Best weight loss exercise vs age
Discussion
Quick update since I started the thread. I’ve just been snacking less and cutting out the booze and I’ve lost 30lbs now since mid October. I’ve been doing three runs a week which are basically a slow 13ish k a medium 7k and some treadmill intervals. I’ve been doing HIIT sessions three days a week which are half hour body weight exercises.
Compared to when I was trying to cut back about 10 years ago I could then drop 2lbs a week easily just swimming half an hour 5 days a week while now I’m maybe dropping about 1.5lbs a week at best.
I feel better though from mixing up the training more than just swimming and I’ve enjoyed doing the body weight HIIT like burpees and press-ups etc which I was rubbish at when I started.
So it’s definitely harder when you’re older in your 40s compared to your 30s, just incase anyone wasn’t sure.
Compared to when I was trying to cut back about 10 years ago I could then drop 2lbs a week easily just swimming half an hour 5 days a week while now I’m maybe dropping about 1.5lbs a week at best.
I feel better though from mixing up the training more than just swimming and I’ve enjoyed doing the body weight HIIT like burpees and press-ups etc which I was rubbish at when I started.
So it’s definitely harder when you’re older in your 40s compared to your 30s, just incase anyone wasn’t sure.
I'd highly recommend some of the Beachbody programmes, particularly the P90X range. These provide 60 or 90 day exercise and nutrition plans. I shed over 2 stone with P90X when I was mid 40s and improved my fitness no ends. Have since done T25 and currently doing P90X3 (now 53).
Caveat is that you have to follow the nutrition plan. I must admit that I used it more as a guide in terms of food types and quantities but was still effective.
Caveat is that you have to follow the nutrition plan. I must admit that I used it more as a guide in terms of food types and quantities but was still effective.
denn69 said:
I lost 10lbs. I did it by mainly restricting carbs - no wheat, corn, rice, potatoes, and obviously sugar. I eat a good amount of protein and don't worry about fat. The carbs I do eat are lots vegetables and moderate fruit. I am 36 now and have managed to keep the fat off. I also never had to count calories. I just eat when I'm hungry.
I lost about 5 stone over 18 months or so late 30s doing low carb, bit of IF (which high protein/low carb lends itself to IME) nothing too extreme like keto etc and regularly drank and had treats, and not especially gruelling.My advice would be to find something you enjoy; that way you're more likely to stick at it, do more of it, and obviously enjoy yourself too. Any activity is good.
My second piece of advice would be to look at your diet. I love cooking, and I eat a lot in terms of volume, but even a bulging plate full of one of my home cooked dinners has fewer calories than a large size Mars bar, or three home made flapjacks. The killer thing is that I could eat a giant Mars bar or three flapjacks and still feel hungry afterwards, but a big plate of healthy food leaves me full for hours.
I'd also focus on your size, not just your weight. I've been pretty much the same size my entire life, but my weight has changed with the different sports I've done. I'm close to my heaviest weight now (74kg, my lightest was 58kg, average about 67kg), and I'm doing the most activity I've ever done: running 70-75km a week and in the gym for an hour twice a week. My wife was actually the heaviest she's ever been whilst training for a half marathon, but the smallest dress size. If you're starting overweight, I wouldn't expect your weight to go up as you lose weight, but if you're doing a lot of exercise you may find your weight loss starts to slow as muscle increases, even though your size is dropping.
One more thing: to make energy for your muscles, your body can use both carbs and fat, and the percentage of each that your body uses changes with exertion level or heart rate. This means that intense exercise may not be what you want - that'll work out your heart well, but you'll be burning a greater proportion of carbs vs fat to do it. I should point out straight away that this is a percentage, not an absolute, so you may actually be burning more fat at 160bpm than 130bpm (for example) if the numbers work out right, but it's nevertheless important to recognise the distinction. For me as a runner for example, the effort required to complete a 20km long run at 145bpm heart rate is similar to a hard 10km run with 6km in the middle at 'tempo' pace (165-170bpm), but I suspect I'd be burning more fat on the long run. I had all this tested last summer so I can use the info in training - it's highly individual, but you'll find good generic info out there if you look. It also depends how you fuel your body prior to exercise: your body prefers to burn carbs (it's a more efficient energy conversion process), so if they're available, it'll use them; however, you don't want to exercise completely fasted, as it'll waste your muscles. On that note, if you have more muscle it'll increase your basal metabolic rate (energy used just sitting still), although this effect is much smaller than weight lifting gym bunnies will have you believe - studies show about 10% difference in BMR between weight training individuals compared to a control.
My second piece of advice would be to look at your diet. I love cooking, and I eat a lot in terms of volume, but even a bulging plate full of one of my home cooked dinners has fewer calories than a large size Mars bar, or three home made flapjacks. The killer thing is that I could eat a giant Mars bar or three flapjacks and still feel hungry afterwards, but a big plate of healthy food leaves me full for hours.
I'd also focus on your size, not just your weight. I've been pretty much the same size my entire life, but my weight has changed with the different sports I've done. I'm close to my heaviest weight now (74kg, my lightest was 58kg, average about 67kg), and I'm doing the most activity I've ever done: running 70-75km a week and in the gym for an hour twice a week. My wife was actually the heaviest she's ever been whilst training for a half marathon, but the smallest dress size. If you're starting overweight, I wouldn't expect your weight to go up as you lose weight, but if you're doing a lot of exercise you may find your weight loss starts to slow as muscle increases, even though your size is dropping.
