Health in General - Exercise, Mental health, Food and Diet

[PilotMan]

I thought I would start this thread as I haven't seen anything focussed on it.

It's a particular area I have always been interested in with respect to pro-actively taking care of my health. Be it Exercise, Diet, Supplements and more lately, Mental Health. Also spiritual Health, such as yoga / meditation, but not religion.

I would love to hear what others incorporate in to their daily routine, what struggles you have with maintaining a regime, what works for you and what hasn't.

I'll start with a quick summary of where I'm at.

[PilotMan]

Gym & Exercise

Up until Covid I was at the gym every weekday morning before work for a 45-50 minute workout. Since Covid I have based my office at home and have got out of that routine, as I no longer get up at 5.15AM to drive to London.

I would predominantly use free weights and weight machines, with a short cardio or stretching session to warm up.
I have a really well-equipped gym at home, but it’s outside in a log cabin. Even with a heater, it is bloody cold in the winter; and I’m a softie. So, I’ve struggled to get back into a routine. When the summer comes it’s easier and I usually work out in the evening.

I do walk my dogs every day, come rain or shine, that’s just over a mile, which takes me 20 – 25 minutes. It’s also a time when I mentally relax and just enjoy the moment I’m in; looking at nature and getting pleasure from my dogs doing what they do.

I’ve tried yoga in the past and surprisingly found this enjoyable, from the physical act of it, the breath work, and the mental act of relaxing. I will get back into it for these reasons.

Supplements

I’ve tried various supplements and have just started using products from Nutrition Geeks. When training hard I usually supplement with Protein Shakes.

Food and Diet

I’ve gradually moved away from processed and packaged foods, but they are often hard habits to break, especially the sauces like Ketchup and Sweet Chilli. I’m preparing more of my food from fresh ingredients, and no longer eat meat at home. I thought I would miss meat, but I don’t. I will eat meat when I dine out, usually steak, sometimes a gourmet burger.

I would take a guestimate and say that my “food” bill is either the same or slightly lower because I’m not buying meat.

I buy organic when available, provided it isn’t ridiculously more expensive.

I’ve found recipes from Tim Spector’s Food for Life book and the Blue Zones really helpful and enjoyable. I also got rid of my Teflon pots and pans and changed them for non PFOA pans.

Mental Health

I have been a very driven and motivated person, but finding nowadays, I have less drive. Aside from it being age related, I think that this is more down to me not doing as much in the gym.
One thing that has been on my mind (no pun intended) for several years, is dementia / Alzheimer's. My mum suffered a gradual decline from it after about age 85. So I’m taking steps to reduce the potential for that happening to me, such as diet and physical activity, which was never something my mum paid attention to.

My father had a small amount of memory loss, but didn’t have dementia – he died at age 80 from lung cancer. Contribution factors for that were working with asbestos when he was in his early twenties, and being a smoker (20 a day) until his late 40’s. He never exercised, other than playing golf a few times a week until his late 70’s

I get at least 8 hours sleep per night.

Alcohol & Smoking

I’m a non-smoker and have never smoked.

I don’t drink alcohol at home (never have), maybe on the rare occasion when entertaining. But I now have low and 0% beer for guests. When I go out, I choose to drink 0% or very low alcohol, such as Lucky Saint. I don’t miss alcohol.

[RandomGuy99]

In the evening it's too cold to go out for a walk or go to the gym. I lack motivation. Maybe I need to discuss with a local SP, so she offers an extra sloppy job in a 1 hr booking if I lose x lbs per week?

Supplements, I take vitamin D3, vitamin K2, magnesium and omega 3.

When I do walk, I do 5 miles which is about 10,000 steps.

I was going to the gym, I was doing well lose a stone, putting on muscle, jeans got loose on waist.

My cardio fitness score is 40 to 44 which apparently is very good for my age

BP good too.

[PilotMan]

In the evening it's too cold to go out for a walk or go to the gym. I lack motivation. Maybe I need to discuss with a local SP, so she offers an extra sloppy job in a 1 hr booking if I lose x lbs per week?

Maybe not so local - make it so that you have to jog there, get a shower, do some "exercise", jog home.

You killed two birds with one stone 

[RandomGuy99]

Maybe not so local - make it so that you have to jog there, get a shower, do some "exercise", jog home.

You killed two birds with one stone 

The only problem would be getting way too thin due to the motivation.

