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April 25, 2022 • 27 mins

As you age, your body changes in ways that effect the way it responds to exercise and diet. In this episode, Tom uncovers why this happens and how to control what you can to combat the effects that the years have on your body.

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Fitness Disrupted, a production of I Heart Radio.
I am Tom Holland, and this is Fitness Disrupted. I
say it frequently. I get a lot of questions about fitness,
about exercise, about nutrition, and this one is up there.

(00:25):
This one is up there because it goes to the
holy grail for the supposed holy grail, fitness of working
out for so many, not everyone, And it's changing, which
makes me happy. But of course it's apps. It's apps.
And back in the day when fitness magazines were really popular,
you pretty much couldn't look at one, one single magazine,

(00:51):
one single month that didn't have the abs front and
center somewhere on that cover, somewhere in the magazine. And
I think that's a big I know that's a big
part of the problem. We've been pushing that as this
be all end all of this perfect physique, that flat
abs are everything, and I'm not saying you can't aspire

(01:14):
to them, but we're going to talk about how you
acquire them, what it takes, and what it takes when
you're older. That's a big part of this. That's a
big part of today's podcast because this question about how
do I lose the last few pounds around my abs.
It's often asked to me or presented to me from

(01:39):
people who are older. And by older, I mean like
you know, past forty whatever you consider older. But there's
a reason for that, and the reason is, yeah, it
gets more difficult for a variety of reasons. Is it impossible,
Absolutely not, Nothing is impossible, but to talk about the

(02:00):
costs and the lifestyle, and yes, genetics, how genetics play
a role. Okay, so that is today's podcast. How do
I lose the last few pounds around my abs? So
that's someone who pretty happy with everything else, but they're like,

(02:23):
you know, I got that little bit extra that I
just can't seem to get rid of. How do we
do that? We'll talk about that after this quick break.
We'll be right back all right, talking about abs, talking

(02:44):
about how you achieve that flat midsection. And after so
many years in this business, I do like the fact
that we are getting away from it, that so many
you know, are finally focusing on the health aspects of

(03:04):
exercise and how it makes them feel, the mental, the cognitive.
And that is not to take away from the vanity side.
I get it. I'm I'm part of it. It's just
not as crucial to me at all at this stage
in my life as it used to be. And when

(03:28):
you kind of let it go, it's so much easier because,
as I talked about frequently, when you focus on the scale,
when you focus on the specific metrics, or you know,
vanity goals exponentially harder, exponentially harder. But I don't ever

(03:49):
want to tell you can't achieve something. And for those
of you who are maybe in your twenties thirties, yeah,
I guess what, it's easier. It's easier. And why is that?
Why is this question asked to me more often from
people who are older. Well, for those of us who
are fifty plus, we have experienced it. We know that
when we're in our twenties, we get away with a

(04:11):
lot more alcohol. We're trying to talk about because that
plays a major role eating not as perfectly or as
well or as healthy. No one's perfect, but not not
as healthy. Sure we got away with that. Why is that?
Because the body does change. The body changes, and I

(04:31):
talk about that when I talk about sarcopenia, right, the
loss of muscle mass as we age. It's so crucial
to so many things including our metabolism, including the amount
of fat we carry body fat, and it's functional and

(04:51):
it plays such a huge role in our life. Yes,
that's why I will say over and over it is
truly the fountain of you. Strength training. It's so important.
And so as we age, we lose muscle mass, which
affects us in many ways, including our metabolism. So people
will say to me, and you know, people who are
just starting to hit that age maybe forties different for everyone.

(05:14):
It was like forty two, forty three, and yeah, when
I had this experience specific experience, I'm gotta keep that
one to myself. I may have shared it already, but uh,
you lose muscle mass you get older, and so yeah,
the question people will say is the comment is you
know something. I'm doing the same thing, but I can't

(05:35):
see him to get rid of this extra where things
are changing, But I'm doing this. What's the problem. Well,
you're losing muscle mass. That's one of the things. One
of the many things is we get older and that
slows down our metabolism and we burn fewer calories all
day long. So not only is strength training essential to

(05:56):
so many things, including just injury prevention, and quality of life,
and you know, helping prevent so many of those aches
and pains. But yeah, it plays into the vanity not
only in what you see in the mirror, but in
calorie burning, in your colork, expenditure at rest. That's important. Okay,
So men and women, as we age, we want to

(06:18):
preserve muscle mass. So you might not think that squats
and bench press and all these other exercises will help
you lose body fat, but it is part of the equation.
It's part of the equation. It's not crunches. You can

(06:38):
crunch all day long, people that will not get rid
of the last few pounds around your apps, the last
bit of body fat. And that's what's so disingenuous about
all these products that are marketed towards this problem. Hey,

