At 53, with a chiselled body: This is how I did it

Having perfectly sculpted abdominal muscles, known in fitness circles as abs, is a dream many people have. To many, a toned abdominal area is a representation of a strong core, discipline, dedication, and consistency—an ultimate status symbol of fitness.

Yet, attaining them is elusive and gets even harder when someone hits the age of 40, when the body begins to lose muscles at an alarming rate (sarcopenia) and gaining weight gets easier than snatching candy from a baby.

But Lorna says toning her abdominal area is perhaps the easiest body goal achievement for any human, but the majority have slacked because of not being mindful.

“I know many people say fitness is a lifestyle. For me, it is a mindset. Some people have exercised almost their entire lives but do not have abs. For a very long time, I understood what my body needed (what most people ignore). When I was pregnant, I understood the baby needed to be properly nourished, and so I deliberately nourished myself for the child, which meant taking care of my body, and by doing that, it helped me fend off cravings, which are always a sign of poor nourishment. By eating right and exercising even after having the babies, my body was able to snap back with ease,” she says.

Bad habits

Emphasising her mindset analogy, Lorna argues that fitness enthusiasts have themselves to blame. Most are ignorant and have bad eating habits, but at the same time, they expect to be in top shape.

“The problem with us is the habits. We don’t pay attention to how we move and eat. We are always consuming more calories than we are burning. We use situations such as pregnancy as an excuse to eat badly, move less, but still expect to be okay,” she argues.

To drive her analogy home, Lorna, who specialises in marriage counselling, draws a comparison.

“Look at our great-grandparents; they never had gyms but were the fittest people. They did not eat just because they were bored or stressed. They tended the farms and ate single-nutrient food only when they were hungry. I would say they were mindful. Right now, we have fast foods, a lot of processed foods that we know are not good, but still eat them, destroying our microbiomes,” she says.

“In most cases, we are not hungry; we eat for calories, to satisfy our dopamine, not for nutrients, and so we leave our bodies begging for minerals, vitamins, and enzymes, and this is causing us not to have the abs or our desired physique,” she adds.

Three days of water fasting

Having been active almost all her life thanks to her sporting father, who introduced her to sports at a young age, Lorna says she has never struggled with exercise, even as she ages.

As she has grown older, she has also realised better ways of taking care of her body. Besides being mindful of what she eats, fasting is another key component in her wellness routine.

“Every month, I fast for three days, continuously surviving on water alone. I break the fast after 72 hours to have my major meal. Fasting triggers the body to cleanse and detox itself. All the harmful cells die as the body is forced to enter into a survival mode, thus rejuvenating the healthy cells,” she says.

Every morning, she starts her day with a cup of warm water spiked with some salt to boost her electrolytes.

“Then I will do my exercises; it could be a run, a strength-training workout, or cycling. Once I am back, I will take between five and six whole eggs. My next big meal is always anytime before 6 pm and is always very high in protein. It could be a piece of steak with fruits, chicken with fruits, or fish with fruits. I am not a big fan of vegetables, and so fruits are always my substitute,” she says.

With that, Lorna stays hydrated until bedtime.

Daily walks

Having exercised for many years, Lorna says that her muscle memory enables her to experiment with different workout routines.

“Because of muscle memory, because I have been active for more than 30 years, I can experiment with my exercise regimen. I haven’t done one type of exercise for a long time. I could go on a cycling week, the next I can do gym and weight training, and the next one I could be doing roadwork. When your body becomes accustomed to one routine, it gets comfortable, and plateauing (stunting body progress) easily takes over.

However, the most crucial bit of her exercise routine is the daily walks.

“I walk a lot. In between all the activities that I do, I walk every day for a minimum of 7,000 steps. Walking is a proper active rest; it keeps your body’s activities running, ensuring healthy functionality, and I dare say it’s an effective way of losing fat,” she says.

→ [email protected]