The Things I’ve Learned In 30 Years Of Living A Healthy Lifestyle

My life as a master chef is long behind me, but the passion for cooking, eating and shopping still remain my # 1 passion. Although I live the idealized life of a personal trainer, a bodybuilder and master athlete, if asked to choose between an eternity of exercise or eating I would choose the pleasure of good food.

My Love Of Food Began In The Early 1960’s…

…in my Mom’s small rowhouse kitchen where I would help her make cakes and prepare our nightly family meals. Although we were typical Philadelphia Irish Catholics on a small budget, mom always had the creativity to turn simple and sparse ingredients into imaginative and wonderful meals. Nothing fancy or “gourmet”, but not the usual “Irish fare” of canned vegetables and over cooked meats. She was always trying new recipes from the women’s magazines and newspapers as she still does today at our regular Sunday family dinners. The love and care she put into our food is my fondest memory of growing up and inspired me to appreciate the magic of cooking and sharing food.

By High School I Was 60 Pounds Overweight

My love of food and lack of exercise had caught up with me. I did the GRAPEFRUIT diet and lost 60 pounds in about 10 months and from that moment I was hooked on living a healthy lifestyle, vowing never to back to eating twinkies and Ho’s Ho’s again. I read a 1970’s popular diet book called “WHITE DEATH” – the first of many books about the dangers of flour and sugar in the diet. I started eating yogurt, granola and tiger milk energy bars- all of these things were considered oddities back then. I shunned fast food, watched reruns of Jack La Lanne and cooked healthy recipes from Rodale’s Prevention magazine. I became a runner and joined a NAUTILUS fitness center in 1978.

During College I Started A Catering Business

I cooked for others those fancy gourmet foods I secretly loved but avoided myself. I began to recognize that I had two distinct but opposing factions inside my brain – a Gourmet “foodie” and a disciplined athlete. Finding the balance between foodie and athlete is what my life has been about over the past 35 years. It has taken equally long to figure out how to make it all work. How can I have my cake and… you know the rest.

It Wasn’t Always Smooth Sailing

After college I went to culinary school and became a master chef, started a catering company and gained about 25 pounds. With daily food tastings, stress, and little time for exercise I found my self defaulting back to old habits and uncomfortably tight clothing, (although I hid it pretty well in my chef whites). Feeling burned out and fueled by the recession in the late 80’s I closed the catering business after 7 years and went on a quest to find a new career that combined my talents and passions.

I Found Personal Training In My 30’s

I figured out how to combine my culinary talents with my love of training. These are usually considered complete opposites but I wanted to help others enjoy the pleasure of the culinary world and lose fat and stay healthy. How can anybody live on a steady diet of Boneless chicken, plain broccoli, cottage cheese and brown rice? This was the regime of the dieting bodybuilder and professional dieter back then.

The Fit Foodie Is Born

From that point on I dedicated myself to training myself and then helping others to live a healthy and balanced life by eating delicious food and still looking lean and fat free. I have written 2 recipe books (The Fat To Muscle Challenge, and Good To Go – A Book Of Portable Foods), a book of lifestyle tips for men over 40, and I appear on local TV to do healthy cooking demonstrations, give regular seminars and workshops on how to eat well and abundantly without deprivation and bland, or boring food choices. My next book- The Midlife Body Makeover will outline my 35 years of experience into a compilation of effective fat loss strategies that are geared for the active baby boomer who loves to eat.

Note: In Part 2 of this series I will give you my Top Ten Nuggets of Wisdom distilled from the hundreds of clients I have worked with. Although I have numerous certifications in nutrition, personal training and coaching, nothing speaks truer than the results the clients have seen using the techniques, strategies and routines in the MIDLIFE BODY MAKEOVER PLAN.
Stay tuned for more!

Next Post- How To Have Your Cake And Eat It Too!

