Saturday March 12 2016

Beautiful countrymanor hotels

Chic places to stayin rural Britain

What to do, whereto walk in the UK

Food: Delicious Mediterranean dishesLight and easy recipes for lunch parties

Weekend

The midlife fitness guide

How to be toned after 40, by Matt Roberts

20 great springweekends

TravelStarts onpage 23

Lose the moobs

Get rid of the paunch

Strengthenyour back

Shrink your waist

the times Saturday March 12 2016

4 Body + Soul

Middle age isactually thetime to domore exercise,not less

Never mind a few yogasessions and the odd runthrown in, middle age isactually the time to domore exercise, not less.Get on your feet and getmoving is the message

that will be reverberating from billboardsand TV ads in the form of a newgovernment campaign, One You, whichhas just launched. The premise is thatforty and fiftysomethings aren’t doingenough exercise— and if they did more,they would be twice as likely to have anactive old age. In fact, even those whohave been active in their twenties andthirties will need to increase the amountof exercise they do, particularly addingweights to offset the muscle mass thatgradually decreases with age.Critics have labelled efforts to get the

middle-aged moving “patronising” butmany experts believe the campaign is agood idea. For those who have foundthemselves shifting towards slothfulnessas the children grow up and financialpressures ease, the statistics are sobering.More than two thirds of adults in this age

bracket are overweight and, increasingly,prone to eating and drinking excessively.It’s all too easy to slip into bad habits,find that your waist has widenedseemingly overnight and that suddenlyyou are at heightened risk of associatedillness and disease. Experts behind theOne You campaign, the first governmentdrive targeting the middle-aged, say thaturging the over-forties to drink less,exercise more, eat better and give upsmoking will also relieve a considerableburden on the NHS.Although overall life expectancy has

been steadily rising over the past fewdecades, the extra years people are livingare often not spent in good health. Morethan two fifths of those aged 45 to 64are living with an illness or disability inEngland and 40 per cent of deaths inthat age bracket are linked to anunhealthy lifestyle. About 75 per cent ofmiddle-aged men and two thirds ofmiddle-aged women are overweight orobese because of poor diet and lack ofexercise. With smoking and drinkingadded to the equation, the NHS isspending £11 billion every year treatinglifestyle-related illnesses. And yetreversing this trend is realistic.Dr Peter Herbert is an exercise

physiologist and director of the humanperformance laboratory at the Universityof Wales Trinity Saint David. Over theyears he has helped to hone the Walesrugby union team and several worldand Commonwealth champion boxers.Now his work is focused on finding thebest ways to improve the fitness levels ofthe ordinary, and slightly chubby,

any other. From around the thirddecade of life we lose an averageof a fifth of a pound of muscle a year.Beyond the age of 50 those lossesaccelerate to a decline of about onepound of muscle every 12 months.Diminishing muscle mass is likely toraise blood lipid levels (mainly fattyacids andcholesterol) and body fat,particularly the visceral fat thataccumulates around vital organs— which is why the loss of musclemass has been linked to obesityand heart disease.Building strength by doing weights

will also ensure that your joints arestable and your metabolism is faster.A combination of bodyweight exercises(squats, jumps, push-ups, etc) andweights is most effective becauseoverloading your muscles by addingweights speeds up your rate of progress.Studies have shown that middle-aged

men who lift weights for 30 minutesa day, five days a week may be ableto reduce their risk of type 2 diabetesby up to 34 per cent. You will lookleaner and more toned andfeel better too.

You need towork out fourtimes a weekAt this stage of life youneed to increase thefrequency, intensityand time spentexercising— whichmeans four or fivedays a week. Outof these, do two25-minute weightssessions (with 10-15repetitions of eachexercise in each set) —one focusing on yourchest, biceps and thighs,the other focusing on yourback, biceps, hamstringsand abs. On the other daysdo cardiovascular exercise,such as walking, swimming,cycling, rowing or running,alternating between long andsteady sessions of about 45minutes, and 20-minuteinterval sessions involvingbursts of speed. You should alsoaim to complete the circuitoverleaf on top of these workouts.

