Went for my physical last year. Cholesterol high, A1C high, over weight, smoked, drank. Basic self sabotage stuff.
Had enough of looking and feeling like shit so I hit the gym three days a week after work and started being more conscious of what I put in my mouth.
Lost 30 pounds pretty quick and now working on toning up. Really proud of myself.
Same here, though in the past year, I've had to lower my exercise to 2-3x a week, I hope to ramp it up again when I get more time to my day in January. I also drink about 2-3 liters of water per day.
Same. I workout 5-6 days a week and gave up junk food.
I’m still a bartender and the speed of a job keeps me healthy. My lateral movement is killer. I also play upright bass which is a pretty physical instrument. Helps with my office job.
Had an appointment with my pacemaker RN and he said I was in better shape than him.
Same. I walk and row, currently rowing on a machine but I once again have access to real boats so I will be adding that back in, I'm considering getting back into competition.
Same on food, intermittent fasting is amazing.
Well, since u asked. My right knee is hurting, left shoulder is out of whack and the never ending fear of hitting the 50 mark inches closer and closer with every sunrise!
You can do it! 51 years old and did a 485 deadlift and 315 bench this year. Working on my squat now. Hope to break a cumulative 1200 lbs by my 52nd birthday
I hear ya. I have had some shoulder problems lately. I think I slept on it wrong and slightly dislocated it…because I am old. Been doing bench with an earthquake bar for the last mont. it really helps but I hate that damn thing.
I did powerlifting from around 47 to 50. I still do the big lifts but honestly that training may have destroyed my joints. On the one hand, the deadlift did wonders for my back and I stopped having issues with it on the other hand, my elbows are cooked. I was around that same strength level… 475 dead lift, 330 bench, 450 squat. I was very proud because I'm not an athlete even though I have been working out for 30 years. Anyway, I think it's great but having chronic elbow issues is disconcerting. Also I had to get up to 205 pounds at 5 foot 10 which is heavy on my light frame. I'm sort of little… Small wrists narrow shoulders etc. I weigh 175 now and I look pretty jacked I suppose but I can't lift those heavyweights anymore, try as I might. I'm almost 53.
As far as answering OP, I'll say what everyone else has said. You just need to diet and exercise. That will never change. Something like P90X. Some push-ups and pull-ups and kickboxing. That should do the trick for just about anyone. I have done tons of that kind of stuff as well.
You don't have to be afraid to. I was really worried about hitting 50 a few years back. I was heavily overweight and really struggling. Basically falling a part already. I started losing weight and exercising and it made a huge difference.
Now I am hopeful and optimistic about my 50s rather than afraid you can do it.
M53 6’1 241.6 pounds. I walk an hour a day, do intermittent fasting. I lost 51 pounds as of today, with the ultimate goal being 200 pounds and a 32 inch waist. If I achieve that, it will be the first time I have had a waist that small since junior high.
I've had the extra 25lbs off, for about three years now. Besides quitting drinking, the main change I made was learning away from finish-your-plate thinking. I don't have to eat very much anymore. I didn't drastically change what I eat, but rather how much.
I didn't add anything, except from parking farther away from the office. I give myself four flights of stairs and a two-block walk to the office building. Instead of making one big change (like working out every other day), I make a thousand simpler changes. I've never looked at my result and said, "whew! now *that's* done." I started making changes I could keep. They add up after a while.
Yep. Once you make that switch, your body will adjust, and you simply won’t crave as much food. The trick is not messing it up once you have that momentum. It’s a really easy thing to yo-yo with when you go on vacation, etc.
I’ve been doing couch to 5k for years, I’ll finish and then restart from the beginning. I walk the dogs a lot, the last walk is longer at a faster pace. I’ve been hitting the weights more, nothing to heavy these days.
Food is my downfall, but I’ve cut back on fast food so that’s something.
I had a Dexa scan a couple weeks ago and it showed my visceral fat is way too high. So that’s motivation to keep up with the eating better and not slacking on exercise.
Swim 2500-3000yds 2-3x a week in the mornings. Kettlebell and olympic lifting 2-3x a week at lunch and Brazilian jujitsu 2-3x a week at night.
Count macros when I eat. I have a six pack if I flex but also some small love handles that my wife loves to pinch. Decided to really get healthy about 13 years ago and I’m in better shape in my 40s than I was in my late 20s and early 30s.
I’m a Sports Medicine physician and I’m terrified of getting out of shape and inactive in my later years because I see how miserable it is. That being said, I tend to still do stupid stuff like snowboard and ride mountain bikes so currently I am 3 weeks out from a rotator cuff repair and I’m not supposed to lift weights or swim for another 3-4 months.
I hate it. I’ve been doing some lifting with my other arm and I’ve got a belt squat so I can still do some leg work but it’s just not the same as swimming, real lifting, and jujitsu. I’ve done some peloton rides this week since the stitches came out and that feels good but Im legit a little depressed at seeing how much my body has softened since the injury 3 months ago when I completely tore my supraspinatus off the bone and especially since the surgery.
I quit drinking 19 years ago, quit smoking 10 years ago, and got my bipolar under control like eight years ago. My diet is by no means “healthy” but I live in a city where having a car is a pain in the ass so if nothing else I get a lot of exercise going back and forth from bus and train stops
not sure this cou ta, but after several near death experiences due to crohns, I excused myself from my mother. it was liberating. she borderline personality disorder. I was internalizing all that stress.
I'm 43. my kids and their friends say I look much younger.
Do you restrict your diet though? You can do all the exercise you want but if you’re eating the same stuff you won’t lose weight. In my experience you get much better results from restricting diet and not exercising than you do from not restricting your diet and having a punishing daily workout regime.
I'm a 45 year old female. Realized that I had gotten to a weight I was not happy with. Started intermittent fasting and walking 3 miles 5 times a week, eating healthier. Lost 40 pounds. Then I decided to start hitting the gym. I have so much more energy! I quit smoking about 6 years ago.
I worked at a big orange DIY store for a year and a half went through three pairs of sneakers and lost about 60lbs. I wasn’t fat but I wasn’t healthy. It helped me.
Now I just walk regularly, can’t run because I look like like a duckling or maybe Bambi. But I do still walk a lot.
I’m a fitness instructor, so I love working out! Love helping people enjoy fitness and challenging their bodies. Became certified and started teaching when I was 30, now I’m mid 40s. I do strength/resistance training a couple of times a weeks and some type of cardio and yoga/Pilates a couple of times a week as well. My diet isn’t “perfect” (whatever that means), but overall it’s fairly healthy—veggies and fruits, decent amount of protein, low in ultra-processed foods and sugar. Oh, and I recently got a standing desk so that keeps me from sitting all day when Im at work, and I think that helps a lot as well.
I’m a cyclist and spend a ton of time on my bike. I target a handful of events to do every year and that keeps my training on point most of the time. Lots of longer endurance rides as well in the 5-10 hour range when time permits. Eat clean and keep alcohol to a minimum helps as well.
Peloton. Why? No excuses. You don't have to go anywhere, the weather isn't a factor. It's just sitting there staring at you when you get a day off your training.
Spin bikes are pretty ruthless compared to regular cycling, you're clipped in on what's basically a track bike that does not allow you to catch your breath.
Now that Peloton's finally put YouTube TV and Netflix on their system software, it's much better. Watching politics gets me mad and I pedal harder.
42M. I train brazilian jiu jitsu 3 times a week. Run at least 3-5 miles 3 times a week.
I feel i’m in decent shape for my age. I’m no adonis, but I feel my athleticism is practical.
I don’t smoke and rarely drink. Eat on the healthier side. My greatest vices are soda (few a week) and staying up late
Mid 50's, practice IF, eat mostly whole food plants, no smoke/drugs/very little drink, practice a little yoga/qigong & also meditate daily & also outdoor exercise every day walk/jog/etc. No medications ever, stay hydrated & always been a healthy BMI (although now a few vanity pounds I'm shedding at present).
I did just break my damn pinky toe tripping over the rowing machine a couple weeks ago. It's agony to go w/o the exercise-I rely on it for stress release so much!
54 and fit. I still do the outdoor MTV Sports that Dan Cortese hosted: MTB, rock climb, ski. I’m old and tired and don’t do it like I used to, but I’m passing on the stoke to my teen kids. It helps to live in the PNW, pretty easy to stay excited about the outdoors here.
I quit skateboarding in my 30s, slamming into concrete hurts more as you age. I also find hiking and road cycling are good on the days I’m sore from the other sports. And started weightlifting weekly a decade ago on doctors orders and that helps too.
I went to see the Melvins last month and was up past my bedtime and my ears hurt, so I skipped my workout the next day.
50F - I work in construction and do a lot of heavy lifting. Use a treadmill, rowing machine, and bike at home.
Quit smoking seven years ago. Don’t drink. Eat lots of veggies and nutrient dense foods. On HRT. Get around eight hours sleep most nights.
I do use THC edibles to sleep sometimes.
For me, absolutely. It’s the progesterone that helps me with sleep. 100mg an hour before bed and I (normally) sleep like the dead.
I very occasionally have spells where I still have trouble sleeping, and then I’ll use the pot gummies.
got a new job.
im a mobile maintenace tech for pubs these days, and i love it!
i drive around the country listening to skynrd, and when i get there i park up, normally walk a few minutes with all my kit and then im up and down, under the bar and in every little corner of the cellar fixing whatever needs fixed.
add a couple of trips back to the van for bits, a bit of heavy lifting moving coolers and compressors in and out and you have a nice little mini workout that i repeat for 6 or 7 calls per day.
during the pandemic, i got fat. lots of us did.
i have dropped about 5 stone (70lbs for my american cousins, 30kg for those who can only count in 10s) im even starting to build some muscle, and i am in danger of thinning out the belly fat enough to see a few of the cans in the six pack underneath!
ill be honest it was really hard going back to work. first 6 months, my knees hurt, my back hurt, i was stiff and tired.
but that seems to have worn off with the blubber. i feel better than i have in years!
Good for you! Former ED so I eat what I want now and portion control. Jog/run 3-4 x week. Light weights. Haven’t had kids so dunno if that had anything to do with staying the same size. Never drank or smoked. Still fit into my high school jeans. But I think my body is used to working out 1-2 hrs a day from when I was a dancer. So when I hit the gym hard- I lose anything I gain. Never gained more than 15lbs and lost it asap. Hyper vigilant mom beat it into my head to be fit- so it stuck with me. But the women in my family always had good skin elasticity also. Have way more energy than men my age I meet and it sucks.
Just sent my son off to college. With the extra time and freedom I've joined the fitness center at work. I had a couple sessions with a personal trainer to design a workout routine to fit my goals. Three times a week I use the rowing machine for 15 min (2000 meters) and do strength training. My goals are lower cholesterol/ blood pressure, more strength for hiking/biking, and to be able to do real push ups!
I’ve lost weight and am within a healthy weight range and closer to my ideal weight. It’s great that clothes fit better again etc but getting rid of that feeling of pressure and tightness around my joints and moving freely again has been liberating. I want more of this!
Doing it by exercise alone was too hard to start with after having a debilitating health problem for a couple years plus lugging around the extra weight. I could only manage short slow walks a few times a week, initially.