Limit Consumption Of Sugar, Flour And Processed Foods…

…to one moderate serving a day (even less if possible) The best time to eat starchy or processed foods without too much damage is right before or after a hard workout. Breakfast – the most important meal of the day, is also a good time have bread, or a sugar indulgence. It gives your body a fighting chance to burn it off throughout the day

Focus On Carbs With High Fiber

Eat as many vegetables as you like each day. Eat a salad as big as your head with a rainbow of vegetables. Fruit like berries, apples, pears and citrus provide great anti-oxidants and low calories. Fibrous starchy vegetable should be included – at least two servings each day. Beans, whole wheat cereals like shredded wheat, yams and lentils are good choices. Fiber and protein at every meal makes losing weight no big deal!

Eat Protein All Day

Proteins are the building blocks of life. All major body functions depend on dietary protein to keep you running at full tilt. Eat a half ( for inactive or 65+) to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. Spread it out over six small meals

Drink Water

Eliminate fruit juice and soda from your daily diet and drink as much flavored water as possible to keep your fat burning metabolism at it’s peak. Use sparingly – diet drinks – these sometimes create unnecessary carb cravings in some people. Try the natural fruit essence waters that contain no artificial sweetners.

Increase Consumption Of Good Fats

Fats are essential to a highly energized body and a fully functioning brain. The best sources are fatty fish- (salmon, herring,sardines ) flax seeds, sesame seeds, avocadoes, and carefully portioned nuts.

Eat Until Satisfied And Not Totally Full

Taste everything, Finish nothing! Follow the rule of half. Embrace all foods with pre set boundaries. Order small plates at restaurants and use portion pack foods whenever possible.

Adapt And Adjust…

…your eating habits and exercise rituals to your particular situation.
Strive to follow the rules 80% of the time. Life will always interfere with the other 20%. If plan A doesn’t work have a Plan B and a Plan C or D at the ready. Do what works for you using your best strengths and talents.

Schedule Extra Time On Your Calendar

Mark on your calendar or day timer when you will shop, prepare food and exercise. Also schedule in fun, leisure and time for loved ones, friends and family. Do shorter more intense exercise sessions to save time and maximize long lasting fat burning benefits. The best time to start is now. Remember every decision you make moves you closer to or away from your ideal goals and the life you wish to live.

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Has the trainer taken care to address orthopedic problems? Was their an initial interview session with medical questions, goal setting, exercise history and current diet habits? Do the workouts change frequently. How is progress measured? ( body measurements taken? regular weigh-ins?)

2) What Are The Trainer’s Credentials?

It’s sad to say but getting certified as a trainer can be done in a weekend course, The industry is going through a transition and soon we will be licensed just as nurses, therapists and barbers are. For now it is best to choose a trainer who has one of these certifications:

• ACE – American council of exercise
• ACSM – American college of Sports medicine
• NSCA – National strength and conditioning association

There are now specialty certifications for training older adults and for post rehab treatment - The international council on active aging and SFA are good sign of a trainer’s expertise in training with an older population

3)Is There A Trainer Who Has A Experience With Your Particular Issue?

Are you diabetic, post heart attack rehab patient, cancer survivor, arthritis sufferer, or are you a master athlete who needs guidance to compete in a half triathlon?

4) Are You Comfortable With A Younger Trainer?

…or would you feel better with someone close to your age who shares the deeper knowledge of what an aging body goes through on a daily basis. If you choose a younger trainer ,stand up for yourself if something doesn’t feel right or cause unusual pain or discomfort.

5) How Much Diet And Nutritional Experience Does Your Trainer Have?

Because 75% of your success in losing excess fat and gaining depends on nutrition, how much experience does your trainer have in helping his clients make the changes in eating and lifestyle choices that promote good health and a sensible steady weight loss.

Although most trainers are not dietitians and cannot dispense diets for medical issues, they can offer common sense advice guidance, reinforcement and consistent support in helping you to correct poor eating habits.

Shop Around And Interview At Least 3 Trainers Before Making A Decision

What are the frequency option? What are the fees and how are the sessions packaged? What are the cancellation policies and how flexible is the scheduling. A trainer client relationship is like a marriage. You will be spending substantial time together so choose wisely. You can make this a rewarding and enjoyable experience – a new life and a new body are just around the corner. Take your time and do it right.