Getting Fit After Forty

Monday 1st of June 2009

There's an old proverb that rings with wit and truth: "Everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die." So why do we want to live forever? According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, author of "Chasing Life" and CNN's Senior Medical Corespondent, we don't, not really.

The real quest isn't eternal life on earth according to Gupta, but rather an exceptional life.

While interviewing the foremost authorities on anti-aging and life extension, Dr. Gupta discovered three "universals" -- three principles that each researcher deemed critical to extending our lives naturally and empowering us to live exceptionally. They are:

1. Strength training
2. Good nutrition
3. Positive thinking and having a purpose

Jon Benson, author of "Fit Over 40", explores each of these in great detail, as well as asking 52 men and women how they have managed to slow the hands of time down to a crawl. Benson does not waste time with hype and hypothesis. He focuses on real-world examples and applications we can all use to slow down the aging process and help prevent and reverse the conditions that can lead to disease.

Discover more today (and sign up for Jon's amazing free 10-day e-mail course, '10 Pounds (Snap!) Like THAT!') at FitOverForty.com

You too can live a longer, more exceptional life by simply adopting a smart, realistic and enjoyable lifestyle fitness plan. And if science just happens to catch up with Father Time, you'll be many steps ahead of the curve.

Just enter your name and e-mail address on Jon's home page and get his FREE 10-day e-Course, '10 Pounds (Snap!) Like THAT!'

Just ONE of the ten exclusive tips in this series helped me drop five pounds in a week, without a single change in my diet and without increasing my exercise levels. (Hint: it's all about timing...)

You'll also get three "mystery bonuses"...plus Jon's weekly fat loss and fitness newsletter...all FREE!"

Get "10 Pounds (Snap!) Like THAT!" here

They say, "Timing is everything."

When it comes to eating food that will make you leaner and stronger, this old saying is the key to the new-you.

So many people (perhaps you?) are caught up in "what" they are eating. Pizza is 'bad'. Oatmeal is 'good'.

Well...yes and no.

I'm going to reveal one of my biggest secrets to getting and staying lean in this newsletter. (You'll need to access my book for the whole story, however.)

That secret is this: there are no forbidden foods...only forbidden times to eat them.

Granted, there are "rules" to any good nutrition program. No one is silly enough
to believe they can eat popcorn and candy as their primary foodstuff and be healthy.

We're beyond that, right?

Would you believe that the majority of the calories ingested in the United States is
liquid soda?

So, maybe we're not beyond that. But I am going to assume YOU are beyond it.

You are ready for the Lean Lifestyle found in "Fit Over 40".

I know that because you're reading this newsletter. Just do more than read it.
Apply this lifestyle secret, starting today.

>>> Tip One: Carbs In The Morning

Here's what I've discovered: I can eat more carbs in the morning. That isn't
exactly breaking news...but some of you may not know about it.

Take a serving of carbs about the size of the palm of your hand. Mix that with
protein of equal size.

If you want a superior meal, toss in a handful of veggies.

Presto: the ideal breakfast.

If you were to eat this same meal later in the day, you may find yourself more
sluggish. I know my bodyfat doesn't want to budge if I eat carbs at night.

But I 'do' eat at night. It's a myth that you should not eat at night at all. Here is
where "what" is more important than "when"...but that's another newsletter.

(Or, just read my book.)

>>> Tip Two: Carbs After Workouts

The best time to consume starchy carbs is within 45 minutes of a weight or
resistance workout.

Cardio workouts are good too if you have your intensity high enough. But when it
comes to carbs post-workout, weight training RULES.

You'll find that carbs tend to be used more as fuel and a recovery aid when
you eat them post-workout. That means they're less likely to cause blood sugar
problems or fat-storage.

>>> Tip Three: More Veggies As The Clock Ticks

If you want to really lean out, increase your vegetable intake and decrease your starch intake every meal past 3:00pm.

More veggies, less starch. Cut the starch out at the last meal...or if you're like me, the last two meals.

The timing of eating veggies in the evening is ideal to help your body detox and restore alkalinity while you snooze away at night.

This can make for greater fat-burning.

>>> Tip Four: When To Eat Junk-Food

You can use junk-food as fuel as well. I do not recommend this but in one or two meals during the week, but unless you're trying to hit single-digit bodyfat it can actually help you get leaner.

Deplete all your carbs except for 50 grams of veggies for 1-2 days. Eat plenty of lean protein and healthy fats. Work out hard at least one
of these two days.

Then on the third day have a free meal before 3:00pm. Eat whatever you want...just be SURE to drink a lot of water, and to consume a salad with the meal.

The salad is important!

So, a salad and a burger, or pizza, or whatever. It will be okay. You should enjoy your meals, and these foods are a part of the spectrum of tasty foods.

They should just be the smallest part of the spectrum. The rest should be tasty and healthy foods like I cover in Fit Over 40.

If you really want to make your junk-food meal almost "good for you", consume it 45 minutes after a heavy weight workout.

The carbs and sugars will be used for repair and glycogen restoration, and the calories are less damaging given the fact you just trained with weights.

If you're going to eat these foods, this is the best time to do it.

It's also a little reward once or twice a week (no more) for eating clean and working hard.

Living like this, I maintain 10% bodyfat or less year-round. Occasionally I'll have three "off-meals" in a week if I'm really low-carbing it and hitting the weights really hard.

When I'm working for lower bodyfat, I'll cut this back to only one off-meal per week, if that.

This is hardly a sacrifice, as my daily menu is full of tasty, healthy food. Plus I have my lean waistline -- and trust me, I would NOT if I ate junk-food meals every day.

If you're ready to have your cake and eat it too, learn the "when" of eating as well as the "what".

Your waistline will thank you.

Sincerely,

Jon Benson
Creator, Fit Over 40

P.S. Here's a funny personal story.

I really enjoy burgers. Hey, I'm human. Plus I grew up in Texas. We Texans tend
to love moo-meat. (That's red meat.)

The best burger I've ever had was after a really hard leg workout and after 3 days on low carbs. My body soaked that burger up like a sponge.

I was even hungry in a few hours. It was like I never ate "junk-food" at all.

The best part was I woke up leaner! This is because my metabolism needed a shot in the arm. The burger gave it to me.

You don't have to use burgers, but you need to use this principle of Calorie Timing to get lean and more muscular.

Read more about it in my book --
http://www.fitover40.com

It's the best way to eat for life.