I wanted to improve my 33-year-old body, so this is what I did
Getting old sucks.
I take that back. We’re not old. We’re just getting older. And it’s not all bad by any stretch of the imagination; I’m thoroughly enjoying my 30s. So let’s try this again.
Getting older can suck.
Remember when you could eat whatever you wanted and not gain a pound? Beers and a cheeseburger for lunch. Pizza for dinner. Pizza again for fourthmeal (sorry, Taco Bell) at 3 am after making a bunch of other great decisions throughout the night. And then, just for fun, leftover fourthmeal pizza for breakfast, because I’m barely getting off of the couch today, let alone playing Iron Chef.
Yeah, those days are long gone. Our bodies can’t handle that anymore. They make us pay what we owe, and then some.
We can feel it, and we can see it. We feel sluggish and we don’t have as much energy as we used to. We get out of breath more easily. When we do something physically strenuous, we stay sore longer. We put on unwanted weight and get soft around the edges.
What causes this? A slowing metabolism? A less active lifestyle because of job/kids/general adult stuff? A crappy diet because of job/kids/general adult stuff? All of the above?
It’s comforting to place the blame on things outside of our control. Because if it’s not our fault, then it’s easier to not do anything about it. Inertia is powerful.
Here’s the deal, guys. We’re getting older and we can’t Benjamin Button that. So instead, we’ve got to take action and fight this inertia. We can gradually steer this ship in the direction we want, not the direction our current habits are taking us.
What does this redirect look like? Here’s a look into my mindset to provide a framework for my approach.
- I enjoy food. I’m not interested in blacklisting anything from my diet. I know, I KNOW, sugar is the worst thing ever and alcohol is just empty calories. But cookies are delicious, and I enjoy a glass of wine or three occasionally. Or some quality tequila, neat, because if you have to dress it up or chase it, you shouldn’t be drinking it.
- I am unapologetically lazy. I’m at a point in life where I don’t care to spend 2+ hours in the gym. After about an hour, I’d better see daylight. Also, three days a week is good for me. I used to get after it four and five days a week. I just don’t care that much anymore; I’ve got other things to do with my time.
- While keeping in mind the first two points, I still want maximum-ish results. I’m not interested in working unnecessarily hard and giving up a lot; I’m interested in working efficiently. I want seemingly disproportionate results. Note that I didn’t say I won’t ever have to work hard, just that I’m going to be smart about it.
Within this framework, I maintain around 10% body fat. I can back squat twice my body weight. At 33, I’m in the best shape of my life. How have I done it?
First and foremost, my diet, what I eat and drink (sorry, you can’t exercise your way out of this one).
Even though not all calories are created equal, I still use overall calories as a general guide.
Last year, I used Flexible Dieting for several months to get my eating habits under control. Flexible Dieting is a nutritional framework that says for body recomposition, calories and macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) are the most important variables, so they are the focus.
The first thing I did was track my daily calories to figure out what my maintenance calorie needs were. Mine were somewhere around 2200 calories on non-lifting days. Lifting days have different needs, mainly more calories and carbs. I stuck to 2200 rather well, give or take 100. Now I shoot for the 2000–2500 calorie range.
With that under control, I then lean more towards protein and fat and less towards carbs, especially on non-lifting days. So if I have a cheeseburger, I’ll pair that with some roasted veggies instead of fries. If I know I’ll be having a Chocolate Chunk Cookie from Chick-fil-A at dinner (definitely worth the occasional 350 calories and 50g carb splurge), then I’ll carb down for lunch.
I generally try to view my diet as fuel. What will make this machine run the best?
So yes, I may have that cheeseburger occasionally, but I know that I’ll feel better if I have a salmon salad instead. Food that weighs you down tends to be bad for your body composition and your energy.
I also find that the more we give our body the proper fuel, the more it craves it. This is how we can make inertia work for us. Continually feed yourself that 93 octane, then it gradually becomes easier to choose that 93 octane again over the 87 octane macaroni and cheese.
I try not to drink a lot of calories, which means lots of water. I’ve found that a lot of times I think I’m hungry, I’m actually just thirsty. So water, water, and more water. If you’re whacking out five and six Cokes a day, do me a favor and cut that down to two or three. Baby steps.
I eat slowly. This gives my body time to let me know it’s full so I don’t end up with a food baby and fall asleep at my desk at 2:00 pm.
Special occasions? Life is short. Treat. Yo. Self. My boy from high school got married last weekend. Three pieces of wedding cake were calling my name, and I happily obliged.
Coming in second place, exercise.
Compound movements with heavy (whatever that means for you) weights. Compound movements use multiple joints and multiple muscle groups. Back squats, deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and thrusters are my favorite. There are more though; pick your poison. I choose heavy compound movements because you work several areas at once, get out of the gym quicker, and get results quicker.
Three sessions a week, 1–1.5 hours per session. I supplement this with other time-efficient fitness activities spread throughout the week. Maybe some air squats when I wake up on Monday. A mile run when I get home from work on Wednesday. Push-ups after dinner on Thursday. Kettlebell swings while watching Louie on Sunday. I’m talking 5, 10, 15 minutes.
All of this stuff I’m telling you, it’s nothing new. You’ve probably heard it many times before, although maybe not these specifics.
My goal is to communicate in a way that encourages you to take action. You’ve read (figuratively) millions of articles about diet and exercise. Reading won’t get you the extra-long stare from your wife as you walk out of the shower or the doe eyes and lingering handshake from the newly introduced sales rep (no fraternizing!). You need to take action.
In upcoming posts, I’ll touch on habits. Habits, whether good or bad (however you define those), are your drivers. You, your conscious self, are simply a backseat passenger, or maybe a passenger seat navigator at best. You are not in control; your subconscious habits are. So if you truly want to affect change, you have to change your habits.
Tell me if this sounds familiar. Your significant other has an issue. You propose a solution. She nods, but it seemingly goes in one ear and out the other. A week later, she comes to you and tells you her friend/co-worker/random person on the street told her the same thing you told her, and it sounds like a good idea. Oh, you mean that same thing I told you a week ago? WTF?
What happened is that your voice didn’t resonate with her. Maybe she felt you didn’t really understand her or her issue. The friend/co-worker/random person on the street made her feel understood. They got in her head and spoke her language.
That’s my goal. To converse like that friend/co-worker/random person on the street. To help you sense that I hear you and I understand you. To have you nodding your head as you’re reading.
And once I’ve done that, once I’ve spoken your language, I want to help you reach your goals. I won’t resonate with everyone, and that’s ok. But for those that I do connect with, let’s fight that inertia together and change some habits for the better. Your body, your wife, and the new sales rep will thank you for it.
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