me too. : )

About performance: I have found that my performance only suffers slightly when fasting and training for the first few weeks. After that my performance increases. The body starts to burn its own bodfyat far more efficiently so I find I have PLENTY of energy.

This was not a lone study on fasting and training. In a 2008 study, Hespel and colleagues tested the effects on men who did endurance training without eating versus those who ate. In the athletes who hadn’t eaten, the researchers found a spike in the amount of proteins needed to process fat, meaning their bodies had been primed through fasting to get rid of more bodyfat.

So, now you know the answer to the old question: “What should I eat before training?”

Nothing… or as little as possible.

In my next email I’ll tell you what to eat AFTER your workouts to REALLY jack your fatburning through the roof…

… and no, it’s not “nothing”. It’s something special. ; )

P.S. If you want the best diet possible to turn your body into a fat-burning machine along with my personal workout plan for fasting cardio… and a plan that works in your favorite foods too … then look no further than this:

My Favorite Foods Dietplan <== click here

I said right then that I had enough of this!  I’m tired of being fat and feeling like crap all the time!

So I made some immediate changes.  First of all, I started a “low carb” diet.  I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of this diet from a health perspective, but I have had success with it before so I thought I’d try again.  It wasn’t my intention to stay on this diet long term…it was just to “jump start” my weight loss and it did.  Within about a month, I was down near 190.  Not really rapid weight loss…but definitely noticeable.

I also started exercising.  Lets face the facts…there are no magic pills that are going to make you lose weight.  You want the secret to weight loss?  I found it!  It’s easy!  Burn more calories than you take in each day…and you WILL lose weight!  I know…too simple, huh?  But it’s true.  I started with walking because it’s about all I could really do.  Eventually I moved in to some light jogging and I’m at the point now where I’m very comfortable walking and or jogging.

After about 6 weeks of low carbs, I switched over to a low fat “style of eating”.  I say that because I really didn’t want to call it a “diet”.  I just wanted to eat healthier.  Lots of fruits and vegetables, chicken, turkey and lean meats.

I’m currently weighing in about 177 and I’m slowly dropping the weight off.  My plan is to be between 160 & 165 by late summer of 2010.  If I can do that, I think I’ll be right where I need to be.

Let me tell you…even though I still have weight to lose, I feel MUCH better.  A lot of people are noticing the weight loss and it’s a good feeling when someone tells you how “great” you’re looking!

Do I have a plan to share with you?  Well…I’ve never really felt like I was doing anything extraordinary.   I get a lot of pointers & tips from Jon Benson who wrote the “Fit Over 40” program.  I’m also beginning to get into some Tai Chi & Qigong training that I hope to share more about in the next few months.

Anyway…wanted to share my progress and hopefully inspire others to join along.  If you ever have questions…please feel free to email me at, info@over40health.com.   I’ll be glad to help in any way I can.

Chris

Can you workout only one day out of three and make gains?

I certainly can… and I bet you can too.

Today I begin my audio series where I address your questions and comments. Today’s question comes from Mike K. in NYC who asks…

“Hi Jon…First, I LOVE your Every Other Day Diet and 7 Minute Muscle books! But I was wondering if you could help me with a problem. I’m having a hard time finding the time to make it to the gym using 7 Minute Muscle. Obviously I’m not referring to the 7 minutes (ha!) but the 5-day-per-week Monday-Friday schedule you recommend for beginners. Is there any alternatives? Thanks!”M

Below you’ll find my response and a workout plan you can put to use today to make faster gains with less overall time in the gym. Just click the “play” button to listen in.

Enjoy!

Related Materials:

It started a few years ago…around the time I turned 40.  I started losing my lower leg hair?!?!  At first…I didn’t give it much thought.  Doctor said it was probably just my socks or slacks/jeans rubbing the hair off my legs.  I started wearing my socks so that they were down around my ankles but I “still” have the problem several years later!

I’ve read in several forums where this can be caused by a variety of conditions or situations.  One of which can be poor blood circulation to the legs…(don’t we always look at the worst possible scenario and think thats whats wrong with us???)

At this point, it’s just a little embarrassing, but I don’t let it bother me too much.  My “lily white” legs are more embarrassing than the lack of hair, HA!  But if you’re experiencing the loss of hair on your legs, probably wouldn’t hurt to mention it to your doctor next time you’re in for a visit.  If you notice any pain or discomfort in your legs, it would probably be best to get in to see your doctor and let them check you out.

Just the thought of another male, (assuming your doctor is a male), checking your prostate, can be a harrowing thought for many of us. Of course, I’m sure doctors don’t wake up in the morning, hoping they’ll arrive at their offices to find waiting rooms full of men in there for prostate exams!