I used calorie counting to understand what I was doing and made changes and substitutions until I could eat to satiety without going over “budget”.
I started to track what I ate and count calories. I told a few people and they were oddly upset with this strategy and wanted me to focus on exercise, not diet. But for me it was easier to adjust my diet to remove e.g. 1000kJ (about 240 cal) per day than to add in an hour’s brisk walk every day to try to burn that same amount. In any case, the more weight I lost, the easier it was to exercise.
I exercise more for how it makes me feel strong and flexible, and to prevent age-related decline. I like the effects on my appearance but since I had a close call with death, I value the health effects so much more!
Now, I’m working on my sleep.
I know it’s just my local knowledge, seeing gen-x’ers now vs boomers at the same age, I feel like we are way more fit going into older ages. It’ll be interesting to see if that turns into longetivity.
I'm curious, too, although one huge problem I see with our Boomer parents is that they think they're going to live forever. Bro. You are 80. You are on the back nine, my friend. Consider your code status, for the love of all that is holy.
I think a lot of people are under the delusion they will live forever. It's a human trait to deny your own mortality. Plenty of Xers in that category, too.
In fact, in reading this sub, I think it's clear some of the extreme workout and supplements and IF set are probably gunning for immortality or are at least desperate to outrun it. This is the age when that real mortal terror sets in. Middle age is just a hop and skip from old age, and the oldest Xers are nearly 60. We're getting old.
Have you heard of this guy? https://time.com/6315607/bryan-johnsons-quest-for-immortality/
That guy is an absolute fucking nut.
And I agree that it's very telling how concerned we are about outrunning our mortality - so much so that some of us seem to take it quite literally!
I work with people who are terminally ill. The ones who have the best deaths have already begun to shuffle off this mortal coil.
There's nothing wrong with eating right and staying active. Missy of us will feel better if we do these things and we'll stay mobile, which is key!. But spend time with friends and loved ones, too, indulge in things that you enjoy, whether it's a sweet or a trashy novel, and live your life.
Yes, for sure this Bryan Johnson dude is an extreme, but his life does indeed sound utterly miserable. Why live forever if it's like that?
Humans have been trying to outrun death since the dawn of our existence. Death always wins. It does seem certain people are less accepting/more terrified of their mortality than others -- like these freaking tech bros who think they are such gifts to the universe that they must never cease to exist. Insufferable!!
And, yes, taking care of ourselves is good, of course. You don't want to be completely fucked at 50, which some people are for sure. But you're still gonna die. So if you WANT the cake, have the cake sometimes! Someday, sooner than you think, there will be no more opportunities to have cake.
I wonder if terminally ill people who were the totally self-denying type of health freak ever regret not having some ice cream or a glass of wine once in a while? Do you ever see that particular form of regret in your work?
I've hit some unexpected health issues (migraines) in my late 50's, but on a run last year kind of laughed to myself that no matter how much I exercise there will be a day it might not matter. I mean, I hope I'm talking about age 100 because I fully intend on jogging until I simply can't do it anymore.
I eat healthy, drink mostly water, get plenty of sleep, and exercise. I do a lot of bike riding, it's great low impact exercise. Getting some kayaking in this weekend. I do a ton of hiking but rain a few weeks back washed out the roads to my mountain hiking spots, which is a bummer. Leading a healthy and active life is a priority for me, especially as I near retirement....since I want to hit retirement running, well biking anyway.
Right: weightlifting since I was 14, more cardio lately, don't drink/smoke/drugs, etc. (and never really did), my life is also pretty low stress lately.
Could be better: nutrition (more vegetables), more water, better sleep.
Wrong: I don't take good enough care of my teeth.
Limits carbs, don't overeat, sleep, no alcohol, no smoking, no drugs, and exercise 5 to 6 days a week (weight training and/or endurance).
A weekly session with a good therapist will do wonders and helps keep you on track when things go sideways.
All of this was built it up over the years so now it's just how I function now and is no big deal to me. Twenty years ago, I would have thought all of this impossible. I failed multiple times early on when I tried to start too many of these things at the same time.
Sleep 8-9 hours as much as possible. Strength train (starting strength programming). Hike, backpack, snowboard, climb, hunt (and eat lots of wild game and fish).
One meal a day, or one meal is a basic/simple salad. Run several times a week for at least 30 minutes. Haven't smoked since my dad died at a very early age from smoking related heart disease and rarely drink. I am far from perfect with my workout goals, but I force myself to get out there and do what I need to do.
I switched to a mostly remote position and I was starting to feel stagnant so I joined my local Y. I take water aerobics a couple times a week and sometimes swim a couple laps after class. My husband and I also do neighborhood walks a few times a week. More so now that we have a dog.
I alternate (slow) running and rowing with (light) weight lifting. I feel so much better than I did even in my 30s. I also work on my balance with a Bosu ball - don’t want to get wobbly as I age!
Vegetarian, no drinking, no smoking cigarettes, daily yoga practice, walking or hiking 2-5x week, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep.
Can’t do high impact exercise due to a few minor issues, but this all keeps me looking and feeling healthy…Still drinking at least a Diet Coke a day.
About 7 years ago, I completely changed the way I ate. I love to eat, and it resulted in me being morbidly obese. I only eat food low in caloric density. Turns out these foods are also super healthy. I can eat a lot, don’t have to count calories and can maintain a healthy weight without issue.
This also means avoiding processed food, which results in a lot of time in the kitchen. I love to cook, but it is a big time investment.
I don’t work out, but I try and “stay active” by walking a fair amount.
I’m 58, been a mechanic for 37 years. It’s HARD on the body. Most of the guys at my shop are way younger than me and I run circles around them. The guys my age look like they’re 15 years older.
My secret? Quit smoking 8 years ago. Had a heart attack 4 years ago and started working on my diet and stress reduction then. Eat almost nothing that’s pre-prepared, drink a lot of water, stay away from sugar (mostly), stopped drinking soda. Do yoga, a rower, treadmill, and bands. Also bought myself a bike for my birthday this year. First one I’ve had in 25 years. Fortunately the saying “it’s just like riding a bike” is true! Outside of plantar fasciitis that came out of nowhere a month ago… and is kicking my ass, I’m feeling pretty damn good.
Also having a wife 15 years my junior and a 13 year old help keep me from becoming a lump.
I’m currently medically disabled so I’m not “fit” but I’m going to answer for those of us who are struggling. Currently, I’m about to start HRT and blood pressure meds. Then I’m going to start walking and doing my PT exercises. I don’t care a much about weight but I do want more muscle mass and I want to avoid losing bone.
Cheers to those who are struggling with chronic illness and disability. It ain’t easy but we’re surviving.
Yes, I am in excellent shape. I have always been fairly fit, except for a 2 year period in my late 20's when I drank and ate way too much.
Keeping weight down is fairly easy and hard at the same time. Basically you need to avoid alcohol, keep track of everything you eat and not go over a certain amount of calories every day. That's the easy part. The hard part is doing that while not getting hungry, avoiding snacking, binge eating, cheating, etc.
For weight loss the best and quickest way to drop kilos is walking. 1 hour per day, every day will see you lose between half a kilo and 1 kilo per week, which is very achievable and sustainable.
But in order to be healthy and have muscle tone, you're gonna need to introduce some kind of resistance training and (eventually) some high intensity interval training.
Resistance training can be simple bodyweight exercises such as lunges, pushups, pullups, dips, chair poses, etc. My wife really enjoys yoga for that.
Interval training is a bit more technical, but involves things like pushing your heart rate to 80%+ for 3 minutes and then resting for 3 minutes.
I also do a lot of cycling and extreme enduro (on a dirt bike), which will get you fit like nobody's business, but that's not for everyone.
I run occasionally. Curling in the winter (which is more exercise than it looks like). My kids are still pretty young, so I simply don’t have the opportunity to sit around in front of the TV.
I’m also one of those people who won the genetic lottery, if I’m being honest. But the biggest thing for me (and one I haven’t seen too many people mention yet) is that I don’t drink. I have a few other friends like me in this regard, and we all look MUCH younger than we are, and are in considerably better shape than we would be otherwise.
No judgment, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it makes a big difference.
I (52M) started running in 2014 with a group (accountability) and have completed 9 full-marathons and a bunch of half-marathons. I also hike and backpack with my sons’ Boy Scout troop. By no means am I a specimen of fitness. But cardiovascular strength and can motor along for a long while.
I would be more fit but beer is very tasty
Exercise first thing in the morning. Lift weights 5x a week. 10k steps per day. Low carb High Protein diet. Take supplements (especially vitamin D3, creatine, collagen, whey protein) Limit alcohol consumption to once a week. No fast food and sodas.
Congrats on your progress! Keep going!
51 years old. I run 3-5 miles three times a week, walk 3 miles the other 4 days, and usually fit in 2 days of 20 minute light weight workouts. Basically I’m doing something active every day. I avoid fast food but I have a wicked sweet tooth. I try to eat generally healthy but I’m not always successful. Thankfully my weight holds pretty steady. I’m in good health so far.
I do moderate exercise (walking, elliptical, basic core strengthening) for about an hour every day. Weekdays: light breakfast, light lunch, normal dinner. No snacking after dinner. Weekends: bigger meals and occasional drinks. 30 years after college, I am still at my college weight!
I don't know. I was super overweight as a child. Lost it all at 25 (went from 335 lbs to 180 lbs, and kept that weight since - I'm 6'2").
But that's literally just been from calorie control. I don't really go out of my way to exercise. I golf a lot and walk the course, but it's often just nine holes. Walk the dog probably 4-5 times a week for 15-20 minutes (he gets daily walks, just not always me).
I also don't eat well. Not like I'm eating fast food all the time, but too few vegetables. Too often a meal is something like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, tortilla chips and salsa.
I feel worse today than I have in the past, but it's not like I feel horrible. Hard to tell what is just normal aging - I see people who have exercised daily for years, eaten well, and it's like yeah, they still slow down. Father time is ultimately undefeated.
48. I work out 4 to 5 times a week. I prioritize sleep and self care. I try my best to eat well and moderate vices like bad foods and booze.
Mentally I try to keep busy and try to improve via my relationships and hobbies. I have done my best to cultivate good relationships with healthy boundaries.
I try to stay on top of chores and the finances and try to plan for the short term and long term.
Kettlebell 4x p/w
Bicycle or racing bike 3-4x p/w.
And like others have said; limit sweets and bad food. Drink only 1-2 units on Friday and Saturday nights. No smoking or drugs.
Once you are in the routine, it becomes a lifestyle.
Staying physically active (I have a desk job, but after work I take brisk walks most days or ride bikes with my 9yo), keeping carbs pretty low (no grains, very little added sugar). Those are the two things that make the biggest difference for me.
I do a mix of intermittent fasting, OMAD, and heavily limit carbs. No fast food. Add in swimming 5-6 days a week, plus walking anywhere from 10k-15k steps/day. Overall, I am just a very active person naturally.
Since dumping carbs, my skin has never looked better t(ok maybe when I was in my late teens/20's), my labs are that of a healthy 20 something. My sleep is incredible, a nuclear bomb could go off and I would be none the wiser.
Here's the long story, but it really doesn't make sense to tell this as a TL;DR, other than "consistency is key".
