I’ll let you in on a little secret. Getting in shape (whatever your age) isn’t that hard. There’s no mystery or rocket science to it. In fact most people do know what to do, they just struggle with the application or focus on the aspect they want to focus on, which is why so many people go wrong.
There’s the diet approach (I’ve written about this before), that will leave you miserable and back where you started (or worse) in the near future.
There’s the going crazy with the workouts approach, which will get you fitter, but then leave you fatigued, adding body fat back on as your body goes into stress response.
So many people in midlife think that to shift the belly fat they just need to double down on their workouts. No.
Here’s why:
You’re not tackling the input side of the energy equation, and while, yes, you can work off the odd drink, the odd big meal. Consistent over eating (and drinking) is not going to be undone with extra treadmill time.
You’ll end up pushing your body into a stress response: higher cortisol, more body fat, more craving sugary and starchy carbs, muscle loss, fatigue.
You’re not getting to the root cause of why you want change. You’re not addressing your mindset, in particular your beliefs and self-identity. If those were supporting where you wanted to be, you’d already be there, but you’re not. So don’t skip this step.
Once you put these three elements together and start:
Eating to nourish your body, never going hungry, enjoying food and still splurging
Training AND recovering in a way adapted for your midlife body
Do your mental reps to shape your identity to your goals
Then life becomes easier and more fun – and after all, that’s what it’s all about…
Which one of these resonates with you most? I’d love to know.