Fitness & good diet for the over 50's - good advice, not scams

[simon43]

I really want to adopt a healthy lifestyle! That's not to say that my current lifestyle is bad. But I can do more to exercise well and I can do more to improve my diet.

The trouble is that I do not know what advice to follow. There are millions of web-sites which purport to offer good advice, but are actually pushing their own agenda or product.

I'm sick of their lies and scams!

In a few weeks, I'm off to Myanmar (again) for a 6-month teaching job. I want to use this time wisely to improve my fitness and diet, before I return to Phuket.

Forget about hi-tyech gyms and the latest food supplement. These are hard to find in Myanmar! What I need is good advice about basic exercises and work-outs that do not require visits to a gym or special equipment. I need advice about a balanced diet, based on basic food products.

I need a fitness/diet plan that's suitable for me, 54 years old, reasonably healthy, 72kg, 173cm height, but with very low testosterone level (which is not a good thing as I grow older ==> brittle bones, low upper body mass etc).

How can I tone up and reduce those man boobs and flabby stomach? What should I eat for breakfast, lunch and evening meal? What should I definitely avoid? Is Myanmar Beer allowed in this diet??

I need good advice from sane people - please no advice about how the 'drink-your-own-urine' diet worked for you........

Simon

[robblok]

Simon,

Low carb is universally used to loose weight and it works. Just don't g too extreme. The problem is rice is a staple food here but if you can switch to more meat and veggies and less rice it will help. No sugary drinks help a lot too.

It looks that your not really much overweight if any but that does not mean there is no belly or moobs as we aren't all build the same.

To loose those you need to loose fat there is no way around it.

As for testosterone, that is a hard one to cure. Naturally heavy compound exercises help to up your testosterone however you wont have access to free weights (they are not high tech or anything like that just not available).

Many people your age do HRT meaning injecting testosterone at low levels. That is a choice for everyone to make, i know that i would do it. We are not talking bodybuilder amounts but low amounts to get back to a level you had in your 20ies. That would help you loose the fat on your belly easier.

But again this is a choice and a choice you should really read more about and certainly not take my word for it as I would not want something like that. But the injections and extra stuff is easy enough.

There are of course exercises you can do without a gym like squats pull ups and such, however as you get stronger (believe me it happens) the muscle growth stops quite fast. To get stronger bigger muscle you need systematic overload of your muscle meaning more load all the time.

I know enough about it and even in my gym its hard for me to adhere to it but the times i really went for it i saw great results.

[JSixpack]

What robblok said about low carb. That's the way to go, no question. Google for a million resources. Here's one example of the diet:

http://www.tankdc.com/getdoc/97c1aff3-63c7-4503-a38a-f3e0b9639a14/No_Sugar_No_Starch_Diet.aspx

For details, explanations, and a systematic plan that updates the classic Atkins:

http://www.amazon.com/New-Atkins-You-Ultimate-Shedding/dp/1439190275

Testosterone has a wide range of normal values. If you're within the normal range, you need nothing more. Only take extra if advised by a reputable doc.

Forget gyms and bodybuilding, totally unnecessary; the jury has already spoken as to your potential to be a bodybuilder. Good news is that you can get into great shape, look and feel good, and be physically fit by doing bodyweight exercises alone. Exercise at home and you can watch videos or listen to your fave music conveniently--makes the effort seem much less. This came up recently in a different thread; I wrote some posts of relevance:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667934-home-multi-gym-where-to-buy/#entry6828649

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667934-home-multi-gym-where-to-buy/#entry7097325

Good luck!

[Tolley]

If you have man boobs and you are middle aged then it is highly unlilkely that any diet or exercise plan will totally get rid of them.

They might lessen a bit but the odds are you have low T levels which is just bad luck really,

You could do T supplementation but there are a lot of pros and cons there,

First things first clean up your diet and do some exercise and see how you feel six months down the track,

[robblok]

If you have man boobs and you are middle aged then it is highly unlilkely that any diet or exercise plan will totally get rid of them.