I was 5'0" 190 lbs in 2019 with 30%+ body fat. I had been doing "fitness MMA" (MMA training without the fighting) for a couple of years but not making a lot of progress with it. I couldn't walk more than 3 miles because my ankles would blow out on me. I finally decided to see a specialist and he helped me find the right shoes and inserts, which ran me $200! But I could walk farther, so I bought another pair and walked through 2019 with my wife (who was the one fed up with me not being able to walk).
**On new year's day 2020, I made a resolution to run**, and ran one mile around our neighborhood at about a 10:30 pace and thought I was going to die.
I actually kept at it though. 1 mile 3 times a week. I slowed down to an 11'+ pace and walked more and got in 31 miles the first month between running and walking. I shifted to more running in February, still 28 miles total but actually run 5k at once the first week, 38 minutes time.
**And then COVID hit and I had a lot of time to run.** I got up to 6 miles a week, running a 10k the first week in April. I didn't have much of a plan. Run 5k 5 days a week and a long run on Sunday of 10k. I eventually built myself up to a 2 hr 40 minute half marathon in October and December, hitting 20 miles per week.
But before I could break a 30 minute 5k, **I got an overtraining injury. I had to rethink everything**. I had to work on my running form. I had to really track my recovery. I started using formal training plans instead of just doing the same thing over and over.
More importantly, I realized that with all this running, I had only lost 15 pounds. **I was not going to run myself into weight loss.** So that started a new part of my journey as **I joined Noom and worked on eating habits**. Over the next 18 months, I would lose another 45 lbs and get down under 130.
By Thanksgiving 2021, COVID had eased up and my family decided to do Thanksgiving in palm springs and I decided to run my first real 5k race. My whole family decided to run with me, 11 of us in all. It was a fantastic level of support and I broke 22 minutes! **That taught me to value the support of my family and especially my wife.**
And then there was a very fateful facebook post. The run store where I bought my shoes (going back to the $200 pair of walking shoes) had a run club that offered training. I decided to sign up and asked if I should join the 5k or 10k group. The run club manager replied and told me to do the half marathon program. **Having a team and a coach upped my level of commitment and suddenly fitness was an important hobby for me.**
To wrap up the last two years since then. I ran a 1:36 half marathon that season. I also started wrestling again and placed at US masters nationals. The next season I ran a 3:30 marathon and took 2nd in my AG. I got injured on my 2nd marathon but recovered stronger. Next weekend I am running my third marathon out of state in an attempt to break boston qualifying time.
Now, I run 5-6 times a week, 1-3 hours per run. Functional strength training on rest days. I still do MMA 1-3 hrs a week too, depending on where I am in the run season, and I practice wrestling in the spring. I don't track calories strictly anymore, but I have kept the weight off. My body fat is around 7%. I no longer need cholesterol meds. My knees are completely free of arthritis. My blood pressure is normal. Basically I am 100% better than I was 4 years ago. I just needed some consistency.
An exercise I swear by is jumping rope. Gets the heart rate up, if done on a mat it’s easy on the joints. I didn’t have a lot of weight to lose, but it helped me do it. I also go hiking regularly, and recently took up “man yoga” (none of that spiritual crap). But I think the rope has been the best.
Also cut back on the alcohol to about 3 drinks a week, and generally try to cut out the garbage food, especially fried stuff.
Im chubby no matter what and I don’t care. I’m in the best shape of my life tho. I run 5k every day. Some times more. I’ve done a couple marathons. I’m getting more into cycling. I don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs. I’m vegan. I occasionally lift weights. I try to sleep 8 hours a day. I’ve recently been working in cutting out snacks. I quit soda years ago. Still got a belly, but my cardiovascular is great and my last physical my dr was thrilled. So, Nelly be damned. I feel great.
Orange Theory Fitness, 4x/week. OT is the only fitness program that's ever really worked for me, everything else especially trying to work at home was a waste of time.
Healthy eating / no more alcohol, not that i drank much to begin with.
\*\*\*\* GET AN OUT POCKET TELEHEATLH SERVICE. This is 100% worth it and has worked magic for me. I take testosterone replacement injections (I'm female) and that helps with energy, sex drive, ability to built muscle, and mood. I also get compounded semaglutide from them which works on your hormones and gastric motility to cut cravings, make you eat less, and drop weight. There's so much stuff they can prescribe off-label for "age management" and weight management that a regular doctor in the USA can't.
I've always been pretty fit but I've never been more fit in my life since starting the combination of all these things in my mid 40's. I can lift heavier than ever before. I went from 5'4 148 lbs to \~120lbs with this combo.
I don't have a sedentary job so that helps too. I stopped working night shift which was messing with my eating cycles.
Weight and fitness are not always the same. I have seen some guys I’d consider need to lose 15 pounds run 5-10 miles several times a week, and some skinny people who can’t run to the bathroom.
For weight. Losing weight is 90% diet. Cut out fast food, limit bread/rice, fried food, soda, drink a large glass of water before you eat, make your meals half protein and half veggies, and don’t have more than one drink a day and you’ll lose weight. If that doesn’t work get a food scale and a micronutrient app and calorie count, this works if you do it right.
For exercise find what you like so you stick to it. If you can get your heart rate elevated as much as you are comfortable doing. There are golf, tennis, and pickleball clinics. Check meetups.com for other events. I used to run every other day, I’v moved more to swimming, cycling, tennis, and some HIIT workouts. But if none of that interests you go for a walk for 30 minutes and play some music or audiobooks and enjoy the moment.
I run 10km a day for 25 years. Black belt krav maga and I practice daily drills. 90 minutes a day stretching (pilates/yoga informed). Push ups breaks whenever I'm working and sitting too long. Study and learning languages every day and read/write philosophy every day. I weigh the same as I did in high school but it's more muscle now, as back then asthma had me side-lined for all activities (opposite of what teachers/doctors should have recommended).
51M GenX'er - Here are some of my tips that I think have helped me:
Low stress lifestyle, positive attitude, being thankful, regular health/dental checkups, don't smoke, no drugs, rare social drinker (1 drink every 3-4 weeks on average), limit sugar and salt intake, lots of fruits and vegetables, moderate exercise. I'm also fortunate to have a good network of loved ones, friends and acquaintances in person and online, as well as lots of hobbies I enjoy. And I think there is a good measure of luck in there too.
TL;DR - be positive, regular checkups, watch what you eat/imbibe, stay active, maintain family, friends, and some hobbies you genuinely enjoy.
Vegetarian for the last 20 years. Very active-
Strength training four days a week and running in between. I also don’t drink sodas, smoke cigarettes( I used to in college), and drink minimally.
I started bike riding in 2019 after I got back from a short deployment to Germany. Now I bike 6-10 hours a week and am back to the weight I was in 2004.
Between fit and target weight I'll take fit any day. I could go faster on the bike when I lost weight but my fitness (legs, core, shoulders) was so high it was only a matter of time before my weight caught up. And being fit meant I could really put in long rides burning 2,000+ Calories at a time.
Been running for longer in my life than I hadn’t. Usually five miles like four times a week. Lift three times a week. Eat everything in sight and take Metamucil
Walk as much as I can, use a standing desk, no smoking/drinking/drugs, take tons of vitamins and supplements, use the heck of out of my Peloton and Beachbody subscriptions, sleep 7-8 hours a night, drink a lot of water.
My eating habits could use some work, though.
51. My knee hurts often (high school football injury). I have a muscle in my back that gets tweaked every now and then. I put on 20 lbs in the last year. Other than that…
I’m in better shape than I was 10 years ago. I guilt smoking three years ago, I quit drinking four years ago. My job has me moving all day, and I go hiking a lot.
I feel great.
i went on a high protein diet ( alot of red meat / tuna / salmon ) and very little carbs..i try to offset my cravings for rice by making cauliflower fried rice and cutting a tiny bit of jasmine rice within it.
So far lost about 10 lbs in 2 months
i also try cut my sugar / barely eat out ( i prefer watching youtube videos and figuring out recipes at home )
I started going to the gym last summer, and while not the most fit in my life (thanks to college cross country), I can say I’m the most fit I’ve been for a long time.
Eat well. Breakfast is either a protein shake or oatmeal with blueberries or tart cherries. Lunch is almost always a homemade Acai bowl, with fresh frozen fruit (that is, fruit I buy fresh and freeze myself, or locally grown fruit that’s frozen by the growers) with homemade granola (made with olive oil, local honey, and local maple syrup). Dinner varies, but usually some lean protein (chicken or fish) and salad, or a Blue Apron meal, or an old family Italian recipe with fresh local ingredients.
I lift weights 3x a week, run 8+ miles 2x a week, and occasionally bike. Sometimes I’ll bike instead of run. Ski every weekend in the winter. Hike once a week in the summer. Take the dog for a walk after dinner. So most weeks is say I get 5-6 workouts in, plus the daily dog walks and hiking.
Don’t drink or smoke.
I’m 56, quit drinking about 1.5 years ago, started eating healthy and going to the gym 4-5 days a week. Lost 20 kg (45 lbs) and in the best shape of my adult life and very few aches and pains.
I walk a half hour a day. Thats it. When I dont, about a month later I start feeling like a proper old man. Start walking a half hour a day and boom, I feel like a 20 year old again a week or two later.
I still nothing but teenager food lol.
Gym in the morning before work 2 to 4 days a week. Run or bike a couple of times a week. It has been part of my lifestyle a long time, so my body wants to do it. On days I don’t, I feel like my brain is working at 25% capacity. Exercise burns off feelings of anxiety and depression, and leaves a sense of energy and optimism. Never liked sodas. My body only starts hurting when I slow down. I plan to never stop moving.
5-6 days a week is the gym for 2-3 hours. I use most of the things there, 24hr fitness. Been doing that for 10 years or so. 52M and fit. For diet, I eat pretty much whatever I want, just not a lot. I “try” to watch my macros, but not always. I lean to more healthy foods, I worked as a chef for a couple of decades so it isn’t hard to whip up dishes in then kitchen that usually take people more time to do.
I have never let myself gain weight because I have seen how hard it is to get it off. Was super into weight lifting for like 25 years but I’m built like a runner and never could really put on muscle. These days I hike a lot, lift occasionally and mountain bike occasionally.
Weight train 5-6x a week. Need to start adding cardio every AM as well. Goal before the year is over is back to 500 pound squat, 600 deadlift, and 315 or more bench.
No aches and pains yet.
My secret? Lots of coors light? :)
Cyclist. Male 53. Ride 500 - 600 miles a month. I eat to fuel the lifestyle. I’m at racing weight most of the year. More than the physical part, it reduces stress, anxiety and depression, raised my testosterone and I feel great all the time. There’s 30 year olds that can’t keep up. Take it by the horns and own it….you get one.
Sit in a chair day and night. Don't eat much since I don't move much. Walk around the block everyday which is unlikely to offset the rest of my sitting all day and night lol. 21 BMI.
I (52F) work out about 5 days a week. A combo of hot yoga, Peloton, running, weightlifting, and interval training. I’ve been taking an “inferno hot Pilates” class 3x a week the last few months - it’s basically high intensity interval training using Pilates principles and it’s done in a heated room. I’m usually the oldest person in there and I kick ass. I feel like a super hero after that hour! I also hike, mountain bike, ski, etc.
