[John Casler]

I don't think you need strength training (as in weight lifting etc) or the chemicals and junk that you're supposed to buy that goes along with that whole culture. Spend your money on a good Yoga instructor instead. Ditch the sugars (fruit juice, chocolate etc), refined grains, and preferably the meat and poultry. Add some regular exercise like swimming or walking most days of the week. Hey, it worked for me

John You bring up a good point and my suggestion that "strength training" is of significant value is not rooted in the traditional perceptions of weight training and "that culture".

It is based on the levels of stresses that are needed to reduce the effects of joint deteriorations, sarcopenia, and maintaining mineralization in the bones due to aging.

ALL exercise, including some of the more strenous forms of Yoga will help, but postures and body weight exercises are not quite as good as a well applied, progressive weight training program.

The problem, is that like you suggest, many have NO IDEA what that might be, and pursue a program of conventional weight training exercises that can be quite dangerous/injurious if not well instructed.

The idea is to make and take the step NOW while many are still unaffected by some of what I mentioned above and this investment (just like any long term investment) can pay dividends in your 80's and 90's.

[K Shep]

Yes.

Mornings usually start with a fruit smoothie - today was apple, banana, frozen straw and black berries, oj and whey protein.

I've been eating the same lunch for 10 years, mixed salad, I eat 1/2 at 11am the other 1/2 at 3pm.  It includes everything you can imagine, today - lettuce, toma, ava, cucum, jicama, beet, egg, chicken breast, grn onion, kidney beans and radish.  Oh, I love blue cheese dressing we buy the low calorie Marie's or something similar.
 
Gym routine 4 days per week, 25 mins on the bike then 45-60 min weight training.  Shoulders, back, chest - day 4 arms and legs.

I've been around the same weight since high school 185-195 and 6' tall. 

[John Casler]

I've always had a high metabolism. I've been at my 190lbs at 6.1 since I graduated from college. It's only in the last 2 years that I crossed over to 200lbs at 49-50, and that was mostly due to mid-life-age-related-guilt partying. We eat a low fat diet but I do have a sweet tooth that gets occasional care and feeding. I was a gym rat until about 35 (tough to be a regular with young children around).

I know I need regular excercise more now than ever, but commuting into NYC for work each day leaves little time for the gym and a family life. I just started things up again and intend to get back to the gym in about 1-2 weeks, after I loosen up at home with push-ups and situps and the elliptical to get back some wind.

We're going to visit Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks in August and I want to be able to hike a bit without feeling like an old man. That's my primary motivation to start up again, but I will need to find additional motivation to keep going when we return. The problem is that there is usually some life event that derails my workout plan for a week or two and then it's almost like starting over from the beginning, which is much harder at 50 than it was at 30.

I know, I know - it is more important now than ever and I definitely do feel better when I am excercising. It's not about building muscle anymore. it's about not losing muscle and gaining endurance and some tone.

Bob

Hi Bob,

Such is the problem of aging and life on fitness and longevity.

While I support going to the gym, I also support setting up an effective Home GYM.  Doesn't take a lot of space and a basement, garage, or even guest bedroom can suffice.

[John Casler]

Great thread!

 Most of the trainers I know are more into showing you how to bulk up rather than just get in shape. 

Josh, that is a good point.  Often a trainer will try to train YOU like he trains himself.

A good trainer has a far broader level of understanding to the key elements that contribute to health, fitness and longevity, and assembles them into a program that will help YOU.

Personally I train in a fashion that NO ONE should use, unless we are training together and I am spotting and monitoring you 100%.

So in my case it is Train as I say, NOT as I do.

[John Casler]

This is the only weightlifting routine that's kept me injury free:

http://www.enotalone.com/article/4605.html

I do not believe that it's really a 30 minute workout, once per week.  Personally, I've had to increase the number of exercises and frequency of workouts in order to gain strength.  I've also had to rotate different exercises into this routine to avoid boredom.  However, I have been using this now for about a year, and I have been injury free the entire time. As a former bodybuilder, I have tons and tons of injuries.  This is the only workout that's kept me injury free (knock on wood). 

Also, I was unsure of the claims that this workout would help with aerobic exercise.  However, I went on a short vacation and we walked a ton.  I carried my daughter everywhere on my shoulders.  I had tons of strength and aerobics that I didn't have before.  Whether it's this exercise regimen, I do not know, but I believe the slow burn workouts have contributed to my endurance.

Hi Bob,

I have engaged Fred many times in discussion groups.

His Slow Burn can be highly effective for many purposes, but it is somewhat limited to machine training where the stabilizers are less involved due to machine tracking ROMs (ranges of motion) and movement paths.

For conventional longer Kinetic Chain free weight exercises like Squats, or Deadlifts it proves less effective.

