Earlier this year I noticed that I was getting fat.  Lifting weights and running 2 miles, three times a week proved to be ineffective at maintaining an aging body.  My diet has always been reasonably healthy; I consume lean protein, keep sugar to a minimum and eat lots of fruits and vegetables.  The problem I determined, was that the volume of food I was consuming prohibited me from maintaining the appropriate weight for my size.  In addition, my exercise routine, while personally challenging, was not providing results.

Here are some facts:

• I am 6 feet tall and turn 44 years old later in May.
• On February 21, 2012 my weight was 197 lbs, my body fat was around 24% and I was struggling to fit into size 35” pants.
• At that time I was working out 7 days a week for between 25 and 40 minutes per day
  • 15 minutes of static stretching (pre workout)
  • Monday: Chest (dumbbells both flat and incline)
  • Tuesday: Back (pull-ups, kettle bells)
  • Wednesday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
  • Thursday: Legs (squats)
  • Friday: Abs (crunches, leg lifts)
  • Saturday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
  • Sunday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
  • Other considerations: I do not eat fast food or soda.  My alcohol intake is usually less than 6 beers on the weekend with a few Johnny Walker Blacks mixed in.

Many of my friends who are facing similar weight challenges adopted the P90X routine.  While the results are obviously compelling, a workout time of 60+ minutes did not fit my schedule.  Too that point, I was not motivated to make the investment in P90X.

After a day on the slopes this past winter, my buddy turned me on to an app on his phone called myfitnesspal.  The concept is simple; determine your goal weight and when you want to arrive to that number.  The application calculates the calories per day that you must consume in order to attain your objective.  After downloading the free application to my iPhone, I started to enter what I was eating throughout my day.  Surprisingly, I soon realized that I was ingesting more carbohydrates per day than anticipated (46% carbohydrates, 22% fat and 32% protein).  My diet started to shift in order to get my carbohydrate intake below 40%.  At the same time, I consciously made a commitment to keep my net calorie intake under 1,950 per day.  To my amazement, it was rather easy to manage my diet to the numbers outlined in myfitnesspal.

One evening I was watching TV and ended up landing on an infomercial for The Rack workout.  A guy named Owen McKibbin was professing the virtues of “zone progression training” utilizing a single piece of equipment called “The Rack”.  After some online research, I determined that the workouts were no more than 30 minutes long, and the reviews were generally positive.  In March, I purchased The Rack at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $99, and enacted the workouts outlined in the accompanying DVD.

• On May 9, 2012, I weigh in at 184 lbs, my body fat is at 17% and my waist size is 34”.
• I workout 7 days a week for about 30 minutes per day.  I perform ballistic stretching for 90 seconds before working out, and execute 10 minutes of static stretching after the workout.
  • Monday: The Rack “Into the Zone”
  • Tuesday: The Rack “Explosive Chest, Shoulders & Back” and “Ripped Abs”
  • Wednesday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
  • Thursday: The Rack “Into the Zone – The Next Level”
  • Friday: The Rack “Explosive Chest, Shoulders & Back”
  • Saturday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
  • Sunday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)

After shedding 13 pounds in 11 weeks, I am a believer in both myfitnesspal and The Rack workout system.  Zone progression training works, and does not take an excessive amount of time.  I have no ambition to be a muscle-head, or to prance around in my front yard with my shirt off.  Instead, I want to maintain a body that aligns with an active lifestyle.  In near future, I will weave other Rack workouts into my routine as I want to avoid plateauing.  If you are in an exercise rut, and you want results, invest in both myfitnesspal and The Rack.

Related articles

• High-Intensity Workout Plans: Intervals, CrossFit, Rowing, Swimming, and More (webmd.com)
• Fitness Equipment Buying Guide – John Lewis (johnlewis.com)
• Heart Rate Workouts That Make Time On The Treadmill Fly By – Health (brit.co)