Fats provide a secondary source of energy (after carbohydrates), are easily absorbed and stored (usually in places and quantities not to our liking), but are important in brain and hormone functions and as transport intermediaries in a variety of metabolic processes. Since a gram of fat weighs 9 calories (versus 4 for a grain of protein or carbohydrate), a goal of any diet is to limit fat consumption. Just as important, though, is picking the right fats to consume. Recent research indicates that small amounts of "good" fats lower both insulin resistance and the glycemic index of carbohydrates, avoiding insulin surges and allowing us to burn fat as fuel while encouraging storage of carbohydrates as glycogen instead of fat (kind of like stoking a furnace to get the fuel to burn properly). Fats in the "good" category include mono - unsaturated fats such as olive oil use in cooking and salad dressings); poly-unsaturated fats such as canola or safflower oil (also good for cooking); and fish oils (which provide Omega 3 essential fatty acids, notably linoleic acid, EPA and DHA, necessary for good health) found in salmon, herring and Ahi tuna; and flax seed oil (which provides Omega 6 essential fatty acids, most notably linoleic acid) best taken as a supplement (liquid or capsule). One other "good" fat related to linoleic acid is CLA (conjugated linoleic acid ) which has been found in animal studies to enhance immune function, support lean body growth and have anticarcinogenic properties (available as a supplement). Fats to avoid (as much as possible) are animal fats, dairy fats, tropical oils (palm and coconut) and any hydrogenated (solid) oils (margarine, shortenings, etc. - if it is solid on your table, chances are it will be solid in your veins). 

Carbohydrates are our primary source of energy and provide glucose (blood sugar) for immediate energy and glycogen (stored in muscle cells and the liver) for a stand-by energy source. Simple carbohydrates (sugars) from candy, processed foods, fruits and some vegetables, give a boom and bust, yo-yo sugar curve, while complex carbohydrates offer long- term energy because they are broken down more slowly for a longer blood sugar curve. More importantly, large amounts of simple carbohydrates cause sugars in insulin, a condition in which you can't burn fat as fuel. Plus, as we get older, our cells become insulin resistant (insulin normally signals our muscle cells to store carbohydrates as glycogen), resulting in ever larger proportions of carbohydrates to be stored as fat! Clearly, as we get older, we must limit carbohydrate intake and be choosy about which forms we ingest, especially in this fat-free processed food era we live in (the "Snackwell" age) - the fat has been taken out of foods and replaced with sugar. Just remember that the insulin resistance syndrome we experience as we age, if not influenced and controlled by diet and exercise, can lead to Diabetes and an early grave. Sugar Kills! 

Strive to use complex carbohydrates in their high fiber forms: oatmeal (thick flakes, not instant), brown rice (not white rice), baked potato with the skin (not mashed potatoes, and no butter on either), barley, corn, celery, figs, prunes, etc. The more fiber, the harder it is to digest and the more calories you will burn in the process. A high fiber diet imparts a feeling of fullness (appetite suppression), provides bulk for decreased transit time and better elimination, while increasing our metabolism to burn more calories. Finally, soluble fiber yields phytochemicals that act as antioxidants and protect against heart disease, such as Betaglucan. Many vegetables contain phytochemicals as well, such as broccoli (sufurafane) and tomatoes (lupein). If you're on the road and cannot get enough fiber, then consider a fiber supplement such as Metamucil, but try to make sure you have some combination of grains, vegetables and fruits at every meal (no, french fries don't count). 

For an older, career-oriented individual (short on the time for a perfect nutrition program), supplementation with vitamins and minerals makes good sense. Far from being expensive, consider it cheap health insurance. Since vitamins and minerals are catalysts working in conjunction with proteins, fats and carbohydrates, it makes sense to take them with food. For the sake of convenience, I suggest taking supplements with your morning and evening meal (if your first full meal isn't until lunch, take your morning supplements with lunch). 

In addition to a good quality multivitamin / mineral pill, I suggest taking additional antioxidants including COQ 10 and grapeseed extract, along with increased amounts of vitamin E (800 to 1000 I.U per day) and vitamin C (1500 to 2000 Mg per day). 

Supplemental herbs should include saw palmetto (prostate protection), ginkgo biloba (mental acuity) and garcinia cambogia (taken first thing in the morning with Chromium picolinate and L-Carnitine to stimulate fat metabolism). While MaHuang is an effective thermogenic agent, it may be too strong in nervous side effects to be included for inclusion in this diet plan. 

A final "supplement" to discuss is booze. To keep heart-healthy, some alcohol is a good thing (keeping the blood thin, etc.). But forget beer (all that stuff about a beer belly is true) and go for wine, especially red wine. Grape skins (which make wine red) contain proanthicyanidins and salicylates, both shown to protect against heart disease. As an adjunct for health, we're talking a glass a day, not a bottle a day.

Exercise is obviously important in keeping our metabolism stimulated and should be balanced between cardiovascular (aerobic) training and resistance (anaerobic) training. While the former will burn fat while the aerobic pace is maintained, the latter will cause you to burn fat after resistance training is over, as the muscles repair themselves. Both are necessary to be "Fifty and Fit."' Fat burning training is based on low intensity, long duration aerobic activity. To determine the correct level of intensity (whether on a stationary bicycle, jogging or on a stair stepper), one must bring his heart rate up to 65% to 70% of aerobic capacity. The standard formula to determine that heart rate is to subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 70% (220-30=170 x 7O% = 119 beats per minute). The accurate and prudent way to determine your aerobic capacity is to have your doctor run a stress test, along with a complete physical to determine your limits, not just aerobically, but in all health aspects. Once your aerobic capacity is determined, you should attempt to maintain that heartbeat level for at least 30 minutes at a time, preferably in the morning before eating to maximize your fat burning potential (since most glucose would have been used while you were sleeping). The heart rate may be approximated by occasionally checking your pulse or by employing a heart rate monitor. One other benefit of aerobic fat burning training in the morning; is that you "turn up" your metabolic set point for the rest of the day. 

Resistance training should be done a minimum of 3 times a week for between 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours per session. Exercises will be done in sets of 8-12 repetitions emphasizing compound exercises (exercises using a combination of large muscle groups) that will stimulate your endocrine gland system to release anabolic hormones resulting in increased muscle and decreased fat. Curls for the girls does very little compared to squats or pullups. The following program assumes one hour of weight training three times a week and 45 minutes of aerobics four times a week (alternate days). 

The following are sample Workout Programs and sample Nutrition Plan: