Fitness
A 41-year-old transformed his body with 2 diet changes and 1 simple workout technique
An office worker got ripped and transformed his fitness in seven months with a few simple changes to his diet and exercise routine.
London-based Alec Knebeg, 41, works for a bank and said he had spent years hitting the gym with little to show for it.
“I’ve always been somebody who went to the gym, but I didn’t really know how to achieve what I wanted to do,” he told Business Insider. “I had been plodding along doing the same thing for a few years not seeing a lot of results.”
Earlier this year, Knebeg began working with personal trainer Adam Enaz, who specializes in men’s fitness transformations. Enaz helped him streamline his workouts and clean up his diet to break through the frustrating fitness plateau.
Knebeg said he was able to build muscle, burn fat, and look visibly fitter thanks to three major habits: he started lifting heavier weights with a basic exercise technique, and added a protein goal and calorie deficit to his diet.
More challenging exercise led to better results
Knebeg said he started seeing major progress in the gym after picking up a technique called progressive overload.
In his 20s and 30s, “if something was too heavy, I wouldn’t push myself,” Kneberg said.
Enaz pushed him to gradually increasing the challenge of exercises over time in order to force the muscles to adapt.
To do so safely, he encouraged Kneberg to keep track of what he was lifting and aim for lifting heavier weights with more reps. The goal was getting within a few reps of failure, the point of being physically unable to continue with good form. Some recent research suggests working near muscle failure can lead to more muscle growth.
But without the help of a personal trainer, most people underestimate how hard they can (and should) train for best results, according to Enaz.
“In a normal, day-to-day person, what they consider failure is 20% short of what real failure is,” he said. “Most people only really get to failure when they’re working with a PT.”
Knebeg said his current workout schedule involves three to four session per week for about an hour each. The sessions include a quick cardio warmup followed by six to eight exercises, using supersets (or back-to-back movements without rest) to save time. Knebeg also switched from a workout split to doing a full body workout every day. He said the change gave him more energy to push himself.
“I’ve been able to lift things i’ve never been able to do before. I’m kind of impressing myself because it’s things I didn’t think i could do,” he said.
Diet tweaks helped, too
Knebeg didn’t make all his gains in the gym. He also made a few basic adjustments to his eating habits.
Previously, he didn’t pay much attention to calories, and would often eat multiple servings of food at a time without thinking much of it.
But becoming more mindful of portion sizes, and sticking to a daily calorie and protein goal, helped him burn fat and build muscle.
How to know if your workout is effective
Some simple signs can you help tell if you’re challenging yourself enough to build muscle and strength, according to Enaz.
Your workouts are more likely to be effective if:
- The weight starts slowing down as the reps going on, indicating your muscles are under enough tension to prompt growth
- You’re struggling to complete the final rep of a set, but still have good form — if you stop when it starts to feel hard, you could be leaving gains on the table
- A workout log shows that you’ve been steadily increasing the amount of weight, number of reps, or numbers of sets you can complete over time, a clear signal of progress
The last point is key, since one of the most common mistakes is failing to keep track of your workouts, since that makes it difficult to tell if you’re improving and to keep pushing yourself.
“A majority of people go wrong because they don’t record anything,” Enaz said.
Fitness
Pvolve might just be the new Pilates! Here’s what Jennifer Aniston’s workout routine can do for you
If there’s one celebrity who embodies fitness at every stage of her life, it’s Jennifer Aniston. Best known for her role as Rachel Green in the iconic TV show Friends, Aniston has long been admired for her dedication to health. In 2021, she discovered the Pvolve exercise program and quickly fell in love with it. By 2023, she had officially partnered with the brand, becoming a spokesperson and ambassador. “I’ve seen more transformation in my body from Pvolve workouts than I have with anything else,” Aniston shared earlier this year.
So, what exactly is Pvolve? How does it differ from other fitness regimes? And is it really a game-changer for women, especially those navigating menopause? Let’s dive into everything you need to know about this revolutionary workout method.
What is Pvolve?
Pvolve is a low-impact fitness system that blends functional movements with resistance equipment such as weighted resistance bands, gliders, balls and light dumbbells. Unlike traditional fitness programs, Pvolve focuses on movements that mimic everyday activities — twisting, reaching, squatting and pulling. This type of functional workout aims to strengthen and tone the body while being gentle on the joints, making it an ideal option for women in their forties and fifties, as well as those going through menopause.
Additionally, according to a study by the University of Exeter, this type of low-impact program was found to be more beneficial for menopausal women than standard exercise guidelines. Participants, including pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal women, experienced significant improvements in various areas, including balance, muscle strength, and body composition.
So does it work?
