By

David J. Evangelisti, II

I grew up playing organized sports, took an advanced nutrition science course while in my university and was an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) for my university years and beyond. I was heavily involved in anaerobic training since I was a teenager. My passion for health and fitness led to my continuously reading articles on health, fitness, and nutrition. I hope this information serves you well in your pursuit of better health and fitness.

Unfortunately, as I entered my twenties my inner Foodie emerged, and I found it harder to turn down new cultures of cuisine and especially particular desserts (especially pastries and pies). By my late twenties, I began repeatedly gaining and losing 10–20 pounds throughout middle age. “Yo-yo” became my middle name-o. The holidays and periods where life was not going very well were the worst, where more cheating occurred during celebrations or to create temporary joy. I learned that exercise alone can’t offset overeating unhealthy foods. Sweets and excessive portions were typically the downfall that led to substantial weight gain.

NOTE: This content in this article is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of a physician. The reader should consult a physician before engaging in a physical activity or a nutrition program.

• Nutrition must be a lifestyle change, or you are destined to fail.
• Calculate your body fat weight and lean body mass and focus more on those instead of your weight.
• If you do need to watch your weight for a particular reason you are better off monitoring it daily versus weekly whereby the time you notice a misstep you might be five pounds heavier.
• Use one of fitness and nutrition expert Tom Venuto’s body weight calculators or choose a good one online to have an idea of what you should weigh. For example, one calculator puts me at 181 pounds after inputting required criteria. 180 pounds is where my MD feels I should be.
• Per Colleen Alrutz, “Regarding shedding pounds, diet wins 70% of the time over exercise. To fast-track your weight loss results, couple a healthy diet with regular physical activity. When it comes to keeping your weight off exercise wins.”

(Time.com, Robert J. Davies article)