Or maybe it's lose x lbs and the SP wears gym gear in a booking. It encourages regular visits to the SP.  Need to find an SP who is a PT too for naked exercising although that might be traumatic for the SP. I could provided blinkers so she doesn't see me.

[RandomGuy99]

I eat a protein yoghurt each day which gives me 18g protein

Snacks, I go with fruit or lentil cakes which are low in calories.

I also eat protein porridge for breakfast, which is quite filling.

[PilotMan]

I've not heard of lentil cakes, I'll check them out.

I eat quite a lot of Tesco finest Greek Natural Yoghurt and add a small dollop of Kefir yoghurt to it. Along with, Blueberries,  Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Banana, Raisins, Chia Seeds, Ginger.

I previously ate pre mixed yoghurt, but now avoid them as I realised most of them contain lots of added sugar or sweeteners.

[RandomGuy99]

I've not heard of lentil cakes, I'll check them out.

I eat quite a lot of Tesco finest Greek Natural Yoghurt and add a small dollop of Kefir yoghurt to it. Along with, Blueberries,  Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Banana, Raisins, Chia Seeds, Ginger.

I previously ate pre mixed yoghurt, but now avoid them as I realised most of them contain lots of added sugar or sweeteners.

25 kcal and 1.8 g of protein a cake so healthier than most snacks and I think snacking is mostly psychological.

[Colston36]

I thought I would start this thread as I haven't seen anything focussed on it.

It's a particular area I have always been i nterested in with respect to pro-actively taking care of my health. Be it Exercise, Diet, Supplements and more lately, Mental Health. Also spiritual Health, such as yoga / meditation, but not religion.

I would love to hear what others incorporate in to their daily routine, what struggles you have with maintaining a regime, what works for you and what hasn't.

I'll start with a quick summary of where I'm at.

Before talking about what I do at the age of 89, can anyone tell me the difference between proactively and actively. Is there some sort of de-actively process I should be trying?

Anyhow, I swim 40 lengths of the pool at Bannatyne's club 4 times a week, don't drive but walk everywhere for about 8 hours every week. I do a couple of hundred press-ups  and variations like crunches once or twice a week and that's about it. I suspect it works as a woman who's doing some alterations for me thought I was 60 the other day.

[Rick2468]

Hi PilotMan. Great post! I regard myself as a bit of a fitness / health nut. Was really interesting to read about your aims and it is very inspiring. Set out some info about my routine.

Goals
One of my main motivations is to keep my waistline down, I hate having any kind of tummy sticking out. I think being in good shape really helps with confidence and shows you have your shit together. I got fat during my late 20s and didn't pull for over 2 years and just generally lacked confidence. Even presenting in front of people which I do as my job got more difficult.

I like to have some muscle on me too but not too big. I had a 'runners build' for a little while and even though I was healthy I don't think it suited me and I was so skinny I looked like I was ill.

I am also motivated to minimise the risk of cancers or dementia developing in future years.

Exercise routine

Running - 3 or 4 times a week (30km to 40km a week)

This is the exercise I enjoy the most. I tend to do a long run of about 20km on a Sunday morning. Then I'll do 2x shorter runs in the week. Most weeks I do a midweek run with friends which is a bit longer, otherwise the runs are on my own.

Weight training / upper body

Actually, this has fallen off a cliff in recent times so something I am working on this year. I was in a really good habit of going to the gym 3x a week and working on my upper body. 40 minute sessions of doing rowing, tricep dips, chin ups, weights, situps.

Things were going great and I was in really good shape. However I realised I was doing the identical routine every session. So to mix things up I decided to focus my routines around different muscle groups. However in doing this I realised I didn't really know how to go about it, and therefore I stopped working out all together. I still do some gym work at home a couple of times a week to keep a bit of bulk and definition but definitely less work than I used to.

Pilates

Had a health assessment through work about 5 years ago. Good results in general but my posture was awful. Took up a Pilates class which I go to every week. And when I'm good I also stretch between classes which I should do more of. In the summer if I'm WFH I go to the park and do some stretches in the sunshine.

I find Pilates the toughest exercise out of everything I do. I'd rather run a half marathon then do 1hr of Pilates!

Cycling

You will know from the other thread that I just bought an exercise bike. I'm still working out a routine but I would like to use it 3 times a week, on alternate days that I don't run.

