Final Results: Fitness at 40: Shreddin' Time
My friends, I have good news: Life doesn’t end at 40.
To refresh, my goal began a modest three months ago out of pure spite. Someone once told me that, “Once you hit 40, you lose your metabolism.” I didn’t believe it and had it on my mind for some time that I would prove that notion wrong. Once I turned 40 this past August, I got to work.
For the past three months, I have prioritized nutrition and exercise more than I normally do. My goals were simple and measurable:
Surpass my lowest body fat percentage as measured by DEXA scan;
Reduce my RHR as measured by my Fitbit to the low 50s, from the high 50s;
And increase my VO2 max score.
How did I fair?
Well, I’m a little disappointed.
On Thursday, my DEXA scan read 11.8 percent. This matches my personal best and is just a hair away from exceeding it. My disappointment comes from thinking about the small moments where I might have overindulged or underperformed on a run that could have pushed me over the edge.
That being said, it was a successful recomp. My weight stayed about the same, as I lost 3.3 pounds of fat and gained 1.9 pounds of muscle.
My RHR is now 53, down from about 58/59 when I started. I believe the lowest I have ever measured is around 51/52, and considering my advanced age, I am satisfied with that improvement.
You may also recall that I cut out the VO2 max training. After an initial score in the 95th percentile, I decided I was where I wanted to be in that measurement, and decided to forego further expensive testing to try to improve it.
Should I be disappointed?
No, it’s still a significant and noticeable improvement. My three-month timeline was also arbitrary, and it’s likely that if I were to continue on the same program for another month, I’d surpass my goals.
More importantly, I feel like I am in great shape. I have been stronger in the past when I focused on a dedicated lifting program over cardio and other activities. And I felt more fit when I got into CrossFIt for a few months a couple of years back. But I feel fitter than when I started and my energy levels are up.
Lessons Learned (Or Re-remembered):
Don’t overdo it, Tom. In my first two weeks, I lost muscle and gained fat, which I attributed to overdoing the cardio in a fasted state in the mornings. Intermittent fasting was not helpful for this effort. And I didn’t need to do so much cardio considering I was keeping my nutrition in check.
Log my lifts. I used to know how important this is, but over the last year or so I had dropped the practice of logging my lifts. Instead, I would go by feel. It’s too easy to hold back with that method. Logging your lifts and knowing you need to do one more rep to progress is a big psychological boost to get in a great workout. I’ve been walking funny after every leg day these past three months – a true hallmark of success.
You gotta limit the alcohol to go from good to great. I have been able to keep in good shape for years drinking wine regularly, but a decision to do a 30-day no-drinking challenge a couple of weeks ago helped me get to the finish line here. I shaved some extra fat and my RHR dropped a couple more points.
Where do I go from here?
Costa Rica on Thanksgiving Day with my beloved puppy. Nine days of surf, sun, burrito bowls, and some mezcal in between.
I won’t overdo it too much, and when I return I will decide whether to go back into this program or try something different.