• Per Dr. Donal Hensrud, MD, “For weight loss, diet is more effective than physical activity. You must do massive amounts of physical activity to lose weight, but you can get a better energy deficit just by cutting down on calories. But once you get your beach body, to keep the weight off, exercise is so much more effective. And it certainly never hurts to focus on both at the same time.” (Mayo Clinic article)
• Have your thyroid checked at your yearly physical as you get older since it can sabotage efforts at weight control.
• Cardio increases your metabolic rate.
• Accurately count how many calories you need per day. You may be surprised how little you require, especially as you get older.
• There are fitness/nutrition calculators online that can help you determine your ideal number of calories, fat grams, carbohydrates, and protein per day to lose weight. I track my nutrition for about 2 weeks to determine meals that work and get me closest to these ideal daily goals. I highly recommend doing this. The education you will receive is well worth the time and effort. If you are middle-aged or beyond you may be incredibly surprised how little food you require on a weight loss program unless you are super active. This will save you money at the grocery store as well as help you achieve your goals.
• You may be amazed as you get older at how little calories you require per day.
• Eating increases your metabolic rate.
• Embrace the Japanese philosophy of “hara hachi bu point” where you eat until you are 80% full and are “satisfied” and not hungry anymore but you are not full.
• Eat less OR exercise more.
• Leg workouts via weight training is an excellent way to speed up your metabolism as these are the largest muscles in your body.
• Eat your food slowly and with as little water as possible to aid digestion.
• Six small meals per day is ideal and eight is even better (“thermic effect”) if you are on a more active fitness plan.
• Decrease carbs and increase protein.
• After 3 hours with no protein consumption the body burns its own muscle protein
• Breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day, lunch is middle-sized, and dinner is the smallest meal. If you are employing intermittent fasting, dinner is the ideal fasting choice for most people due to being less active.
• Portion control is a key component of weight loss.
• Focus on nutrient dense foods.
• Consume solid food vs. liquid food (ex. whole fruit vs. smoothie) so you take advantage of the “thermic effect.”
• Ideal combination = lean protein + starchy carb + fibrous carb
• Stop eating starchy carbs by 4pm at the latest.
• Find your ideal daily protein amount by using numerous protein calculators that consider factors like age, height, weight, and physical activity. The Mayo Clinic site has valuable information regarding this topic.
• See the Tom Venuto book for a protein calculator for daily consumption recommendation.
• Ignore BMI since it is not a truly legitimate way to gauge your fitness level.
• P.51 of Tom Venuto’s book – “Zig zag method” = 1 to 3 days of low calorie/low carb diet and then raise it back up to avoid the “starvation response”
• Going too long without eating may cause the body to store fat in response to starvation. Read Tom Venuto’s book for how to defeat the body’s “starvation response.”
• Per the 2021 journal of Science, metabolism holds steady from age 20 to 60 if your muscle mass does not change. After that it decreases 0.7 percent per year.
• Harness the power of “intermittent fasting” via eating, stop, eating.
• “Intermittent fasting” – after hours without food the body exhausts its sugar stores and starts burning fat. This is known as “metabolic switching.”
• I focus on finishing eating dinner by 5:30pm and not eating again until breakfast at 6:15am. I began fasting in August of 2024 and had much success with it if I did not give in to consuming pastries with my morning coffee on the weekend.
• One method fasting = eat for 8 hours and fast for 16 hours
• S:2 Approach fasting = eat regular for 5 days per week. The other 2 days limit yourself to one 500-600 calorie meal.
• 12-14 hours of a fasting period is ideal for most people.
• Ideally you want to have water, black coffee, or unsweetened tea only during your fasting period.
• Drink sufficient water when you are in your fasting period.
• Dinner time is the ideal meal to skip for most people since they are less active in the evening, and nighttime compared with the morning and daytime. You will need to determine which meal to skip that works best for you.
• Preferred method: Eat two (2) healthy normal portions (not excessive for your age and activity level) meals and skip your third meal. Do not snack during the day. And do not snack at all during that third meal you are skipping, or you will sabotage the results of the fasting. Drink water throughout the day, ideally before feeling hungry or thirsty.