My father was diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was in his seventies, so I am naturally a little concerned that I too may have to deal with this some day. A few years ago, I began noticing a dull ache or pain in my upper thigh that would never seem to go away. When I went to the doctor, he wanted to check my prostate for any abnormalities. He determined that I had prostatitis, which is basically an inflammation of the prostate gland. I ended up having 3 exams that year so I feel like I’ve become an old pro at it! (It’s much easier to joke about it when you’ve been through it a few times!)

But lets face it, if you’re 40 or older, you NEED to have a physical. No…not because you’re falling apart, but because it’s simply a good practice to get into. Catching a disease early is the key to curing it.So what can men do to get ready for the inevitable prostate exam? The first thing you need to realize is that as awful as it may sound, you should relax and take comfort in knowing that it’s typically over pretty quick. What is pretty quick? Well…I’d say that mine typically took between 5 and 10 seconds or so. It may seem like an eternity, but it’s not.

If the doctor finds nothing wrong, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you don’t have to go through this for another year, (and you now have the right to tease your “turning 40” friends and tell them stories about what they have to look forward to!) Seriously, your exam is important and the peace of mind in knowing everything is OK makes it all worth it.

Well…maybe I just missed the obvious? It seems like I see more and more people having heart trouble. And I don’t mean minor problems…I mean drop dead with a heart attack problems! Now don’t get me wrong. I think the medical world is light years ahead of where it was 20 or 30 years ago with regards to heart care. I think that my sudden awakening was due to the fact that my doctor told me last year, that I had high cholesterol. Not a little high…a LOT high!

I tried dieting and exercise to get it back in line, but that didn’t help much. (I’m sure I didn’t diet as much or as well as I should have). Anyway…my doctor put me on a generic statin drug in an effort to get my cholesterol back under control, which it did. But it still made me wonder what kind of shape my heart is in? I exercise, but not as much or as intense as I probably should. I haven’t really noticed any problems that might lead me to believe I would have any further heart problems, but you can never be too sure. I have considered having a heart screening just to be on the safe side, but haven’t done that as of yet.

I’ve known people that felt great, exercised, ate all the right foods and then had a heart attack when they least expected it. That’s kinda scary!

So don’t forget about your heart. Get your cholesterol checked and be sure to tell your doctor if you notice any of the common signs of heart problems. Doctors are able to do some amazing things these days to repair your heart if you do have problems, but catching a problem early is key.

Over the last few years, I have begun to notice my hands shaking when trying to perform precise movements or tasks? It was a little disturbing because I thought it could be related to early onset of Parkinson’s disease or something like that. I didn’t notice it getting a lot worse, but it was noticeable to me and kept me concerned. I then begin to notice other people with “shaking hands” and decided to investigate further.

In my case, it was referred to as “benign essential tremor”. When my hands were at rest, they were fine…but when I tried to do something that required fine motor skills, I’d notice my hands become jumpy or shaky. Other than the fact that it was annoying and a little embarrassing when someone else was watching me, it really wasn’t that big of a problem. Now…I suppose it may get worse as I get older, but I know I can cope with it.

The cause is not actually known, but it is more prevalent in people where a parent or sibling also experiences the condition. One of the main ways that benign essential tremor is distinguished from Parkinson’s disease, is that with essential tremor, the hands shake when in use, and not when they are at rest. With Parkinson’s disease, you’re more likely to notice the hands shaking when they’re at rest and not when they’re in use, such as when holding a cup of coffee. With essential tremors, you may also notice shaking of other limbs, your head or even your voice.

Typical treatments would include beta blockers, (normally used for high blood pressure), or anti seizure drugs. These medications would need to be taken all the time or the condition will return. A decision would need to be made as to whether the tremors are serious enough to treat with medication or whether you can live with the tremors. Taking medications for the rest of your life because you hands shake a little may not be the best solution?

Another treatment that has gained a lot of attention lately is hypnosis.  If your tremors are a concern for you, I wouldn’t hesitate to give hypnosis a closer look.  It beats the heck out of having to pop another pill!  Click here to learn more.

While the shaky hands can usually be treated, the condition will normally worsen over time. Getting plenty of rest as well as avoiding caffeine and stress, may greatly improve your condition.

You should ALWAYS consult your physician if you experience unexplained shaking or trembling as this can be a sign of more serious conditions.

Last weekend, while visiting a friend’s cabin for the weekend, I managed to fall and land on my side. As I was falling, I tucked my elbow into my side in an effort to break the fall somehow.

