I used to wake up in the morning and just flat out ache getting out of bed. My feet hurt, back hurt, and I just hurt all over. Why? I always said it was because I was getting older. Maybe that was it. I was 41 years old and was wishing I was back in my 20’s or even 30’s. Yeah – I know – some of you are a lot older than me saying, “Suck it up Rourke!”
I am now getting ready to turn 44 and I wake up with a lot fewer aches and pain. I will tell you why: I am active and for the most part I eat right. I am not going to get into a lot of details regarding my workouts and activities, as well as my diet. I will summarize in that I do a workout called Crossfit, I mountain bike, I run (a little), and I partake in martial arts. I do NOT sit on my arse wishing I was younger anymore. I did suck it up and got moving.
85% of my diet is based on a Paleo Diet. Basically, if it once had a face, is a vegetable, a fruit, a nut, or an egg – I eat it. It is low carb and for the most part, I really enjoy it. I have lowered my body fat percentage and lost about 13 pounds. I have another 15 or so to go. I’ll tell you – the use of Mucuna pruriens has been a boost to my exercise routine as well.
Like many preppers, I love my guns and my ammunition. Just looking at an awesome black knife with a sharp blade built to take on a gang of zombies just does it for me. Like most – I used to ignore the importance of health and fitness while emphasizing on that which I could pick up and hold in my hand.
With the reign of Obamacare just starting and the uncertainty of medical care in a potential SHTF-future – staying as healthy as possible will help avoid the healthcare system altogether – and be able to take on less-than-desirable environments better.
Now I realize not everyone is going to go deadlift 375 pounds, do 100 pull ups or run 5 miles. Still – ANYTHING more than what you are doing now will be a step in the right direction. Depending on your current physical abilities here are a few suggestions to get started:
1. Walk
Walking is better than sitting and great exercise. Start off walking a distance at a pace that you are comfortable with, and either add to the distance or increase your speed over time. The benefits go beyond just the time you are actually walking. Your body’s metabolism will increase for hours after you are finished – and your body will adapt to your walking. That is a good thing. Same as goes for jogging.
2. Weightlifting
Go join the local YMCA or gym and get a trainer to set you up on a resistance (weight) training routine. Even the elderly can benefit from weight training. Those older muscles can be challenged – and they will respond by adapting to the workload.
3. Gymnastics
No – not talking about doing back flips in the air or doing a handstand. I am talking about body-weight exercises such as push ups and squats. Think you cannot squat? What do you do every time you sit in a chair and stand up? A squat!! Push ups can be done from the knees or even up against a wall. Point is – do what you can. It’s more than what you’re doing now, right?
4. Eat right
Regardless of the “diet” you may try – eat more lean meats, fruit, vegetables. Stay away from processed foods. By the way – if it comes in a box, a pouch, or a can – it is processed.
5. Eat until your are satisfied
Most all of us overeat. Rather than eat to survive – we eat for pleasure. Eat your meal and once you are satisfied – not full – just stop. Yes – in a couple hours you may be hungry again. That is fine – eat! Listen to your body.
6. Try low carb
No bread, no pasta, no sugar. Hard? It can be, but you will feel so much better. My aches and pains went away when I did away with carbs and increased my protein intake. Carbs should ONLY be used for energy – like right before or after a workout. Milk is full of sugar and what happens to a baby when they drink lots of milk? ’nuff said.
If you are already working out – great! If not – just start moving.
Disclaimer: Prior to starting any new workout program always consult a physician…..or don’t. After all – it’s your life, isn’t it?
Rourke, this article made me smile as I have been through much as you. I used to ache all over too, though I have 20 years on you. I used to be 30 kilos over weight. I had a range of autoimmune diseases where my body turned on itself and left me in a lot of pain with many and varied symptoms.
I, too, started to eat paleo and the only way to keep the inflammation down is to stay eating a strict paleo diet. I have to be about 98% paleo or else I start to put on weight and start on a downward trajectory again. By cutting out sugar, grains, legumes and currently milk, nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes and peppers) and most dried fruits I cut out 95% of my pain and inflammation.
The result of reduced inflammation is that I can exercise. When I started doing karate at the age of nearly 61 I needed pain killers every two hours. Now when I’m what I now call “unwell” I might have a couple of paracetamol (acetominophen, I think you call it) to settle my legs but mostly I manage without any at all. In fact when I’m well I feel better at the end of a full hour of karate than before and I sleep well too.
