[CharleyGnarlyP290]

Over the last few years I have been endeavoring to get myself in better shape. I am 46 and not getting any younger, and have been carrying around an extra twenty/twenty-five lubs.
To keep it short, I have tried all kinds of stuff to see what works best for me: Counting calories; P90X, plus diet; Power 90, plus diet. The whole counting calories thing is OK for some, but it doesn't really matter if I am throwing down junk. The intense exercising, ala P90X is exhausting and to get the maximum benefit of the workout you have to make sure you are getting enough calories. And the program is 1+ hours a day, six days a week.
It just seems that it can get confusing, time consuming, and boring after a while. Cripes, I would be so tired come Saturday that riding was the last thing on my mind.
In my quest for fitness I have stumbled upon some things that make sense (to me at least) are fairly straightforward, and have given me really good results in a matter of three weeks.
I found a site called Mark's Daily Apple. It falls under the Primal category and includes eating habits and exercise. It is quite a departure from "Conventional Wisdom" (as he refers to it) and could be seen as quite radical to most.
I'll let you check it out if you want to get the details, but it boils down to eating whole foods, including a lot of veggies, plenty of protein, and plenty of good fats. The big thing in this is to cut waayyy back on the carbs, and pretty much eliminate grains.
So far, although I haven't gone totally gung-ho (other that hacking my carb intake a ton,) I have seen some great improvements. I have dropped eight pounds in three weeks, and I feel way better. More energetic. Not so lethargic by the time evening roles around. And I really dig the fact that I am never hungry. I can chow down with the right things and get full without feeling like a slug.
So, what are you people doing to stay healthy?

[seafoamer]

I bicycle commute, and ride a road bike almost everywhere I go, year round in practically any weather (in a crappy climate).
I eat lots of veggies, legumes, whole grains, a little bit of fruit.
I rarely eat red meat, but do eat chicken once or twice a week, and fish once a week.

Being healthy is a lifestyle. You gots to get zen about it. But, make it into your own zen shit.

This post has been edited by seafoamer: 09 April 2011 - 12:00 AM

[Freshour]

Racing season I eat baked fish and rice. There's tons of ways to fix both. Last season I dropped 32 lbs. in less than 6 weeks. I take a multi vit, flax seed oil, cranberry tabs and fish oil. I ride a couple hours a day and my job makes me walk well over the recommended 10,000 steps a day.

[Curt]

I ride my mountain bike no less than 1x a week (3 hours+) for the last 3 plus years. No pussy rides either, at least 2000 feet of elevation gain which always results in max heart rate and plenty of sweating.

I have lost about 25 lbs since 2007 all while doing something that is as much (or more)fun (other than the uphill) than any bmx riding/racing I ever did.

Best part I am 46 and am fit enough to race the occassional Cat 3 or a 12/24 hour endurance race and compete. No threat for the win (yet) but I am out there mixing it up with guys half my age.

Best advice I can give is find something that makes you sweat, and you enjoy, do it often and routinely. Then plan on doing it the rest of your life, of which should be longer and of a better quality.

[Richard Vogt - bmxmountainbiker]

I'm 51 and I walk between 5 and 10 miles a day at work. I didn't believe it before I took my wife's pedometer to work to see how far I actually walked. Work boots last about 6 to 9 months and then have to be re-soled or replaced. When I left the office and went back out in the field, I dropped 25 lbs in about a month and it has stayed off even though I eat like a horse.

I have been surfing every day I could for the last 2 years, so I ride my bikes a lot less time, but my daughter pushes me to ride with her almost every night. I went out paddling today and the waves were exceptional so I stayed out for almost 4 hours. I can't imagine how many calories that I burned paddling out and catching waves, but I know I was exhausted when I got back home. I love the rhythm of the ocean and the way it makes me feel, so it is very easy for me to go out almost every day to exercise.

As far as diet, I try to eat right and my wife buys good food. However I have a weakness for Girl Scout cookies, Chunky Monkey ice cream, Popeyes fried chicken, rare steaks, and fried pork chops with the associated fat-based gravies, so I guess that probably cancels out the good food.

I can't imagine ever feeling old, but I know that time is coming...

Richard Vogt
bmxmountainbiker

[Contender]

I like to lift weights, part of physical therapy for old racing injury. I ride a Stairmaster, bought a real good used one for home use. And I like to pedal around town and up hills. This year gonna get my little sprint bmx practice track going.

I eat eggs, tuna, chicken, beef, turkey, pork tenderloin, lean stuff. Veggies but I take it easy on potatoes, and easy on grains, almost no bread.

Whey shakes, with fiber once a day with a multivitamin.

Rarely eat at fast food, but you can get healthy stuff there now. Like grilled chicken filets at KFC, Low carb burger at Carl's etc. No fries, and an ice tea no sugar. (No sodas in my diet at all.)

Weakness? Taco truck asada burritos with no rice, premium beers or ales, teriaki chicken with garlic fried rice, chili with beans. Pizza can make it tough to keep portions in check as well. It isn't easy.

Dave Draper advises,

"The secret is, there is no secret. Just hard work and consistency."