They might lessen a bit but the odds are you have low T levels which is just bad luck really,

You could do T supplementation but there are a lot of pros and cons there,

First things first clean up your diet and do some exercise and see how you feel six months down the track,

I agree about the pro's and cons that is for everyone to study and to decide. Never let anyone push you into it or away from it without a load of own research.

[Showbags]

See if any of this helps...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/678634-diet-tips-for-high-blood-pressure-and-cholesterol/page-5#entry7164235

[JSixpack]

See if any of this helps...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/678634-diet-tips-for-high-blood-pressure-and-cholesterol/page-5#entry7164235

That diet is an attempt at a classic calorie-counting diet. "Attempt" because it works against itself by incorporating foods w/ a needlessly high caloric/glycemic index. Sultanas? Calorie counting isn't as quick or as satisfying as low carb for losing weight, and most people can't sustain the suffering and starvation. But it does work if applied religiously. Up to you.

[NeverSure]

Don't assume that only low T can cause man boobs. There are many things, and you might want to have some things checked out.

Here's a good reference. Link

[iluvbeaches]

Even in your 50s you can add healthy exercise that is less time consuming and more effective. I have yet to see anybody show more effective workouts than high intensity in interval training. You can use many DVD sets like p90x, asylum, insanity, etc. start slowly and be careful with your body if you are new or come from a sedentary lifestyle so you don't hurt yourself.

In the end diet is about 40-50% with the rest from exercise and genetics. So the focus should be at first on proper diet while gradually adding more exercise. More focus on stretching and warm up the older you get.

[abhaya]

Buy a bicycle. They are reasonable investment if you intend to stay in Burma for 6 months. Also it's a great way to get about and see the country.

[canman]

Agree with the low carb reccomendations. I managed a 10Kg loss by cuttng out pasta, white rice, bread and potatoes. The next 10Kg is proving a bit more difficult. I used MyFitnessPal for 2 months to keep track of calories, I was suprised to learn just where the calories were, after 2 months of tracking I felt I had a good enough handle on what my diet needed to be.

[harrycallahan]

High testosterone levels are associated with man-boobs because a higher quantity of testosterone will convert to estrogen (hence steroid side effect).

Fat men tend to have man boobs too, obviously for the same reason fat women have bigger boobs - boobs made of fat.

Reduce your overall fat levels and do push-ups, for the man-boobs.

[brianP]

I'm a tad older, but swimming, push ups and sit ups and pull ups, bike riding and stretching and flexing for warm ups and cool downs. If you purposely drink water twice what you drink now, you will lose weight. Low sugar, salt and fried greasy crap is best avoided. Hit a real leg press and watch the quads bloom, this produces more free testosterone without any supplements, believe me the quads are the largest muscle group and strong quads means a strong heart. Your cardio should be heavy on your non lifting days(rest). Eat clean and sleep deep after a full work out schedule. Cheers

[FiftyTwo]

Most important,

No processed food or drink. In order of importance ....

Avoid anything with white flour, no fizzy drinks (alcoholic or plain), no fried food, nothing with sugar, no sweets, or snack food.

Lots of exercise, hiking up mountains (not flat), cycling, swimming.

At 50+ you shouldn't be lifting weights or jogging.

Once you lose weight, then you should be able to start sneaking in the bad food and drink.

I've lost 14Kg in the last year, my problem now is keeping weight on.

[oxo1947]

Hi simon43 The Doctor Life book --life plan--is a really easy to follow lifestyle exercise etc for your age group and older

(PM me if you want a copy as its expensive)

Also I know a lot of people will disagree , but just as women need Hormone replacement as they get older---so do men, The last book from the Harvard medical school after years of research published 4 years ago changed all medical thinking on this & started doctors in the USA- UK etc prescribing testosterone patches creams etc. http://www.health.harvard.edu/books/Testosterone_for_Life (If you want a PDF copy of that book just pm me with your e-mail)

Man Boos--Like a double chin , its very hard to remove that sort of fat deposit (last to go, first to return etc) so quickest way is just to surgically remove them---its just a fat deposit--small opp with little pain, & they wont return.

Juicing---you would probably have to buy a decent Juicer here, but I would think you would have an abundance of veg & fruit there to Juice... try to have a look at "Fat Sick and nearly dead" on youtube

Good luck simon----

[Tolley]

Most important,

No processed food or drink. In order of importance ....