The simple answer is yes. The study revealed that the low-resistance Pvolve program led to a 20% improvement in lower body strength and a 21% improvement in lower body flexibility, compared to a typical exercise routine. Additionally, the women who participated in the study saw a 10% increase in balance and stability, a 19% improvement in hip function, and a noticeable increase in muscle mass without gaining excess body fat. Moreover, the study found that shoulder strength showed similar benefits across both the Pvolve group and the traditional exercise group.
If you’re looking for a workout that’s easy on the joints yet effective in toning and strengthening the body, especially during menopause, this type of movement could be the solution you’ve been searching for. Its low-impact and it’s science-backed approach makes it an excellent choice for women of all ages. So, is Pvolve the new Pilates? It may just be. It’s certainly worth giving it a try.
Core exercises can make everything easier. Whether or not you realise it, a strong core is essential for pretty much all your daily habits. ‘You need your core to be solid to do literally everything in life: get out of bed, pick up your baby, push open a door,’ says Bree Branker Koegel, NASM-certified trainer.
Sure you can rep out basic abs moves (think crunches and sit-ups), but if you want results consider the flutter kick. This is an advanced, and fun, move targeting your rectus abdominus (six pack abs), transverse abs (deep abs muscles), obliques (side abs), lower back, hip flexors, and quads.
Meet the experts: Bree Branker Koegel is a NASM-certified trainer. Melissa Kendter, ACE-CPT, is an EvolveYou trainer.
The best part of flutter kicks is you don’t need any equipment to work all those muscles. All you have to do is lie on the floor, lift your legs to a forty-five-degree angle, and then “flutter” them up and down, keeping your lower back pressing into the floor.
It only sounds easy. ‘The motion might be small, but it’s building serious core strength and stability,’ says Melissa Kendter, ACE-CPT, an EvolveYou trainer. That makes them awesome cross-training exercises for runners and swimmers.
A quick word of warning: If you’re just starting to venture into the world of abs exercises, it might be better to begin with some easier moves before jumping into flutter kicks, since they’re a little more, uh, difficult.
Find out all you need to know about flutter kicks, including form tips, the benefits, and modifications and variations for all levels, according to trainers.
How to do flutter kicks
How to:
- Lie on your back on a mat. Pull your belly button to your spine to engage your core.
- Raise your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, with your hands behind your head. Keep your chin tucked.
- Lift your legs up off the floor, maintaining contact between your lower back and the mat.
- Swiftly move your feet up and down like you’re swimming in air.
Sets/reps for results: Set a timer for 30 seconds and see how long you can maintain good form while performing the exercise. That is now your benchmark time for three to four rounds. It should change all the time depending on how the rest of your day/life is going!
Pro tip: Make sure your low back is pressing into the floor beneath you the whole time. “I like to imagine I’m a spoon, or the bottom of a rocking chair, with contact to the floor at all times,” says Branker.
Benefits of flutter kicks
You’ll feel the burn of flutter kicks almost instantly. Trust: It’s so worth it, if you ask trainers. The biggest perk of flutter kicks is they target multiple parts of your core, Branker says. ‘The stronger the core, the more functional you move as a human,’ she adds.
- Target multiple muscles. The move ‘activates the hip flexors, the lower back, and the quads a bit more than other exercises,’ says Kendter.
- Up cardio health with low-impact. ‘Usually, you do it timed or thrown in at the end of the workout, so it really can elevate your heart rate,’ she explains. You don’t have to jump around to do it.
- Improve muscular endurance. ‘It works muscular endurance in that ab core area because of the time under tension,’ she adds. (FYI: Time under tension means you’re holding a specific muscle under tension for an extended time.)
Want to really target your core? Try this full workout:
Make flutter kicks part of your workout
There are many ways to incorporate flutter kicks in your typical sweats to work your abs efficiently. ‘Flutter kicks are a great finisher, as well as a great primer to get the core engaged for the rest of your workout,’ says Branker. ‘You can’t really go wrong here!’
You can also include flutter kicks as a part of any dedicated abs workout. Aim for three or four sets of 15 to 60 seconds, depending on your baseline time. Just keep in mind this isn’t the easiest move, so it’s important to pay close attention to your form.
Warm up with a pelvic tilt before starting your flutter kicks, so that ‘you’re engaging before you even begin the motion,’ says Kendter. If you feel your back lifting off the ground, take a break and make that your stopping point.
As you get stronger, you’ll be able to sustain longer and longer sets of flutter kicks. But whether you do them for 15 seconds or a full minute, expect to feel the burn.