Yoga and Pilatesaren’t enough ontheir ownYoga and Pilates alone are not enough toget you fit and in good shape becausethey do not raise the heart rate and getyou sweating enough to make a realdifference. However, yoga has particularbenefits for the middle-aged — and notonly because it has been proven to lowerstress levels.A recent study found that regular yoga

practice helped to prevent middle-agespread and aided weight loss. Pilates hasits own benefits— another study foundthat regular Pilates improved musclestrength, balance and posture in menand women in their forties and fifties.Both will enhance flexibility, mobility

Midlife fitness: what you shouldA new governmentcampaign suggests we aredangerously unaware of howactive we need to be in ourforties and beyond.Trainer Matt Robertsshows what you cando to stay fit

middle-aged. “So many of us fall intothe trap of letting things go a bit interms of activity when we hit 40 or 50,”says Herbert. “Unfortunately, theageing process means that we canlose a lot of definition, tone andcardiovascular fitness quite rapidly.You look down and there’s a roll of fator a paunch that you hadn’t seen before.But we can get it back, and be as fit aswe were when we were younger, withthe right kind of effort.”Encouragingly, it doesn’t mean you

need to be a slave to the gym. WhatHerbert’s research— and that of others— has shown is that, although you needto exercise daily, the workout can beshort. “In many ways, less is more as youget older,” he says. “You need to focusyour effort into shorter sessions and notnecessarily think about running amarathon.” In studies of 40 to60-year-olds he has found that resultscome relatively quickly, but patience isrequired. “One of the key problems isthat middle-aged people launch intoweight training and gym work andwonder why they aren’t seeing resultsafter four weeks,” he says. “It takes a bitof time to undo the effects of inactivityand to see changes but they do tend tobecome startlingly apparent after four tosix weeks of consistent effort.”So, where to start? Here, are Roberts’s

top ten tips for middle-aged fitness.

Yes, you can get rid ofyour middle-agedspread and moobsThe appearance of moobs, along withthe dreaded paunch, are among themain triggers for men in their forties andfifties to start getting fit. The good newsis that you can get rid of them. A flabbychest on men develops as a result of anaccumulation of body fat along withfluid retention, so lose that fat, buildsome muscle — and cut down on youralcohol and sugar intake too. Weakpectoral muscles will add to a saggychest, so include strength exercises suchas the shoulder press and bent-over rowthat will help to restore tone. Makeindoor rowing one of your intervalactivities too — it’s great for the pecs,core and all-round body fitness.

Walk for 25-30 minutesa day minimumNothing is as important as simplyincreasing your general daily activity.Walking is what matters more thananything as we get older, and a lack oftime on our feet impacts disastrously onour body shape and fitness. You shouldbe walking every day for at least half anhour— a short stride is the mostefficient (a long stride means you losemomentum and power). If nothing else,make this your minimum.

Why you shouldlift weights afterthe age of 40Too many middle-aged exercisersassume that strength training is for gymbunnies. However, that’s wrong. Ifanything, weights are more important atthis stage in life (and onwards) than at

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Body + Soul 5

There’s noreason whyyou can’tbe as fitat 50 as youwere at 30or even 20

be doing to stay healthy for life

The new way to beatmiddle-age spreadFat gain in middle age is linked tohormonal fluxes that occur in men andwomen during the middle years— andfat around the middle is considered themost dangerous because it surrounds theinternal organs and has been linked to araised risk of diabetes and heart disease.However, the solution is not endless

crunches. New research shows that for aslim middle you need to includeexercises that require you to stabiliseyour core as well as target yourabdominal muscles. To achieve a flatterstomach you need a range of exercisesthat work the array of muscles in themidsection, including the upper andlower rectus abdominis and the externalobliques. A combination of planks andplank raises, push-ups and squat thrusts,for example, is ideal because this willprovide the most activity in themuscles around the waist— and willstrengthen your back at the same time.It won’t take long to make a difference.