Your observation is correct regarding some carryover/translation of strength training to cardio efficiency.  After the big "AEROBICS" craze of the 70's/80's even Ken Cooper has become more centered to a combination of Strength and Cardio Conditoning.

[coke]

Hi Bob,

Such is the problem of aging and life on fitness and longevity.

While I support going to the gym, I also support setting up an effective Home GYM.  Doesn't take a lot of space and a basement, garage, or even guest bedroom can suffice.

Home gyms are really nice.  The videos I posted earlier are from my home gym.  We had an extra bedroom that needed carpet replaced.  I pulled up the carpet and padding, and replaced it with particle board and stall mats.  I can drop hundreds of pounds without worrying about damaging anything, and it also reduces vibrations sent throughout the house.  It's really nice to not have to drive anywhere to work out.  I can also pick whatever music I want to listen to

[John Casler]

We have to remember one thing as we train with weights...

IT"SNOT HOW MUCH YOU CAN LIFT, IT"S HOW YOU LIFT THE WEIGTHS YOU'RE LIFTING!  COUPLE with that is the fact we are older and not body builders, the key is to keep and improve the strength we have...DO THE EXCERSISES RIGHT, and there won't be injuries...

Pictures tell a thousand words...
Sitting down in the sweet spot...that's me!



T

Very True.

There are primarily two types of training:

1) Performance based where the goal is to lift the load in the most effective method possible (like competitive weight lifting or power lifting)

2) Results based where your intention is to provide a particular stimulus to the body, body part, or areas being stressed to condition them for a purpose (generally hypertrophy, flexibility, or strength)

No matter which you are concerned with (and many times it is a combination) lifting or acting against outside loads and forces requires effective postures, positions, and attention to the way you applying the stresses to be safe and productive.

While it may be nice to lift a large load (I know I like it) injuring yourself in the process is self defeating.  The true success is to be able to condition youself to withstand these stresses with a margin of safety, as long as it contributes to the overall goals.

[cujobob]

Exercise bike and a couple of free weights are all most people need.  Bike for, say, 30 minutes a day, and do some quick workouts with weights and you'll feel great.  As for nutrition, understanding your body is really the key.  We all have different metabolisms, deficiencies, and what-have-you...so knowing what you need nutritionally and where your limits are, is key.  Portion control is really the name of the game, too.  It should be the first step in any good plan to control one's weight.

I'm only 27 and a smallish guy at 5'11" 165...but I've already tried to focus on living a healthy lifestyle to prevent a lot of problems in the future.  I have a bowflex but really haven't used it as much since just using free weights to work out my shoulders, abs, biceps and triceps.  Bench and leg press are about its only uses for me anymore.

[TheChairGuy]

While it may be nice to lift a large load (I know I like it) injuring yourself in the process is self defeating.  The true success is to be able to condition youself to withstand these stresses with a margin of safety, as long as it contributes to the overall goals.

Puh-lease stop lifting....buy a Magna Cart instead:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DppwCpnG_Kg

(I couldn't resist the plug and tie-in)

I think Tuan went 'soft' after I gave him a cart a while back

John

[StereoNut]

"Round" is a shape... right!?   

SN

[John Casler]

Puh-lease stop lifting....buy a Magna Cart instead:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DppwCpnG_Kg

(I couldn't resist the plug and tie-in)

I think Tuan went 'soft' after I gave him a cart a while back

John

Funny as it may seem, I have suggested and and used carts, more like the one in your avatar, or even shopping carts filled with 200# - 500# of weights and pushed and pulled them up the inclines of our two story parking structure.

This can be an excellent mixture of "unstable" cardio and strength training from hand to foot (Full Kinetic Chain) activity.

10-30 trips up and down can provide some incredible benefits overall.  It is also some of the best CORE work around.

Maybe you need to look at that market

Also there isn't too much like lugging an RM40 (240#) up a few flights on a hand truck by yourself.  I have done it hundreds of times and my spinal extensors love me for it

[Sonny]

Puh-lease stop lifting....buy a Magna Cart instead:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DppwCpnG_Kg

(I couldn't resist the plug and tie-in)

I think Tuan went 'soft' after I gave him a cart a while back

John

true John, it's been great for my back...that and digital amps rather than the bohemoths SS / tube amps i used to have...

[WGH]

Now that summer is here, you want to exercise more and an energy drink sounds like a good idea, well think again.

Marketplace has a new report on the 20 Worst Drinks in America.

"a Rockstar Energy Drink - 280 calories, you may want to know that drinking one 16 fl oz can of that stuff is equivalent to the sugar intake of 6 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts."

"Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Beer... stuffs nearly 2,000 calories into each six-pack."

"Arizona Rx Energy 345 calories - Sugar Equivalent: 6 Cinnamon Roll Pop-Tarts"

And those are the low calorie drinks.

