An introduction
Welcome
This blog is a recap about my personal experience as a man in his early 50s getting into better shape. It may or may not work for you but give it at least a try.
A recap from my "About" page
I first thought about writing this blog from reading a some weight loss topic on a travel forum. I've been quite successful in losing weight and toning, the former unintentionally so. Writing about my travails and routine may be helpful to you.
About me: I am a 55 year old man of east Asian ethnicity. More specifically Chinese with ancestors from the southeast and eastern coastal areas of China. I am finer boned so I do not have much bulk, or as it stands these days, much muscle. I stand just a shade under 5'10" (177 cm) and have weighed 170-180 lbs (77-82 Kg) for most of my life though I did peak at around 182 lbs / 83 kg in my late 20s. I was never a skinny child but never too fat, though I carried a small paunch on my belly until recently. My parents bought me husky jeans when I was a pre teen.
My body shape is lightly-built upper body with more muscular legs. I don't have great upper body strength so benchpressing anywhere near my weight will never happen - even if I trained as a younger man.
Looking at body types, I would lean towards being a "small" endomorph if I were to be a couch potato. I have turned more, but not totally, into an ectomorph with my regime. A pure mesomorph is what I am not.
I have never smoked (other than "second hand" - mercifully rare for the past 2-3 decades), done drugs or gotten into over consumption of alcohol - perhaps I am blessed in that my body doesn't digest alcohol well hence I don't appear to have a predisposition to addiction. I do have "flat" feet which makes running difficult for me, and painful if prolonged. One consequence appears to be well-developed calf muscles which may not be bad for a man.
I've always wanted to keep in shape and did whenever exercise equipment was available. I did free weights in my 20s and 30s and bicycled and Stairmastered. A mountain bike crash did set me back for a few years and it took me time to get back into shape. At times, I also became sedentary into my 40s and then 50s, with very infrequent exercise, and that usually came when there was equipment readily available.
What changed was that my wife and I sold our house 4 years ago and have been transient since the, travelling and house sitting. We don't have a chance to settle into a routine so as a result, we get out more. The house sitting more often than not includes pets, and if the pet is dog, walks. Whenever there s a dog, I'm out for walks a least daily if not more frequently.
I've also learned that I can do exercises and weight training without fancy equipment, or much at all. I was at a beach in Malta a couple of years ago when I saw a man using straps to do back and chest exercises using straps. I thought it was pretty cool. Continuing on my way around the world, I found such a system on sale at the outlet of a French fitness and sports chain in GuiLin, China. A bargain at $20 when compared to the branded version and one that can be used anywhere.
That along with an exercise mat and a couple of free weights (2 lb dumbbells from a thrift shop) are all I have. I'd get heavier dumbbells but this doesn't help fuel economy when moving around.
This blog is a recap about my personal experience as a man in his early 50s getting into better shape. It may or may not work for you but give it at least a try.
A recap from my "About" page
I first thought about writing this blog from reading a some weight loss topic on a travel forum. I've been quite successful in losing weight and toning, the former unintentionally so. Writing about my travails and routine may be helpful to you.
About me: I am a 55 year old man of east Asian ethnicity. More specifically Chinese with ancestors from the southeast and eastern coastal areas of China. I am finer boned so I do not have much bulk, or as it stands these days, much muscle. I stand just a shade under 5'10" (177 cm) and have weighed 170-180 lbs (77-82 Kg) for most of my life though I did peak at around 182 lbs / 83 kg in my late 20s. I was never a skinny child but never too fat, though I carried a small paunch on my belly until recently. My parents bought me husky jeans when I was a pre teen.
My body shape is lightly-built upper body with more muscular legs. I don't have great upper body strength so benchpressing anywhere near my weight will never happen - even if I trained as a younger man.
Looking at body types, I would lean towards being a "small" endomorph if I were to be a couch potato. I have turned more, but not totally, into an ectomorph with my regime. A pure mesomorph is what I am not.
I have never smoked (other than "second hand" - mercifully rare for the past 2-3 decades), done drugs or gotten into over consumption of alcohol - perhaps I am blessed in that my body doesn't digest alcohol well hence I don't appear to have a predisposition to addiction. I do have "flat" feet which makes running difficult for me, and painful if prolonged. One consequence appears to be well-developed calf muscles which may not be bad for a man.
I've always wanted to keep in shape and did whenever exercise equipment was available. I did free weights in my 20s and 30s and bicycled and Stairmastered. A mountain bike crash did set me back for a few years and it took me time to get back into shape. At times, I also became sedentary into my 40s and then 50s, with very infrequent exercise, and that usually came when there was equipment readily available.
What changed was that my wife and I sold our house 4 years ago and have been transient since the, travelling and house sitting. We don't have a chance to settle into a routine so as a result, we get out more. The house sitting more often than not includes pets, and if the pet is dog, walks. Whenever there s a dog, I'm out for walks a least daily if not more frequently.
I've also learned that I can do exercises and weight training without fancy equipment, or much at all. I was at a beach in Malta a couple of years ago when I saw a man using straps to do back and chest exercises using straps. I thought it was pretty cool. Continuing on my way around the world, I found such a system on sale at the outlet of a French fitness and sports chain in GuiLin, China. A bargain at $20 when compared to the branded version and one that can be used anywhere.
That along with an exercise mat and a couple of free weights (2 lb dumbbells from a thrift shop) are all I have. I'd get heavier dumbbells but this doesn't help fuel economy when moving around.
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