Diet / nutrition

For years I have followed a routine of very healthy breakfast (smoothie, egg, homemade granola with yoguht), healthy lunch (chicken, broccoli and beans or a salad) but have a filthy dinner like a pizza. So I had something big to look forward to.

Had another health check through work last year and they told me to give up Ultra Processed Foods, which meant cutting out the pizzas and burgers. They explained this would reduce the risk of cancer and dementia, which was a huge incentive for me.

It was very tough to do. As so much of the food I bought classed as ultra processed. I found an app that tells you what is ultraprocesed, and there are message boards that suggest alternatives. My weekly shop today is unrecognisable compared to a year ago. And I make my own bread and pizza at home and I also learned to make incredible tasting southern fried chicken. It took a lot of time and effort, but when I eat a burger it doesn't taste how I expect and I don't crave them. I batch cook which means I can have hearty meals after work with minimal time and effort.

I don't completely avoid UPF, as would probably mean never eating out again. But at home I try and have a 100% UPF-free rule, aside from my whey protein. I add a scoop of unflavoured whey protein and creative to my morning smoothie. I used to have flavoured whey, but moved to unflavoured as it felt like a step away from UPF. I will consider moving away from Whey all together when my current 10kg haul runs out, but it may end up being something that stays.

I used to take supplements each day, vitamin D, B complex, magnesium and cod liver oil. I still have lots of supplements (I use the 3 for 2 in Boots deals and stock up 18 months worth of each at a time) but I have stopped taking them. I don't feel any difference. May go back to them at some point.

I was a heavy drinker in the past, even regarded myself as an alcoholic. During COVID I was drinking most days, and getting quite drunk even mid week on my own. Was on the slide, so gave up completely and will be completely sober for 5 years later this year. I initially wanted to take a temporary break and thought if I could make it to 3 months I'd be pleased, but it ended up potentially being permanent. I got bored when I stopped drinking so I thought I'd go running for the first time in ages, and enjoyed it so much I decided to get addicted to running instead of booze.

I must say though, whilst giving up booze is good for my health, my social life completely tanked as so much of my life was focused around drinking. I did get bored, and would even get bored on holidays in the evenings as usually I would go and get pissed most evenings. Thankfully I met my wife at this point, so I was able to refocus my social life around that. It would be great fun to get pissed just once but I don't want to lost my nearly-5 year streak.

Mental health

In general I try and have a positive attitude which I think helps your mood. I did go through a phase of being grumpy, and it can accumulate. Trying not to worry about things you can't control is also a good strategy where possible.

Feeling I am in good shape with clear mind and skin puts me in a good mood.

When I run I think I meditate a bit. I don't have headphones when I run which is mainly because I run on the tow paths and I want to have my wits about me in case a maniac cyclist comes up behind me without me seeing or hearing him. But I think this also helps me focus. When I run next to the canal I can look into the water and I think about things. I find it very calming and when I'm injured and can't run I really miss it.

On sleep, I get up at 6am or 6.30am even at the weekends, and go to bed at 10am or 10.30pm accordingly. I don't mind the early starts, but going to bed early can be annoying, sometimes football matches are still going after 10pm! When I run alone I head out shortly after 6am and it is great to run about when so few people are about.

[Thephoenix]

Before talking about what I do at the age of 89, can anyone tell me the difference between proactively and actively. Is there some sort of de-actively process I should be trying?

Anyhow, I swim 40 lengths of the pool at Bannatyne's club 4 times a week, don't drive but walk everywhere for about 8 hours every week. I do a couple of hundred press-ups  and variations like crunches once or twice a week and that's about it. I suspect it works as a woman who's doing some alterations for me thought I was 60 the other day.

I'm impressed Colston.

[Yankee21]

Coming back from longterm serious health issues post COVID
Past 2-3 years 4-5 walks a week - 60 mins long - Zone 2 with frequent stops.
Well enough over past 12 months to get back into lifting 3 times a week, full body no longer than 75 mins per session.
Base most of my meals around protein and healthy fats, lots of fibre and minimal carbs.
Focussed on minimising stress especially with work and properties. In spring will be getting a rescue dog which will help with maintaining cardio and more importantly a focus post spouse passing away.

[Malvolio]

As a man who lives on his own, an important thing for me is getting out of the flat and having some actual human contact every day.