The next morning it was sore, but not so bad I couldn’t move pretty freely. I just had to be careful and could get around fine.

Monday morning, same thing. Still sore…but not too bad. Then Monday afternoon, it happened. As I was sitting at my desk, a “sneeze” came on. I didn’t think that much about it, so I let one go with all the force I normally would. Bad idea!

At that moment, I both “felt” and “heard” a “pop” in my side! And the pain that followed was nothing short of excruciating! I started feeling that feeling you get when you think you’re going to faint. Light headed and your vision becomes a little blurred. It really had me scared.

I was the only person at the house at that time, so I called my wife and in what I’m sure was a frightened voice, I let her know what happened and that I was in pain. She said she would head my way as soon as she picked my daughter up from school, which wouldn’t be for a few more minutes.

I called my doctor and they agreed to see me if I could get there pretty soon…so I jumped in the vehicle and headed that way, favoring my ribs all they way there. I called my wife in the meantime and let her know I was on my way to the doctor.

After an exam and a couple of x-rays, the diagnosis was pretty much as I had expected. A fractured rib and no other apparent damage. The doc looked at the x-rays with me, and there was no question about the break.

So what now? Nothing really. The doctor prescribed some pain medicine and he let me know that this would really only take the “edge off” the pain. It wouldn’t make it go away. He explained that they do not wrap the ribs anymore as they want you to breath as normally as possible. Doing this along with taking some deep breaths throughout the day, will prevent you from getting pneumonia. So I wrote them a check for $150 and I was on my way.

A week later, here are some observations. Sleeping hasn’t been that bad, but I’ve been pretty limited on how I sleep. I’ve been able to lay in bed on my back and the opposite side that I hurt. This has worked out OK. I hear others who have had to sleep in a recliner for the first few weeks, so I guess I’m fortunate.

Coughing & laughing are two things you will want to limit or avoid completely! It’s actually good to cough a little to get that crap out of your throat and sinuses, but I think you will soon learn your limits! In my case, it helped to back up to a wall and brace myself. This limited the movement of the chest so it didn’t hurt, “as bad”.

Sneezing? Well…I haven’t sneezed yet, (knock on wood), and I’m praying I don’t have to for a while! Based on what it feels like to let out a little cough, I can only imagine what a sneeze would feel like!!! I’m blowing my nose regularly and clearing my throat as much as possible to avoid a sneeze.

Something else that I’ve experimented with, is taking a regular bath towel or something of that nature, and wrapping it tightly around the ribs in anticipation of a cough or sneeze. I think this would probably help…but it’s not going to help completely.

Overall observation…a rib that is actually broken, (not just bruised), is very painful! And there isn’t much to do but to try and get some rest and let it heal on it’s own. My doctor said I was looking at 4 to 6 weeks to recover, and he acted like it could take even longer.

So I’m just being as careful as possible. Chewing my food well and being conscious of drinking fluids, so as not to have a “coughing fit”. And of course, Heaven forbid I have to sneeze for a while!

Good luck!
Chris

Ever heard the phrase, “Fat-n-Happy?”…

Of course you have. We used to refer to obese guys as a “jolly fat-man”… or perhaps someone who is overweight as “fat-n-happy”.

Is it true? Can (gasp) being overweight actually make you happy?

Rather than giving you my opinion on the matter, I take a look at three national studies on this page.

The presentation is only 5 minutes long… and I reveal the number one case for alarm in the United States and Canada.

Read that again:  The Number 1 Cause For Alarm. 

And I’m NOT an alarmist… I’m a rationalist. But stats like these do not lie.

They cannot lie.

And this deals with our children.

Please… go see:

click.here—>  Fat-n-Happy Study

P.S.  I can tell you from my own first-hand experience, which I document in “Fit Over 40″, that my personal 10-year-journey through the muck of obesity was ANYTHING but happy.

I was depressed, to the point of suicide at times (thankfully I never went that far.) I was socially hidden. I wore “fat-clothes” all the time. The few times I HAD to wear jeans or dress pants I rushed home to change into sweats because they were just too damn uncomfortable to tolerate.

Bottom line:  I was “fat-n-miserable”.

I think most people who are overweight or obese feel more despair, sadness, or perhaps just really frustrated than “happy”. Of course you can be happy and be any size, color, shape, etc. But I’ll tell you from my experience that I am MUCH happier now that I’m fit and trim.

Part of that is just because I feel better. The other part is how the brain functions. When you’re more active, you release more “feel-good” hormones… and these are powerful anti-blues hormones… they really make you feel like a champ. At least that’s been my experience.

But go watch the 5-min video and see what you think…

click.here—>  Fat-n-Happy Study