If you do a few core-strengtheningactivities every day (ie, 15 sit-ups,a plank for 30 seconds and 15 push-ups,which will take about ten minutes) youwill see a difference within two weeks.

Exercise can offset theeffects of menopauseA loss of bone mass (which results inbrittleness) is accelerated by the dropin oestrogen that occurs with themenopause, which is why post-menopausal women are prone toosteoporosis. However, you can offset

this decline by doing weight-bearingexercise, such as running, weights andcircuits. The impact of these exercisescauses muscles to pull on bones, whichtriggers them to build more cells andbecome stronger, thus increasing bonedensity and strength.As oestrogen levels drop, a woman will

typically gain about a pound a year inher late forties and fifties. A study foundthat exercise is the most effective way ofpreventing this gain. In the study, threegroups of women followed an 800calorie-a-day diet. One group did noexercise, one group walked or jogged at aslow pace for 40 minutes on a treadmillthree times a week, and one groupfollowed an upper and lower bodyweightcircuit-training sessions three timesweekly. The final group lost the mostweight and burnt extra calories.

Get fit in 3 weeksMatt Roberts’ plan

AMIT LENNONFOR THE TIMES; ADRIANNA WILLIAMS/CORBIS; GETTY

and stability, and they are great todo in addition to your cardiovascularand strength work, but they shouldnot replace workouts. Instead, tryto incorporate moves from eitheror both at the end of your dailyexercise sessions.

the times Saturday March 12 2016

6 Body + Soul

It’s important to stretchSpend time mobilising and stretchingyour hips, glutes, hamstrings, thighs andshoulders because these are the areasthat are most prone to “failure” and canalso place pressure on your back. As weget older, changes in tendons andligaments occur, decreasing flexibilityand restricting joint movement— foamrolling, mobility drills (ie, swinging yourarms and legs and rotating your legs towarm up the joints) and static stretchingafter a workout will help to prevent this.

Long-distance runningis not enough — youneed to do intervaltraining tooCovering endless miles a day on foot oron two wheels will not offset the effectsof getting older. Cardiovascular activityis hugely important but it’s crucial tomix up intensities and duration, whichwill challenge your body’s physiology indifferent ways. Once a week, one of yourcardiovascular sessions should beinterval training— that’s basicallyall-out effort for short periods (it can beas little as 15 seconds) followed by aminute or so at a gentle pace to recover— and then repeat it as much as you feelcomfortable with. It’s incredibly effectiveat increasing cardiovascular fitness,speeding up metabolism and fat loss andgetting you into good shape.You can start small — findings by

Abertay University in Dundee suggestedthat, on average, overweight men lost1kg of fat in two months simply bysprinting flat-out for 60 seconds twice aweek on an indoor bike — but increasethe number of bursts to 6 x 30 secondsor try running short, sharp distancesuphill with a walk-down to recover.

It’s never too lateto take up fitnessThere’s a tendency to think you are overthe hill when you reach middle age, thatyour best years have passed, at leastwhen it comes to looking good andfeeling fit. However, there’s no reasonwhy you can’t be as fit at 50 as you wereat 30 or even 20. What’s more, there’splenty of evidence that it’s never too lateto embark on a fitness plan. A couple ofyears ago a study funded by the BritishHeart Foundation found that those whokept themselves fit were seven timesmore likely to have a healthy old agethan people who were sedentary as theygot older. And, according to theresearchers at the British Journal ofSports Medicine, this was the case even ifthey took up activity only when theyretired.Of course, it’s crucial to take things

gradually. Don’t expect to run beforeyou can walk (and I mean this in aliteral sense). If you’ve done no exercisefor a while, aim to start by eitherwalking or cycling for about 25 minutesa day minimum, and then after a fewweeks add weights and higher-intensityexercise.