Maintaining friendships is important for me - I have no commitments after I finish work, so I can be the one who travels for an hour across London to meet up.

[PilotMan]

Before talking about what I do at the age of 89, can anyone tell me the difference between proactively and actively. Is there some sort of de-actively process I should be trying?

Anyhow, I swim 40 lengths of the pool at Bannatyne's club 4 times a week, don't drive but walk everywhere for about 8 hours every week. I do a couple of hundred press-ups  and variations like crunches once or twice a week and that's about it. I suspect it works as a woman who's doing some alterations for me thought I was 60 the other day.

You sir are an inspiration 

[Watts.E.Dunn]

I see that "Tai chi" workouts are being promoted on Youtube quite a lot recently, anyone do that and is it as good as its claimed?..

[RandomGuy99]

Coming back from longterm serious health issues post COVID
Past 2-3 years 4-5 walks a week - 60 mins long - Zone 2 with frequent stops.
Well enough over past 12 months to get back into lifting 3 times a week, full body no longer than 75 mins per session.
Base most of my meals around protein and healthy fats, lots of fibre and minimal carbs.
Focussed on minimising stress especially with work and properties. In spring will be getting a rescue dog which will help with maintaining cardio and more importantly a focus post spouse passing away.

Sounds good, well done on your recovery

[PilotMan]

Thanks for everyone who has shared on here so far.

It's great to hear from others who are choosing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, because it does take effort, commitment and perseverance.

When I first decided that I wanted to go to a gym, there was hardly anything available in East London that had weight equipment, just Muscle Works in Bethnal Green. There's far more choice everywhere now, most of which is well equipped and highly affordable, thankfully.

When it comes to food, I believe things have improved, but could still be a lot better. Particularly when a huge amount of what is on offer in UK supermarkets is processed, highly processed, and Ultra Processed foods. I think it will change if we can get some sort of improved food labeling, better highlighting the amount of refined sugar is in a product, and how processed it is.

I'm inspired to hear the challenges people have overcome, and are still working on.

[Jaderat2]

Hi everyone,

Im no expert on health or fitness but do try. I do a mix of gym/weights, kickboxing/japanese jui jitsu/(beginner level) judo and some running when I can (my cardio has never been my strong point).

I do find the below link to the Bobby Maximus exercise channel quite good and Ive tried to incorperate his exercises into my own training and feel that it has helped me.

External Link/Members Only

[Rick2468]

When it comes to food, I believe things have improved, but could still be a lot better. Particularly when a huge amount of what is on offer in UK supermarkets is processed, highly processed, and Ultra Processed foods. I think it will change if we can get some sort of improved food labeling, better highlighting the amount of refined sugar is in a product, and how processed it is.

There is a widely popular view that 'processed' and 'highly processed' food is fine. For example chopped tomatoes in a can are processed, because they have been chopped up. And things like fruit and vegetable can be cleaned. The thing to avoid is 'ultra processed food', where preservatives, gums, flavourings etc have been added to alter the taste and texture of food. This means when you eat it your brain expects one type of food based on taste but your body receives something else, which is not healthy. For example if you take in sweeteners, your body expects pure sugar so releases insulin.

Labelling is not great. But you can use this website or download the app (External Link/Members Only) to scan almost all supermarket products. I use the NOVA scale to assess if something is ultraprocessed. The NOVA scale goes from 1 to 4, and anything from 1 to 3 is okay. But I avoid 4 almost entirely.

Something to note is that the NOVA score can vary between brands. For example I wanted some Tikka Masala paste a few months ago, almost all the supermarket brands were NOVA=4, but the Waitrose one had NOVA=3 so I bought it from there.

Giving up ultra processed food is one of the toughest things I did from an admin perspective, as it completely changed the way I shop. I also didn't feel any immediate health benefits when I changed but the gains are more long term as there is strong evidence it helps prevent cancer and dementia. Also after a few months your palate changes. I had chocolates over Christmas and they tasted too sweet and kind of disgusting, although I did enjoy them to an extent due to the nostalgia and feeling Christmasy.

It is also fun eating new things and trying new recipes. I make an amazing mouse with cocoa, honey and tofu when I have a sweet craving which is so easy to make and tastes so much better than the biscuits or cakes you get from the shops.