Avoid anything with white flour, no fizzy drinks (alcoholic or plain), no fried food, nothing with sugar, no sweets, or snack food.

Lots of exercise, hiking up mountains (not flat), cycling, swimming.

At 50+ you shouldn't be lifting weights or jogging.

Once you lose weight, then you should be able to start sneaking in the bad food and drink.

I've lost 14Kg in the last year, my problem now is keeping weight on.

I have to disagree with not lifting weights.

You should definitely include some resistance training in any fitness program.

It doesnt have to be big weights or even many sessions but you need to build muscle mass and keep it because as you age you lose muscle mass and that in itself can cause health problems.

Apart from eating well a couple of sessions of resistance training a week if you do nothing else would be more beneficial than any other form of exercise.

Of course I would recommend some other from of exercise that you enjoy like bike riding, swimming etc but failing that resistance training is critical.

[lmaxv]

IMOp…Trying to adhere to a special diet doesn't usually work especially if you are eating at restaurants and don’t prepare your own meals. Eat what you'd normally eat, just don't over eat and hopefully it will include a variety of foods and not include high fat foods. Get SUGAR out of you diet; at least don’t consume it on a regular basis! Exercise is IMPORTANT! Losing fat takes extended exercise periods where your body starts to burn fat and not just sugars. Avoiding lifting weights or running at 50+ is absurd for most people. Although weight lifting helps bones to become stronger, if you don't have a gym to go to you can get a good workout by walking &/or running (combining some anaerobic with aerobic is beneficial), doing pushups, lunges, crunches. I like going to the beach where I can pause periodically and do sets of each along the way. If you start on an exercise routine, I’d recommend that upon awakening each morning count your heart rate…bpm. Get a baseline established. As you pursue your exercise, you may see your morning bpm reduce, and if it is very much higher than normal, you may be over-training, so take the day off. What ever you decide...exercise! Good luck!

[robblok]

Agree with the low carb reccomendations. I managed a 10Kg loss by cuttng out pasta, white rice, bread and potatoes. The next 10Kg is proving a bit more difficult. I used MyFitnessPal for 2 months to keep track of calories, I was suprised to learn just where the calories were, after 2 months of tracking I felt I had a good enough handle on what my diet needed to be.

Actually, i also counted calories for a while and after a while you just get a feel for it. It is not something one should do indefinitely. You can do it sometimes again just to see if bad things haven't slipt in again. Once you get a general idea its often good.

[robblok]

Most important,

No processed food or drink. In order of importance ....

Avoid anything with white flour, no fizzy drinks (alcoholic or plain), no fried food, nothing with sugar, no sweets, or snack food.

Lots of exercise, hiking up mountains (not flat), cycling, swimming.

At 50+ you shouldn't be lifting weights or jogging.

Once you lose weight, then you should be able to start sneaking in the bad food and drink.

I've lost 14Kg in the last year, my problem now is keeping weight on.

I have to disagree with not lifting weights.

You should definitely include some resistance training in any fitness program.

It doesnt have to be big weights or even many sessions but you need to build muscle mass and keep it because as you age you lose muscle mass and that in itself can cause health problems.

Apart from eating well a couple of sessions of resistance training a week if you do nothing else would be more beneficial than any other form of exercise.

Of course I would recommend some other from of exercise that you enjoy like bike riding, swimming etc but failing that resistance training is critical.

I agree about the liften and about the other exercise you enjoy. Studies have shown that combinations of weight lifting and other cardio based sports are superior to anything else. It is not only a slim body your after but also health. Weightlifting helps for the bones and retaining muscle. Cardio is good for the heart (heavy lifting too actually) But it is important to do something you like.

[misterphil]

Step 1.

Go to the Bangkok Hospital and ask for a testosterone level blood test. If your levels are low they will administer a testosterone injection that last 3 months. You can buy another to take with you and have a clinic inject it for you, or just do it yourself.

Step 2.

Buy some resistance bands, these bands can be used in any room with a door. They have an anchor that wedges in the door and then you connect different levels of resistnce bands to it and work out.