Read more:
  The short version

  The long version from Men's Health

Wayne   

[Folsom]

This thread blows my mind to find several people following Dr. D'Adamo's (Peter) work.

His work, if you understand all of it, sheds light onto every person in this thread and their lifestyles, habits, health problems, exercise routines, all of it.

It is true that the new information in GenoType diet is very good. However he has moved even farther into a realm of custom diets on top of that with an online program known as SwamiExpress. There is also GenoType Swami which practitioners (maybe in your area) can do for you that is more specific.

Let me cover attributes of the GenoTypes, then move into genetic traits and more customization.

Please excuse the silly monikers.

Hunter, blood type O exclusively. They are ectomorphs, ecto-mesomorphs, and occasionally mesomorphs. They do best on very high meat diets, lots of vegetables (ok good for everyone), and do not have a problem with glycemic issues. They do poor with gluten and dairy. Funny enough they can eat butter all day typically. They do not always age well since they have a very high rate growth factor for one, they a prone to some allergies. The most troubling ailment they constantly interact with however is adrenal gland issues. If they do not express them with physical exercise at a high level then their adrenals sort of refuse to release what they need to relax. This is why in ancient writings of ectomorphs (they call them kappa or some other moniker meaning rabbit I think) they say they are prone to insomnia, anxiety, sort of wishy-washy people.

Gatherer, blood type O or B, almost only O's are seen. They range from mesomorph, end-mesomorph, and endormorph (most common). They seem to be the people that when fit have smaller waists, but real strong looking legs, and wide shoulders. They respond to almost the same diet as the Hunter with one particular issue of vast difference (aside from small ones). They need low glycemic foods. The only grains that offer no real opposition are millet, quinoa, and amaranth. They can eat the other stuff but staying active (since they are exercise challenged in particular the mor endomorphic they are). They are prone to some cardiovascular issues, diabetes in particular (corn and wheat are the biggest culprits as corn messes with insulin really bad and wheat plugs receptors in blood type O), and on poor diets their genetic markers in DNA get smeared as replication happens giving them a rather slouchy body in appearance and health (personal observation, it can get bad).

Teacher, blood type A or AB, usually A. They tend to be ectomorphs or ecto-mesomorphs, but have been found to be any of them. Chairguy is one. I would suspect that Rollo's wife is one as well. I say this because they have problems with cancer in particular more than anyone else (some times Hunters get reproductive cancer), but I am not saying no one else gets cancer. It is just that they are prone towards it. High number of whorl fingerprints (looks like a stone thrown into a pond) is a good indicator of risk. They suffer from malabsorption often because they develop a bad environment in their intestines of bad bacteria. This can happen from bad circulation too however (especially if you eat things that may inflame your intestines, for many it is wheat regardless of blood type). They do well on eating a lot of vegetables, certain low bacteria overgrowth grains, lots of fish, a little poultry, eggs, moderate yogurt, and just a bit of certain aged cheeses that help reduce bad bacteria.

Explorer, now here we have something unique that really was never covered by the other books. They are usually mesomorphs but often are big boned. That does not mean strong visceral qualities (big rib cage, thick torso regardless of fat). This means that their wrists and ankles will likely appear larger, certain areas like that. They often have a unique jaw that looks "chiseled" or "cut" in an odd way. I say this because it looks like a very straight bone, but often it does not protrude out past the neck/face much at all. They do not particularly have big jaws, they just have this unique super straight sort of had a chisel come down from the ear look. Genetically they seem to often come from mixing Type A and Type O, but are found in blood type. What they do share are some unique problems. They are prone to allergies, blood disorders, and metabolic syndrome x. They do well grains aside from wheat because it kills off their thyroids. They often can eat meat well despite being Type A blood; however the Type A should really only eat lamb. What they need to avoid is corn (they are prone to insulin issues), wheat, soy because stops their kidneys, and other odd things. The point is for them to stay detoxed so they must eat foods that promote good liver and kidney health. If they do not they get strange problems. I know one who has is white blood cell count drop so low they said he would die. He also once had a bone marrow biopsy (most painful procedure on the planet maybe, worse than child birth). They are very unique in many ways. However they often see the world very black and white and can be a bit boring when not staying detoxed.

Warrior, commonly endo-mesomorph or endomorph but there seems to be a number of variances. They are blood type A or AB. They have interesting genetics with high growth rate factor only second to the Hunter. They grow up fast and have a strong cardiovascular system. This makes them prone to really living life up by having careers and families in a hurry. It likely comes from genetics of times of war etc in ancient Europe. They do best on an almost vegan diet with some fish, eggs, and a little bit of probiotic cheeses (hardly any at all). They can eat a lot of soy, often drink coffee without being sensitive to it, and do well with red wine. They are very Mediterranean diet based. They are the only type that can do full well on good quality wheat and benefit from it in many forms. Everyone else can only limitedly benefit or not at all. The funny part is that there is no shortage of people that do poorly with wheat that are Warriors or Teachers. Anyways about midlife they wind down and gain weight and become prone towards cardiovascular issues. Before that they are often slim (or up until recent bad diets) or underweight as children.

