Workout advice for a fat old guy

I just turned 40. I carry an extra 20 pounds or so, I pretty much always have and that's never really bothered me. I have a desk job that has me sitting most of the day. On my off time I like to work in the shop or work around the farm. I've noticed that body is reacting in the normal ways I've always heard about getting older. I cant last as long as I used to doing hard work. I find myself being sore after doing things that didn't use to phase me. I get super sore after hard work like cutting firewood or baling hay. I get tired faster. Body parts hurt for no particular reason. So what maintenance can I do to make that better? I'm not trying to train for a triathlon or get jacked. I just want to be able to spend the day doing normal physical work and not get wore out or be so sore the next day. Im sure I'm not the only one here dealing with this. Any recommendations? Thanks

Cheese fries?

Will they let you have a stand-up desk at work?

The last I read on stand up desks was that the desired results were never really attained. Standing for 6 hours a day, it was determined,  is not really any different than sitting for 6 hours a day.

What you're asking is really easy. Are you willing to go to a gym, or interested in doing it all at home?

Take in better fuel.  Burn more of that fuel.  

These are things I know but admittedly not things I do.  

Losing weight will help with basically everything. It isn't likely to be a gargantuan improvement, but it has a cascading effect - lose weight, you'll have less fatigue and muscle soreness, excess weight can cause low testosterone, low testosterone can make you tired and make recovery longer... Less weight will improve any sleep apnea you have (though it isn't a cpap), which will make you less tired, improve recovery times...

As far as losing weight, you're not going to outrun your fork. So start counting calories and eliminating some that aren't necessary. 

Otherwise, weight training and some light cardio regularly will help. 

Muscle soreness comes from lactic acid buildup. Making sure that you're properly hydrated (before, during and after the physical exertion) can alleviate a lot of that if you're not already focusing on hydration. Drink water and avoid things like caffeine that will dehydrate you.

I think the important things for aging gracefully are to use your muscles and try to maintain flexibility/pliability as much as possible. Weight training will support your joints. Stretching regularly will keep you limber. Both will help reduce the chances of injury, and keep you living life on your terms.

As for specific routines or target areas, I always focus on core strength and lower body exercises. A lot of this can be done with body weight exercises or things around the house if you don't have a home gym or don't think going to a gym is a good option.

The old Watch what you eat and try to exercise routine. It doesn't have to be as big of an effort as it sounds though. I (mostly) stopped eating fast food, did some portion control (no thirds), and started walking on my lunch break and am down 20 lbs and finally under 200 for the first time in 15 years.

STM317 said:

Muscle soreness comes from lactic acid buildup.

I thought that was an old wive's tale

In reply to Mr. Peabody :

I guess you're mostly right. My info was out of date. It sounds like current thinking is that lactic acid buildup contributes to burning muscles while completing strenuous activity, but it's not what causes soreness after a workout is finished.

bgkast said:

...Watch what you eat and try to exercise ...

Speaking of old wives tales.

Wait until 50.  And 60.  It doesn't get better.  

On the weight thing, exercise will not drop weight.  Eat less food and healthier food.  On exercise there is cardio and weight, some stuff is both but not well.  Do what you enjoy, it is easier to make it a habit.  Everyone has their favorites but you need to find yours.

I'm 56 and have been doing the "keto diet" for the last 2-1/2 years. I went pretty hardcore no-carb for the first year and a half, lost 55 pounds and kept off most of it this past year. It's amazing how much more energy I have not carrying around that extra weight. Now I pick up a bag of mortar or anything in the 50 pound range and realize the amount of stress i had been putting on all my joints and heart. I'm not an exercise type of person, but the two of us try to walk in the evenings when we get the chance. Life is much more enjoyable at 190# than it was at 240!

The answer is simple.  Eat  smarter and less, do cardio exercises and moderate weight lifting. 

  Execution is up to your willingness to stick with it. 

"You gotta wanna do it."

Mr. Peabody said:

What you're asking is really easy. Are you willing to go to a gym, or interested in doing it all at home?

 

We have a gym at work I can use. I would prefer to do it on my lunch break which is an hour long, if I can do it without getting too sweaty before returning to work. 

