I tried every program possible to get in shape in my 20’s & 30’s & I still felt like sh*t. I didn’t “look like I worked out” & had low energy. My gut was a dumpster fire.
I constantly had ‘projects’.
Keto for 30 days. CrossFit competitions. Fat loss cuts on a never ending cycle. Cold showers for… well… I didn’t last long with that one, to be honest. Brrrr. Not my thing.
It seemed this kind of dopamine hit, short-termism was “fine” for me in my 20’s. (I turn 41 this year.)
After 40 your body starts arguing with you a little, you wise up (hopefully), & learn a few things by, frankly, doing a lot of dumb sh*t. Things that don’t work as well as they once did.
So to avoid wasting time on dumb stuff, if you want to:
get in shape
lose weight
look & feel younger than your age
You gotta change & flow in alignment with your season.
Look around you. You won’t see many folks over 40 in great shape & full of energy for the majority. I’ve worked in healthcare in radiology & as a nutrition coach for 18 years. I see it everyday. People younger than me, in worse shape & health because they don’t take care of themselves. Because 99% of people struggle to do something that can’t be found in their social media feeds and Google searches…
…consistently show up & master the big rocks to true transformation, health, & fitness.
Here’s how I do the damn thang. Enjoy!
oxox Coach K
Minimally Optimal Effective Dose
What is M.O.E.D. ?
I noticed after turning 40 my physique & health were actually getting BETTER by doing LESS & simply focusing on enjoying my workouts while staying consistent af. The Minimally Optimal Effective Dose meant doing just enough to move the needle & improve your health, fitness, & body shape as I got older.
For any age, it is better to nail consistency week-in week-out than to only manage to do something much higher maintenance for weeks, while hating life, being desperate to stop, & eventually giving up & falling into bad habits.
I’ve noticed as I’ve aged, if I push it too much in the gym I get puffy, inflamed, gain weight & experience fatigue as a negative stress response vs if I take it “easier” on my body with lifting, simple movement & keeping my heart rate at a more moderate pace.
My workout M.O.E.D. methodology: 45 min-1 hr of resistance training 4-5d/wk paired with short bursts of cardio + daily walking (I get 15k steps/d).
Slice & dice it any way you want, do what works for you. You can do two 20 minute workouts a day, 1 long workout, etc.
This will:
- build strength & muscle
- improve cardiovascular fitness
- help you burn body fat & transform your body shape in no time
You can fit this in every single week because you haven’t had to turn your busy work & family life upside down.
Zone Training Basics
Training zones allow us to understand which energy systems & muscle fibers we use at a given exercise intensity level.
There are 6 zones. Zone 1 is the lowest intensity (for example, sitting on the sofa to watch Netflix), while Zone 6 is the highest (for instance, all-out sprinting).
- Zone 1: Energy source mainly used: fat (and oxygen)
- Zone 2: (easy jog; relaxed biking). Energy source mainly used: fat (and oxygen)
- Zone 3: Energy source mainly used: fat trending into carbohydrates
- Zone 4: Energy source mainly used: carbohydrates
- Zone 5: Energy source mainly used: carbohydrates
- Zone 6: (all-out sprinting). Energy source mainly used: carbohydrates trending into creatine phosphate.
**The fuel type you burn to create ATP changes with exercise intensity. In zones 1 & 2, you are primarily burning fat. In Zone 2, you also exercise at a level that optimally stimulates your cells’ mitochondria.
The Benefits of Zone 2 Cardio
Why do I spend much of my physical activity time in Zone 2 cardio?
First, I want to increase the number & efficiency of my mitochondria. In Zone 2, I maximally stimulate my mitochondria to produce ATP (energy). Your body will create more mitochondria in response. With more mitochondria, I can create more ATP through fat oxidation.
As you work in Zone 2, your body will get better at burning fat for energy. You may lower your risk of health problems such as insulin resistance, cancer, & dementia.
I do Zone 2 training to improve my health & longevity. I also have more energy throughout the day, I’m not as sore, my mental clarity if better, & my heart rate has lowered.
I get my heart rate up higher 2-3 times a week but no longer redline my CrossFit workouts daily like I used to.
Healthy Eating & Fat Loss M.O.E.D.
80-90% for Health. 20-10% for Flexibility
You can still lose weight after 40. Yes, I do feel the levels of indulgence we could get away with in the past bite us in the ass pretty quickly. <weeps quietly>.
Instead of quick fix, masochistic approaches to dieting, we can lose body fat & stay lean using the minimally optimal effective dose of dietary effort — intentionally managing calories & eating healthy foods the majority of the time, say Monday to Friday, or 80-90% of the time, meaning things like:
- High protein breakfasts (eggs, bacon, sausage, etc)
- High protein lunches/dinner (meat, seafood, eggs, etc)
- No-minimal sugar & snacks between meals (2-3 meals/day)
- Intermittent fasting overnight (12-16+ hours) Do what works for you as far as eating windows.
- Use carbs (fruit, veggies, oats, rice, etc) intentionally. Typically the more active, the more you tolerate. If they cause issues mentally & physically, you may do better abstaining.
- If you like weekend/social flexibility, use wisely.
Energy Boosting, Stress Reducing, Biohacking
Sleep & Walk more while balancing hormones.
The people I meet over 40 who have boundless energy & seem younger than their years all have a few things in common:
- they are conscious of managing stress
- they prioritize their sleep & get outside in the sun
- they understand the importance of hormonal balance
Ultimately all those things are interconnected.
- Sleep helps you manage stress & regulate hormones
- Reducing stress helps you sleep & keep Cortisol low which again regulates hormones
- Keeping hormones balanced improves mood, energy levels, libido, & metabolism
So what are the tiniest, simplest yet most effective steps for us to achieve all that? 2 simple habits:
- Fit in as much walking as you can each week. This reduces stress, helps you sleep, builds stamina, burns calories, & lifts your mood.
- Prioritize sleep by getting 7-8 hrs/night. Avoid screens, alcohol, & heavy meals before bedtime.
Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Motivational writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, financial struggles, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, body transformation, & adapting to a carnivore diet lifestyle.
Katie also has over 17 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, Brand Growth & Sales Consultant. She works with people of all walks of life as a nutritionist & life coach to help them authentically optimize their lives to find health, wealth, & happy!
You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com