Nomad, Type B and AB. They are often mesomorphs.These people got in good in many ways because they do well with cheese, meat, and beer. They are prone to some long lasting infections, nitrogen issues, and cognitive dysfunctions. They do not do well with chicken often, corn, and should avoid wheat. The cheese they can do is usually hard cheese and yogurt. They do not show up a lot in the community behind this work because they seem somewhat blessed, but maybe the cognitive thing holds them back. For whatever reason it is not uncommon for them to also be the skinniest slender bean poles on the planet too.

Genetics

Despite all the classifications of people there are 6 billion+ unique people. For example a Warrior could inherit problems with wheat which makes their thyroid stop working. You never know, but that is why Dr. D'Adamo's work is so valuable. He has found ways to figure this all out and narrow things down.

The greater point of the work is that food heals, so eating the good things is more important that just avoiding bad stuff. You can take it rather as why is moderate to bad for you food when you can eat stuff that heals you or keeps you healthy.

Exercise

Interesting that not everyone benefits from the same exercises. The bigger point to this is what Type A blood unless Explorers should never push themselves very hard. The reason is that they have a problem with it raising cortisol. This can lead to problems, lots of problems. A large component of the Warrior diet is reducing cortisol. Keep in control helps you keep your hair, keeps cardiovascular system in shape, cancer away, etc... so they do well with Yoga, Tia Chi, hiking, etc... Where as people like Hunters need to express adrenals and do great with running, bicycling, and anything competitive (however if they over do it watch out they get in bad shape with adrenal fatigue and almost can not rest). Gatherers do similar to Hunters but benefit from short time periods or more sprint type work as they seem to have more fast twitch muscle. They do excellent with HIIT. Explorers must sweat to stay detoxed and do well HIIT and running. Nomads do well with HIIT and running. Basically many can benefit from intense exercise, all can benefit from yoga etc. However Type A's in general will never lose weight if they up their exercise game too much. However people like blood type O gatherers with bad insulin reception and eating wheat, corn, high glycemic will never lose weight. Explorers with plugged livers can hardly lose weight... They all got drawbacks.

If you want to talk more I am available and more than happy to provide recent news articles and counter points to all the critiques out there of Dr. D'Adamo's work.

There is no other work out there healing people to the same degree. People have spent hundreds of thousands on genetic testing to still fall short of what Dr. D's work has done. Medicine just helps you live with problems... The funny part is people's egos are so big when they are healthy that they refuse to even try the diets despite there being nothing that defies even the food pyramid enough to qualify as unhealthy in recommendation by anyone nutritionist or doctor anywhere. (excluding homeopath vegans who are just silly)

He is decades ahead, and everything happening daily is only working closer to his work.

[TheChairGuy]

Good lord, DOS....you're an encyclopedia of Genotype knowledge

That must've taken you 90 minutes to type out

John (Type AB+, even more oddly a non-secretor 'Teacher')

[lonewolfny42]

Thought it was time for a musical interlude John C.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoZKYiclW8o



As for the shape I'm in....a little overweight....but just slightly.

Good info here....thanks.

[sts9fan]

How can I calculate my genotype?  Is the only way to pony up the cash?  I am honestly always very sceptical of these things becuase the market is so flooded with BS.  It makes to tough for honest people to stand out.  So many products for profit on that site.  Will the book set me on the right track or do you have to but $300 worth of supplemnts.

[BobM]

Ditto. Just bought the book. Do I need to just know my blood type to figure this out? I'm sure there's a questionnaire or something in the book to make this determination, but if I need to call my doctor to find out my blood type then what else do I need to ask him for?

Thanks

[rollo]

DOS, wow well done sir. Yes my wife is a type "A" and me a type "O" . My mom [ type "O"] who is 82 had high blood pressure and high HDL. Was taking medication for the issues. After eating according to her blood type for 6 months she NO LONGER reqiures the meds. Her Doctor thought the lab made an error, retested her when her results came back he was puzzled. She showed him the book and he laughed. Now he reccomends it. Get on board guys you and your family will be glad you did. No processed anything. Eat organic or natural and NO foods produced from genetic altering either. Be well and again DOS thanks for the thorough explanation.


charles

[rollo]

Ditto. Just bought the book. Do I need to just know my blood type to figure this out? I'm sure there's a questionnaire or something in the book to make this determination, but if I need to call my doctor to find out my blood type then what else do I need to ask him for?

Thanks

  Yes go donate some blood and they will tell you what type you are. It that simple. The doctors will charge you about $300 for the lab test.


charles