Enough About Me

 My beautiful and talented Sicilian wife read my blog from beginning to end.  She noted that recently I've begun to promote myself and she stated that I sound like an arrogant ass.  Needless to say, when someone close to you lets you know you have something in your teeth instead of letting you walk around like an idiot, it's a good thing.  My baby has never been much on softening the blow to the ego, she just lets it fly and I'm grateful.  She is usually dead on.  So we need to get back to fitness in midlife.  

One of the things that I've always found peculiar is the fact that people that have been in good shape when they were young often ask me how to get back into shape when they are in mid life.  They usually start off asking and then immediately begin talking incessantly about what they used to do to stay in shape.  They usually block out any or all of my recommendations and start up on a routine of exercise and diet they did back when they were eighteen.

There is a problem with this line of thinking.  First, it is incredibly easy to be in shape when you are young.  Sorry folks, but that is a fact.  That is also why we should be so alarmed with the high obesity rate amongst our young.  Second, what worked for you back then probably worked because you were young.  You still had a pretty quick metabolism and you could heal form whatever it was you decided to copy out of the magazines you read.  Finally, if you never really understood the basic principles of body weight manipulation and strength training, you probably haven't gained that knowledge just because you are older.

In midlife we need to eat differently, exercise differently, and think differently.  There is no magic bullet regardless of how much we want one.  It would be very easy for me to throw up a bunch of testimonials of before and after pictures, put together a bullshit plan of exercise and diet , and promote that you will be thinner in six weeks or less.  As long as you get there TEMPORARILY, then I've met my obligation and you owe me $29.99, right?  NO!!!!!  Don't fall for the fluff!!!!  If it were that easy don't you think everyone would look great ALL THE TIME!!!  Sometimes I wish that there was a law that made everyone that did a testimonial for the fitness industry come back every year for pictures and a health evaluation.  Then we would see the truth.

So lets start with something simple.  I don't expect any of you to do it, but I'll throw it out there anyway.

Just start reading labels of everything you put in your mouth and begin minimizing your carbohydrate intake.

You don't even need to know what they are.  Just start reading and thinking about the number of carbs you eat each day, and we'll progress from there.  NO!!! This is not Adkins.  If you don't want to do it, then don't.  If you are tired of not being a better you, then give it a shot.  

My next post will give you a couple of items you can add to your diet that are low in carbohydrates.  NO!!! You should not add them to your diet.  You should replace something in your diet.  That way you are slowly changing your habits to get stronger and healthier.  Please don't tell me that you honestly think that you can keep doing what you are doing and get a different outcome.  If I seem a little demanding it is because I am still stinging about my wife being right.  Let's get to it then!!!!