Step 3.

Eat high protein food and cut out all the greasy crap.

[robblok]

High testosterone levels are associated with man-boobs because a higher quantity of testosterone will convert to estrogen (hence steroid side effect).

Fat men tend to have man boobs too, obviously for the same reason fat women have bigger boobs - boobs made of fat.

Reduce your overall fat levels and do push-ups, for the man-boobs.

That is correct for high testosterone, but we are not talking about high testosterone here, bodybuilders know how to counter the conversion if needed. But HRT is not high by any means.

[robblok]

Even in your 50s you can add healthy exercise that is less time consuming and more effective. I have yet to see anybody show more effective workouts than high intensity in interval training. You can use many DVD sets like p90x, asylum, insanity, etc. start slowly and be careful with your body if you are new or come from a sedentary lifestyle so you don't hurt yourself. In the end diet is about 40-50% with the rest from exercise and genetics. So the focus should be at first on proper diet while gradually adding more exercise. More focus on stretching and warm up the older you get.

I agree with the high intensity training, however start slow especially if your untrained it is real hard.

Your suggestion about P90x is a good one those resistance-bands and video's can be taken anywhere and don't take much space.

[robblok]

See if any of this helps...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/678634-diet-tips-for-high-blood-pressure-and-cholesterol/page-5#entry7164235

That diet is an attempt at a classic calorie-counting diet. "Attempt" because it works against itself by incorporating foods w/ a needlessly high caloric/glycemic index. Sultanas? Calorie counting isn't as quick or as satisfying as low carb for losing weight, and most people can't sustain the suffering and starvation. But it does work if applied religiously. Up to you.

Mr Sixpack

Though I do believe in low carb, i am certainly not against oats / real musli. I have read Garry Taubes book, a bible for many low carb guys and found it less then convincing. He just linked everything to carbs and let a lot of other explanations out of it while he started his book that he would not do that as other people did (real hypocritical to say the least) I would have loved it more if his book included a lot more scientific tests and studies. There was a short part on insulin and how it works with carbs. That was something I already knew and why i like low carb, because I do believe its the way to go (not zero carb).

Do you know of any books that go more into the science of it with a collection of real experiments in labs and such. I like to read about stuff like that. One of the writers that i like (probably too technical for most) is Lyle Mc Donald. He is not necessarily low carb as such but he always makes a strong case with real lab tests supporting his claims (unlike most). He also believes in exercise. (and so should you as it helps against insulin resistance just like how low carb helps against that)

Countless of research has shown that weightlifting combined with cardio helps more then just cardio alone. Weightlifting does not automatically mean bodybuilding aspirations as many people foolishly believe. There are many gradations in it bodybuilding is just for a select few. Who care more about muscles then the average person. But the bodybuilding principles can help many even if done moderate.

[umbanda]

I am 69 now....A good number!! Not in a so good shape like in my 50's but still looking good

My main exercise was and still WALKING a couple hours every day.....and do some work out with my younger Thai wife every week.....You figure out what...Som Tam may be aphrodisiac too...It is my favorite Thai salad.

Hormonal and urination problems, I had before coming to Thailand, are gone now taking local herbs products and liters of green tea for the last 3 years. Any drinking...just good red wine sometimes.

Eating many veggies and fruits I can, a lot of fish, no fry foods just eggs for breakfast. No red meat at all...sometimes just barbecue chicken without the skin. No processed food at all, ham and cheese, salamis, sausages, etc, etc....My Italian side say yes...but...I am in Thailand not Rome.

Thai food contains a lot of fat and oil most of the times. I prefer to eat at home cooking with rice or olive oil. No butter.

Avoiding carbs. Breads, pastas and potatoes.....I am now 15 kilos lighter..and can be more if I do not break my diet sometimes in front of a nice barbecue or buffet. December is not a good month to start diets.....but a good month for a New Year resolution...

Take care...

[mrfill]

Walk a couple of miles a day, get a bicycle to ride around and go swimming.

Give it a couple of months and then decide if you need to change diet.

