The purpose of this article is to explain why most middle-aged people fail with their fitness endeavors and I will provide specific insight as to what these individuals need to do in order for them to take a proactive approach for dealing with these issues. As a 58-year-old master trainer, top amateur bodybuilder and respected fitness writer, I will provide you with a bulletproof road map for great health! It’s time to decide if you want to be healthy and fit or if you want to be fat and unhealthy as you get older!
The pitfalls of poor health and a lack of fitness are reaching epidemic proportions in America. This is evident by the number of gyms and fitness centers being built along with the amount of health food and nutritional supplement stores being opened all across the country, yet people are fatter than ever before. The combined annual revenue for the entire health and fitness industry is over 1 trillion dollars every year! If so much effort and money is being spent on fitness related activities then why aren’t Americans getting fit and healthy? A shocking 71% of the U.S. population is either overweight or obese. The United States is ranked #1 for obesity in the entire world. Currently, Americans are dying 5 years younger than our counterparts around the globe. At this current pace, Americans could be living 10 years less when compared with other countries. I think middle-aged people are concerned about their health, but due to a lack of proper education in this area, most people are confused about what they need to do about it. Unfortunately, many older individuals simply wait for a catastrophic health issue to occur before they start thinking about their own health. Being proactive in regards to health cannot only save your life but it can prevent you from having to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary medical bills down the road!
The Biggest Question is Why in The Heck Are We Not Making Any Progress?
- There is an overall lack of health and fitness education, period!
- Middle-aged people easily fall into society’s expectations of what it means for someone to get older. These people usually get brainwashed into a “senior citizen” mentality. The truth is that it does not have to be this way! I look at myself now and I clearly look better at age 58 than I did when I was 25 years old. I have been able to acquire the knowledge and education in order to accomplish this. I can guarantee that when I hit 60 I’ll look even better because I will continue to challenge myself to learn more.
- Making poor choices in physical activities to improve overall health and fitness. It’s important to remember that any activity for the middle-aged is better than no activity at all, but there are certain exercises that are better than others. If someone is trying to lose weight, I don’t think water aerobics should be the prescribed activity to drop pounds, unless you are injured or disabled. It’s not bad for a recreational activity or improving range of motion, but it’s not ideal for burning calories and fat. While working as a personal trainer, I routinely see older individuals who are clearly overweight and they are doing water aerobics when most of these people could easily be involved in other fitness activities that are much more conducive to weight loss. Another common senior activity is group fitness training. First off, the same muscle groups are worked repeatedly which usually leads to overtraining issues. Taking the “one-size-fits-all” approach is not the best way to reach success. There are 3 different body types, or somatotypes (ectomorph, endomorph, mesomorph), and most middle-aged people have some type of physical ailments, so the “one-size-fits-all” approach rarely works. Many of the instructors are not properly certified in nutrition nor do they have the proper training credentials. Any qualified fitness professional should align your workouts with your specific goals and tailor it around your physical limitations as well as helping you with nutrition and directing you to the appropriate medical professionals for help in achieving your goals.
- Not maintaining a proper diet to facilitate weight loss is a big one! A staggering 93% of all Americans believe they eat healthy. If that’s true, then why are 71% of Americans overweight or obese? The vast majority of Americans do not eat their daily fruit and vegetable requirement to start off with. Americans also eat way too much sugar and processed foods. Did you know that the average American eats fast food 3 times a week? No wonder we are packing on the pounds! Think about all those “empty calories” that do very little and pack on body fat quickly. Alcohol consumption is also a big issue. These are dead calories that slow down your metabolism and can reduce your natural testosterone levels by as much as 30%.
- Most middle-aged people do not optimize their hormone levels and most have either low testosterone or sub-optimal levels of estrogen which can have a profound effect on gaining weight, losing muscle tone, decreasing sex drive and causing a drop in energy levels.
- Most middle-aged men and women do not have a health and fitness plan set in place. If you are clearly fat and out of shape then you probably don’t have the expertise or knowledge to design a balanced fitness plan utilizing cardio, core exercises and weight training which are some of the biggest factors for reaching success. A competent certified personal trainer with nutrition and exercise expertise can help you with this, as well as provide ongoing instruction about how to properly workout. Without a solid fitness and nutrition plan, it will be virtually impossible to achieve results.
