Thoughts on Joining the "Sexty" Club
No Nonsense Magazine Vol 24, #4
By: Beth Simpson
Well, I just enjoyed my 60th birthday and my husband, Brian, says I've officially joined the "Sexty" club.
Starting sixteen weeks out from the big day, I committed to getting in competition shape – not necessarily to enter another contest, but to compete against my former best condition. A planned Florida vacation about the time of my birthday helped with additional motivation. My bodyfat was 21.5%, and my goal was to get down to 10% while staying healthy and strong, LEAN and MEAN! (I mean "mean" in the nicest way.)
I did all my training in our home gym. My husband, Brian, and I converted our 24' x 24' garage into a gym three years ago. Enjoying the freedom of having our own place to train and work with our treasured clients is such a blessing. We are so thankful for the handful of clients we retained throughout COVID. And now all of our previous clients have returned along with some new ones to "Simpson's Gym".
My Food Plan to Achieve My "Sexty" Goal
Workouts and cardio are important, but without a NUTRITION PLAN… you'll get NOTHING…AS FAR AS RESULTS GO!
Planning and preparing my meals have become part of my lifestyle. I followed pretty much the same food plan for the entire 16 weeks.
Meal One
4 egg whites, 3oz turkey or turkey sausage, 2oz red potatoes, veggies
Meal Two
UMP protein shake (usually Chocolate or Strawberry) with a handful of blueberries, one rice cake topped with chunky almond butter
Meal Three
Healthy Choice power bowl (I add 3-4oz of extra protein)
Meal Four
UMP protein shake, 1 rice cake with almond butter
Meal Five
6oz chicken, 1 cup cottage cheese, green veggies, 2 rice cakes
Notes: If I trained early in the morning, I'd switch the order of meals 1 and 2. The order of the meals is totally up to YOU, depending on your daily schedule. I also add a CARB LOAD meal midday once a week
(oatmeal, red 'taters', cup of veggies, ¹⁄₂ banana).
"Sexty" Supplements
FitTabs 2-3 times daily
Up-Lift pre-workout
Muscularity 4 post-workout & 2 with Meal 3 Glutamine Select post-workout
Joint Care 2 midday and 2 before bed
EFA Gold 2 before bed
UMP (my favorite flavors are Chocolate, Strawberry, and Angel food cake)
Muscle Synergy 1 scoop before and 1 scoop after my workout
The supplements that gave me the most noticeable impact were Muscle Synergy and Glutamine Select. The daily UMP was also essential in meeting my protein goals. It also ended up being the one thing I looked forward to during contest prep. I would mix UMP (vanilla) with cinnamon, water, and ice together in a blender. It tasted a lot like ice cream.
Two of My Favorite Recipes:
Chocolate UMP Pudding:
- Start with one scoop of UMP Chocolate in a bowl.
- Stir in water, a little at a time, until you reach the desired pudding consistency.
- Mix in a heaping tbsp of almond butter.
- Top with sugar-free whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
UMP Angel Food Cake Blueberry Pancakes:
- Combine 3 scoops of UMP Angel Food Cake, 3 egg whites, and 1 whole egg in a mixing bowl.
- Add water to the batter consistency that you like, then stir in ¹⁄₂ cup blueberries.
- Cook like a regular pancake.
- Spread a little yogurt on top, then add sugar-free syrup, almond butter, and cinnamon.
My "Sexty" Workout Plan
Daily: Abs, Cardio, Yoga
I do abs daily, mixing in a couple of these exercises each day:
Crunches (200-300 total reps)
Hanging Leg Raise (5x20)
Ab Wheel (3x20)
Medicine Ball Crunches (3x20)
There is a lot of variety in my cardio workouts. I do one or more of the following each day, Monday – Saturday:
Jog – Run – Power Walk on an outdoor trail
Treadmill – 40 or 50 minutes
Boxing Training (jump rope, heavy and light bags)
Zero Runner or Stationary Bike
Yoga – I teach a Saturday morning Yoga class for our gym (might be inside, outside, or on our trail). I also practice Yoga throughout the week.
Workout Split
Monday: Glutes, Biceps, Calves, and lots of walking lunges on our trail
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Chest, Abductors & Adductors Thursday: Quads & Biceps (heavier sets than Monday) Friday: Triceps & Glutes
Saturday: Shoulders
Sunday: Off Day
In Closing
I want you to know that you can make yourself the BEST YOU! No matter your age or obstacles. Just FOCUS ON THE PRIZE, whatever that may be for you. If, at times you stumble, 'Get Up' and move forward.
My LIFE GOAL is to help Inspire, Motivate, & Support people (clients, family, friends, or even someone I just met) as a Trainer and Teacher.
I hope this article gets YOU started on a NEW Journey, or inspires you to KEEP ON, KEEPIN' ON!