Flutter kick modifications and variations
Whether you want to increase or decrease the challenge, there’s an awesome variation for you. For example, grabbing a weight adds more resistance to the already tough exercise or bending knees reduces strain. Try one of these flutter kick variations when you want to switch things up:
1.Flutter kicks with bent knees
‘If you have sensitive hips or weaker core muscles, take the modification of bending your knees,’ says Kendter.
How to:
- Lie on your back on a mat with legs bent and feet on the ground.
- Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, putting your hands behind your head.
- Lift your legs up off the floor, and press your lower back into the mat.
- Swiftly move your feet up and and down like you’re swimming in air, maintaining the bend in the knees.
2. Alternating leg lowers
How to:
- Lie on your back on a mat.
- Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, and place your hands behind your head.
- Bring your legs straight up into the air over hips.
- Alternate slowly lowering one leg down to almost touch the floor a time.
3. Flutter kicks with ankle weights
How to:
- Lie on your back on a mat with ankle weights on both legs.
- Lift your shoulders off the ground, putting your hands behind your head.
- Lift your legs up off the floor, and press your lower back into the mat.
- Swiftly move your feet up and and down like you’re swimming in air.
4. Flutter kicks with weight overhead
How to:
- Lie on your back on a mat, and hold a single dumbbell (or medicine ball) with both of your hands.
- Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, and hold the dumbbell above your head with arms straight.
- Lift your legs up off the floor, pressing your lower back into the mat.
- Swiftly move your feet up and and down like you’re swimming in air.
5. Dynamic flutter kicks
How to:
- Lie on your back on a mat.
- Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, putting your hands behind your head.
- Lift your legs up off the floor and press your lower back into the mat.
- Swiftly move your feet up and down like you’re swimming in air. While fluttering, lift your legs up higher and then back down.
Kristine Thomason is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience creating content for print and digital publications. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen, and the fitness and wellness editor at Women’s Health. Kristine’s work has appeared in Men’s Health, Travel + Leisure, Health, and Refinery29, among others. She holds a journalism degree from New York University, and is certified in personal training by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
Addison Aloian is the associate health & fitness editor at Women’s Health, where she writes and edits across the health, weight loss, and fitness verticals. She’s also a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). In her free time, you can find her lifting weights at the gym, running on the West Side Highway in New York City—she recently completed her first half-marathon—and watching (and critiquing!) the latest movies that have garnered Oscars buzz. In addition to Women’s Health, her work has also appeared in Allure, StyleCaster, L’Officiel USA, V Magazine, VMAN, and more.
Many of us struggle with sleep-related disorders nowadays. Insomnia is at the top of the list. It is a sleep disorder in which one may experience trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early. A specific exercise may help to tackle this, suggests a pooled data analysis of the available research.
Published in the open-access journal Family Medicine and Community Health, the study reveals that resistance or muscle-strengthening exercises (using weights or body weight) may be the most effective for tackling insomnia in older adults.
The analysis also suggests that aerobic exercise or a mix of strength, aerobic, balance, and flexibility exercises is also effective. With age, sleep quality tends to decline. About 1 in five older adults has insomnia, according to the researchers. Sleep is a vital function. Especially as one ages, sleep disruptions may tend to worsen health. Sleep is linked with many serious health problems, and it can also lead to cognitive impairment. Insomnia can also increase the likelihood of workplace underperformance and absenteeism, the researchers said.
Previous research has suggested that exercise helps to alleviate the symptoms of insomnia, however, it was not clear which type of exercise might be most helpful.
To explore this, the researchers reviewed clinical trials published until October 2022. These studies compared physical exercise with routine activities, usual care, non-physical activities, or health education in people diagnosed with insomnia, using the Global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (GPSQI).
These studies analysed various types of exercises including aerobic, such as cycling, dancing, swimming, brisk walking, and gardening; resistance, such as using weights, push-ups, and planks; balance, such as step-ups, heel-to-toe walking; flexibility, such as gymnastics, yoga, and Pilates; and combination exercise encompassing a mix.
They also analysed data from 24 studies, involving 2045 adults aged at least 60 (average 70). Most were carried out in Asia (56%), North America (16%), South America (16%), and Europe (12%). One in five were carried out in nursing homes. More than half of the exercises were mild to moderate in intensity. Each session lasted about 50 minutes, done 2 to 3 times a week, with programs running for an average of 14 weeks. They found that combined exercise significantly improved the GPSQI by 2.35 points while aerobic activity improved it by 4.35 points.
Also, strength or resistance exercise was the most effective, improving the GPSQI by 5.75 points. Aerobic exercise improved the GPQSI by 3.76 points, while combination exercise improved it by 2.54.
“Exercise, particularly strengthening exercise and aerobic exercise, is beneficial for enhancing subjective sleep quality at a clinically significant level compared with normal activities,” the researchers concluded.
(Pic courtesy: iStock)
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