There is a book called Ultra Processed People which does a deep dive, and I recommend it because it talks about how food is made and it is repulsive. I can't eat supermarket ice cream now without thinking about the chemical gums in it. This lecture by the author gives a good overview which might help you think if you want to learn more (sorry for all the links): External Link/Members Only

Good luck with whatever you tried to do. I found giving up UPF tough but I am really glad I did. I always think, if you improve one or two things about your health, career or lifestyle every year, then over your lifetime it can make a huge difference. Even over 5 years it can make a difference. So always look to improve, and change can be fun too!

[Strawberry]

There is a widely popular view that 'processed' and 'highly processed' food is fine. For example chopped tomatoes in a can are processed, because they have been chopped up. And things like fruit and vegetable can be cleaned. The thing to avoid is 'ultra processed food', where preservatives, gums, flavourings etc have been added to alter the taste and texture of food. This means when you eat it your brain expects one type of food based on taste but your body receives something else, which is not healthy. For example if you take in sweeteners, your body expects pure sugar so releases insulin.

Labelling is not great. But you can use this website or download the app (External Link/Members Only) to scan almost all supermarket products. I use the NOVA scale to assess if something is ultraprocessed. The NOVA scale goes from 1 to 4, and anything from 1 to 3 is okay. But I avoid 4 almost entirely.

Something to note is that the NOVA score can vary between brands. For example I wanted some Tikka Masala paste a few months ago, almost all the supermarket brands were NOVA=4, but the Waitrose one had NOVA=3 so I bought it from there.

Giving up ultra processed food is one of the toughest things I did from an admin perspective, as it completely changed the way I shop. I also didn't feel any immediate health benefits when I changed but the gains are more long term as there is strong evidence it helps prevent cancer and dementia. Also after a few months your palate changes. I had chocolates over Christmas and they tasted too sweet and kind of disgusting, although I did enjoy them to an extent due to the nostalgia and feeling Christmasy.

It is also fun eating new things and trying new recipes. I make an amazing mouse with cocoa, honey and tofu when I have a sweet craving which is so easy to make and tastes so much better than the biscuits or cakes you get from the shops.

There is a book called Ultra Processed People which does a deep dive, and I recommend it because it talks about how food is made and it is repulsive. I can't eat supermarket ice cream now without thinking about the chemical gums in it. This lecture by the author gives a good overview which might help you think if you want to learn more (sorry for all the links): External Link/Members Only

Good luck with whatever you tried to do. I found giving up UPF tough but I am really glad I did. I always think, if you improve one or two things about your health, career or lifestyle every year, then over your lifetime it can make a huge difference. Even over 5 years it can make a difference. So always look to improve, and change can be fun too!

I have a piece of high quality, high cocoa chocolate with fruit every day, and 2 teaspoons of Haagen Dacz with fruit every other day. Took a while for this to work, and some practice but it controls my cravings. Haagen Dacz vanilla is probably the least processed ice cream available, literally is just cream, eggs, vanilla. I also like real butter, not the low fat spreads I used to think were healthy. Once again controlled amount, satisfies taste buds.

[PilotMan]

I also like real butter, not the low fat spreads I used to think were healthy.

I also long held the belief that full fat butter was really bad for you, so I used Lurpak or similar. Now I've gone back to butter as I try to eat more "natural" products.

The taste is way better too 

[Jumping Jack Flash]

I’ve always been very active which over the years has helped me keep the pounds off. I played semi-pro sport for nearly 30 years and this kept me fit. In the close season I used to run or go to the gym and on the odd occasion that I felt I’d slipped on a few extra inches I’d employ a PT to fine-tune and re-focus my gym regime and that always helped.

Since I retired from competitive sport I have continued with the gym three times a week and as I’ve got two dogs I walk for an hour a day with them. I find that to be relaxing and rewarding, seeing my dogs happy makes me happy.

I’m a total foodie and I enjoy cooking so I cook from fresh most days. I use fresh ingredients so i know exactly what is going into my food and this is reflected in the taste. I’m not too hung up on calories etc but I do avoid stuff like white bread which has very little nutritional value.

I do enjoy a drink but rarely overdo it, unless I’m watching a major sports event like the Six Nations later on today.

I use music to relax and I can lose myself in a good book which also relaxes me and stimulates my mind.

I enter my 7th decade this year and I don’t feel any different to when I was 30. My energy levels are high and whilst I can’t do what I used to do physically - mentally is another matter entirely - I’m in a good place.

