50 & fabulously healthy

Recently, my friend and colleague, Dr Maynard McIntosh, celebrated his 50th birthday. At 50 he is the original Adonis - trim, well toned and in excellent shape, so I asked him to share his approach to health with you.

The athletic body

He confides that his goal was to have a body like an athlete. So, in order to have an athletic body, one has to train and eat like an athlete. He chose the lifestyle of a professional athlete because this seemed to exemplify the perfect body. He is an early riser with gym work three times weekly. He starts with 10 minutes of warm-ups and then 10 minutes of full body stretches. This is followed by a mix of Olympic-type lifting. He likes to alternate between free weights and machines. This challenges the body and keeps his system in a fat-burning mode. He ends the sessions with work on his core (chest and abdomen) and finally stretches.

On alternate days, he does cardiovascular workouts in the outdoors. This involves sprinting on the hill to build explosive speed. He does workouts on the track to build speed and endurance by running for short, medium and long distances. Just like a professional athlete, he works on his form and technique. He rests one day per week!

The diet for fitness

Maynard insists that in order to stay lean and stave off ageing, the diet has to be fiercely rigid! His diet plan includes five to six small meals daily. He starts the day with a cup of tea and a few bran or oatmeal-raisin cookies. This small meal fuels his morning workout. During the workout he drinks frequently to prevent cramps due to dehydration. Immediately after the workout, he has a banana and a protein drink (whey or soy) to provide protein and carbohydrates. He declares that these reduce muscle soreness by promoting muscle repair.

His breakfast is one or two hours later, and consists of sardines or jack mackerel along with whole wheat bread or sweet potatoes. Lunch consists of four to six servings of fruit. He likes to have a mid-afternoon snack of oats, raisins and chopped almonds in soy, followed by a late dinner of baked chicken or curried goat with a cup of rice. He avoids juices and sticks to water or coconut water. He limits snacking to nuts, prunes or dates. Clearly, Maynard has consulted a dietitian to ensure that his diet matches his rigorous exercise routine.

Let's get started!

Maynard has inspired me to start a diet and exercise to get my body in shape. You can too! Of course, check your doctor and dietitian first before you start lifting those Olympic weights. See you in a year's time with a brand new body! Good luck!

Dr Pauline Williams-Green is a family physician and past president of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.