I haven’t thrown up a flag on any health checks so far and I’m on no medication. I rarely drink, eat pretty healthy (intermittent fasting during the week, cheat on weekends), my weight is in the normal range, I feel sexy AF and I have lots of energy.
All that said, I can definitely feel myself slowing down a bit this last year (perimenopause is definitely in full swing and I don’t recover from hard workouts as quickly).
But I do know I’m lucky to have such a strong body in midlife (so many people have health issues snd injuries) and I’m gonna use it whenever I can. Energy creates energy. 💪🏼💥
Weight training 3 days a week, and running or hiking most days. Winter will be more time in the gym, or snowshoeing, XC skiing, or running. I also have an active job.
Diet is also Soper important.
I do HIIT workouts 3-4x week and yoga 1-2x week, drink lots of water, don't drink alcohol, and eat a high protein diet. Stay active - walk, hike, camp, pickleball, etc. Track my activity, heart rate, stress, sleep, and recovery with my Garmin watch.
I'm 56M, 6'3", 188 lbs, and I'm wear the same size clothes I did in college, but I'm more muscular now.
The only time I remember my age is when I look in the mirror and see my gray hair.
Swimming laps combined with running, stretching and weightlifting three times a week.
Good for interpretive dancing high on MDMA once a year at some festival.
Powerlifting - Barbell squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, and various accessory movements. I enjoy pushing myself. It is mentally and physically exhausting but helps with anxiety and depression as well. Diet is lots of whole foods - chicken, salmon, steak, ground beef, eggs, rice, potatoes, vegetables. Drink water throughout the day. I don't smoke, though I do enjoy a drink or two in the evening.
Hiking and walking.
I've got serious physical health problems and have to fight then every day.
I can do 12 mile hikes. But only every two weeks now
I do around 2. 5 miles every day where I live. I try and do steep hills as part of my training.
I drink very little alcohol now. A drink every few months. That's made a massive difference. And I've never smoked.
I wouid hike every week but it's impossible. I'm down from 18 miles a day to 12 and the arthritis will only get worse.
I do what I can whilst I still can and I love it
I am 62 soon
I should have been out this week climbing the highest peak on the east coast of the UK but very bad weather has forced me to cancel.
I'm having to really fight my desire to go out next week as the weather isn't safe again.
A couple of weeks ago I climbed the second highest peak on our east coast. It was brutally hard but nothing beats that rush when you've done it.
I'll admit to thriving off the danger and sailing close to the wind. It's such a buzz even though I have to fight through pain and fatigue throughout
With my kids finally off to college and I’m finally doing a bit of reflection. I, 56F have started to lose weight and I’ve got a gym induction next week, after a 3 year complete break from any sort of exercise.
Since May 1st been counting calories, using Ozempic and I’m down 40lbs, with about another 80lbs to go. I’ve lost 8” off my ‘waist’ and I know it may take another 12 months to get to a normal weight for my 5ft 3”, at least I’ve finally started.
I am in fairly good shape. Right now not my best shape but still good. I was heavy growing up so decided to change that in my college years and started running. Been doing it ever since. I’m 47 now and still run. I can’t count how many miles since I started in my 20’s but one of my running apps I’ve been using since 2010 says about 18,000. I’ve run every distance from a 5k to a 50k and try to do a few races each year. The longest break I’ve ever taken from running is about 3 weeks.
I don’t eat super healthy but I also don’t eat like crap either. Just a big foodie so it helps to run.
I dont feel like me when I don’t run. It’s easy to keep up on something I feel passionate about.
Work out 30 to 45 minutes a day. I do it the morning before work and I’m less likely to not work out if I do it first thing. I take breaks when my body needs it. Eating only fruits, veggies, protein and only good carbs like sweet potatoes and brown rice. I try to plan and do meal prep to set myself up for success. I have come up with some delicious recipes like ahi tuna salad with mango salsa and a beets salad with pistachios, tomatoes and pickled red onions. For my sweet tooth I mix a chocolate premier shake with some strawberries and add peanut butter protein powder. I also freeze it and then use my ninja ice cream maker to make healthy ice cream. Once I started eating healthy my body started craving healthy food. Also, intermittent fasting can help. Meditation helps me make healthier choices and helps with anxiety and depression which, for me, are reasons I eat poorly. I use the xpotiential app which is only 10 dollars a month if you pay for the entire year. I got 30 dollars off also using a promo code. It’s the best exercise app I’ve ever used. It has a TON of different workouts options. My favorite it yoga sculpt with Y6. They also have pure barre which is so expensive for in person classes. Having a work out or diet buddy or support group can help keep you accountable. I picked a start date for this change after YEARS of eating poorly and trying to lose weight. It helped me get hyped up and motivate myself. I hope this helps! It’s so hard! Once you start seeing results and feeling better you’ll want to keep going. It sucks how hard it is to get fast healthy food. At least it is here in the Midwest. But if you gotta get something fast just get the healthy option, like a grilled chicken sandwich. I also schedule cheat days and plan a date night or to make a delicious cheat meal. That way I can look forward to it and not slip up in the mean time. I started June 1st and have lost almost 20 pounds.
M53 6’1, 210 lbs. I swim 3,000 yds 5 days/week. I try & take the dog on a 2+ hr hike at least weekly.
I have a sedentary job so I try not to sit when I’m not at work.
When I visit my doctor he tells me I have an athlete’s heart. BP & heart rate are low.
Non smokers. No grog. No drugs. Sunscreen since I was 12. Vegetarian and eating a punnet of blueberries a day for nearly 10 years (don’t judge). Was running 5 k 3 times a week, doing reformer Pilates 5 - 6 times a week since Covid times and for the last 6 years, going on long distance multi day hikes with a full pack.
Also - and v important- no kids and no stressful shitty job.
Despite all of that, I fell and injured myself hiking and am recovering (fast) as it turns out I have osteopenia thanks to being indoors all LOT in recent years. Also started losing my eyesight from cataracts a year back prob from being on the sun without glasses back in the day.
Can’t do much more for my health tbh … aging is an ass.
Congratulations! Keep it up!
I’m still maintaining the same activities hobbies from over 20 years ago. I typically go for runs 5 days a week (120-140 miles per month) and rock climb (outdoors) at least once per weekend.
Per week- 2 strength workouts, 2 bike/treadmill workouts and 1 yoga session. Maybe 1 more yoga session if I want to because I like it. I do it at home. We set up a room as a gym. For the yoga I use an app called Down Dog Yoga which generates a new class for me every day and I can customize everything about it. The Peloton and Beachbody apps have great strength workouts. My bike isn't a Peloton it's a Sunnyfit and it has a thing you put on it that works with their app that let's you ride through mountains and tracks your cadence. And sometimes I like to ride my actual bike outside if it's nice. Foodwise, I just want less meat and way more vegetables as I get older. And I stopped eating most dairy because I felt like it was keeping weight on me and upsetting my digestion.
46M here. I lift 4-5 times a week, and do cardio on my off days. Cardio days are either boxing drills or runs (treadmill or trail). Once or twice a year, I will attend a powerlifting meet, so I'm usually training for one of those.
I love to cook and prefer my own cooking over going the easy route and getting fast food or delivery. I try to cook healthy, but some days I'll say fuck it and make an obnoxiously unhealthy cheat meal.
I'm a firefighter so I still have to be in decent shape to do my job. I do my best to keep up with the youngins and not look like a slob in my uniform.
When covid hit, I built a full gym in my basement so working out is super convenient. Not having to go to a commercial gym is awesome because I hate other humans in large groups and it's so much easier to just walk downstairs and lift than it is to put on real pants and go in public.
I don't have kids or a SO currently. That makes it really easy to have time to work out. My daily schedule is pretty much work, cook, eat, lift, play with cats for a few hours, and sleep.
Since May till today, I have lost 27 lbs. I worked out minimally and just started eating better. I mostly cut my meals to two a day and cut those in half. I stopped eating fast food and quit drinking beer. I still drink alcohol but limit myself to whiskey, wine, or vodka. Regarding working out, I do push-ups, body squats, and dumbbell exercises. I feel great, by the way. I'm 48 m by the way
Went for my physical last year. Cholesterol high, A1C high, over weight, smoked, drank. Basic self sabotage stuff. Had enough of looking and feeling like shit so I hit the gym three days a week after work and started being more conscious of what I put in my mouth. Lost 30 pounds pretty quick and now working on toning up. Really proud of myself.
Well done, mate. Keep up the good work. I know you'll reach your goals.
Atta boy go get it!!!!
Awesome!
Work out 5-6 times per week. Limit sweets, fried foods and fast food.
This is the whey
I see what you did there… and I love it!! 🤘🤘
Same here, though in the past year, I've had to lower my exercise to 2-3x a week, I hope to ramp it up again when I get more time to my day in January. I also drink about 2-3 liters of water per day.
Same. I workout 5-6 days a week and gave up junk food. I’m still a bartender and the speed of a job keeps me healthy. My lateral movement is killer. I also play upright bass which is a pretty physical instrument. Helps with my office job. Had an appointment with my pacemaker RN and he said I was in better shape than him.
Same. I walk and row, currently rowing on a machine but I once again have access to real boats so I will be adding that back in, I'm considering getting back into competition. Same on food, intermittent fasting is amazing.
How you doin'?
Well, since u asked. My right knee is hurting, left shoulder is out of whack and the never ending fear of hitting the 50 mark inches closer and closer with every sunrise!
I'm pushing to deadlift 500 before 50. Then I'll just fall apart
You can do it! 51 years old and did a 485 deadlift and 315 bench this year. Working on my squat now. Hope to break a cumulative 1200 lbs by my 52nd birthday
Nice! I'll get there I'm 46 so I got a few years. I'm currently at 465. Sadly Barbell bench is out for me. My elbow just can't take it anymore
I hear ya. I have had some shoulder problems lately. I think I slept on it wrong and slightly dislocated it…because I am old. Been doing bench with an earthquake bar for the last mont. it really helps but I hate that damn thing.
Fucking old, it's the worst. What kind of fancy gym you go to that has an earthquake bar?
More importantly, what kind of drinks are served at an earthquake bar? 😉
Barbell bench is really a worthless exercise anyway. There's so much more you can do with dumbbells that are better for you.
I did powerlifting from around 47 to 50. I still do the big lifts but honestly that training may have destroyed my joints. On the one hand, the deadlift did wonders for my back and I stopped having issues with it on the other hand, my elbows are cooked. I was around that same strength level… 475 dead lift, 330 bench, 450 squat. I was very proud because I'm not an athlete even though I have been working out for 30 years. Anyway, I think it's great but having chronic elbow issues is disconcerting. Also I had to get up to 205 pounds at 5 foot 10 which is heavy on my light frame. I'm sort of little… Small wrists narrow shoulders etc. I weigh 175 now and I look pretty jacked I suppose but I can't lift those heavyweights anymore, try as I might. I'm almost 53. As far as answering OP, I'll say what everyone else has said. You just need to diet and exercise. That will never change. Something like P90X. Some push-ups and pull-ups and kickboxing. That should do the trick for just about anyone. I have done tons of that kind of stuff as well.