I am over 60 and I am actually losing weight. I signed up for a program called Noom and that forces me to log everything I eat on my phone. The amount of calories I was consuming every day was downright scary. I would normally eat for one meal what I should have been eating for an entire day. I started cutting portions to get under their minimum calorie limit for each day. Two slices of pizza instead of a whole pizza. No sodas except for 0 calorie sodas. Then eat different stuff. A salad with a hamburger instead of french fries. Then balsamic dressing instead of ranch. Cream of wheat instead of donuts for breakfast. Yes, when there were 2 dozen donuts in the office break room, I could down 4 or 5 with my morning coffee, and would. Now I don't eat donuts. I was getting so fat that I couldn't ride my jet ski any longer and was having trouble getting into the Miata. I recommend both eating less and exercising more. I take long walks and track them on my phone. I bought an exercise bike and I actually use it. Bingo! With these changes in one month I had lost about 20 pounds. There are many resources out there, but all of them that work force you to make major changes in your lifestyle. The first step is to be aware off all you eat. If you are a typical American who frequents restaurants, big portions and dessert, plus sugared beverages at every stop at the gas station, the amount of calories you consume in a day might scare you.

Yes. If you want to lose weight you have to make a lifestyle change and this is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. In my case it was either eat less or accept a more sedentary lifestyle and eventually, eat less or die as blood pressure and heart problems overtake me. I decided to make the hard changes.

 Talk to a medical professional. Get lab blood workup. It's entirely possible that they'll find something out of balance there that you'll want to address.

Otherwise, the pretty common sense stuff people have suggested: hydrate, move more, eat a bit healthier, stretch, and rest more.

Strength training is really good. Get your body accustomed to some heavier stuff so that the regular work feels easier. Accept that you're older and just can't do what you used to. Learn to work smarter instead of harder (free weight strength training is surprisingly good for this). Yoga is a good option for staying limber and flexible.

Try breaking up the strenuous tasks that tax you. Don't just stand there and chop wood until it's all done. Find another chore to alternate with to give yourself a break. It's even fine if that chore is strenuous, as long as it's a different movement. Also warm up before jumping into strenuous and repetitive movements.

STM317 said:

Drink water and avoid things like caffeine that will dehydrate you.

Caffeine dehydrating is another old wives tale. Caffeine will make you need to urinate *sooner*, but it won't make you urinate any more over the course of a day.

gearheadmb said:

We have a gym at work I can use. I would prefer to do it on my lunch break which is an hour long, if I can do it without getting too sweaty before returning to work. 

What kind of equipment do they have? Most machines are kind of crap. What you want are compound movements (large muscle groups and moving multiple joints) preferably where you also have to control the weight: so squats, deadlifts, presses, push ups, pull ups, etc.

In reply to gearheadmb :

What I know is weight loss has to come from a permanent change.  
       Weight loss will be quickly followed by weight gain back and over original. Start out at 180  and lose weight to 150. A year or 2 later you'll be at 190 or maybe even 200 as your body stores more fat for the coming famine.  
       Don't think for a moment you can switch to diet pop/ sweets/ junk food etc.  Your body wants those things.  You've trained it well.   You have to give up pop, sweets, junk food for the rest of your life and not replace it with anything.  For the rest of your life if you want to lose and keep from gaining it back with extra. 

My preference is weight training, but really any strength/muscle building training (bodyweight, resistance, etc.) is going to be effective.

I do not think there is anything you can do to beat the old age aches. I am 63 and if I think back they started in the 50's. Pretty much all of my friends are in the same boat.

Where things did diverge in my peer group is in the surrender to the aches part. Some people I know responded by doing less while others have kept moving despite the moans and groans.  For me, audiobooks and walking are the answer to being retired and not living on the couch. I only listen to the books when I am walking or working in the shop; this creates a positive feedback loop that makes me feel better all around.

Have you considered sacrificing virgins to the dark gods and bathing in their blood?

Beer Baron said:

Have you considered sacrificing virgins to the dark gods and bathing in their blood?

I can do that. What's the best way to procure virgins? Do I just post an ad for cheap miata parts and let them come to me?

I've been doing weight training for a few years. I used to have occasional lower back problems but the extra core strength has made that go away. At 50,  I can pretty much do anything I want, including running a 5k without any preparation. Moving weights around has also helped me learn how to do it properly without hurting myself. I also am moderately active, mountain biking mostly. 

I don't do anything special on nutrition. The pandemic broke me of the fast food and restaurant habit and that made a noticeable difference.

Because of the muscle, I'm heavy. I'm still carrying some extra fat but you have to watch out using the scale as a guide. Its not how much you weigh, but what you're built out of. Like the difference between a 2400 lb LS Miata and a CRX with 600 lbs in the load bay. You can take that weight out of the CRX but it'll never be as fast as the Miata :)

gearheadmb said:

Beer Baron said:

Have you considered sacrificing virgins to the dark gods and bathing in their blood?

I can do that. What's the best way to procure virgins? Do I just post an ad for cheap miata parts and let them come to me?

I guess you could always retain consultants on the subject.