I know that improving my
diet is definitely a necessary part of being “Fit after 50”. However, I want to
begin this discussion by saying that I am a physical
therapist, and certainly do not claim to be a nutritionist. My goal is to share some thoughts with you that have
worked for me previously…and hopefully, to inspire you in joining the quest of
improving your health!
There are several
different diet approaches available that can help you to achieve your optimal
bodyweight and improve overall health. Some of these may include structured
programs that provide you with daily meals, various “cleansing” diets, meal
replacement shakes, intermittent fasting, etc. Many of these programs are
well-researched and have been shown to work well. I have used a combination of
these approaches before with good results. Again, the purpose of this
discussion is not to exhaust the research in an effort to support or dispute
any of these programs, but rather to share some simple ideas that I have found
to be effective for me personally. I would also highly recommend
consulting with your physician before beginning any type of “diet” program,
especially if you have health issues such as diabetes, heart or kidney disease,
etc.
Let’s take a look at the
definition of the word “diet” according to Webster’s dictionary…
a : food and drink regularly provided
or consumed
b : habitual nourishment
c : the kind and amount of food
prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason
d : a regimen of eating and drinking
sparingly so as to reduce one's weight (i.e. going on a diet)
Most of us consider the word
“diet” as a negative term since it is often associated with restriction (such as in definition “d”
above). However, I like to look at “diet” as a lifestyle change which involves changing habits (such as in “a” and “b” above). My personal intent is to
adopt a healthier way of eating that is not just a temporary restrictive diet in order to lose
weight, but a more sustainable diet
that will help me to achieve/maintain my health and fitness goals.
Since some of my goals
include improving strength, endurance and Body Mass Index (BMI) (according to
my pre-program fitness testing results), I have chosen to incorporate a diet plan
generally consisting of 5-6 small meals a day. This type of plan helps to curb
my appetite and keep my metabolism “revved-up” throughout the day. It also
helps to provide my body with the nutrients it needs to recover from regular
workouts and maintain lean muscle (which is especially important for men over
50, when we begin losing muscle mass). Optimally, I try to take in some form of
nutrition every 3 hours…approximately 7AM breakfast, 10AM snack, 1PM lunch, 4PM
snack, 7PM dinner (and sometimes a small snack between 9-10PM if I have
performed a vigorous workout that day). Optimally, I attempt to incorporate
some form of protein in each meal throughout the day. This not only provides the
necessary building blocks for healthy muscles, but also helps to keep you
satiated longer between meals.
Please remember…when it
comes to sticking to a specific diet, we are only human and are prone to give
in to “temptation” once and awhile! But don’t fret! You can always make
adjustments in your daily diet or exercise plan. For example, I had the
pleasure of attending a Grand Valley State University scholarship award dinner
earlier this week and there was no way I
was going to pass up the blueberry cheesecake! However, the next day, I knew
that I better cut back a bit on meal portion sizes and do a little more
interval training on the elliptical… J
In my next post, I hope to
share some sample meals/snacks along with some “tricks” that I have learned to
cut back on calories and eat healthier.
So stay tuned and keep striving to stay fit…
Don Freehafer, PT
FREEDOM PHYSICAL THERAPY
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