• Combine 3 TBSP black organic chia seeds + room temperature water + 1 scoop of grass-fed unflavored whey protein if you start to feel hungry or for that 3^rd meal that you are skipping and fasting through. NOTE: chia seeds congeal in cold water so use room temperature water, shake (if using a closed sports bottle), or stir vigorously and drink immediately and rapidly after preparing (ideally). You may need to add additional water and scrape the sides of the cup since annoying chia seeds like to remain adhered to the glass.
• If you feel dizzy and the chia seed drink is not sufficient do not risk passing out. Snack on a small portion (1 ounce) of healthy unsalted nuts (ex. Pistachios, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans) OR add a 1/3 cup of oat bran to your chia seed water drink.
• Another option during your fasting meal if you feel you must fill your belly with something is to buy a couple of cartons of low sodium chicken broth. If I want to add additional flavor, I typically sprinkle in some Trader Joe’s garlic powder and a tiny splash of EVO and microwave it.
• Skipping meals = “catabolic state” = eating your own muscle (a con of “intermittent fasting”). As a result, keep the resistance training UP.
• Benefits of “intermittent fasting”: (a) thinking and memory (b) heart health (c) physical performance (d) type 2 diabetes and obesity (e) tissue health
• The mediterranean diet is a good blueprint of what to eat per my general practitioner MD and health and fitness experts. Both this diet and a plant-based diet are what most health experts recommend for living a longer healthier life.
• Get ample lean protein with every meal.
• Avoid “cheat meals” and instead have an occasional “cheat dish.”
• High-intensity workouts (build up gradually and safely) can burn fat.
• Lift heavy things, like dumbbells, but build up gradually and safely, even if you are older and especially if you are older. NOTE: “Heavy” is relative with age and strength.
• Older and inexperienced adults may want to begin anaerobic exercise by using exercise bands instead of dumbbells initially.
• Focus on form and breathing when exercising, especially with anaerobic exercises.
• Older adults especially need to make a proper warm-up a priority before lifting weights. But everyone should be doing a warm-up.
• Vary your workouts regularlyto stimulate muscle growth.
• Do aerobic exercise and be sure it works with your fitness level and ailments (ex. bad knees)
• Walk at a fast pace where you could still hold a conversation, but you are getting your heart rate up. Do this for 30-60 minutes at least three times per week to lower your LDL cholesterol.
• Stand up more.
• Sit less.
• Park your vehicle further away whenever possible and safe to do so.
• Get a good night’s sleep.
• Reduce stress.
• Track your food intake for fat, calories, protein, and carbohydrates.
• Operate at a calorie deficit as much as possible.
• Meditate for stress and mental wellbeing.
• Do yoga, Pilates or egoscue for core work.
• Choose activities that are easy on the joints as you age.
• When I incur frequent injuries, I have found it beneficial to switch from weight training to doing my core routine more often instead. Aim for 3-4 days per week if possible.
• Rehabilitate your injuries promptly so you can get back on track sooner than later.
• Research various therapies to help you treat your injuries or stay healthy. My list includes massage gun; deep tissue massage; TENS/stim unit; plastic massage tools; scalp scraping tool (Chinese medicine); massage for scar tissue breakdown; stretching.
• Do not reduce calories if you are increasing exercise.
• Do not count on exercise to fix it.
• Improve your insulin response by eating foods that have a low to medium glycemic index and limiting foods with a high glycemic index.
• Eat mindfully.
• Focus on clean or cleaner eating 90% or more of the time.
• Eat diverse types of plant foods as you can (30 distinct types per week is a lofty goal but ideal) for your gut microbiome.
• Get the support of a science-based program.
• Focus on microbe-friendly foods.
• Eat soluble fiber.
• Cut back on ultra-processed foods, packaged foods with additives and preservatives. NOTE: a lengthy list of ingredients for food packaging is a bad sign.
• Avoid cereal and instead eat oat bran (1/3 cup) with chopped “healthy” nuts (1 ounce), whey grass fed unflavored protein powder, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 3 TBSP of organic black chia seeds, 1 tsp or less of Canadian dark maple syrup (my favorite). Get creative with healthy additions like cut banana, papaya, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
