What are your go-to methods for staying in shape?

What are your go-to methods for staying in shape and keeping the fat away?

If you've seen my videos you may notice that I'm not heavy. I've always been slim, but also have always been prone to a little belly when I do too little exercise and eat too many calories.

What worked for me was a combination of things.

In terms of diet, I do not eat sugar, soy, gluten. I opt for plant-based foods whenever possible, but I'm not fully vegan. I think the modern term is "flexitarian" which means you opt for vegan or vegetarian fare but allow anything on your plate if you desire. I do not drink alcohol, even in moderation, and I do not snack. My meals are usually simple fare from scratch, or at least organic non-GMO versions of prepared foods. Generally I have a simple menu in camp and nothing I eat needs refrigeration. That means though that I don't have fresh fruits or veggies on hand. I do okay supplementing to make up for what I can't get from food.

I also do intermittent fasting when possible (sometimes homeless life is too unpredictable and I can't always fast) which means I plan to stop eating by 6:00 p.m. and then start eating no sooner than 9:00 a.m. the next day. Normally such fasting is done for at least 14 hours, so I'm getting 17 hours which is definitely enough. I do detect ketones (well, acetone) when I "go" and that is a clear sign your body is burning fat, not carbs.

In terms of exercise, jogging and running is the main thing. Over the summer of 2023 I got up to 12 miles each run, in the mountains at elevations above 3,000 feet. I only run in sandals, which keeps your feet strong and tough. Shoes limit movement just like a cast and do the work for your feet, which makes your feet weak. Weak feet have fallen arches, pain, dysfunction. And, shoes trap moisture in a nice dark warm environment which is perfect for fungal infections or infections in general. In sandals or barefoot since 2013 I've not suffered athlete's foot in a decade, and have had no infections or mechanical issues in my feet at all.

I also do some basic bodyweight aerobics, stretching, and a little yoga-like stuff, some were taught to me by the various physical ther****ts I've had to see over the years. My spine was the first thing to send me to PT, then recovery from cancer. Then my neck (which ended up needing surgery) and the rest of my spine went haywire, needing maintenance. I've had a few other surgeries as well. Plus, I've not held back in life. Things hurt they way old men hurt, and I'm not even 50 yet. To keep the spine pain and joint issues at bay, the stretches, exercises, planks, etc. are all required. If I give up on exercise or am forced to dial it back by winter weather -like now- I'll start getting back pain, joint pain, and generally get too weak to take care of myself.

You may notice in my "snow starting to fall" video I have a little belly, and that's not normal for me. This is what happens when winter weather forces my hand, and I can't get enough exercise. However, I also don't mind a little extra insulation in winter, so I'm not worried about the fat I've put on. Even so, I don't like the way it looks, so sue me for not being "body positive." It's my body and I can feel about it how I please! You can judge all you want, it doesn't bother me. I know what I look like and I'm not freaking about it even if I'm not stoked on how it looks. I do not base my happiness upon other people's opinions of me, and neither should you!

I've learned over the years that it does not matter how good you look, there will always be a critic. I get a lot of heavy people calling me "skinny" and a lot of other people demanding I eat more or drink more protein shakes, etc. This is my body and it's always been slim. At least until now. I'm "bigger" now than I've ever been, in terms of muscle, but I've definitely been more "shredded." I used to really work out hard and I had abs, popping lats, even some traps. My legs got compliments thanks to all the running and hiking I was doing.

I can't push so hard these days, due to a nerve problem, but I do what I can when I can. And you should as well! Don't worry if your diet isn't the best, just do what you can when you can. If today is a good day to eat only plants, then do it! If it's too rainy to go for a jog then stay inside and do a few hundred squats. Something, anything, just move. As physical ther****ts have said to me, "movement is medicine" and sitting is death.

I was backpacking for a half year with a 65-year-old, who for years and years hit the gym six days a week and pushed "to failure" every day. When I knew him he was benching 240! His backpack was insanely heavy, and he seemed to not notice it at all. He could outhike me and was just such a jock! His secret was that he'd simply never stopped. And so I follow the same approach. Do not let yourself sink into the easy chair or couch and let the rest of your life slip away. You can keep running or working out or hiking well into your old age if you simply don't quit running or working out or hiking.

Get up, stay up, and don't ever stop!