So if you have high blood pressure, are overweight, have type 2 diabetes, have heart disease or any auto-immune disease consider looking at the paleo way of eating. It sure helps to do this when you are young. But I am now 63 and find it works well at my age, though certainly not as dramatically as it does for youngsters.
So in addition to now being able to walk, to be able to take a karate class with youngsters, I have become a lot more nimble on my feet and o longer have the constant risk of falling, I am also no longer grossly obese. I no longer have type 2 diabetes, nor high blood pressure and my bad cholesterol is well down. I no longer need medication for my thyroid and 60 years of depression has lifted. For me becoming healthy is the best prepping I can do. I no longer need to stockpile medication, though some supplements are still useful.
And when the inflammation is down then I don’t want to be a lounge lizard. I like to be up and about and doing things. Sure its lovely to sit in the sun sharing a cuppa with my husband. But after he has gone back to work then its back to work for me too. Doing what I think of as my work is much too fun to not do.
Great job Harriet!
It is truly amazing how “not sore” I am now – even after heavy and strenuous workouts. I believe Paleo and a very high protein diet is the cause.
I recommend it to people all the time.
Take care –
Rourke
You’re right, Rourke. We are what we eat and become what we do. If you sit in front of the idiot box hours every day, you will become a mass of gelatinous muck. Never mind what happens to your brain from all the liberal media puke, but, that’s another story.
I, too, have dropped 13 lbs. You worked a lot harder for it! I simply stopped drinking sodas (well, I DO cheat once in a while, but, not often!) and portion control, as well as being careful as to food and drink choices every day. I have always been active in that I rarely sit for long. It’s taken 10 months to do it this way, but it will stay off, of that I am certain.
You need to come to my BOL and weight-lift some trees; I have a few that need rearranging. Just sayin’…
Let’s give ourselves a “WAY TO GO!!!!”
Congrat’s servantheart!
A double-pat on our backs!
Rourke
Wifey here…way to go “kids”! LOL As an over 65’er I learned years ago to manage not so much my weight, but to manage my foods. This applies to Mr. WE2 also! We love riding our bicycles, daytripping on our motorcycle, visiting just about every festival/open air market/? that we can because we walk. We pretty much eat what we want to eat but very seldom eat processed/restaurant foods. I cook from scratch, and in the garden season we eat tons of veggies supplemented with a bit of meat or fish. We seldom eat breads but do enjoy small amounts of pastas….and we store what we eat. We’ll not have a “gourmet” diet if in a crisis situation so we don’t eat that way now. We want our bodies to learn to behave on whatever foods we have and not plunge us into montezuma’s revenge or ??? because of a sudden diet change. Rotating our pantry helps us to maintain this rhythm. We’ve tried to maintain an exercise pattern that will supply our bodies now, but more importantly, as we age. We bicycle to lower the impact on our knees and hip joints. We don’t run or jog for that reason. I know, I know…they say it doesn’t matter. But from examples that I’ve seen it does! We’re also pseudo ballroom dancers (not even near pros!) and you wouldn’t believe the assist this gives to waist lines! LOL Still, many of our friends have encountered serious knee injuries due to the twisting etc., of country-type line dancing so we stick with couple dancing (the mighty 2-step, waltz, swing & chacha!). There’s lots of way to really enjoy and have tons of fun…eating and getting exercise!
WE2 –
Awesome on the ballroom dancing! I bet that is really fun.
Thanks for all the comments and info.
Rourke
Congrats to all on the strides you’ve made. I started letting my beagle walk me nightly. As you likely know, beagles and leashes don’t mix well. BUT he whines at the door every nite….and we’ve only missed one nite so far due to heavy rain. I worry about how we are going to deal with ice in the winter…I decided I was hitting 50, I have a desk job, and needed to start doing something…I started going one lite post to another, we have expanded to one corner to another, working on totally around the block…learning curve for beagle and I both…he’s a lot to handle on the leash…
*I meant to post *on the strides you all have made*
Rourke, I think one of the reasons people get sore is because it is part of the inflammatory response. If you have pre-existing disease you have inflammation. When that is already existing exercise soreness is much, much worse. Inflammation also makes one tired and lacking in motivation for exercise. When the inflammation lifts with the paleo diet then motivation, energy and desire for activity increases. That’s why I recommend people change their diet before attempting exercise.