• Another combination I like uses oat bran, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, chopped pecans or chopped walnuts, unflavored whey protein and a combination cinnamon/table sugar sprinkled (blend your own ideal percentage of each with an empty used spice bottle) on top and stirred in
• Eat healthy carbs (veggies, whole grains, beans, lentils)
• Add healthy protein and fat (healthy nuts, seeds, avocado, eggs, poultry, Greek plain low-fat yogurt, seafood)
• Eat like a centenarian (beans and plant foods)
• Find various recipes utilizing black beans or create your own like I have. Rinse them in water multiple times and strain to reduce your sodium intake.
• Eat more lean meat.
• Eat your bread LAST.
• Eat protein snacks, not carb snacks if you must snack.
• Eat protein FIRST.
• Snack on cheese
• A healthier snack I like is to put unsweetened almond butter on round wheat crackers and spread a tiny dab of honey on them. This goes well with unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
• Replace cereal with eggs (including yolk)
• Drink a whey protein shake for breakfast.
• Eat lean jerky (grass-fed, organic) for an easy protein snack. NOTE: sodium tends to be higher with these.
• Eat whole grains.
• Eat more vegetables.
• Avoid late night snacking.
• Put your eating plan on auto pilot. Write out plans with all the numbers worked out and rotate to keep it simple until you reach your goal.
• Limit consumption of fruit juice.
• Veto soda altogether.
• Avoid foods that contain trans fats.
• Increase your dietary fiber intake.
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.
• Eat more black beans.
• Cut your sugars.
• Reduce carbs, especially refined carbs.
• Supplement wisely and not excessively (know your daily maximums through reputable sites like Mayo Clinic). As we age or if we take certain medications or have health issues, supplements may be helpful. I have found them especially helpful with inflammation, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
• A daily vitamin and mineral can be especially useful if your diet is lacking now and then.
• I read about supplements at reputable medical sites (ex. Mayo Clinic) or health sites and look for ones that have completed extensive research studies and appear to be worth taking. I take supplements for blood sugar, cholesterol, OA and more. My philosophy is the longer I can avoid going to prescription meds the better. Of course, there are exceptions such as when your health issue pertains to cardiovascular disease and risks like a stroke.
• Eat healthy foods and drinks.
• Eliminate alcoholic beverages or limit it to 1-2 per week at a maximum.
• Eliminate or reduce sugary candy, pastries, ice cream to rarely or very rarely.
• Satisfy your sweet tooth through a variety of fresh fruit or plain low-fat Greek yogurt, fruit, granola parfaits but do not overdo it.
• Your plant intake should always exceed your fruit intake.
• Eat probiotic foods or take a probiotic supplement.
• Eat fatty fish weekly. One to two times is ideal.
• Healthy fish choices include black cod, cod, sockeye salmon, wild Alaskan salmon, halibut, and mackerel.
• At minimum take a quality fish oil pill daily with adequate DHA and EPA. It will not be the same as eating fish, but it is better than nothing for sure.  Stay within recommended limits as more is not better here and ideally you want to source your omega 3’s via fresh wild fish when possible.
• Drink enough water.
• Drink coffee
• Drink matcha green tea or oolong tea. Costco sells nice tasting Itoen brand organic green tea packets in bulk.
• Keep a log of your fitness progress whether weights or cardio. It keeps you motivated and safe by not lifting too much too soon.
• How do you reduce “subcutaneous fat”? A: fat burning diet and exercise plan, good sleep, manage stress, aerobic exercise, less carbs, more protein, weight training
• How do you improve “visceral fat”? This increases inflammation and causes weight gain and subcutaneous fat increase. A: exercise, healthy diet, intermittent fasting, eat more protein, get more sleep, reduce stress, limit alcohol, lose weight if you are above a healthy weight range
• How do you improve your “skeletal muscle”? A: protein intake, weight training, fiber rich carbs
• How do you improve your “bone mass”? A: eat protein, omega-3, walking, climbing stairs, less than 7 alcoholic beverages per week, weightlifting, veggies, calcium, vitamin D & K, zinc, magnesium, maintain a moderate weight
• How do you improve your “body protein”? A: eggs, low-fat Greek yogurt, whey protein shake, lean beef, milk, peanut butter, beans, salmon, tuna, fish, nuts, seeds
• References: burnthefatfeedthemuscle.com
• References: hopkinsmedicine.org
• References: The Washington Post “7 easy food goals to improve your health” by Anahad O’Connor
• References: AARP.org
• References: healthline.com
• References: prevention.com