(07:01):
you know this is going to help you whittle your
middle or all that kind of stuff. You can't spot reduce.
You cannot tell your body where to remove body fat from.
It's a pore re constructed sentence, but you understand what
I'm saying. You can't tell it. You can't do hip

(07:23):
exercises to get rid of the excess body fat on
your hips, and you can't do it for your abs
either it's part you need to do it if for
no other reason than to have a strong core, protect
your back and all that kind of stuff, And you
need to do some to help if that's your goal.
But people spend way too much time doing way too

(07:45):
many ab exercises when they should be doing cardio and
or full body strength. Okay, So it comes down to
muscle and strength training. It's a huge part of it.
As we age, it's gonna get more challenging, not impossible,
more challenging. And I love that I am at that age.
And by the way, this is why, you know, taking

(08:06):
advice on how to lose the last couple of pounds
around your abs from a two year olds a little
different than a fifty three year old. I've I've experienced it,
and I've been you know, the fitness model with the
Wilhelmina agency where I went super extreme for photo shoots
and things like that. I know what it takes, what

(08:28):
it's easy, and when it's harder. All right. So yeah,
as we age, things are going to change. Now there's
some of you listening who are younger and saying, well, Tom,
I still have this issue. I don't want to talk
about the other things as well. There are hormonal issues
that I have to talk about quickly as we age
obviously as well West testosterone females have different hormonal issues

(08:52):
going on. You know, you're always here about balancing the hormones,
which is a problematic thing. Some people selling you some
many questionable products and programs and potions to help with that.
But yeah, hormones player role. So how do we combat
that without these questionable potions and products and programs, strength

(09:15):
training and eating healthy and rest in all of those
other things that I talk about here, the basics, not supplements,
not products that are are promising things that you should
just the red flag should be flying high. Okay. And

(09:37):
I've watched, especially with the hormones thing, and I don't
want to go deep into this, especially with women and
products ridiculously expensive ones that are you know, sold and
marketed to you for this issue from doctors. I mean,

(09:57):
I've had those clients, had those clients many years ago,
and I'm always saddened and and they don't work. Not
the ones I'm I'm thinking of. You have to do
all the other stuff first, and then and then it's
still gonna be challenging. Okay, but let's cut to the

(10:19):
chase here. When it comes to flat apps, you have
to understand that the cost is high. In other words,
you have to be really good most of the time.
And that's unfortunately people. What it really comes down to
in the end. Genetics play a role, especially as we

(10:40):
get older. But I talked about of the time eating healthy,
of the time indulging. Most people are of the time.
They're trying of salad here there, try this. They expect
the pounds to come off after one salad. You're weighing
yourself off. It's not how it works. It is simple math,

(11:03):
and it takes time. And so many of you are
working your way. If you're working towards you're were gonna
wait to get up to the eight. And it takes
time because you gotta find the foods you like, and
you've got to get the balance and the discipline. And
it's totally doable, and it's how I live my life.

(11:26):
But you have to say to yourself, do I really
want the flat app? Is that like the be all
end all? Because here's what it comes down to. You know,
at fifty three, I now cannot do what I did
and have the body I had when I was younger.
In other words, I like my red wine. I do

(11:49):
drink alcohol, and that makes flat abs or just seeing
your abs much more difficult this we get older. I'm
gonna give you. I'm not gonna go deep into this.
Do separate podcasts on this topic have not done it
yet on alcohol, but our bodies have to process alcohol.
So I'm gonna give you this simple kind of equation
that I have learned. This is an experiment of one myself,

(12:12):
but I've seen it in clients back when I was
a trainer as well. I can't do both anymore. In
other words, I can't have my wine and my dessert.
Can have my cake and eat eat it too. Can
have my cake and have wine too. That's what my
experience has been. Because the body has to go to
that alcohol first, has to process that, has to burn that.

(12:35):
The body has to process that first. So if we're
having the dessert where if we're doing eight and the
body normally is going to burn that dessert, well, now
it's going to the alcohol and then it's going to
the dessert. So we're just talking calories and we're talking

(12:55):
how your body is processing this stuff. That's been my experience.
So it's one or the other. And anyone who still drinks,
has alcohol occasionally whatever, knows that what happens when you
have alcohol, You're more likely to eat the desserts, and
the more glasses of wine you have, the more cookies

(13:17):
you're gonna have. This is the honest stuff. This is
not rocket science. This is behavioral, This is common sense.
This is experience. Right again, I'm an experimental one talking
about myself, but I'm pretty pretty normal, pretty average in
the sense that I've watched people struggle and experience the

(13:39):
same things. So that's one of the huge takeaways. If
you are someone who wants to take some weight off
your midsection and you are seventy years old and even
in your thirties, but easier in your twenties and thirties,
pick your pick. And I'm talking like at night, in

(14:03):
other words, if you're having your wine, that's that's that's
where it has to end. As far as the fun stuff.
And I'm talking on a consistent basis getting rid of
that last little bit, right, because the last little bit
is the hardest to get rid of. People. That is

(14:26):
a huge part what you need to take away from
this today, it makes sense. Right when I was a trainer,
give me the client who needs to lose fifty six pounds.
I can take so much off so quickly, because it's
more when you're down to two pounds, three pounds, what

(14:47):
does that mean? You gotta be good most of the time.
So if it's you're doing again, you gotta be honest.
Are you truly doing a twenty right? Are you? Are
you pretty good about you know, eating healthy most of
the time and then indulging occasionally, and you totally can indulge.

