Younger Next Year After Six Months

[TromboneAl]

It's been six months since I read Younger Next Year and made some changes. The changes I made were:

Exercise 6 days/week instead of 3-4
Exercise longer/harder
Do strength training on two of those days
Eat more whole grains (no more white rice, potatoes, white tortillas)
Eat more unsaturated fat (olive oil, nuts)

I do feel younger/better, although I admit it could be a placebo thing.

I generally enjoy the exercising more.

I gained about two pounds (probably muscle) then lost it again.

Waist is smaller, but within my normal variation.



I still have that grunt/groan thing when getting up from the floor -- maybe it's a little better.

I don't sleep any better or worse.

Body looks better. Memory & balance better? Hard to say.

Conclusion: It's worth the extra effort.

 

[Alan]

Since reading the book we have also upped our exercise levels to a similar level and both feel much better and fitter. I actually had a stress test a couple of months and the Cardioligist said the results were "spectacular" - of he also emphasized that it was only a test and I could still drop dead next week. (I hate the small print).

By coincidence I was talking to my boss this lunchtime to whom I had loaned the book a few weeks ago. He was telling me that he had finished reading it this week and had also signed up at the gym and been for his first cardio session. Said he was shocked at how unfit he was - this from a guy who is pretty thin and used to be a navy fighter pilot (he is now age 52). He said his heart rate shot up like a roman candle so, as per the book, he stopped immediately and is going to have to slowly build up his fitness. He hadn't previously heard about latest medical advice mentioned in the book that it is much better to be fit and fat than thin and out of shape.

 

[donheff]

Same here. I checked it out after reading about it here and started doing cardio work which I never did before. Once spring hit I started riding the bike 15-25 miles about three or four times a week. I also quit eating 4-8 oz of chocolate a day I was up to 194-195 now I am back down to 180-181.

 

[Tekward]

I'll concur. That book was the best recommendation I've received from this site. My wife and I are much more active. I've dropped from ~200 to ~175 over nine months. I'm clearly younger then last year at 50. It has change my life and I've recommended it to many friends.

 

[W2R]

Sounds like a book I would want to read. These are great results.

 

[Alan]

Sounds like a book I would want to read. These are great results.

Although it is written for men DW read it and thoroughly enjoyed it as the vast majority applies to both genders. There is now a version for women published I believe. DW recommended it to a mutual friend of ours and he was so impressed he bought copies for many of his familiy

 

[dumpster56]

I tell people the older you get the MORE you need to exercise. I get those crazy eyes looks at me like I am nuts. Bottom line I find the harder I workout the better I feel. At 52 YO I ran a 22:55 5K last saturday in almost 90 degree heat and humidity and was passing younger runners the last two miles. Running over 60 miles a week now and have been running for 40 years. I am running more miles this year than last and every year of the last 10 each year I have increased my mileage. From 2700 miles 10 years ago to over 3000 miles run this year. My year ends next week. June to june.

Push weights, lift things and stay active. In addition run faster during some workouts, burns more calories.

 

[ERD50]

Conclusion: It's worth the extra effort.

Hah! I had to LOL when I read the conclusion. I had to re-read it, because my brain said 'NOT worth the extra effort!'. Just goes to show that people look at things differently.

What I read is, he's spending all this added time working out (when he could be doing other things), and all the results he listed were either ' about the same', or maybe 'placebo effect'.

/ it could be a placebo thing / within my normal variation / maybe it's a little better / any better or worse / better? Hard to say.

But of course, if T-Al feels it is better for him over-all, go for it! I admit, I do feel better after exercising, but it's tough for me to do it, tougher to expand it.

-ERD50

 

[Pete]

I like to incorporate exercise into my daily routines. Wash cars, cut trees, do pushups on the counter while my food is cooking, I hung a pull up bar on my bedroom door and have to do 5 pull ups each time I pass, stretch on the floor while I watch TV, walk to the store and save gas too.... I get exercise without knowing it.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Since reading the book we have also upped our exercise levels to a similar level and both feel much better and fitter. I actually had a stress test a couple of months and the Cardioligist said the results were "spectacular" - of he also emphasized that it was only a test and I could still drop dead next week. (I hate the small print).

Good for you, Alan - reassuring results.

I don't have the exact numbers but anyone who can reach 10 METS (about a 10-minute per mile pace) has less than a 0.5% chance of sudden cardiac death or heart attack per year for the next 5 years. Sleep well.

Unless you're seriously trained, you would not want to try that pace on your own without your physician's OK, probably with a supervised stress test.

 

[Alan]

Good for you, Alan - reassuring results.

I don't have the exact numbers but anyone who can reach 10 METS (about a 10-minute per mile pace) has less than a 0.5% chance of sudden cardiac death or heart attack per year for the next 5 years. Sleep well.

Unless you're seriously trained, you would not want to try that pace on your own without your physician's OK, probably with a supervised stress test.

Rich, thanks for the feedback - what are METS?

Often when I play tennis with a good friend of mine I'll wear a heart monitor. Often I will get into the 140's after a long rally and occaisionally I'll get into the 160's but I never feel discomfit. 2 years ago at the "Y" I went to a "super cardio" 180 minute workout with my favorite trainer. At one point my heart was over 200 - scared the bejaybers out of me and I immediately slowed down. Took ages for the heart rate to recover to anywhere near my norm

I try to be a lot more careful these days. (I'm age 53)

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

thanx for the update t-al. i went into a pretty deep depression since last year and, yikes, it is sure showing on my waist. can't believe what i did to myself. what an idiot. anyway, good to have incentive to live right.

