Can I go one step further and reverse the ageing process?
Well, recently I've been trying to do just that. Kind of. I did try a year or so ago to get a 6-pack but I quickly gave up because I had no real desire for a 6-pack and guess what; it ain't easy!
Anyway, fed up of the ever increasing spare tyre and the aches and pains after playing football with people much younger than me, I started looking through the vastness of the web for a quick fix and a few different things caught my eye.
Firstly, I realised that there are no quick fixes.
Second, diet IS important. I know, you're thinking the same as me... "bugger". Giving up chocolate and losing 6lbs in that week kind of drummed home the message for me.
Thirdly, there may not be quick fixes, but there are ways to be much more efficient about the whole lose weight and get your body buff looking thing.
It started with this dude who believes in training exercises based on the way animals move. It kind if makes sense doesn't it. You don't see obese lions do you, and they sleep 22 hours per day (and get their women to sort out their dinner, what a gig!).
Then I discovered The Tabata Protocol. Sounds impressive doesn't it. Click the link check it out. In a nutshell, high intensity kicks butt over long duration.
That got me looking into functional movement as opposed to the very limited and therefore unnatural movements that (I suppose having never lifted a weight in my life) you find in gyms across the world. And on that note, how many people go to gyms and make a huge difference to their overall fitness and physique? In my experience very few and those are the ones that spend hours upon hours upon hours in there... I just don't want to do that.
Anyway, that led me to Bodyweight Exercise Revolution When the page loads, at the bottom a pop up box appears and if you fill in your details, they email you a FREE workout plus some info on their rationale.
I really liked this and importantly, it made sense to me. Bodyweight exercises target different areas of the body at the same time so that's the first efficiency step. Secondly by doing exercises that to a degree mimic the way that the body moves in real life there are less chance of injuries and by going about your day to day lives your reinforcing those movements - to a degree anyway.
That then got me looking into their mentor Scott Sonnon who if the hype is to be believed used to train UFC combatants and learnt all of his secrets training with secret services in Russia soon after the fall of the 'Iron Curtain'. Regardless, I like this dude's style! He's created this Tacfit Commando workout which really whet my appetite, but could I really justify a hundred odd nicker?
Luckily I came across this. The Israeli Tacfit Challenge which if the hype is to be believed, Sonnon taught the Israeli Special Forces Commandos this training regime for when they were in the field; it's quick, brutal and effective. It's free!
After doing the Bodyweight Exercise Revolution for a couple of weeks I then switched across to this and have been following this ever since.
What I love about this is it only takes 20 minutes, three times a week. That's it.
It only needs as much space as I take to lie down. That's it.
Equipment? My missus's discarded yoga mat. That's it.
Timer? Ha ha, I got your back, here's a free one; Speedbag Forum
The results? First month, I lost a stone. First 6 weeks it was actually a stone and a half. Not much weight loss since, but my body shape has changed rather dramatically.
As for the diet side of things... I haven't been anywhere near as good as I could be. I still eat anything I like and I still eat at least one bar of chocolate a day despite my best efforts to give that up!
What I have done, is started eating salad. Never used to before, but sticking in a bit of garlic, some spring onions and the odd chilli or some mozarella and I've quite happily taken to it. I'll eat it before a meal for two reasons. Firstly I read somewhere that salad and fruit digest quicker than other foods and if you eat them after a main meal, they just get clogged up in the system and you don't get their full benefit. Secondly, it curbs my appetite a bit. Less often will I have seconds and really stuff myself which I used to do ALL the time before.
Naturally, this has made me a bit more conscious about what I eat. I'm looking at ingredients before and really notice it when I eat something overly greasy or oily.