Understanding The Fitness Pie
Americans are clearly not educated on health and fitness. Very few are educated on the three key building blocks to achieve optimal health. I call this the “Fitness Pie Optimizer” and it includes:
- A balanced exercise plan with cardio, core exercises and weight training.
- A properly balanced diet.
- Balanced hormones (testosterone, estrogen, etc).
Most people with health and weight issues have great intentions, but they fail to understand the needed steps to succeed. If you don’t resolve these problems they will get worse because the more weight you gain, the slower your metabolism will become. Based on the information above, the average American that is involved in a fitness program probably utilizes only 20-25% of their true potential. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by maximizing your potential through the three key factors listed above.
Main Reasons Why Middle-Aged People Fail To Get Fit and Healthy:
- People who are out of shape don’t have the right information.
- Most people focus on the wrong issues.
- Some people don’t have the money to invest in a certified personal trainer.
- Some people are just looking for shortcuts.
- They are not keeping track of their progress.
- They choose the wrong fitness activity to achieve their fitness goals.
- They don’t have a fitness plan set in place.
- Some people take the “one-size-fits-all” approach.
- They don’t follow a sound nutrition plan.
Common Mistakes I See From Novice Gym Goers:
- They don’t have a balanced workout plan involving cardio, core and weights.
- They are doing workouts that aren’t optimal for their fitness goals.
- They are overtraining certain muscle groups.
- They don’t train their core muscles.
- Using poor exercise form and improper technique.
- They don’t understand what a proper diet should consist of.
- They are not optimizing their hormone levels.
Important Facts About The State of Fitness in The Unites States:
- The medical community does not identify obesity and weight loss issues as the number one cause of death. Most Americans have no idea about the true ramifications of being obese or overweight. The number one preventable cause of death is obesity! If Americans don’t see the problem, it’s no wonder the problem continues to get worse and go unaddressed.
- Obesity deaths is the number one cause of death in the United States.
- 300,000 obese Americans die each year due to obesity. Many more overweight people die due to other causes of death and another 700,000 Americans die from other illnesses that are incorrectly diagnosed.
- The U.S. ranks #1 in the world for obesity.
- 71% of the U.S. population is overweight or obese.
- Obese and overweight adult people live 10 years less than someone of normal weight.
- Obese children will live approximately 13 years less than a child of normal weight.
- The top 8-10 causes of death increased last year in the U.S.
- 97% of the people in the U.S. do not live a healthy lifestyle.
- The average American consumes fast food 3 times per week.
- 80% of Americans do not get enough exercise each day.
- Obesity is the #1 preventable cause of death in the U.S.
- Nearly 30% of all children are either overweight or obese.
- More people die from obesity than by smoking cigarettes.
- 4 out of every 5 people are overweight and only 1 out of 5 people smoke.
Health Issues Associated With Being Overweight or Obese:
- 42% more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease.
- 60% more likely to die of a heart attack versus someone who is not overweight.
- 90% more likely to get type-2 diabetes.
- 14-20% more likely to get cancer.
- 24% higher risk of having a stroke.
- Overweight people have a 32% chance of getting high blood pressure where someone who is obese is 81% more likely to get high blood pressure.
- Hip and knee replacements are skyrocketing for people who are overweight or obese.
Successful Traits To Help You Become Fit and Healthy:
- Take a personal initiative for becoming more knowledgeable about health and fitness.
- Invest in hiring a qualified personal trainer that will help you design a balanced workout and diet plan.
- Ensure that your hormone levels are optimal (testosterone, estrogen, etc).
- Be consistent when following a workout routine and nutrition plan.
- Adjust your workouts to help you achieve your specific goals.
- Get advice from people who are more successful than you.
No More Excuses!
If you implement the right things, you will get results. It’s time to expect more from yourself and don’t get caught up into being just another sick and old “senior citizen”. Just because you are middle-aged doesn’t mean you should expect less. Create your own expectations! I’ve been where many middle-aged individuals are right now and it’s no fun. I look forward to making continued improvements to my physique and my mind as I get older and I continue to learn more about health and fitness. I’m going to celebrate my 60th birthday in Las Vegas, Nevada by competing in the NPC Las Vegas Classic. Not only will I be competing at the “60 and over” class, but I also plan to compete in the “40 and over” and “50 and over” classes also! I am very confident that I will be able to win the overall in the “50 and 60” groups and place in the “40 and over” group. It’s all about your mindset, so do your best to implement the tips and advice I have outlined in this article to change your life starting today!