In many ways the human body is like a car. You’ve got to look after it and use the right fuel to get the most out of it and to achieve longevity.

[PilotMan]

@Jumping Jack Flash

It's good to hear from people who are your age and feel high energy as well as being in a great place mentally.

My dogs do the same for me, mentally and physically 

I'm a foodie, and really enjoy cooking too. I've increased the use of fresh ingredients in my cooking.

I can do a lot of stuff that I used to do physically (at least in my head  ) I just can't go the whole day flat out, like I used to.

I agree regarding the body is like a car, good maintenance will ensure it runs like new for much longer - even if it looks a bit dated. I like to think I'm reaching revered classic status 

[Jumping Jack Flash]

@Jumping Jack Flash

It's good to hear from people who are your age and feel high energy as well as being in a great place mentally.

My dogs do the same for me, mentally and physically 

I'm a foodie, and really enjoy cooking too. I've increased the use of fresh ingredients in my cooking.

I can do a lot of stuff that I used to do physically (at least in my head  ) I just can't go the whole day flat out, like I used to.

I agree regarding the body is like a car, good maintenance will ensure it runs like new for much longer - even if it looks a bit dated. I like to think I'm reaching revered classic status 

In my mind I’m a Lamborghini engine in a British Leyland body

[PilotMan]

There is a book called Ultra Processed People which does a deep dive, and I recommend it because it talks about how food is made and it is repulsive. I can't eat supermarket ice cream now without thinking about the chemical gums in it. This lecture by the author gives a good overview which might help you think if you want to learn more (sorry for all the links): External Link/Members Only

The TV programme "What not to eat" on channel 4 is all about UPF's. When you see how things are made in food factories, you will be repulsed.

The food scientists very cleverly manipulate the ingredients of packaged foods so that we are actually addicted to them.

Sugar addiction is more deadly than cocaine, and causes similar long term health issues.

[Thephoenix]

I agree that regular exercise is important, and I try to follow a strict routine.


Hidden Image/Members Only

[PilotMan]

I agree that regular exercise is important, and I try to follow a strict routine.


Hidden Image/Members Only

So that's your secret 

[myothernameis]

Gym & Exercise

Up until Covid I was at the gym every weekday

Pre-Covid, I considered myself very active, which would include gym sessions, out on my bike for a 30 mile cycle, in the summer.  Occasional long walks in the early evening, and still felt like punting, but come Covid, that all changed

By the end of 2021 I tested positive for covid, and had the usual symptoms: temperature, chills, body aches, exhaustion, fatigued so sleeping a lot, but after 10 day, this all cleared up, but !

I was left with a respiratory infection lasting 4 month, and another month for it to fully clear up, and my problems began to mount up.   Irritation to lungs meant some difficulty in breathing, and lead to issues with my heart

2023 second covid infection which more or less floored me, and I struggled for around 6 months, but eventually my health improved, but with complications

2024 I could still manage some sort of exercise routine, but at a reduce rate, so if out cycling, the most I could cycle with out getting exhausted around 15 miles

By 2025 I was experiencing a lot of discomfort in my left lung, possible lung inflammation, around  alveoli in the my left lung

2026 my third covid infection, and now have been told i have long covid, and recovery will be long and slow

Now my general health for keeping healthy, depend on how I feel, like I'm out getting out of breath, so need to rest up

[PilotMan]

@myothernameis
I'm sorry to hear that, I wish you all the best for future health.

I also contracted Covid, it floored me. I couldn't get out of bed for 5 days. But I recovered fully with no issues 🙏🏻.

Something that is being more covered in the mainstream is the role of bacteria and gut health. I try to eat a wide variety of plant foods weekly as well as incorporating Kefir and other fermented foods (sauerkraut / Kimchi etc). These are known to improve our immune system, which is what I'm trying to do.

Have you tried incorporating anything like that in to your diet?

[Dickled]

Has anybody tried this?
External Link/Members Only

[Thephoenix]

To be serious..... (which I find exceedingly difficult as I'm gradually drifting into the realm of the bewildered, and existing in some parallel universe  ), I probably haven't managed to get to 85 without the benefits of having followed some basic rules of exercise and health.