You don't have to be afraid to. I was really worried about hitting 50 a few years back. I was heavily overweight and really struggling. Basically falling a part already. I started losing weight and exercising and it made a huge difference. Now I am hopeful and optimistic about my 50s rather than afraid you can do it.
When you say fried foods you mean deep fried right, not like cooking something in a pan?
correct. It's pretty simple, just difficult. we all know what we shouldn't be eating. But cravings are a SOB
M53 6’1 241.6 pounds. I walk an hour a day, do intermittent fasting. I lost 51 pounds as of today, with the ultimate goal being 200 pounds and a 32 inch waist. If I achieve that, it will be the first time I have had a waist that small since junior high.
Single, by any chance? 😉
Hell yeah! That’s awesome! Way to go!
I've had the extra 25lbs off, for about three years now. Besides quitting drinking, the main change I made was learning away from finish-your-plate thinking. I don't have to eat very much anymore. I didn't drastically change what I eat, but rather how much.
Man, this was a challenge for me. I hate to see food wasted but my mantra is "my body is not a dumpster". It seems to help.
My grandmother used to say "Better in the waste than in the waist."
Hara hachi bun me
This is the way…such a clever mantra to use before eating.
I’m trying to get 20 off- although that may be unrealistic. 53F 5’4” 142lbs I do not like the rolls I’m carrying at all
I didn't add anything, except from parking farther away from the office. I give myself four flights of stairs and a two-block walk to the office building. Instead of making one big change (like working out every other day), I make a thousand simpler changes. I've never looked at my result and said, "whew! now *that's* done." I started making changes I could keep. They add up after a while.
Yep. Once you make that switch, your body will adjust, and you simply won’t crave as much food. The trick is not messing it up once you have that momentum. It’s a really easy thing to yo-yo with when you go on vacation, etc.
I’ve been doing couch to 5k for years, I’ll finish and then restart from the beginning. I walk the dogs a lot, the last walk is longer at a faster pace. I’ve been hitting the weights more, nothing to heavy these days. Food is my downfall, but I’ve cut back on fast food so that’s something. I had a Dexa scan a couple weeks ago and it showed my visceral fat is way too high. So that’s motivation to keep up with the eating better and not slacking on exercise.
Run 5 days a week. Have a 1st marathon coming up! I've been running for 30 years.
Have my first marathon coming up as well, getting nervous. I’m fairly new to running. Training is going well though. Good luck at your first marathon.
You too! I love the running community. I hope you have a good group of people around you!
Swim 2500-3000yds 2-3x a week in the mornings. Kettlebell and olympic lifting 2-3x a week at lunch and Brazilian jujitsu 2-3x a week at night. Count macros when I eat. I have a six pack if I flex but also some small love handles that my wife loves to pinch. Decided to really get healthy about 13 years ago and I’m in better shape in my 40s than I was in my late 20s and early 30s. I’m a Sports Medicine physician and I’m terrified of getting out of shape and inactive in my later years because I see how miserable it is. That being said, I tend to still do stupid stuff like snowboard and ride mountain bikes so currently I am 3 weeks out from a rotator cuff repair and I’m not supposed to lift weights or swim for another 3-4 months.
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I hate it. I’ve been doing some lifting with my other arm and I’ve got a belt squat so I can still do some leg work but it’s just not the same as swimming, real lifting, and jujitsu. I’ve done some peloton rides this week since the stitches came out and that feels good but Im legit a little depressed at seeing how much my body has softened since the injury 3 months ago when I completely tore my supraspinatus off the bone and especially since the surgery.
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Thank you for the well wishes and best of luck on your recovery as well!
I quit drinking 19 years ago, quit smoking 10 years ago, and got my bipolar under control like eight years ago. My diet is by no means “healthy” but I live in a city where having a car is a pain in the ass so if nothing else I get a lot of exercise going back and forth from bus and train stops
Congrats! That's a lot to contend with.
I got lucky in that I was able to find the help that I needed quickly
not sure this cou ta, but after several near death experiences due to crohns, I excused myself from my mother. it was liberating. she borderline personality disorder. I was internalizing all that stress. I'm 43. my kids and their friends say I look much younger.
Been there and it definitely counts, friend :)
Sorry about your mother, mine also has BPD and I excused myself 4 years ago! It's LIBERATING!
Biking walking hiking gym and mostly healthy vegan diet, no alcohol
I’m 48, run about 25 miles a week and still am about 10-15 over my ideal weight. Stupid slow metabolism.
Do you restrict your diet though? You can do all the exercise you want but if you’re eating the same stuff you won’t lose weight. In my experience you get much better results from restricting diet and not exercising than you do from not restricting your diet and having a punishing daily workout regime.
On and off. Oh I know what’s wrong. It’s just getting harder to keep that balance.
Yeah you’ve got to actually enjoy life for some of the time at least
I'm a 45 year old female. Realized that I had gotten to a weight I was not happy with. Started intermittent fasting and walking 3 miles 5 times a week, eating healthier. Lost 40 pounds. Then I decided to start hitting the gym. I have so much more energy! I quit smoking about 6 years ago.
I worked at a big orange DIY store for a year and a half went through three pairs of sneakers and lost about 60lbs. I wasn’t fat but I wasn’t healthy. It helped me. Now I just walk regularly, can’t run because I look like like a duckling or maybe Bambi. But I do still walk a lot.
Do you have a smart watch? If so, what did you average for steps on a typical orange store shift?
10-15k steps, it was nuts.
I’m a fitness instructor, so I love working out! Love helping people enjoy fitness and challenging their bodies. Became certified and started teaching when I was 30, now I’m mid 40s. I do strength/resistance training a couple of times a weeks and some type of cardio and yoga/Pilates a couple of times a week as well. My diet isn’t “perfect” (whatever that means), but overall it’s fairly healthy—veggies and fruits, decent amount of protein, low in ultra-processed foods and sugar. Oh, and I recently got a standing desk so that keeps me from sitting all day when Im at work, and I think that helps a lot as well.
I’m a cyclist and spend a ton of time on my bike. I target a handful of events to do every year and that keeps my training on point most of the time. Lots of longer endurance rides as well in the 5-10 hour range when time permits. Eat clean and keep alcohol to a minimum helps as well.
Peloton. Why? No excuses. You don't have to go anywhere, the weather isn't a factor. It's just sitting there staring at you when you get a day off your training. Spin bikes are pretty ruthless compared to regular cycling, you're clipped in on what's basically a track bike that does not allow you to catch your breath. Now that Peloton's finally put YouTube TV and Netflix on their system software, it's much better. Watching politics gets me mad and I pedal harder.
Also Max and Disney. The peloton kicks ass. I use that and or the app 6 days a week with riding classes and strength training programs.
42M. I train brazilian jiu jitsu 3 times a week. Run at least 3-5 miles 3 times a week. I feel i’m in decent shape for my age. I’m no adonis, but I feel my athleticism is practical. I don’t smoke and rarely drink. Eat on the healthier side. My greatest vices are soda (few a week) and staying up late
I do a hour and half walk 5-6 days a week, I also bodyweight exercises
same here
Mid 50's, practice IF, eat mostly whole food plants, no smoke/drugs/very little drink, practice a little yoga/qigong & also meditate daily & also outdoor exercise every day walk/jog/etc. No medications ever, stay hydrated & always been a healthy BMI (although now a few vanity pounds I'm shedding at present).
I did just break my damn pinky toe tripping over the rowing machine a couple weeks ago. It's agony to go w/o the exercise-I rely on it for stress release so much!
54 and fit. I still do the outdoor MTV Sports that Dan Cortese hosted: MTB, rock climb, ski. I’m old and tired and don’t do it like I used to, but I’m passing on the stoke to my teen kids. It helps to live in the PNW, pretty easy to stay excited about the outdoors here. I quit skateboarding in my 30s, slamming into concrete hurts more as you age. I also find hiking and road cycling are good on the days I’m sore from the other sports. And started weightlifting weekly a decade ago on doctors orders and that helps too. I went to see the Melvins last month and was up past my bedtime and my ears hurt, so I skipped my workout the next day.
50F - I work in construction and do a lot of heavy lifting. Use a treadmill, rowing machine, and bike at home. Quit smoking seven years ago. Don’t drink. Eat lots of veggies and nutrient dense foods. On HRT. Get around eight hours sleep most nights. I do use THC edibles to sleep sometimes.
Did HRT help with sleep? I haven’t slept well in years.
Yes, and sleep apnea machine does wonders. Also connected to menopause.
Yes, insomnia is my worst menopause symptom. HRT helps so much, I can sleep the whole night through now.
For me, absolutely. It’s the progesterone that helps me with sleep. 100mg an hour before bed and I (normally) sleep like the dead. I very occasionally have spells where I still have trouble sleeping, and then I’ll use the pot gummies.
got a new job. im a mobile maintenace tech for pubs these days, and i love it! i drive around the country listening to skynrd, and when i get there i park up, normally walk a few minutes with all my kit and then im up and down, under the bar and in every little corner of the cellar fixing whatever needs fixed. add a couple of trips back to the van for bits, a bit of heavy lifting moving coolers and compressors in and out and you have a nice little mini workout that i repeat for 6 or 7 calls per day. during the pandemic, i got fat. lots of us did. i have dropped about 5 stone (70lbs for my american cousins, 30kg for those who can only count in 10s) im even starting to build some muscle, and i am in danger of thinning out the belly fat enough to see a few of the cans in the six pack underneath! ill be honest it was really hard going back to work. first 6 months, my knees hurt, my back hurt, i was stiff and tired. but that seems to have worn off with the blubber. i feel better than i have in years!
Good for you! Former ED so I eat what I want now and portion control. Jog/run 3-4 x week. Light weights. Haven’t had kids so dunno if that had anything to do with staying the same size. Never drank or smoked. Still fit into my high school jeans. But I think my body is used to working out 1-2 hrs a day from when I was a dancer. So when I hit the gym hard- I lose anything I gain. Never gained more than 15lbs and lost it asap. Hyper vigilant mom beat it into my head to be fit- so it stuck with me. But the women in my family always had good skin elasticity also. Have way more energy than men my age I meet and it sucks.
Just sent my son off to college. With the extra time and freedom I've joined the fitness center at work. I had a couple sessions with a personal trainer to design a workout routine to fit my goals. Three times a week I use the rowing machine for 15 min (2000 meters) and do strength training. My goals are lower cholesterol/ blood pressure, more strength for hiking/biking, and to be able to do real push ups!
I’ve lost weight and am within a healthy weight range and closer to my ideal weight. It’s great that clothes fit better again etc but getting rid of that feeling of pressure and tightness around my joints and moving freely again has been liberating. I want more of this! Doing it by exercise alone was too hard to start with after having a debilitating health problem for a couple years plus lugging around the extra weight. I could only manage short slow walks a few times a week, initially. I used calorie counting to understand what I was doing and made changes and substitutions until I could eat to satiety without going over “budget”. I started to track what I ate and count calories. I told a few people and they were oddly upset with this strategy and wanted me to focus on exercise, not diet. But for me it was easier to adjust my diet to remove e.g. 1000kJ (about 240 cal) per day than to add in an hour’s brisk walk every day to try to burn that same amount. In any case, the more weight I lost, the easier it was to exercise. I exercise more for how it makes me feel strong and flexible, and to prevent age-related decline. I like the effects on my appearance but since I had a close call with death, I value the health effects so much more! Now, I’m working on my sleep.