 

[slimjim]

looks like a good book to check out.

 

[Urchina]

This sounds like an interesting book and a good experiment, T-Al. I might check it out of our library, especially if there's one specifically written for women, using research that included women in it. I'm skeptical of anyone that treats men and women as the same physiologically -- it just ain't so.

Now that we've gotten ourselves a Big American Dog we're all doing a lot more walking and ball-throwing, so there will be more cardio in my future.

Rich in Tampa -- is there a stress test that doesn't require running on a treadmill? If I run for more than a couple of minutes, even on a treadmill, I end up with a swollen knee for a couple of days. Very unpleasant. I'm too young to need one (I hope) but I'm curious.

 

[Alan]

Rich in Tampa -- is there a stress test that doesn't require running on a treadmill? If I run for more than a couple of minutes, even on a treadmill, I end up with a swollen knee for a couple of days. Very unpleasant. I'm too young to need one (I hope) but I'm curious.

I've done stress tests on a treadmill several times now, amd only ever needed to run from minute 13, the test ending as I reached exhaustion at minute 15 so only 3 minutes running. DW has a bad knee and tells the Doc at the start that she cannot run and has 3 stress tests and never been required to run. I don't think you'll have a problem if you say up front that you cannot run.

 

[ERD50]

Rich in Tampa -- is there a stress test that doesn't require running on a treadmill? If I run for more than a couple of minutes, even on a treadmill, I end up with a swollen knee for a couple of days. Very unpleasant. I'm too young to need one (I hope) but I'm curious.

I'm not RIT, but my BIL had to do the stress test when his leg was in a cast. They shoot you up with some form of 'speed' to get the heart pumping.

Cardiac stress test - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

He said it was pretty weird to be sitting there and have your heart pumping away like that, but it is an option.

edit/add: Hah! One more source says your heart will not race! But, BIL is definitely subject to power of suggestion, if he expected it would happen, it would happen

Heart & Cardiology: Stress Test by Injection, mitral valve prolapse, bundle branch block

Persantine may cause the blood pressure to go down, but it is usually not more than 5-10 points. Persantine does not directly cause heart rates to increase, although your heart rate may increase a little (5-10 beats per minute at most) if you blood pressure goes down. Persantine will not make your “heart race and blood pressure soar”. Tell your doctor if you have asthma because Persantine should not be given to people with uncontrolled asthma.

-ERD50

 

[Nords]

I've added pushups, situps, squats, & lunges to get ready for a black belt test (in six months). I would've expected to be a lot more worn out but those workouts seem to make it easier to push during taekwondo.

Sounds like a book I would want to read. These are great results.

You'll want to read "Younger Next Year For Women", especially the part where he talks about what to do with "Old [-]Frank[/-] Fred". But I'd recommend reading the book on your own before sharing with your significant other...

They're both good books, even if they only motivate you to get into shape so that you can go [-]kick[/-] thank the author.

 

[Moemg]

I read Younger next year for women and it motivated me to get back to the gym and kick my routine into higher gear . I've lost six pounds and several inches and I feel great .

 

[StJohnsWood]

Thanks Al for the post. Time to check out the book.

 

[RDamien]

Sounds good I'll look into this book also. I think you'd have to be nuts not to watch what you eat and get some sort of exercise. Your quality of life is just so much better when you're healthy.

My 2 cents on healthy living:

Stay away from processed foods, eat "clean". What you take in is the biggest factor in this equation. Stick near the outer edges of the supermarket. Veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, eggs etc.

Get enough "good fat": olive oil, nuts, fish oil pills are a good supplement here.

Get enough lean protein: lean fish, beef, chicken, turkey, beans etc. Whey is a great supplement here but get it mostly from whole foods.

Exercise: Do something. If you like to run, run. Like weights, do that. Like tennis, basketball, handball, soccer... great. Personally I recommend weights and some form of cardio (run/jog/bike/tennis/soccer whatever) as a supplement. Do big compound movements dont just stand there doing curls all day long. Do deadlifts. Do deadlifts (they're so good worth mentioning twice ) Do squats. Do lunges. Bench. Pull ups. Dips. All good stuff, do not neglect the lower body. Dont give me that "I dont want to look all bulky and muscley", trust me hitting the gym a few times a week isnt going to transform you into Ahnold. However it will make you leaner, healthier and younger looking.

You will be amazed how much better you look and feel.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Glad to hear this, T-Al. I listen to a great podcast called Fitness Rocks, by Dr. Monty Ladner, and he has a great saying--if the wonderful health effect you get from regular exercise was a pill, everyone in America would be taking it!
The book is great, and highly recommended. I was fine reading the "man version".

 

[Zoocat]

Thanks for the info on "Younger Next Year for Women." I bought a copy on Amazon Marketplace, then decided to buy the journal too. Sounds like exactly what I need.

 

[DangerMouse]

Like Oldbabe I have just purchased a copy of the women's version and the journal. I have to do something as my weight is continuing to climb and my BMI is off the charts.

 

[DangerMouse]

DH & I have both just finished reading this book and have to say we found it very informative. We plan on implementing his recommendations now so will hopefully have a positive update like Al's in six months.

I know I have been under exercising and I think I need to crank up my effort levels as well.

 

[Moemg]

I know I have been under exercising and I think I need to crank up my effort levels as well.

I think the trick for me was finding something that I liked and was not boring . I now do 20 minutes of cardio , 20 minutes of weight lifting and an hour water aerobic class . The cardio and weight lifting are boring but the water aerobics is a blast and I really enjoy it . I feel great most of the time .