Up to my 50s I engaged in various sports to quite a high standard and trained regularly.
My cardiologist believes that has been instrumental in always having a slow resting pulse rate of about 42 BPM.
Although the exercise has petered off since my 60s, the one thing I've been able to maintain is regular walking.
I can't compete with Colston' s exercise regime, but I don't necessarily think that's absolutely essential in old age.
Even a daily brisk walk for 30 minutes meets health recommendations.

Recently becoming borderline diabetic has given me a reminder to focus on my diet and waistline.
A low carb diet recommended by health professionals of less than 130g per day has not only helped to maintain my slim frame but enabled me to move back below the pre diabetes threshold.
A bonus has been to reduce my waistline well below the recommended maximum of 40"
(Men exceeding that are 5 times more likely to develop diabetes.)

I'm also very much in favour of the old sayings such as 'a little bit of what you fancy does you good'. 

[PilotMan]

Has anybody tried this?
External Link/Members Only

That's a great way to achieve a high level of fitness, especially in the legs, and not dissimilar to HIIT training (as the article mentions).

In the blue zones study, there were two Mediterranean mountainside villages in close proximity. They had almost identical lifestyles, but one had a higher average lifespan. The key difference was that the one with the higher lifespan had steeper roads and residents were therefore required to use more muscle power on their daily routines.

It's a proven statistic that stronger legs = longer and healthier lifespans.

[PilotMan]

Even a daily brisk walk for 30 minutes meets health recommendations.

Sorry to quote the Blue Zones again.

Their studies indicated that just 20 minutes walking per day had a great impact on physical health, mental health and lifespan.

[Thephoenix]

Sorry to quote the Blue Zones again.

Their studies indicated that just 20 minutes walking per day had a great impact on physical health, mental health and lifespan.

That's even better.
It gives me 10 minutes to nip into Greasy Joe's for my sausage buttie 

[Colston36]

I'm impressed Colston.

I'm surprised actually. I have never had any sporting interest or talent, though I know my maternal grandfather loved  walking. One thing that helped is that I never passed a driving test, justfailedonce, then left Manchester where I lived and found my fortune in London - a fortune I lost and refound repeatedly(divorced three times).

Other members have mentioned diet; mine has always been pretty healthy and is basically Mediterranean.

[Jonestown]

Here is a recipe for Jeffery Epstein's special muffins, reputedly he had one for breakfast every day.

Very heavy on the laxative effect, so maybe an ideal to help with those pre-pegging preparations:-

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[Rick2468]

PilotMan - I have had the exercise bike you recommended in the other thread just over a week now and I think it's been an absolute belter. Had a few rides on it between 30 and 45 minutes. The screen is great. I watched the football highlights the other morning and was so engrossed in the football I didn't really think about how knackered I was but my legs were like jelly when I got off.

I have been doing some routines where I cycle for 10 minutes, then jump off and do some weights or a plank then jump back on. Seems to work well. It has been impacted my run, as if I do a hard ride then run the next day my legs get tired quicker. I'm hoping I will be able to switch between cycling and running more easily in future as cycling builds up my muscles which are so obviously weak right now! It's great to have an alternative to running too.

I have always wanted to watch the TV show The Wire but never got around to it in 10 years. So I'm going to get it on my tablet and watch it whilst cycling.

[Chris1990mcr]

PilotMan - I have had the exercise bike you recommended in the other thread just over a week now and I think it's been an absolute belter. Had a few rides on it between 30 and 45 minutes. The screen is great. I watched the football highlights the other morning and was so engrossed in the football I didn't really think about how knackered I was but my legs were like jelly when I got off.

I have been doing some routines where I cycle for 10 minutes, then jump off and do some weights or a plank then jump back on. Seems to work well. It has been impacted my run, as if I do a hard ride then run the next day my legs get tired quicker. I'm hoping I will be able to switch between cycling and running more easily in future as cycling builds up my muscles which are so obviously weak right now! It's great to have an alternative to running too.

I have always wanted to watch the TV show The Wire but never got around to it in 10 years. So I'm going to get it on my tablet and watch it whilst cycling.

Never gets easier legs always hurt, and I have completed a full ironman and a couple of half ironman Just get used to being able to tolerate it a bit more.

[PilotMan]

@Rick2468

Thanks for the update on the bike, I'm glad it worked out well.

I noticed that they have a Rower coming out and they are doing a discount deal on their Bike, Treadmill and the new Rower for £1,299.

[Rick2468]

@Rick2468

Thanks for the update on the bike, I'm glad it worked out well.