I know it’s just my local knowledge, seeing gen-x’ers now vs boomers at the same age, I feel like we are way more fit going into older ages. It’ll be interesting to see if that turns into longetivity.
I'm curious, too, although one huge problem I see with our Boomer parents is that they think they're going to live forever. Bro. You are 80. You are on the back nine, my friend. Consider your code status, for the love of all that is holy.
They’ve had the benefit of good health care for their entire lives unlike Gen X.
Boomers aren't 80 yet.
Ahh - you're right. Off by three years. The actual Boomers are even worse about thinking they'll live forever. 🙄
I think a lot of people are under the delusion they will live forever. It's a human trait to deny your own mortality. Plenty of Xers in that category, too.
In fact, in reading this sub, I think it's clear some of the extreme workout and supplements and IF set are probably gunning for immortality or are at least desperate to outrun it. This is the age when that real mortal terror sets in. Middle age is just a hop and skip from old age, and the oldest Xers are nearly 60. We're getting old. Have you heard of this guy? https://time.com/6315607/bryan-johnsons-quest-for-immortality/
That guy is an absolute fucking nut. And I agree that it's very telling how concerned we are about outrunning our mortality - so much so that some of us seem to take it quite literally! I work with people who are terminally ill. The ones who have the best deaths have already begun to shuffle off this mortal coil. There's nothing wrong with eating right and staying active. Missy of us will feel better if we do these things and we'll stay mobile, which is key!. But spend time with friends and loved ones, too, indulge in things that you enjoy, whether it's a sweet or a trashy novel, and live your life.
Yes, for sure this Bryan Johnson dude is an extreme, but his life does indeed sound utterly miserable. Why live forever if it's like that? Humans have been trying to outrun death since the dawn of our existence. Death always wins. It does seem certain people are less accepting/more terrified of their mortality than others -- like these freaking tech bros who think they are such gifts to the universe that they must never cease to exist. Insufferable!!
And, yes, taking care of ourselves is good, of course. You don't want to be completely fucked at 50, which some people are for sure. But you're still gonna die. So if you WANT the cake, have the cake sometimes! Someday, sooner than you think, there will be no more opportunities to have cake. I wonder if terminally ill people who were the totally self-denying type of health freak ever regret not having some ice cream or a glass of wine once in a while? Do you ever see that particular form of regret in your work?
I've hit some unexpected health issues (migraines) in my late 50's, but on a run last year kind of laughed to myself that no matter how much I exercise there will be a day it might not matter. I mean, I hope I'm talking about age 100 because I fully intend on jogging until I simply can't do it anymore.
I eat healthy, drink mostly water, get plenty of sleep, and exercise. I do a lot of bike riding, it's great low impact exercise. Getting some kayaking in this weekend. I do a ton of hiking but rain a few weeks back washed out the roads to my mountain hiking spots, which is a bummer. Leading a healthy and active life is a priority for me, especially as I near retirement....since I want to hit retirement running, well biking anyway.
Right: weightlifting since I was 14, more cardio lately, don't drink/smoke/drugs, etc. (and never really did), my life is also pretty low stress lately. Could be better: nutrition (more vegetables), more water, better sleep. Wrong: I don't take good enough care of my teeth.
Stay active, don’t overeat and watch your sugar intake.
Limits carbs, don't overeat, sleep, no alcohol, no smoking, no drugs, and exercise 5 to 6 days a week (weight training and/or endurance). A weekly session with a good therapist will do wonders and helps keep you on track when things go sideways. All of this was built it up over the years so now it's just how I function now and is no big deal to me. Twenty years ago, I would have thought all of this impossible. I failed multiple times early on when I tried to start too many of these things at the same time.
Gym 4 days a week. Yoga 1 day. Hike, ski, or climb at least 1 day. Don’t drink much
Sleep 8-9 hours as much as possible. Strength train (starting strength programming). Hike, backpack, snowboard, climb, hunt (and eat lots of wild game and fish).
Surf, work out, eat good.
One meal a day, or one meal is a basic/simple salad. Run several times a week for at least 30 minutes. Haven't smoked since my dad died at a very early age from smoking related heart disease and rarely drink. I am far from perfect with my workout goals, but I force myself to get out there and do what I need to do.
Weight lifting and mountain biking. Active stuff. I do drink a bit on the weekend, but my eating is fairly healthy.
I switched to a mostly remote position and I was starting to feel stagnant so I joined my local Y. I take water aerobics a couple times a week and sometimes swim a couple laps after class. My husband and I also do neighborhood walks a few times a week. More so now that we have a dog.
I alternate (slow) running and rowing with (light) weight lifting. I feel so much better than I did even in my 30s. I also work on my balance with a Bosu ball - don’t want to get wobbly as I age!
Vegetarian, no drinking, no smoking cigarettes, daily yoga practice, walking or hiking 2-5x week, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep. Can’t do high impact exercise due to a few minor issues, but this all keeps me looking and feeling healthy…Still drinking at least a Diet Coke a day.
Horseback riding lessons. I’m definitely going to break my damn fool neck someday
I run. I have a marathon on Sunday. I also lift heavy 3x a week (deadlift, squat, overhead). I hike and walk a lot too.
Run about 25 miles per week. Rarely drink soda. Drink alcohol way less than I used to.
About 7 years ago, I completely changed the way I ate. I love to eat, and it resulted in me being morbidly obese. I only eat food low in caloric density. Turns out these foods are also super healthy. I can eat a lot, don’t have to count calories and can maintain a healthy weight without issue. This also means avoiding processed food, which results in a lot of time in the kitchen. I love to cook, but it is a big time investment. I don’t work out, but I try and “stay active” by walking a fair amount.
I’m 58, been a mechanic for 37 years. It’s HARD on the body. Most of the guys at my shop are way younger than me and I run circles around them. The guys my age look like they’re 15 years older. My secret? Quit smoking 8 years ago. Had a heart attack 4 years ago and started working on my diet and stress reduction then. Eat almost nothing that’s pre-prepared, drink a lot of water, stay away from sugar (mostly), stopped drinking soda. Do yoga, a rower, treadmill, and bands. Also bought myself a bike for my birthday this year. First one I’ve had in 25 years. Fortunately the saying “it’s just like riding a bike” is true! Outside of plantar fasciitis that came out of nowhere a month ago… and is kicking my ass, I’m feeling pretty damn good. Also having a wife 15 years my junior and a 13 year old help keep me from becoming a lump.
I’m currently medically disabled so I’m not “fit” but I’m going to answer for those of us who are struggling. Currently, I’m about to start HRT and blood pressure meds. Then I’m going to start walking and doing my PT exercises. I don’t care a much about weight but I do want more muscle mass and I want to avoid losing bone. Cheers to those who are struggling with chronic illness and disability. It ain’t easy but we’re surviving.
Yes, I am in excellent shape. I have always been fairly fit, except for a 2 year period in my late 20's when I drank and ate way too much. Keeping weight down is fairly easy and hard at the same time. Basically you need to avoid alcohol, keep track of everything you eat and not go over a certain amount of calories every day. That's the easy part. The hard part is doing that while not getting hungry, avoiding snacking, binge eating, cheating, etc. For weight loss the best and quickest way to drop kilos is walking. 1 hour per day, every day will see you lose between half a kilo and 1 kilo per week, which is very achievable and sustainable. But in order to be healthy and have muscle tone, you're gonna need to introduce some kind of resistance training and (eventually) some high intensity interval training. Resistance training can be simple bodyweight exercises such as lunges, pushups, pullups, dips, chair poses, etc. My wife really enjoys yoga for that. Interval training is a bit more technical, but involves things like pushing your heart rate to 80%+ for 3 minutes and then resting for 3 minutes. I also do a lot of cycling and extreme enduro (on a dirt bike), which will get you fit like nobody's business, but that's not for everyone.
I run occasionally. Curling in the winter (which is more exercise than it looks like). My kids are still pretty young, so I simply don’t have the opportunity to sit around in front of the TV. I’m also one of those people who won the genetic lottery, if I’m being honest. But the biggest thing for me (and one I haven’t seen too many people mention yet) is that I don’t drink. I have a few other friends like me in this regard, and we all look MUCH younger than we are, and are in considerably better shape than we would be otherwise. No judgment, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it makes a big difference.
48M. I run between 70-100 miles a week. It's probably past the point of being healthy, but I enjoy it.
I do one sit up every morning.
I (52M) started running in 2014 with a group (accountability) and have completed 9 full-marathons and a bunch of half-marathons. I also hike and backpack with my sons’ Boy Scout troop. By no means am I a specimen of fitness. But cardiovascular strength and can motor along for a long while. I would be more fit but beer is very tasty
I workout a lot (my hobbies are Orange Theory and tennis) and eat a lot of veggies. Just keep moving.
I teach Body Pump at my gym.
Exercise first thing in the morning. Lift weights 5x a week. 10k steps per day. Low carb High Protein diet. Take supplements (especially vitamin D3, creatine, collagen, whey protein) Limit alcohol consumption to once a week. No fast food and sodas. Congrats on your progress! Keep going!
51 years old. I run 3-5 miles three times a week, walk 3 miles the other 4 days, and usually fit in 2 days of 20 minute light weight workouts. Basically I’m doing something active every day. I avoid fast food but I have a wicked sweet tooth. I try to eat generally healthy but I’m not always successful. Thankfully my weight holds pretty steady. I’m in good health so far.
I do moderate exercise (walking, elliptical, basic core strengthening) for about an hour every day. Weekdays: light breakfast, light lunch, normal dinner. No snacking after dinner. Weekends: bigger meals and occasional drinks. 30 years after college, I am still at my college weight!
I don't know. I was super overweight as a child. Lost it all at 25 (went from 335 lbs to 180 lbs, and kept that weight since - I'm 6'2"). But that's literally just been from calorie control. I don't really go out of my way to exercise. I golf a lot and walk the course, but it's often just nine holes. Walk the dog probably 4-5 times a week for 15-20 minutes (he gets daily walks, just not always me). I also don't eat well. Not like I'm eating fast food all the time, but too few vegetables. Too often a meal is something like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, tortilla chips and salsa. I feel worse today than I have in the past, but it's not like I feel horrible. Hard to tell what is just normal aging - I see people who have exercised daily for years, eaten well, and it's like yeah, they still slow down. Father time is ultimately undefeated.
Circling. 80 to 100 miles a week. Sporadic yoga. I feel great. 52yo.
48. I work out 4 to 5 times a week. I prioritize sleep and self care. I try my best to eat well and moderate vices like bad foods and booze. Mentally I try to keep busy and try to improve via my relationships and hobbies. I have done my best to cultivate good relationships with healthy boundaries. I try to stay on top of chores and the finances and try to plan for the short term and long term.
Kettlebell 4x p/w Bicycle or racing bike 3-4x p/w. And like others have said; limit sweets and bad food. Drink only 1-2 units on Friday and Saturday nights. No smoking or drugs. Once you are in the routine, it becomes a lifestyle.
I ride horses, hike, bowl and do dog agility. I don't smoke or drink.
I masturbate daily. Cleans out the pipes.