(15:09):
If you are struggling to get that last couple of
pounds off, you gotta tweak it even more, and you've
got to be consistent even more, and you've got to
exercise a little more. It's doing a little bit more
of everything. So now you might be and I know
these are round numbers, e go, what does that mean that?
I can only leave it at that for now? And

(15:30):
this is all about being honest, doing all the things
I talked about in all the podcasts, being aware of
of what you're eating, and carbohydrates and protein, getting in
your protein, all the things I talked about in all
the episodes. If you're doing that stuff. Over time, you're
gonna be successful. You're gonna see it start to make
change in so many different ways. But that last couple

(15:52):
of pounds, Listen, I've got it. You know, I got
a couple right now where I go, Uh, you know what,
I do a photo shoot and be super happy right now?
Could I get it off? Yeah? And I would do
everything that I'm telling you right now, a little more
exercise consistently to burn that little bit extra, a little

(16:18):
less of the desserts and the fun stuff, and maybe
a little less of the wine. So you're pulling back.
We're going to that math. And obviously I'm pretty darn
good already. So the question is do I care? Do

(16:39):
I need a six pack at fifty three? It helps
in my business, it helps with whatever. If that's I'm
more worried about performance people and being healthy and enjoying
my life. So that's where when I'm talking with friends
about this very topic, and there's like Tom, I just

(17:01):
want to get rid of this last little bit. That
means that they're pretty good to begin with, right to
get to that point. Some of its genetics, but a
lot of it is that the people are exercising and
they are strength training, and I go, do you really
want to cut back? What are your vices? And the
alcohol is a huge part, and listen, I'm not willing
you know. I enjoy my red wine on occasion. It's

(17:25):
one of my indulgences. And I enjoy desserts on occasion.
And so if I am getting ready for a specific
photo shoot type thing, I'm gonna do everything that I
just said to you. I canna take any supplement that
I'm not telling you about. I'm gonna do any crazy

(17:45):
illegal pharmaceutical that I watched the celebrities utilize and some
other clients over the years. No, I'm not doing anything
to jeopardize my health. But it's everything that I'm telling
you right now. I'm going to do a little bit
more cardio. I'm going to pull back on the desserts

(18:06):
a little bit. I'm not gonna cut them out completely.
Can't do that and that would cost me to overeat.
And so there's the balance. There's the exploration that you
have to do for yourself. What are the foods that
saytiate you the healthy stuff? What are the desserts where
you can have one of them at you know, if
it's a bar or something you're grabbing, whatever it is
to enter carriage. Is one enough or does it not

(18:29):
do it for you? That's why I tell you, not
only does losing weight take time because of the mathematical
equation involved, but it takes time because you gotta figure
out everything I'm talking about now, and it's totally doable,
and it's totally enjoyable, and it's not about deprivation until
you get to this point where you're like, Okay, I'm
fifty five and I really want a six pack. That's challenging.
And that's why a lot of bringing you the honest

(18:51):
stuff after all of these years in the business, that's
why a lot of the movie stars and celebrities will
go the shortcut route. But that's a problem people. It's
a huge problem with the health and wellness and and
I've watched people pay the ultimate price by doing stuff
they shouldn't be doing. And again, not a question that

(19:16):
you know that's not for me, So you go, what's
what's the solution. It's it's the calories in, calories out,
and you have to ask yourself, how well am I
doing right now? And do I really care that much
to have that six pack? Do I really want to

(19:36):
maybe not drink at all? Do you enjoy beer or
your whatever your alcohol is. Do you really not want
to have as much of your you know, fun little
vice at night? And if you say, you know, I
kind of want both, then you can't have both on
the same night. That's what I've learned, and it works.
It still takes time, people. It's not gonna happen in

(19:58):
a week. You're gonna lose those two pa uns or
three pounds of body fat from your abs in a week.
But if you up your cardio a little bit separate.
In my experience, the alcohol and the indulgence, the sweets,
the sugars, the salts, whatever, on the same night over

(20:19):
time at all work. But you gotta be good and
you kind of really wanted And it comes down to motivation.
You know. Yes, if you're in my industry and you're
gonna get photographed and you care and you're not gonna
be photoshopped, like now, it doesn't even matter. Ah. That
was the greatest compliment I got, by the way, was
when for the cover of Beat, the gym people were