How to Limit Injuries after the Age of 50

• Prioritize dynamic stretching and static stretching
• Do strength training
• Listen to your body
• Respect pain signals
• Do not push through injuries
• Focus on core, lower body and posture
• Choose walking and cycling
• Vary activities
• Always warm-up prior to exercise
• Allow for rest and recovery
• Emphasize proper form
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Choose low-impact exercise
• Do “Nordic walking”
• Do “Tai Chi walking”
• Swim
• Stay hydrated

David’s Fitness and Health “pearls of wisdom”

As a former long-term organized team sports and individualized sports participant and former Certified Personal Trainer with the American Council on Exercise, I have always sought out reliable and trustworthy health, nutrition and fitness articles, documents, and books over the years. Becoming a legit foodie by my early twenties soon led to “yoyo dieting” that has made me vulnerable to unpleasant weight fluctuations over the years. These fluctuations took their toll on my body and my mental and physical health. Thus, the reason I put together this cheat sheet. Listed below are fun, factual or worth trying methods and philosophies I have employed over the years with success. They may aid you as well.

• Avoid eating at buffets whenever humanly possible after the age of thirty.
• Never eat traditional pancakes as a breakfast entrée after you exit your twenties. You may consider ordering a single petite pancake on the side, but never an entrée. Order Swedish pancakes instead or thin crepes if you are craving something like this.
• Ditch soda or diet soda after you exit your twenties.
• Avoid eating at buffets after the age of thirty and after the age of forty they should be illegal.
• Pizza slice #2, #3 or #4 are not as tasty as slice #1 was. Limit yourself to one slice whenever possible. Always choose a thin crust (a.k.a. Neapolitan style). “Chicago style” is for youngsters.
• Eating donuts after your twenties should rare and it should consist of a single donut. Choose a plain cake donut if that suits your taste palate to enjoy the “fried dough” and light sweetness. I microwave this donut for 12 seconds which brings it back to life. I add a cup of coffee, and it satisfies my sweet tooth when I am craving a pastry.
• Use grass-fed organic whole milk to sweeten your coffee, not sweetener. If you must, opt for a splash of dark Canadian maple syrup, honey, or a sprinkle of maple sugar.
• When you are craving a fatty or sugary dessert choose low-fat Greek plain yogurt with a teaspoon or less of low-sugar jelly (fruit of your choosing) and top it off with a small dollop of light whipped cream. Eating a piece of fruit is even more ideal.
• Eating fruit is healthy if you do not overconsume it. Remember, plants should be your biggest food intake. And limit the super sweet fruits like dates.
• Exercise is not paramount to weight loss – nutrition and diet are.
• If you are unable to fast for one entire meal per day, do a semi-fast by reducing your portions on your other two meals of the day.
• Fasting is KEY about losing the last problematic ten pounds. You may eventually get there by doing portion control and reducing but fasting is more effective and more efficient.
• “The Law of Nutrition Subtraction”: If I decide to cheat with a piece of pumpkin pie for breakfast, I press chopped walnuts into the top of the pie and drink a water + black organic chia seeds + unflavored whey protein drink to account for the cheat pie breakfast and ensure I still get my protein with carbs. And at least pumpkin pie is better than a donut. Anytime I cheat during the day that means basic math subtraction must occur for meals that come after it.
• Other alternative sweets I opt for include Medjool dates (1-2 max per day on occasion); fruit (less sugary ones with lower glycemic index); carrot cake; sweet potato pie; sweet potato mash with chopped walnuts.
• Eating a wide variety of plants, nuts, and seeds will not equate to weight loss. It will improve your health, but you still must exercise portion control. And nuts and seeds contain fat so they should be small portions.
• The top-rated nuts by registered dieticians (RD’s) are almonds, Brazil, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. It has been my experience that they all rank them in a different order as to the best so simply rotate or eat a variety of them.
• I started my program to get to a fit 180 pounds or less on 5-1-2025.

Per Google.com AI: The Nordic Diet vs. the Mediterranean Diet

The Nordic diet and the Mediterranean diet are both highly regarded, plant-forward eating patterns that emphasize whole foods, seasonal ingredients, and heart-healthy fats. While they share many principles, their primary differences lie in the specific regional foods they prioritize, and the types of oil used for cooking. 

Core Comparison

Key Similarities

• Plant-Based Focus: Both encourage high intakes of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and seeds.
• Limited Processed Foods: Both strictly limit added sugars, refined grains, and highly processed meats.
• Sustainability: Both emphasize locally sourced, seasonal food to reduce environmental impact.
• Heart Health: Both are associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. 

Notable Differences

• Cooking Oils: The Mediterranean diet relies on olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. The Nordic diet uses canola oil, which is lower in saturated fat and contains anti-inflammatory alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3).
• Evidence Base: The Mediterranean diet is more extensively studied, consistently ranking as the “best diet” by major health reports as of 2026. The Nordic diet is newer but shows similar promising benefits in emerging research.
• Regionality: The Mediterranean diet is rooted in southern European traditions, while the Nordic diet was developed by experts in 2004 to adapt healthy eating principles specifically to Northern European climates. 

(Drafted: 12-30-2023 and Edited 1-24-2026)