One more thing: to make energy for your muscles, your body can use both carbs and fat, and the percentage of each that your body uses changes with exertion level or heart rate. This means that intense exercise may not be what you want - that'll work out your heart well, but you'll be burning a greater proportion of carbs vs fat to do it. I should point out straight away that this is a percentage, not an absolute, so you may actually be burning more fat at 160bpm than 130bpm (for example) if the numbers work out right, but it's nevertheless important to recognise the distinction. For me as a runner for example, the effort required to complete a 20km long run at 145bpm heart rate is similar to a hard 10km run with 6km in the middle at 'tempo' pace (165-170bpm), but I suspect I'd be burning more fat on the long run. I had all this tested last summer so I can use the info in training - it's highly individual, but you'll find good generic info out there if you look. It also depends how you fuel your body prior to exercise: your body prefers to burn carbs (it's a more efficient energy conversion process), so if they're available, it'll use them; however, you don't want to exercise completely fasted, as it'll waste your muscles. On that note, if you have more muscle it'll increase your basal metabolic rate (energy used just sitting still), although this effect is much smaller than weight lifting gym bunnies will have you believe - studies show about 10% difference in BMR between weight training individuals compared to a control.
Edited by RobM77 on Friday 21st February 09:44
Good post, but as it everything there's caveats, protein can also be used for energy. It also has an effect where energy is used in utilising it so protein heavy diets can aid in fat loss.
Exercising completely fasted won't waste you muscles, so long as you eat at some point post the exercise, and that meals have all the necessary macro and micro nutrients. I train fasted and have put on muscle over the past 6 months.
Exercising completely fasted won't waste you muscles, so long as you eat at some point post the exercise, and that meals have all the necessary macro and micro nutrients. I train fasted and have put on muscle over the past 6 months.
Halb said:
Good post, but as it everything there's caveats, protein can also be used for energy. It also has an effect where energy is used in utilising it so protein heavy diets can aid in fat loss.
Exercising completely fasted won't waste you muscles, so long as you eat at some point post the exercise, and that meals have all the necessary macro and micro nutrients. I train fasted and have put on muscle over the past 6 months.
Strength training can halt age related muscle loss. Wether you want to, or consider it a priority as you age, depends on the individual. I'd say the best diet is high fat, low carb low protein, but good protein. Not the tastiest though. Exercising completely fasted won't waste you muscles, so long as you eat at some point post the exercise, and that meals have all the necessary macro and micro nutrients. I train fasted and have put on muscle over the past 6 months.
It need not be complex.
Move -Different activities. At different intensities.
Make general movement a part of your day.
Walk as much as possible, use stairs, stand in meetings, sometimes stand if working at a desk.
Eat less bread, pasta and rice. Eat more vegetables and some fruit. Eat protein.
Bodyweight strength exercises will take you a long way, they can be progressed to a fairly high standard with time. Use simple, off-balance weight training tools. Get outside.
Move -Different activities. At different intensities.
Make general movement a part of your day.
Walk as much as possible, use stairs, stand in meetings, sometimes stand if working at a desk.
Eat less bread, pasta and rice. Eat more vegetables and some fruit. Eat protein.
Bodyweight strength exercises will take you a long way, they can be progressed to a fairly high standard with time. Use simple, off-balance weight training tools. Get outside.
Olas said:
Calories in:Calories out is a very simple ratio. Chronology does not change this fact.
It bloody well does. I've exercised most of my life, I do more now than when I was younger, I eat less and I'm merely not as fat as I might be. If I was following my current program when I was younger I'd be an adonis... 
I suspect only young people will argue against this
WinstonWolf said:
Olas said:
Calories in:Calories out is a very simple ratio. Chronology does not change this fact.
It bloody well does. I've exercised most of my life, I do more now than when I was younger, I eat less and I'm merely not as fat as I might be. If I was following my current program when I was younger I'd be an adonis... I suspect only young people will argue against this
My own, entirely unscientific but based on experience view, is that your 40s is the last chance you have of defining your fitness for the remainder of your life. I'm sure its possible for a mid-50s tubber to get properly fit and ripped (not that the latter is necessarily important), I rather think the effort needed in doing so out-weighs any gains. Recovery times are longer. Risk of injury can be higher. Metabolism changes. Testosterone can drop.... Unless you've stemmed the flow when you had the physical capacity to do so.
StevieBee said:
Yep! My 20 year old lad only has to look at a dumbbell and he's ripped.
My own, entirely unscientific but based on experience view, is that your 40s is the last chance you have of defining your fitness for the remainder of your life. I'm sure its possible for a mid-50s tubber to get properly fit and ripped (not that the latter is necessarily important), I rather think the effort needed in doing so out-weighs any gains. Recovery times are longer. Risk of injury can be higher. Metabolism changes. Testosterone can drop.... Unless you've stemmed the flow when you had the physical capacity to do so.
I think there is something in this. It must be easier to maintain the fitness and conditioning that to try to develop it from a low starting point later in life. My own, entirely unscientific but based on experience view, is that your 40s is the last chance you have of defining your fitness for the remainder of your life. I'm sure its possible for a mid-50s tubber to get properly fit and ripped (not that the latter is necessarily important), I rather think the effort needed in doing so out-weighs any gains. Recovery times are longer. Risk of injury can be higher. Metabolism changes. Testosterone can drop.... Unless you've stemmed the flow when you had the physical capacity to do so.
I know some very fit 50+ people. They have been at it since their teens.
I intend to maintain my health and fitness for as long as I can.
mcelliott said:
gregs656 said:
MC Bodge said:
It need not be complex.
It must be complex, otherwise excuses dwindle...MC Bodge said:
El stovey said:
It’s complex enough that only a couple of people have answered my original question which is about intervals vs steady heart rate exercise and the difference when you age.
How much do you need to know?Do both. Don't overdo it.
Everyone knows that if you move more and eat less you’ll lose weight and not to overdo it
That’s not at all what I was asking.
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