[Daniel Boon]

oxo1947 ... would appreciate the pdf ... [email protected] ... thank you

[robblok]

@oxo1947

Patches and creams are not as effective as injects.

[dundas]

Agree with a lot of what's been said.

When I was in my late 50s, I was putting on weight and even though I was going to a personal trainer three times a week , I continued to pile flab on. I was getting worried about putting pressure on my knees and hips because of my excess weight. Diet turned out to be the answer for me. I cut out most bread, pasta and rice, and all cakes, donuts, pastries etc, noodles, and icecream. No soft drinks, no milk in coffee, no smoothies, no fruit juice (fruit is better eaten whole, that way you get the fibre as well as the sugar in the juice, and you don't consume as much; too much fruit juice and you are increasing your chances of diabetes). I went from 102 kg down to 79 in a couple of months, before deciding that I had gone far enough and it was time to stop.

Instead of counting calories, I count the variety of unprocessed (or minimally unprocessed) fruit and veg: I try to eat at least 15 different fruit and vegetable each day. So raw fruit and steamed vegetables as far as possible. It's not as bad as it sounds: 3 or 4 different fruit for breakfast, a salad sandwich for lunch (as many different salad vegies as I can find - generally 7 or 8), and 3-5 steamed vegetables for dinner. I'm not vegetarian so I do add in small amounts of cheese or meat (typically chicken or fish). Eating almonds, walnuts, etc in moderation are also a way of getting my "at least 15 unprocessed foods" quota each day. My diet is based on work by an Australian doctor, Dr John Tickel, who has written books such as "The Great Australian Diet." He uses research from some of the healthiest and longest living people, those who follow a traditional diet in Okinawa. (Younger people in Okinawa who eat fast food and drink cola typically aren't any more healthy than their western peers).

I'm 63 and still go to the gym (change my program every 6 weeks or so) and I cycle (even in Chiang Mai). If I couldn't swim or cycle, I would walk everywhere (the reason I put on weight in the first place was because I moved from the city centre where I walked and used public transport, to the suburbs, and bought a car). That also means using the stairs in buildings and not the elevator.

I also think Man Tak Chia (who owns a Tao style resort outside Chiang Mai) makes a lot of sense in his books, especially for western men in our age group - beginning to become aware of (and/or hear from peers on) problems such as prostate cancer etc. Traditional chinese medicine does have some great insights, and is a very practical approach, in my opinion.

[oxo1947]

@oxo1947

Patches and creams are not as effective as injects.

100% agree Robblok----that way it doesn't get broken down by the liver etc..however on this forum, promoting injecting usually causes a certain reaction.

Daniel Boon--please don't fill the posts up with requests...I don't know which PDF you want...the testosterone or the Dr Life book.........PM Me

[SpokaneAl]

You need to develop a routine of eating healthy and exercising that you will continue for the rest of your life, as opposed to some magic, short term bullet.

This part of the world offers a great opportunity to cut down on meats and increase vegetable and fruit intake - do it. Try to replace at least some of your white rice intake with brown rice options - again easy to find over here.

Buy a decent scale and weigh yourself each morning - just to help understand your weight and the implications of eating out at high MSG meal establishments on water retention.

Find an exercise program that you can do regularly, and then keep at it religiously over the next six months - it will take that long to stick and before you will begin actually looking forward to it.

Keep your exercise program simple - find some abdominal/core exercises to do most mornings. Rotate them with a few body weight exercises on alternate days - push ups, burpees, body weight squats - perhaps install a chinning bar at your home.

Also you must include training that gets the heart rate up for extended periods of time. Start a walking/jogging program - perhaps two minutes of running followed by five minutes of fast walking. Biking and swimming are terrific also, but don't help you maintain that all important bone mass - we loose it as we get older.

You may also want to include some light yoga a couple of days a week as well - good for strength building and also helps you maintain your balance - as we get older that becomes more and more important.

Keep track of everything you do and your weight via an app, a simple spreadsheet or a notebook. When we measure we improve, and seeing improvement generates more improvements.

And this really is a change of lifestyle - that is how we improve the quality of our help. There are no quick fixes, only slow careful modifications that get us back on track.

Good luck - I will be cheering for you.