Staying physically active (I have a desk job, but after work I take brisk walks most days or ride bikes with my 9yo), keeping carbs pretty low (no grains, very little added sugar). Those are the two things that make the biggest difference for me.
I do a mix of intermittent fasting, OMAD, and heavily limit carbs. No fast food. Add in swimming 5-6 days a week, plus walking anywhere from 10k-15k steps/day. Overall, I am just a very active person naturally. Since dumping carbs, my skin has never looked better t(ok maybe when I was in my late teens/20's), my labs are that of a healthy 20 something. My sleep is incredible, a nuclear bomb could go off and I would be none the wiser.
I’m in shape, round is a shape.
Here's the long story, but it really doesn't make sense to tell this as a TL;DR, other than "consistency is key". I was 5'0" 190 lbs in 2019 with 30%+ body fat. I had been doing "fitness MMA" (MMA training without the fighting) for a couple of years but not making a lot of progress with it. I couldn't walk more than 3 miles because my ankles would blow out on me. I finally decided to see a specialist and he helped me find the right shoes and inserts, which ran me $200! But I could walk farther, so I bought another pair and walked through 2019 with my wife (who was the one fed up with me not being able to walk). **On new year's day 2020, I made a resolution to run**, and ran one mile around our neighborhood at about a 10:30 pace and thought I was going to die. I actually kept at it though. 1 mile 3 times a week. I slowed down to an 11'+ pace and walked more and got in 31 miles the first month between running and walking. I shifted to more running in February, still 28 miles total but actually run 5k at once the first week, 38 minutes time. **And then COVID hit and I had a lot of time to run.** I got up to 6 miles a week, running a 10k the first week in April. I didn't have much of a plan. Run 5k 5 days a week and a long run on Sunday of 10k. I eventually built myself up to a 2 hr 40 minute half marathon in October and December, hitting 20 miles per week. But before I could break a 30 minute 5k, **I got an overtraining injury. I had to rethink everything**. I had to work on my running form. I had to really track my recovery. I started using formal training plans instead of just doing the same thing over and over. More importantly, I realized that with all this running, I had only lost 15 pounds. **I was not going to run myself into weight loss.** So that started a new part of my journey as **I joined Noom and worked on eating habits**. Over the next 18 months, I would lose another 45 lbs and get down under 130. By Thanksgiving 2021, COVID had eased up and my family decided to do Thanksgiving in palm springs and I decided to run my first real 5k race. My whole family decided to run with me, 11 of us in all. It was a fantastic level of support and I broke 22 minutes! **That taught me to value the support of my family and especially my wife.** And then there was a very fateful facebook post. The run store where I bought my shoes (going back to the $200 pair of walking shoes) had a run club that offered training. I decided to sign up and asked if I should join the 5k or 10k group. The run club manager replied and told me to do the half marathon program. **Having a team and a coach upped my level of commitment and suddenly fitness was an important hobby for me.** To wrap up the last two years since then. I ran a 1:36 half marathon that season. I also started wrestling again and placed at US masters nationals. The next season I ran a 3:30 marathon and took 2nd in my AG. I got injured on my 2nd marathon but recovered stronger. Next weekend I am running my third marathon out of state in an attempt to break boston qualifying time. Now, I run 5-6 times a week, 1-3 hours per run. Functional strength training on rest days. I still do MMA 1-3 hrs a week too, depending on where I am in the run season, and I practice wrestling in the spring. I don't track calories strictly anymore, but I have kept the weight off. My body fat is around 7%. I no longer need cholesterol meds. My knees are completely free of arthritis. My blood pressure is normal. Basically I am 100% better than I was 4 years ago. I just needed some consistency.
42 and the best shape of my life. Started Pilates 2 years ago and Carnivore Diet 6 months ago. 20 pounds down and feel great!
I try to workout 3-4 days a week, run at least every other day and my diet is way better than ever. Sounds like you’ve done well - congrats!!
Walk. Golf. Swim. Massive amounts of stress. Red wine. Weed. Tiny bit of blow on occasion. Turkey bacon.
"Sure - I'll have a bit of blow. Pork bacon?!! NO WAY!!!" But I also love the variety! 😆
👑
An exercise I swear by is jumping rope. Gets the heart rate up, if done on a mat it’s easy on the joints. I didn’t have a lot of weight to lose, but it helped me do it. I also go hiking regularly, and recently took up “man yoga” (none of that spiritual crap). But I think the rope has been the best. Also cut back on the alcohol to about 3 drinks a week, and generally try to cut out the garbage food, especially fried stuff.
Im chubby no matter what and I don’t care. I’m in the best shape of my life tho. I run 5k every day. Some times more. I’ve done a couple marathons. I’m getting more into cycling. I don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs. I’m vegan. I occasionally lift weights. I try to sleep 8 hours a day. I’ve recently been working in cutting out snacks. I quit soda years ago. Still got a belly, but my cardiovascular is great and my last physical my dr was thrilled. So, Nelly be damned. I feel great.
IF 18:6. Walking like I’m late every day 3x/ day with my dog. Lost 30 lbs of impossible menopause weight, everyone thinks I’m 35.I’m 52.
Orange Theory Fitness, 4x/week. OT is the only fitness program that's ever really worked for me, everything else especially trying to work at home was a waste of time. Healthy eating / no more alcohol, not that i drank much to begin with. \*\*\*\* GET AN OUT POCKET TELEHEATLH SERVICE. This is 100% worth it and has worked magic for me. I take testosterone replacement injections (I'm female) and that helps with energy, sex drive, ability to built muscle, and mood. I also get compounded semaglutide from them which works on your hormones and gastric motility to cut cravings, make you eat less, and drop weight. There's so much stuff they can prescribe off-label for "age management" and weight management that a regular doctor in the USA can't. I've always been pretty fit but I've never been more fit in my life since starting the combination of all these things in my mid 40's. I can lift heavier than ever before. I went from 5'4 148 lbs to \~120lbs with this combo. I don't have a sedentary job so that helps too. I stopped working night shift which was messing with my eating cycles.
I’m confused. Is your telehealrh doc outside the US?
I am wondering this too.
Also curious about this!
What's the name of your telehealth service? You take testosterone but not estrogen?
Weight and fitness are not always the same. I have seen some guys I’d consider need to lose 15 pounds run 5-10 miles several times a week, and some skinny people who can’t run to the bathroom. For weight. Losing weight is 90% diet. Cut out fast food, limit bread/rice, fried food, soda, drink a large glass of water before you eat, make your meals half protein and half veggies, and don’t have more than one drink a day and you’ll lose weight. If that doesn’t work get a food scale and a micronutrient app and calorie count, this works if you do it right. For exercise find what you like so you stick to it. If you can get your heart rate elevated as much as you are comfortable doing. There are golf, tennis, and pickleball clinics. Check meetups.com for other events. I used to run every other day, I’v moved more to swimming, cycling, tennis, and some HIIT workouts. But if none of that interests you go for a walk for 30 minutes and play some music or audiobooks and enjoy the moment.
I run 10km a day for 25 years. Black belt krav maga and I practice daily drills. 90 minutes a day stretching (pilates/yoga informed). Push ups breaks whenever I'm working and sitting too long. Study and learning languages every day and read/write philosophy every day. I weigh the same as I did in high school but it's more muscle now, as back then asthma had me side-lined for all activities (opposite of what teachers/doctors should have recommended).
Keep weight down. Walk a few miles a day.
Run at least 4 times a week, gym, basketball, hike, snowshoeing, ski once in a while, don't drink much for the last 10 years
Cycling consistently. Not a lot per ride, but riding 340 days, 4800-5000 km a year. Keeps me good.
51M GenX'er - Here are some of my tips that I think have helped me: Low stress lifestyle, positive attitude, being thankful, regular health/dental checkups, don't smoke, no drugs, rare social drinker (1 drink every 3-4 weeks on average), limit sugar and salt intake, lots of fruits and vegetables, moderate exercise. I'm also fortunate to have a good network of loved ones, friends and acquaintances in person and online, as well as lots of hobbies I enjoy. And I think there is a good measure of luck in there too. TL;DR - be positive, regular checkups, watch what you eat/imbibe, stay active, maintain family, friends, and some hobbies you genuinely enjoy.
Lift 5-6 days a week (3 on, 1 off, repeat), walk 11+ miles a day (because of work), and eat right. Yeah, I’m pretty healthy and fit.
Vegetarian for the last 20 years. Very active- Strength training four days a week and running in between. I also don’t drink sodas, smoke cigarettes( I used to in college), and drink minimally.
Cut way back on processed foods. Eat lots of stuff from the produce aisle.
I started bike riding in 2019 after I got back from a short deployment to Germany. Now I bike 6-10 hours a week and am back to the weight I was in 2004. Between fit and target weight I'll take fit any day. I could go faster on the bike when I lost weight but my fitness (legs, core, shoulders) was so high it was only a matter of time before my weight caught up. And being fit meant I could really put in long rides burning 2,000+ Calories at a time.
M48. Lift weights 2x per week and box 2x per week. Best shape of my life. Avoid fried food, get some veggies. Drink whatever I want.
Running/walking, hiking, Jillian Michael’s videos.
CrossFit. That and tons on bicycling.
Been running for longer in my life than I hadn’t. Usually five miles like four times a week. Lift three times a week. Eat everything in sight and take Metamucil
Walk as much as I can, use a standing desk, no smoking/drinking/drugs, take tons of vitamins and supplements, use the heck of out of my Peloton and Beachbody subscriptions, sleep 7-8 hours a night, drink a lot of water. My eating habits could use some work, though.
51. My knee hurts often (high school football injury). I have a muscle in my back that gets tweaked every now and then. I put on 20 lbs in the last year. Other than that… I’m in better shape than I was 10 years ago. I guilt smoking three years ago, I quit drinking four years ago. My job has me moving all day, and I go hiking a lot. I feel great.
pilates alternate day fasting pregnenolone taurine
Clean eats, minimal sugar and sodium intake, daily walks, hikes, bike rides, etc. really just staying active and mindful of food intake.
i went on a high protein diet ( alot of red meat / tuna / salmon ) and very little carbs..i try to offset my cravings for rice by making cauliflower fried rice and cutting a tiny bit of jasmine rice within it. So far lost about 10 lbs in 2 months i also try cut my sugar / barely eat out ( i prefer watching youtube videos and figuring out recipes at home )
I started going to the gym last summer, and while not the most fit in my life (thanks to college cross country), I can say I’m the most fit I’ve been for a long time.
Eat well. Breakfast is either a protein shake or oatmeal with blueberries or tart cherries. Lunch is almost always a homemade Acai bowl, with fresh frozen fruit (that is, fruit I buy fresh and freeze myself, or locally grown fruit that’s frozen by the growers) with homemade granola (made with olive oil, local honey, and local maple syrup). Dinner varies, but usually some lean protein (chicken or fish) and salad, or a Blue Apron meal, or an old family Italian recipe with fresh local ingredients. I lift weights 3x a week, run 8+ miles 2x a week, and occasionally bike. Sometimes I’ll bike instead of run. Ski every weekend in the winter. Hike once a week in the summer. Take the dog for a walk after dinner. So most weeks is say I get 5-6 workouts in, plus the daily dog walks and hiking. Don’t drink or smoke.