(20:41):
telling me was photoshop. Not only was not photo shopped,
it wasn't even a photo shoot. It was my wife
and not on vacation. She wasn't were married, No, it
was yes, we had just gotten married but had no
kids yet, and we're on vacation and took that picture
fooling around, sent it to my publisher. She said, can
I have some ideas for the cover of this book

(21:03):
and center that? And we never did the photo shoot.
And I remember when we're getting ready to come out
with the book, and she said, oh, we're good. I go, wait,
we haven't done the cover photo shoots. She said, no,
I used that picture you sent me. So it's about
motivation and the cost you're willing to pay and your genetics.
But I don't want you to think that your genetics

(21:25):
will prevent you from achieving any goal, including flat abs.
You can do it, all right, final break, when we
come back and wrap it all up, we'll be right
back all right, talking about how to get those last

(21:48):
couple of pounds off. I can just sense, as the
reaction I have with many people in person, that you're like, really, Tom,
is that that's the answer. It is? It is? It
could totally be done right. You know those people who
have flat abs that are older maybe or even younger,
but like, what do they do? Follow the people that

(22:10):
do or have achieved what you want. And when there
are those people and people say, oh, that person can
eat whatever they want. No, no, no, no, no no.
Listen to my episode of you can't outrun your fork,
especially when you're older. Comes down to the math. It

(22:32):
comes down to the math people, and it comes down
to hunger, and it comes down to satiety, and it
comes down to metabolism and these are all within your control.
But you've got to be consistent. This is where excessive
moderation is everything. If you came to me and said, Tom,

(22:54):
but I really, I really, I really want a six
pack and flat as ago. Okay, here's here's what you
gotta do consistently, right, And most people just aren't willing
to do it. And that's fine because it is not
even a sign of your health as far as like

(23:15):
you can. Of course, it is you know, waste to height,
ratio and all that kind of stuff. You know, you're
be on my there's correlations and all of that stuff,
of course, but you can be skinny unfit is my point.
You know what's going on inside It could be totally
different than how you look on the outside. So are
you eating healthy? Are you exercising? And let me just

(23:37):
leave you with that, because when you take your focus
off your apps, when you take your focus off of
the scale, when you start to employ everything I talk
about here and figure out the exercise you like and
the food you like that's healthy and all of that
stuff and still indulge occasionally do all that stuff consistently,

(23:59):
those things change, The scale will move, the apps will
slowly get better, whether or not you have a ripped
six pack, like who cares this? Like that? This is
back to the magazines. It's what we've been sold. And
the great news is when you find those foods you

(24:22):
love that are healthy and make you feel good and
satisfy you. And when you find the exercise that you
would be angry if someone told you you couldn't do,
and especially the mix the cardio, those apps are going
to come because you're going to be doing what you
need to be doing. You're going to be burning calories,
you're going to be eating healthy foods. You're not going

(24:43):
to be depressed on the couch eating foods that that
that horrible snowball effect. So it's taking the focus off
and I know This isn't the quick fix answer you want,
but I'm never going to give you those. This is
the truth. If your goals are strong enough and you
really want it, you can do it. You've just got

(25:03):
to be really good most of the time. Do all
the things I talk about here most of the time,
getting in your daily protein, drinking the water, exercising consistently,
strength training, and cardio because those last couple of pounds

(25:24):
of the hardest ones to lose. End of story. Enough said,
I know it's not this like hack for your abs
because there aren't any that are legal and that are healthy.
It's the same way you would lose weight, but you
gotta be that much better at the end. An alcohol
plays a major role, So I'll do I'll do a

(25:45):
whole episode on that because I know that's the be
all end all with me, because not only do you
have to process at first, only do you eat less
healthy after Oftentimes you don't move as much. So that's
like the trifecta of keeping the body fat on all right,
But that doesn't mean if you don't drinke alcohol that

(26:05):
you will have flat apps easily as well. It's just
it's part of the whole process. All right, all right enough, Oh,
thank you for listening again. If you want to reach out,
Tom h Fit is Instagram and Twitter direct message me
right through there, tom h Fit. Please follow the show, subscribe,
whatever you can do to support it, and follow after
greatly appreciate it as well. If you want to email me,

(26:26):
go to Fitness disrupted dot com. My most recent book
is The Micro Workout Plan. I'm getting ready to run
across the Grand Canyon and back again in a week,
and I am freaking out. We all need goals, all right.
Remember there are three things we all control. How much

(26:46):
we move when we put into our mouths and our attitudes,
and that is awesome. I'm Tom holland this is Fitness Disrupted,
Believing yourself. Fitness Disrupted is a production of I Heart
Rate You. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit
the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows.
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