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Today’s Health Upgrade

• Monday Motivation

• The Fat Fighter

• Workout of the Week

Arnold’s Corner: Monday Motivation

I have heard from a lot of you that you think you’re too injured or too old to start training.

I want you to know that it is never, ever too late. No matter how old you are and no matter what health challenges you are dealing with, training will improve your life.

We have shared countless studies in the daily newsletter about how resistance training increases bone density and helps avoid osteoporosis, protects the mind from dementia, helps prevent injuries from falls, lowers cancer risk, and helps prevent cardiovascular disease. The list goes on and on and on.

If you didn’t notice, these are the common problems that come with aging. No part of getting older isn’t made a little better with resistance training.

And I will say again: it is never too late to start.

We all have problems. Men and women have hormonal challenges that come with aging. But we are here for you and will provide workouts and information that help you.

I always believe in looking at the positive. I love that there is an unbelievable hunger among the older members of our village for fitness knowledge. Our younger members want to get their parents and grandparents training so they can be healthier longer for their kids and grandkids.

It does not matter if you’re starting from nothing. What matters is that you start.

I’m here for you. And I want you to know that even though you see me as Mr. Universe and the Terminator, I’ve also had to start from scratch.

When I had my heart surgery five years ago, a non-invasive procedure went south and became full-blown open-heart surgery. I told the story about coming back from that in my e-book, which many of you downloaded when you subscribed.

Since I was starting from zero, my daily exercises became the breathing exercises that would keep me from getting pneumonia, the big danger for patients after open-heart surgery. Then, there were walks around the nursing station. Eventually, I went home and walked around my property.

The key was, even though I wasn’t doing my normal training, I was training. I was keeping track of my reps — instead of 5 sets of 10 reps of barbell rows, I was doing reps of breathing exercises. I was doing reps of walking. And eventually, I was doing reps of exercises without any weights, just going through the motions. Eventually, my doctors cleared me to add weight, and I was ready to film Terminator 6 three and a half months later with no limitations.

No one had ever seen video of me during this time. But I shared it with my little app village two weeks ago to help inspire a few of our users who were worried about coming back from their own surgeries. And now, I’m sharing it with you.

I don’t love seeing myself with the walker. But I want you to know that even if you think you’re too old, too out of shape, or too unhealthy, we all have times when we have to start from nothing.

Remember: it doesn’t matter where you start. All that matters is that you start.

We will be here for you, sharing information to help you find fitness benefits no matter how old you are. Today’s workout is designed for you.

If you are too young for this one, share it with your grandparents or parents. Get them hooked on the benefits of resistance training.

Let’s get started.

The Fiber That Fights Fat

Many pills claim to target fat loss, but almost all have little (or no) evidence to suggest they work. But if you really want to lose weight, research suggests psyllium — a plant-based fiber — might be the fat loss aid you’ve been looking for.

Recent research reviewed six studies and found that psyllium may reduce body weight, BMI, and waist circumference. 

More than 350 adults took anywhere between 7 to 15 grams of psyllium per day, lasting anywhere from 2 to 12 months. Psyllium was found to decrease body weight by an average of nearly 5 pounds and shrink about 1 inch from your waist.

Why does psyllium work where so many other products fail to deliver results? Psyllium may reduce appetite by increasing satiety and fullness. Psyllium is also water-soluble and gel-forming, which means it binds to fats and carbohydrates and can help your body absorb fewer calories. Not to mention other studies suggest that psyllium leads to better gut health, can reduce LDL cholesterol, and improve blood glucose levels. You can find psyllium in grocery stores, as a standalone powder, or in Metamucil.

Workout of the Week

The first step is the hardest one. But, as Arnold said above, getting started is all that matters, and that’s our focus this week.

Whether finding 5 minutes for a walk, running a flight of stairs, or trying the workout we designed for this week (see below), we want you to take action.

If you ever thought, “I can’t do a workout,” this plan was designed specifically to help you move more, build strength, and create a foundation for a healthier body.

It takes less than 20 minutes and can be done at home. You can perform it three days per week, with at least one day of rest between workouts.

For each exercise, set a timer. You’ll do the exercise for 20 seconds and follow with 40 seconds of rest. And then move on to the next exercise. After you complete all seven exercises, rest for three minutes. And then repeat the sequence of exercises again. Complete a minimum of two rounds (a maximum of four rounds).

Exercise 1: March in place

Stand in place and take big marching steps, trying to raise your leg so your thigh is perpendicular to your torso.

Exercise 2: Chair squats

Sit down on a chair and then rise back up. If possible, try not to use your hands to stand.

Exercise 3: Bent over Y’s

Let’s build your upper body strength and improve your posture. Push your hips back and bend over. Your torso should be parallel to the floor. With your arms hanging straight down, lift them up to align with your torso. Your arms should be at approximately a 45-degree angle to your upper body. It should look like your torso and arms form the letter Y.

Exercise 4: Wall pushups

You don’t need to start from the floor. Build up your pushing muscles. As you become stronger, do it from a bench, and then eventually from the floor.

Exercise 5: Step ups

Glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Walking steps works your entire lower body. Find a bench or step, and step up onto it. Reverse the movement, and then step up with the other leg.

Exercise 6: Chair plank

You could do it from the floor, but this easier version can help you build up your core strength. Place your hands on a stable chair, and let your body form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Squeeze your abs and glutes, and hold for the necessary time.

Exercise 7: Standing calf raises

Because Arnold wouldn’t let us share a workout without training your calves.

Give it a try, share it with those who need it, and let us know how it goes!

Here’s wishing you all a fantastic week ahead!

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell