This is the summer I will turn 67. Collecting Social Security, playing the saxophone and stand-up comedy, open mics. Well that’s not all. Today in the 90 degree heat and humidity, I went to my favorite spot in Central Park and hit the pullup bars. I did ten sets, totaling 110 pullups. Man I love this weather!!
The first two pics are 142lbs. 9.0% bodyfat! Bam! Looking good.
These photos below are after 60 days of eating more and heavy weightlifting. 148 lbs. and 10.5% bodyfat. I gained 2 lbs. of fat and 4 lbs. of muscle. Doesn’t feel as good to me. Hmmmm, I think I like the before photos better! How about you?
Can you see the difference? No, probably not. I am always about the same weight and bodyfat. I fluxuate from 141 pounds to about 147 at the most. About 9% bodyfat to around 11%. So now I’m going to see if it’s possible to eat more and put on muscle. For a month, I’m not going to do cardio every day, and I’m going to take actual rest days. That’s right, I am going from working out every day, to just doing weight training 4 times a week. Wish me luck. Can you build muscle after a total shoulder replacement? At 65? We are about to find out!
2024 Who cares about the date? I don’t, but… I do care about this moment. This moment contains all I need to know. I have spent a lifetime trying to fill the me shaped hole inside of me. As I write this, I see how ridiculous this sounds. The crux of the matter is the realization that I am enough!
There are some things you should know if you want to stay in shape as you get older.
WTF?! This guy’s not 65! Well, at least on the inside. Hey everyone, I did it! Made it to medicare. Hahaha! What a joke. Anyway, I’m still alive at 65. I like to take things “One day at at time”, so I don’t put too much thought into birthdays and holidays. Every day is a holiday for me. I’m lucky to be alive. (For a number of reasons) I don’t wait for holidays or birthdays to celebrate. I do it all the time. So, I’m celebrating the end of my 65th year alive. Now. Right now! That’s all we got “Right here, right now” Love yourself!!
I’ll admit I have been a little off my game for a few months. Knee surgery in April completely derailed my frisbee game. Now that it’s July 25th, exaclty one month until I turn 65, I’m ready to get “Back On The Plan” Gonna get serious! Anyone else feel the need to get serious?
Here’s the thing. Health is a lifestyle. Yes, there are so many things you can’t control. So, we’re going to put those aside for now.
Time to focus on what you do have control over.
That’s why I believe that
FITNESS
Is comprised of
F-unctional
I-ntegrative
T-raining
And
N-utrition
E-xercise
S-upport
S-ystem
That’s where I come in. Without a support system for your fitness, you are on your own. If that’s working for you the I say more power to you. If it’s not, then why not make some changes?
I will make sure you get in better shape. I guarantee it.
Give me 10 sessions and you will see and feel the difference.
Fitness is my game. My life. My domain.
Two crazy! Two months. Two different angles. 3 months shy of three years since my total shoulder replacement. First time I’ve been willing to show my body from the left side. Check out that wicked scar!
That’s all. Just checking in. Life is good. One day at a time. Getting through the day is an inside job. If you take care of the inside, it all falls into place. Or not. And you deal with it. 2/22/2022 Another day in the life. A day in your life. Make the most of it. Stay fit. Physically and mentally. Exercise your right to a happy life. February 2022.
Many people grab their belly and say this, “How do I get rid of this?” Which exercises will get rid of this. I have the secret, but just like many mysteries, the answer doesn’t always make you feel better.
The secrets of a sixpack!! I am fortunate enough to be very vain. It’s practically an obsession! I say fortunate because it drives me to stay lean. I know one of the deepest darkest secrets of having visible ab muscles. Brace yourselves! In order to see your ab muscles you must be LEAN. That means that without any ab exercises, if you’re lean you could have a sixpack, but without a proper nutrition plan, all the ab exercises in the world won’t uncover that coveted sixpack.
Okay so if you still want to see those abs, I mean really want to. There are some exercises that can build up your abdominal muscle and help with your desire, (very strong desire) to make them more visible once your bodyfat percentage is low enough. Here they are!
Six pics! First two are from the beginning of January 2020. Gotta admit I have a sweet tooth and December of 2019 was a sweet tooth binge. Okay, I got that out of my system. Here we go starting off at 152 pounds and 15.2 % body fat. Then I got the flu. January was a really tough month. Travel to Ohio to see mom and while I’m there she passed away. Here’s to my sweet family for how wonderfully they cared for her in her last few months. I feel blessed to have been there to see her go and to see the love she got from everyone. So, we start again in February. The second two pics, from February 2nd, 148 pounds and 13.3 % body fat. Finally starting to feel a bit better. And now for the last two most recent pics. March 2nd. 2020. 144 pounds and 12.4 % body fat. Moving a bit slower than normal this year. Stiil, I’m committed to staying the course and finishing strong. This year is the year of rebuilding. Oh yeah, I had my left shoulder replaced last May. Here we go! 61 is so much fun!
