42 Ways to Beat your Infinitely Improbable Fitness Odds
To celebrate the 44th anniversary of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, we’re answering all the seemingly impossible fitness questions with actual achievable answers.
According to the Hitch Hikers Guide, 42 is the answer to everything!
THE BRIEF
Time to read: 3 minutes
Time to action: Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so
Mantra: “I'd rather be happy than right any day.” Douglas Adams
Main message: Impossible or improbable? Beat the odds to find your fitness
Stat: 42
Imagine having the world captivated by your creativity for over four decades with the simple use of one small, but magic number. 44 years after popping into existence, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy still has as much cultural traction as even the biggest SCI-FI franchises currently being flogged to death.
When the world feels incredibly Arthur Dent and not enough Ford Prefect, it’s a good time to reflect on the lessons learnt from THGTTG. Don’t overthink things, embrace what you have in front of you, take the opportunity when it arises and find perspective on where you sit in the universe!
The jewel in the crown of alternative perspectives is undeniably the infinite improbability drive. This engine draws the key distinction between what we think of as impossible, simply being highly improbable. It’s a philosophy that applies to your health and fitness. It might seem impossible at 40+ to hit new fitness heights - but is it, or is it just improbable because you tell yourself you can’t?
To celebrate ‘Hitchhikers’ genius, we’ve found your answers to making the unlikely more likely. So we can all add a bit of Zaphod optimism into a time that reads less well than the poetry of Paula Nancy Millstone Jennings. Here’s how to improve your body and mind’s infinitely improbable odds. In 42 points, of course:
IMPROBABLE, NOT IMPOSSIBLE
Can I build more muscle in my 40s, than in my 20s?
If you are reading this, you are probably from the last generation that spent its youth convinced that health was for nerds, eating was cheating and chastising anyone who wouldn’t drink until they threw up. So, the odds of being in better shape than you were then? Well, it’s looking good. The rules now are simply different. But they look a little like this:
1. Circuit training over individual body parts
2. Proper recovery times (24 hours between sessions)
3. Protein in every meal - and especially pre-sleep
4. 8 hours sleep, not 6, not 4.
5. Incremental weight increases, do not go heavy then go home/to hospital
6. More protein to support muscle repair and growth.
7. Calorific Surplus: aim for a modest surplus to minimise fat gain
8. Focus on resistance training, including compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and overhead presses.
9. Progressive Overload: Continuously challenge your muscles by increasing the weight or resistance over time.
10. Muscles grow during rest, so allow for increased muscle recovery time between workouts
11. Periodically change your workout routine to prevent plateaus
12. Stay hydrated, even if it means many more toilet trips
13. Chronic stress can hinder muscle growth. Now is the time to take up meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises
14. Supplements like creatine are now almost essential for muscle growth.
IMPROBABLE, NOT IMPOSSIBLE
How do I eat more and get leaner?
15. Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre as they satiate without carrying excess calories.
16. Incorporate healthy fats as they’re calorie-dense and can help increase your overall calorie intake.
17. Opt for complex carbohydrates as they provide sustained energy and keep you feeling full.
18. Include nutrient-rich snacks between meals. Examples include Greek yoghurt, mixed nuts, fruit, and whole-grain crackers with hummus.
19. Use an app to track your daily calorie intake.
20. Make resistance training the primary exercise in your fitness routine - building muscle increases your metabolism, allowing you to consume more calories while staying lean.
21. Thirst is regularly mistaken for hunger. Ensure you drink enough water throughout the day to complement the exercise and diet.
22. Eliminate sugary beverages, processed snacks, and fast food - they’re just excess calories with little nutritional value.
23. Aim for a balanced daily intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fats to support overall health and energy levels.
24. Prepare meals in advance to ensure you have access to calorie-dense, nutritious options at all times - it’s the cheating that stops you from hitting lean and strong.
IMPROBABLE, NOT IMPOSSIBLE
Can I build muscle and lose fat simultaneously?
25. To lose fat and build muscle simultaneously, you need to be in a slight calorific deficit. This means you consume fewer calories than you burn, but not to the extent that it hinders muscle growth. Aim for a daily deficit of about 250-500 calories.
26. Maintain a high protein intake to support muscle growth and repair. Aim for 1.2 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
27. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can efficiently burn fat while preserving muscle.
28. Consume a portion of your daily carbohydrates before and after workouts. This provides energy for your workouts and aids in muscle recovery.
29. Consistency is key. Stick to your workout and nutrition plan over the long term to see significant results.
30. While fasting, your body may tap into fat stores for energy. It can support muscle gain and fat loss when combined with strength training during the eating window.
31. Implementing a carb-cycling approach can help optimise muscle growth and fat loss. On workout days, consume more carbohydrates to fuel intense training, while on rest days, reduce carb intake to encourage the body to use fat for energy. This provides energy for workouts while promoting fat loss during rest.
32. Eating specific nutrients at precise times can benefit body composition. Consuming fast-digesting protein and carbohydrates post-workout can aid muscle recovery and growth while minimising fat storage.
33. Traditional strength training and high-intensity cardio can be combined into hybrid workouts to boost metabolism and increase muscle engagement, helping to burn fat and build lean muscle.
IMPROBABLE, NOT IMPOSSIBLE
Can I get healthier without removing what made me unhealthy?
34. Instead of removing unhealthy foods, practice mindfulness while eating them. Please pay attention to how they make you feel. You will find that you eat less and enjoy the indulgence more.
35. Enhance your meals with nutrient-rich additions. For example, add spinach or kale to your favourite pasta dish or incorporate vegetables into your morning omelette. You're increasing the nutritional value without eliminating the foods you love.
36. Add activity without formal workouts.
37. Prioritise Quality Over Quantity. Instead of eliminating unhealthy habits, focus on reducing the frequency or duration of these behaviours rather than going cold turkey.
38. Make your living space conducive to healthy choices. Arrange your kitchen so that more nutritious foods are more visible and accessible, while less healthy options are less convenient to reach.
39. Surround yourself with people who share your health goals. They are the key influencers to make healthier choices without disrupting social interactions.
40. Make a point of checking all of your senses while eating, especially with indulgent foods. Pay attention to the texture, temperature, and even the sound of your food as you eat it. The heightened sensory experience makes you more mindful of your consumption.
41. Reward Healthier Choices. But don’t reward with anything that upset the balance. Instead, think about time and space as key rewards and claim some of both just for yourself.
42. Don’t Panic. Even if you add a few of these ideas to your routine, you’ll be heading in the right direction. Even if you don’t see or feel the change quickly, remember the rules of THGTTG; ‘Reality is frequently inaccurate’.
PT WOLF
(Fitness)
Wolf is a personal trainer who tries and tests every programme we put together. A celebrity trainer, Wolf has been a fitness journalist as well as practising what he preaches for over twenty years. Now into his 40s, Wolf has added muscle to his frame in every decade of his life.
ANTHROPOLOGY ANTELOPE
(Culture)
Sociology might have been ‘that degree’ in the way back when, but can you honestly think of a time when we needed to understand our society more than we do today? Antelope is the author of numerous thesis of the human condition and the nature of human interactions.
