How to exercise towards age 70 – (Before and After pt.1)
A 69 year old’s decision to get fit.
Here’s what you need to know…
1. Janet’s training program was designed to be “comfortable”.
She was never pushed too far, or too hard. We want our clients to associate exercise with feeling good.
2. Her accomplishments were achieved without any tricks or cheats.
No expensive supplements, drugs, meds, or hormones were involved. Her exercise and nutrition plans were (and still are) common-sense and completely sustainable.
3. She was consistent.
Janet succeeded because she was consistent and modified her lifestyle to prioritize her health. She never missed a day of training, and her nutrition was/is a mainstay in her life.
4. Our training plans work for anyone.
Humans are 99.997% genetically identical to each other. There are no exceptions. Of course, there is not a “one size fits all” training program, which is why we modify the programs based on age, gender, body composition, experience, health conditions, psychology, and more.
“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” ~Thomas Edison
Before DNA
The Beginning of the Rest of Her Life
I don’t think Janet understood what she was getting into. Back then, if I were to show her an “after” picture of her six-month future self, she wouldn’t have believed it.
At the beginning of 2015, and at 69 years old, Janet came to train with me because she needed help to “lose some weight, and get stronger for the big seven-zero”. She hadn’t exercised in over 30 years.
Little did she know that this was the beginning of the rest of her life!
The Formula
The first step was to provide Janet with a formula of a combination of elements to consume, in order to
Janet learning how to squat in the first month.
begin changing the biochemical processes in her body. The formula of nutrients consisted of an array of amino acids, and normalization of the ratios of omega-3/6, all based on factors such as age, activity level, gender, height, and weight. Among the expected results would be a major reduction in inflammation, a boost in lean tissue production, and a measurable reduction in stored lipids.
Another key focus was appetite regulation. (Regulation is NOT suppression.) Appetite is largely governed by amino acid intake; consuming the proper amount particularly from quality sources. The hormonal roles of ghrelin, leptin, and insulin also require regulation through adjustments in eating habits.
Staying within her “comfort zone” was important to make her training enjoyable.
The Training
Our training is all based on the hormetic effect of exercise, (Hormesis).
Hormesis is a biological phenomenon whereby a beneficial effect (improved health, stress tolerance, growth or longevity) results from exposure to low doses of an agent or stressor that is otherwise toxic or lethal when given at higher doses.
Exercise given at high doses to an out of shape, obese client of 69 years, can definitely be lethal. Therefore the dosage was set to three, half-hour long training sessions per week. In fact, her first workout was only 5 minutes long!
The main goal of Janet’s training program was to manage the amount of low dose stimulus, in order to facilitate her necessary physiological adaptations. Management from a great instructor is also key to the positive influential & psychological factors involved with behavior, and consistency.
Janet is now capable of proper movement, enabling her to do things that most in her age group cannot.
The Results
Obesity in females begins at 32% body fat. Janet started at 36% and in 6 months dropped to 23%. At an initial body weight of 184 lbs, she lost 31 fat pounds dropping down to 150 lbs. She also lost a total of 7 inches around the waist.
More than just fat loss, Janet’s strength and physical abilities have quickly adapted, she can:
- Front squat 75 lbs for 10 repetitions
- Run now! 1/4 mile in 2:30 mins
- Do a real push-up!
Keep in mind that quality of life is something that most people under 50 years old take for granted. For them getting out of a seat without help is not a major concern, neither is tripping over a piece of furniture.
In a single 6 month semester, Janet has become one of the fittest and strongest amongst her peers. People that know her, don’t recognize her anymore. They consistently ask “where the older lady that works here is at”.
She’s a major inspiration to all ages, and most importantly her changes can be permanent because the methods used are sustainable. She’s since joined group classes and changed her goals to being able to do a full unassisted pull-up (she’s getting close).
Before and After, 6 months of training.
The following is Janet’s testimonial
I can’t thank David and his “team” enough for literally giving me my life back. One semester of private training, and now group classes have not only changed how I look, but have given me more energy, endurance, and strength than I’ve had in years. My friends ask “was it hard?”—and now I wonder why I waited so long.
Last February I was sick, tired, obese, and had lost all confidence in myself. I had just turned 69, and was not looking forward to that next landmark birthday. I was referred by a former client of David’s, Paul Hopman. He said, if you’re serious about getting fit , go to DNA.
David , a true professional, has developed an incredible program that combines nutrition, strength training, and conditioning. His expertise—he has a level 4 crossfit certification , and his logical scientific approach to fitness exceeds anything I could have imagined. I appreciated his patience, correcting my form “remember elbows up”, more times than I like to admit, always inspiring me to be stronger and do more “remember time under load”.
I love the atmosphere at the downtown location. It feels urban/industrial when you walk in—a place to do some serious work, yet have fun. I can see the pride that David has in creating this culture of fitness for anyone walking in the door, from the attitude of each of the staff, to the inspirational 100 words on the wall.
It has been a journey, and it’s not done yet. I embrace my new lifestyle, and know that change in fitness and health is possible at any age—just join DNA, and simply do what David tells you to do. ~Janet
In the past I have struggled with my weight constantly going up and down and staying healthy. I’ve always lost weight by taking in less calories and increasing my activity. It was difficult because I would be hungry and tired all of the time.