Okay, people what’s happening? Are you in any way more fit than New Year’s day? Well, as you know it is my job to be in shape. So I’ve been working on it very diligently. I’m now down to 146 pounds, and 10.5% body fat. That’s 1.5% down in body fat and 6 pounds lighter. I feel so much better!!!I must admit, it hasn’t been easy or perfect, but I made a decision to stick to it, no matter what happened. I think I’ve eaten a bit too many nuts, though. I think I am turning into a nut. I have eaten a tree-full of apples and more than my share of blueberries. Anyway, I’m human and I need a treat now and then. These are my staples. I’m not a vegetarian, I eat more of a Paleo diet, with proteins vegetables, nuts and fruits. I’ve basically just cut out sugar and starchy carbs. Oh what a difference. I also have upped my workouts to almost every day. Sometimes I do 30 minutes of easy cardio, some days I’ll spin for 20 minutes using a high intensity interval style and other days, I push it hard with push ups, pull ups, jumping lunges, lunges, jumping squats, squats, kettlebell swings, Vipr, Bulgarian bag, RMT Club, and calisthenics combined all together in a massive Tabata style workout. It’s very challenging and fun!
So, how’s it going so far for you? 2019? Leave me a message describing your New Year.
So, it’s that time of year again. You might think I mean New Year’s resolutions, but I don’t. It’s the time of year for me when I am reminded of why I do what I do. I am a fitness professional. That means my life is about fitness. Mine and the people I am fortunate enough to work with. I eat clean and exercise every day for myself and for them. It makes me feel good and I am a power of example to those I encounter every day, whether I am training them or just talking in the elevator. I have been at it for almost 30 years. That means, I’m no spring chicken, if you know what I mean. Hmmm, chicken. I’m hungry. Anyway, at 60 years old, I am feeling as if I’ve been around for a while, I have. I know how to stay in shape. I know how to get out of shape. Listen closely, here it comes.
I eat clean and exercise every day. Unless I don’t. Around the end of the year, every year I allow myself to eat food that I enjoy eating, but that makes me feel less than stellar. In other words, around the holidays, I eat junk!! I usually start in November and from then until the end of the year, I go on and off of my regularly healthy diet and I eat pumpkin pie, ice cream, cookies, pastries and an assortment of sugary, sweet “just about anythings”. By the time January first rolls around, by the way, can you believe it’s 2019? I can, it was 2018 all year, I am ready for it! By the end of the year, I am sick of it! I wonder how people eat like this all of the time. I feel sick! Literally, ill. No wonder people are overweight and unhealthy. Everyone knows that eating right and exercising is good for you, but it’s challenging stick with it. Well, in our media driven society where the hot body is always dangled in front of us, and presented as the optimal version of the “us”, we should strive for, accompanied with a constant barrage of ads for food, snacks, and instant gratification, of course it’s hard! We are fed a huge pile of dung and expected to create a beautiful, sweet smelling work of art! How can we cut through the muck we live in and learn to create a version of “us” that feels good and is sustainable? IT’S NOT AS HARD AS YOU THINK! As a matter of fact, it’s not hard at all. It just takes a willingness to take things “one at a time”, and an ability to be honest with yourself.
If you can be honest with yourself about yourself, you will be a lot better off. I can’t tell you how many times someone has said to me “I just don’t have time to exercise.” That is like saying, “I don’t have time to stop for gas!” You don’t have time not to. Everyone wants to look and feel good, right? Well, just like fueling your car, you have to fuel your body. Go ahead and put sugar in your car’s gas tank and see what happens. DON’T DO IT! I don’t want to be responsible for anyone ruining their car. Google it and see what happens. You must treat your body like it was an expensive vehicle, because that’s exactly what it is.
So, the answers are simple ones. Eat clean. Exercise regularly. That’s it. If you really don’t know how to do this on your own, then reach out to someone who does. I am a fitness professional. It’s what I do. I know the answers. I have included some pictures of me taken at the end of the year when I am at my “less than stellar” self. Remember, I am 60. No excuses. My intention is to start here and see just how much better I can get in the first three months of this year. I know how to do it, now I want to show you how. Just call, text or email me if you want to join the challenge. It’s going to be fun!
I understand that most people are very busy. I think they’re probably too busy. If you’re too busy to exercise, then you are too busy. Exercise isn’t high on the priority of those who are too busy. Unfortunately, they are correct, their time is short.
Read this and decide if you have time to exercise or not. I know I do!
Conclusions and Relevance Cardiorespiratory fitness is inversely associated with long-term mortality with no observed upper limit of benefit. Extremely high aerobic fitness was associated with the greatest survival and was associated with benefit in older patients and those with hypertension. Cardiorespiratory fitness is a modifiable indicator of long-term mortality, and health care professionals should encourage patients to achieve and maintain high levels of fitness.
by Jim Fantone, personal trainer
It’s just another day in the city. Not just any city though. We, here in New York City are fortunate to have opportunities on every corner and in every neighborhood for exercise.
60 Is The New Sexy! Well, that’s what I’ve been telling myself all year. It’s a good example of my approach to life. I want to lean into it, rather than fear it.
Today is the 60th anniversary of my birth. That’s right, I have now been alive for 60 years. Man, I am amazing! Wooohoooo!
I spent a good part of my life fearing things. Basically everything! That makes for a rough road! As a result of getting sober in 1979 I have a new lease on life. Aside from a four year relapse in the early 2000’s I have spent most of my adult life working on a change of attitude.
Now, I like to live in the present moment. It makes life so much easier but not only that, it’s more fun! So, one day at a time, I have managed to stay alive for all of these 60 years and for that I am grateful.
All of that being said, I think staying physically fit is so important to enjoying life. I don’t fear aging, rather I look forward to it. There is always something new to learn. I am wise because of my age. I am experienced because of my age. I am leaning into 60 because I know I will continue to get better with time.
How’s that for sexy!
Fantone Fitness 