Oblique plank raisesLie on your side, slightly propped up, leaning on your elbow, withyour hips slightly raised off the floor (1). Use your middle to pushyourself up fully (2), supporting your weight between your fore-arm and feet, then lower again.Beginner 12 repetitions on each side Advanced 18 repetitions

To shrink the waist

1

2

Sit-up withweightLie on your back withyour knees bent andfeet close to yourbuttocks. Hold on toa weighted ball orweight of 2-5kg (1),depending on fitnesslevels (or you can usea tin of beans or a bigbottle of water). Sit upholding the weight,keeping your backstraight and usingyour abdominalmuscles and core topull yourself up (2).Once in a sittingposition, twist yourupper body and armsto the right, then tothe left, in a controlledmanner. Return slowlyto the startingposition.Beginner12 repetitionsAdvanced18 repetitions

To strengthen the core

2

1Reverselungewith rotationStart in a standingposition with backstraight and feetshoulder-width apart,arms held out straightin front of you, parallelto the ground withhands together (1).Step backwards,bending both knees to90 degrees andmaintaining a straighttorso. As you stepback, keep your armsstraight. From thatposition, turn yourbody around to theright (2). Return to thecentre. Repeat on theright side for the setnumber of repetitions.Switch to the left.Beginner12 repetitionsAdvanced18 repetitions

Lift a saggy bottom

1

2

Those whokeep fit aremuch morelikely to have ahealthy old age

Beat the bingo wings

1

Tricep dipsPlace your handson a bench, chairor step behind you,with your legsoutstretched in front,slightly bent (1). Withelbows close to thebody, lower yourselfuntil your upperarms and forearmsform a right angle(2). Keep your legsoutstretched andfeet on the floor.Push your body up.Beginner12 repetitionsAdvanced18 repetitions

2

The 20-minute workout:

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Body + Soul 7

Bent-over rowStanding with knees slightly bent, bend forwards, stick yourbottom out and let the dumbbells (about 2kg each) hang down (1).Pull your elbows up, keeping them tight into the body with elbowssticking out to the side (2), then bring your arms back down again.Beginner 12 repetitions Advanced 18 repetitions

To get rid of moobs

1

2

HyperextensionLie on your front on the floor, with your hands flat underneath your chinand your back and legs straight (1). Then lift your chest off the floor,making sure that your chin is tucked in (2). Hold this for a few seconds,then lower slowly to the start position.Beginner 12 repetitions Advanced 18 repetitions

For a stronger back

1

2

For firmer thighsSquats withdumbbellsHold a dumbbell orweight in each hand(they can be quiteheavy because it’syour legs, not yourarms, that are takingthe pressure — startwith a 2kg weight ineach hand andincrease the weight ifyou can). Stand withyour feet shoulder-width apart and yourknees and toes slightlypointing outwards (1).Keep your backstraight and your headup. Squat down untilyour thighs are parallelto the floor (2) andslowly return to thestart.Beginner12 repetitionsAdvanced18 repetitions

1

2

Do the circuit of exercises on this page twice, five times a week.It will take about 20 minutes to do. In three weeks you will

be noticeably stronger, leaner and more toned. As your bodygets used to the programme, increase the size of weights

and number of repetitions for sustained fitness.

Lose the paunch

1

2

Knee crossover tuckPut your palms on the floor under your shoulders in an extended press-up position, with legs straight, the balls of your feet on the ground andyour arms straight (1). Engage the muscles in your core and keep yourtorso stable. Holding this position, lift one foot off the floor and bring theknee in across your upper body towards the armpit on the opposite side(2). Lower to the start position then repeat on the other side.Beginner 12 repetitions on each sideAdvanced 18 repetitions on each side

tone your body in three weeksJON ENOCH FOR THE TIMES