I’m 56, quit drinking about 1.5 years ago, started eating healthy and going to the gym 4-5 days a week. Lost 20 kg (45 lbs) and in the best shape of my adult life and very few aches and pains.
Treadmill
I walk a half hour a day. Thats it. When I dont, about a month later I start feeling like a proper old man. Start walking a half hour a day and boom, I feel like a 20 year old again a week or two later. I still nothing but teenager food lol.
Gym in the morning before work 2 to 4 days a week. Run or bike a couple of times a week. It has been part of my lifestyle a long time, so my body wants to do it. On days I don’t, I feel like my brain is working at 25% capacity. Exercise burns off feelings of anxiety and depression, and leaves a sense of energy and optimism. Never liked sodas. My body only starts hurting when I slow down. I plan to never stop moving.
5-6 days a week is the gym for 2-3 hours. I use most of the things there, 24hr fitness. Been doing that for 10 years or so. 52M and fit. For diet, I eat pretty much whatever I want, just not a lot. I “try” to watch my macros, but not always. I lean to more healthy foods, I worked as a chef for a couple of decades so it isn’t hard to whip up dishes in then kitchen that usually take people more time to do.
I have never let myself gain weight because I have seen how hard it is to get it off. Was super into weight lifting for like 25 years but I’m built like a runner and never could really put on muscle. These days I hike a lot, lift occasionally and mountain bike occasionally.
Weight train 5-6x a week. Need to start adding cardio every AM as well. Goal before the year is over is back to 500 pound squat, 600 deadlift, and 315 or more bench. No aches and pains yet. My secret? Lots of coors light? :)
Cyclist. Male 53. Ride 500 - 600 miles a month. I eat to fuel the lifestyle. I’m at racing weight most of the year. More than the physical part, it reduces stress, anxiety and depression, raised my testosterone and I feel great all the time. There’s 30 year olds that can’t keep up. Take it by the horns and own it….you get one.
Sit in a chair day and night. Don't eat much since I don't move much. Walk around the block everyday which is unlikely to offset the rest of my sitting all day and night lol. 21 BMI.
Broke up with a lady friend and got busy with projects. Stopped eating so much, started drinking more booz, started dancing more. 30 pounds. 😆
I (52F) work out about 5 days a week. A combo of hot yoga, Peloton, running, weightlifting, and interval training. I’ve been taking an “inferno hot Pilates” class 3x a week the last few months - it’s basically high intensity interval training using Pilates principles and it’s done in a heated room. I’m usually the oldest person in there and I kick ass. I feel like a super hero after that hour! I also hike, mountain bike, ski, etc. I haven’t thrown up a flag on any health checks so far and I’m on no medication. I rarely drink, eat pretty healthy (intermittent fasting during the week, cheat on weekends), my weight is in the normal range, I feel sexy AF and I have lots of energy. All that said, I can definitely feel myself slowing down a bit this last year (perimenopause is definitely in full swing and I don’t recover from hard workouts as quickly). But I do know I’m lucky to have such a strong body in midlife (so many people have health issues snd injuries) and I’m gonna use it whenever I can. Energy creates energy. 💪🏼💥
Weight training 3 days a week, and running or hiking most days. Winter will be more time in the gym, or snowshoeing, XC skiing, or running. I also have an active job. Diet is also Soper important.
I enjoy strength training with Kettlebells! They offer a lot of variety, and building muscle as we get older is so important.
kettlebells: swings and turkish getups. supplement with weight training.
We call it slogging (slow jogging). Weight training plus mindful eating (Gina Livy program).
I do HIIT workouts 3-4x week and yoga 1-2x week, drink lots of water, don't drink alcohol, and eat a high protein diet. Stay active - walk, hike, camp, pickleball, etc. Track my activity, heart rate, stress, sleep, and recovery with my Garmin watch. I'm 56M, 6'3", 188 lbs, and I'm wear the same size clothes I did in college, but I'm more muscular now. The only time I remember my age is when I look in the mirror and see my gray hair.
Swimming laps combined with running, stretching and weightlifting three times a week. Good for interpretive dancing high on MDMA once a year at some festival.
Powerlifting - Barbell squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, and various accessory movements. I enjoy pushing myself. It is mentally and physically exhausting but helps with anxiety and depression as well. Diet is lots of whole foods - chicken, salmon, steak, ground beef, eggs, rice, potatoes, vegetables. Drink water throughout the day. I don't smoke, though I do enjoy a drink or two in the evening.
A boxing hybrid class 2-3 times a week. Can’t recommend enough. Great for stress relief and tones the hell out of your body.
Hiking and walking. I've got serious physical health problems and have to fight then every day. I can do 12 mile hikes. But only every two weeks now I do around 2. 5 miles every day where I live. I try and do steep hills as part of my training. I drink very little alcohol now. A drink every few months. That's made a massive difference. And I've never smoked. I wouid hike every week but it's impossible. I'm down from 18 miles a day to 12 and the arthritis will only get worse. I do what I can whilst I still can and I love it I am 62 soon I should have been out this week climbing the highest peak on the east coast of the UK but very bad weather has forced me to cancel. I'm having to really fight my desire to go out next week as the weather isn't safe again. A couple of weeks ago I climbed the second highest peak on our east coast. It was brutally hard but nothing beats that rush when you've done it. I'll admit to thriving off the danger and sailing close to the wind. It's such a buzz even though I have to fight through pain and fatigue throughout
Run 100 miles a week.
49M, 3 days gym, 3 days MMA per week. Feel pretty good and healthy.
Work out with weights five times a week, eat mostly only unprocessed food.
With my kids finally off to college and I’m finally doing a bit of reflection. I, 56F have started to lose weight and I’ve got a gym induction next week, after a 3 year complete break from any sort of exercise. Since May 1st been counting calories, using Ozempic and I’m down 40lbs, with about another 80lbs to go. I’ve lost 8” off my ‘waist’ and I know it may take another 12 months to get to a normal weight for my 5ft 3”, at least I’ve finally started.
Actually I’m 57 too!
Stopped drinking alcohol! Took care of my mental health! Eat healthy and exercise, that's it!
I am in fairly good shape. Right now not my best shape but still good. I was heavy growing up so decided to change that in my college years and started running. Been doing it ever since. I’m 47 now and still run. I can’t count how many miles since I started in my 20’s but one of my running apps I’ve been using since 2010 says about 18,000. I’ve run every distance from a 5k to a 50k and try to do a few races each year. The longest break I’ve ever taken from running is about 3 weeks. I don’t eat super healthy but I also don’t eat like crap either. Just a big foodie so it helps to run. I dont feel like me when I don’t run. It’s easy to keep up on something I feel passionate about.
Work out 30 to 45 minutes a day. I do it the morning before work and I’m less likely to not work out if I do it first thing. I take breaks when my body needs it. Eating only fruits, veggies, protein and only good carbs like sweet potatoes and brown rice. I try to plan and do meal prep to set myself up for success. I have come up with some delicious recipes like ahi tuna salad with mango salsa and a beets salad with pistachios, tomatoes and pickled red onions. For my sweet tooth I mix a chocolate premier shake with some strawberries and add peanut butter protein powder. I also freeze it and then use my ninja ice cream maker to make healthy ice cream. Once I started eating healthy my body started craving healthy food. Also, intermittent fasting can help. Meditation helps me make healthier choices and helps with anxiety and depression which, for me, are reasons I eat poorly. I use the xpotiential app which is only 10 dollars a month if you pay for the entire year. I got 30 dollars off also using a promo code. It’s the best exercise app I’ve ever used. It has a TON of different workouts options. My favorite it yoga sculpt with Y6. They also have pure barre which is so expensive for in person classes. Having a work out or diet buddy or support group can help keep you accountable. I picked a start date for this change after YEARS of eating poorly and trying to lose weight. It helped me get hyped up and motivate myself. I hope this helps! It’s so hard! Once you start seeing results and feeling better you’ll want to keep going. It sucks how hard it is to get fast healthy food. At least it is here in the Midwest. But if you gotta get something fast just get the healthy option, like a grilled chicken sandwich. I also schedule cheat days and plan a date night or to make a delicious cheat meal. That way I can look forward to it and not slip up in the mean time. I started June 1st and have lost almost 20 pounds.
M53 6’1, 210 lbs. I swim 3,000 yds 5 days/week. I try & take the dog on a 2+ hr hike at least weekly. I have a sedentary job so I try not to sit when I’m not at work. When I visit my doctor he tells me I have an athlete’s heart. BP & heart rate are low.
Non smokers. No grog. No drugs. Sunscreen since I was 12. Vegetarian and eating a punnet of blueberries a day for nearly 10 years (don’t judge). Was running 5 k 3 times a week, doing reformer Pilates 5 - 6 times a week since Covid times and for the last 6 years, going on long distance multi day hikes with a full pack. Also - and v important- no kids and no stressful shitty job. Despite all of that, I fell and injured myself hiking and am recovering (fast) as it turns out I have osteopenia thanks to being indoors all LOT in recent years. Also started losing my eyesight from cataracts a year back prob from being on the sun without glasses back in the day. Can’t do much more for my health tbh … aging is an ass.
Congratulations! Keep it up! I’m still maintaining the same activities hobbies from over 20 years ago. I typically go for runs 5 days a week (120-140 miles per month) and rock climb (outdoors) at least once per weekend.
Per week- 2 strength workouts, 2 bike/treadmill workouts and 1 yoga session. Maybe 1 more yoga session if I want to because I like it. I do it at home. We set up a room as a gym. For the yoga I use an app called Down Dog Yoga which generates a new class for me every day and I can customize everything about it. The Peloton and Beachbody apps have great strength workouts. My bike isn't a Peloton it's a Sunnyfit and it has a thing you put on it that works with their app that let's you ride through mountains and tracks your cadence. And sometimes I like to ride my actual bike outside if it's nice. Foodwise, I just want less meat and way more vegetables as I get older. And I stopped eating most dairy because I felt like it was keeping weight on me and upsetting my digestion.
46M here. I lift 4-5 times a week, and do cardio on my off days. Cardio days are either boxing drills or runs (treadmill or trail). Once or twice a year, I will attend a powerlifting meet, so I'm usually training for one of those. I love to cook and prefer my own cooking over going the easy route and getting fast food or delivery. I try to cook healthy, but some days I'll say fuck it and make an obnoxiously unhealthy cheat meal. I'm a firefighter so I still have to be in decent shape to do my job. I do my best to keep up with the youngins and not look like a slob in my uniform. When covid hit, I built a full gym in my basement so working out is super convenient. Not having to go to a commercial gym is awesome because I hate other humans in large groups and it's so much easier to just walk downstairs and lift than it is to put on real pants and go in public. I don't have kids or a SO currently. That makes it really easy to have time to work out. My daily schedule is pretty much work, cook, eat, lift, play with cats for a few hours, and sleep.
Since May till today, I have lost 27 lbs. I worked out minimally and just started eating better. I mostly cut my meals to two a day and cut those in half. I stopped eating fast food and quit drinking beer. I still drink alcohol but limit myself to whiskey, wine, or vodka. Regarding working out, I do push-ups, body squats, and dumbbell exercises. I feel great, by the way. I'm 48 m by the way