I noticed that they have a Rower coming out and they are doing a discount deal on their Bike, Treadmill and the new Rower for £1,299.

I like the look of the rowing machine. Most of my upper body work is short reps on weights or push-ups, wondering if doing work for longer sessions would step it up a level, although I don't want to become too big. I like to look strong and fairly lean, don't want to look like a small head on a huge set of shoulders. I think I will see how the bike goes this year as it's still early days, but maybe the rower could be a 2027 purchase. I've only been married 6 months and whilst wife was cool with the bike I don't want to seem like I'm taking over the house. I will probably leave the treadmill as I run outside a lot already and it would turn our guest room into a gym more or less.

After my post yesterday I did a 90 minute bike ride and managed a 20km run this morning so getting used to alternating between biking and running. I started slow and legs did feel heavy at the start but later on it felt like I was cruising, I thought maybe the biking had made my legs stronger and helped with running, but it might just be random variation as some runs do just go well.

[PilotMan]

don't want to look like a small head on a huge set of shoulders.

No matter how much weight training you do, you won't have to worry about that, nigh on impossible to get that look without Roids 

[londonroad]

I also long held the belief that full fat butter was really bad for you, so I used Lurpak or similar. Now I've gone back to butter as I try to eat more "natural" products.

The taste is way better too 

I’ve switched to unsalted butter.

[Yankee21]

Dog ownership was linked to ~40% lower odds of disabling dementia.



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[PilotMan]

I’ve switched to unsalted butter.

I recently tried President unsalted, although creamy, I found it was bland without salt.

[PilotMan]

I thought I would paste this from another thread as it is topical here too.

Bought a old [in age] friend a walking stick.

He said he does not need one, but he does. Unsteady on his feet.

He has never used one before, so may be a bit embarrassed .

One of the things that is age related, especially as we tend to do less as we get older, is loss of balance. It is a major health risk in older people, and a fall often leads to death. A recent example is Dame Jilly Cooper.

This can be mitigated to a great extent with a few simple balance exercises every day.

Try standing on one leg and balancing for 10 seconds, swap and do the other leg. Increase the time each day until you can do 30 seconds easily. Then extend the non standing leg further away from your body, changing which way you extend it and getting further away from your standing leg each day. Keep this up until you are able to extend your leg out as far as you can stretch.

You'll be amazed at how your balance improves and consequently this leads to a reduction in the potential for falling.

[RandomGuy99]

I thought I would paste this from another thread as it is topical here too.

One of the things that is age related, especially as we tend to do less as we get older, is loss of balance. It is a major health risk in older people, and a fall often leads to death. A recent example is Dame Jilly Cooper.

This can be mitigated to a great extent with a few simple balance exercises every day.

Try standing on one leg and balancing for 10 seconds, swap and do the other leg. Increase the time each day until you can do 30 seconds easily. Then extend the non standing leg further away from your body, changing which way you extend it and getting further away from your standing leg each day. Keep this up until you are able to extend your leg out as far as you can stretch.

You'll be amazed at how your balance improves and consequently this leads to a reduction in the potential for falling.

Your ability to absorb vitamin D also decreases as you age. Vitamin D helps your muscles work properly and thus a vitamin D deficiency can cause muscle strength issues which can in turn lead to fall. It's one of the reasons the NHS recommends that older people take a vitamin D supplement every day.

[Googly7]

Easy way to add this into your day is try standing on one leg etc while teeth cleaning - if you have one of those brushes with a timer, that helps. Also good time to do calf raises. So twice a day something is built into your routine.

[PilotMan]

Easy way to add this into your day is try standing on one leg etc while teeth cleaning - if you have one of those brushes with a timer, that helps. Also good time to do calf raises. So twice a day something is built into your routine.

As per Dr Clint Steele 

[simon07]

Easy way to add this into your day is try standing on one leg etc while teeth cleaning - if you have one of those brushes with a timer, that helps. Also good time to do calf raises. So twice a day something is built into your routine.

Good tip.

I walk 3-4 lengths backwards in the swimming pool. There is medical evidence that it is good for the body and brain.

[RandomGuy99]

Good tip.

I walk 3-4 lengths backwards in the swimming pool. There is medical evidence that it is good for the body and brain.

Do you get any funny looks while doing this?

What happens when you get to the deep end?