Research — Diet and exercise
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•Research: Diet and exercise
•Warm-up and cool-down
•Exercise guide
•🌿 Health training
•💪 Muscle building
•🔥 Weight loss workout
Different goals require different responses
Before we look at the research — let's think for a second. The question "what weighs more, diet or exercise?" has no single right answer. It's a bit like asking who is most important in a good relationship — it all depends on what you're actually building together.
- Pure muscle building and performance: Here, training is the one that does the heavy lifting. Without exercise, no diet in the world will build muscle, no matter how perfectly it is presented.
- Weight loss and body composition: Here, it's the diet that charms the results — calorie balance controls more than you might want to admit, regardless of how many workouts you've done.
- A long, healthy life (the one that actually makes us at Amaelle smile): Here, diet and exercise go hand in hand, and firmly refuse to be separated. Preserved muscle mass, stable blood sugar, hormonal balance, a nervous system that gets to rest sometimes — none of the parts can do it alone on that dance floor.
And it's the latter relationship that I'm most interested in. We're not here for a six-pack or a Personal Best on the barbell (although we'll treat you to both if you want), but for you to be strong, mobile and radiantly healthy for a long, long, long time. So long, in fact, that we're already aiming for 160 years — we'll come back with the details when we've cracked that code. 😉 Until then: diet and training, thank you, in good company.
How much does diet really affect?
The short answer: less than the supplement industry would have you believe, but more than you might think when it comes to recovery. The research is pretty clear on one point — the training itself (moving, straining the muscles, challenging your fitness) is the single biggest factor in results. Diet is what determines how well the body can pull benefitof it.
Diet actually controls three things:
- Recovery rate — how quickly the muscles repair themselves between workouts
- Energy supply — if you actually have the energy to perform on the course
- Long-term adaptation — whether the body is building muscle/fitness or just breaking down
That diet not What they do is replace training, or magically accelerate results without the underlying load being there. That's the part that's often forgotten in supplement marketing.
Supplements for training — what actually has support?
Most supplements on the market lack strong evidence. But a few stand out in the research and actually have an effect, in reasonable doses:
- Creatine — one of the most researched supplements available, with relatively consistent support for increased strength and muscle mass with regular strength training
- Protein (whey/vegetable powder) — not magical in itself, but perhaps a practical way to reach protein needs if your diet is not enough otherwise
- Caffeine — well-documented performance-enhancing effect in endurance training, in moderate doses before Pass
That which lacks strong evidence but widely sold: most ”fat burners”, BCAAs (if you already eat enough protein), and most multivitamins for someone who eats a varied diet.
Elite athletes and diet — what makes them different?
What separates the diets of elite athletes from those of regular exercisers is rarely about secret tricks. It's about precision and consistency: precise timing of carbohydrates around hard workouts, accurate protein distribution throughout the day (not just total amount), and individual adaptation based on actual training load — often with blood tests and body composition measurements as evidence.
For an ordinary exerciser, the lesson is not to copy the exact protocols of elite athletes (that's overkill and sometimes counterproductive for someone who trains 3–5 sessions/week rather than 15+), but the principle: Consistency over time beats perfection on a few occasions.
Age, diet and exercise
This is probably the most relevant area of research for anyone aged 25–70 — a period in which the body's conditions change significantly, although it is rarely talked about in plain language.
What actually happens in the body
From around the age of 30, most people gradually begin to lose muscle mass if nothing is actively done to counteract it — often a few percent per decade at first, but the loss accelerates after 50–60. This is called sarcopenia, and it's not just an aesthetic issue: muscle mass is linked to metabolism, balance, osteoporosis risk, and the ability to do everyday things like getting up from a chair or carrying grocery bags well into old age.
At the same time, the body's ability to use protein to build and maintain muscle mass. The phenomenon is called anabolic resistance: the same amount of protein that at age 25 produced a clear muscle-building response produces a weaker response at 50 or 65. The body simply becomes less efficient at converting protein into muscle, which is one of the reasons why older bodies often need more protein — not less — to achieve the same results as a younger body.
Hormonal changes also play a role. Reduced levels of growth hormone and, for women, the drop in estrogen associated with menopause, affect both muscle building and fat distribution. This is part of the explanation why training that worked great in your 30s can feel like it's producing less results in your 50s — not because your body has "given up," but because the rules of the game have changed somewhat.
What research shows you can do about it
The good news: sarcopenia and anabolic resistance can be actively counteracted, and the effect is well documented.
- Protein intake should increase relatively with age. While a younger, active person often does well on around 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, research indicates that older adults (50+) benefit from being in the higher end of that range, or slightly above — especially when doing regular strength training.
- The distribution over the day plays a greater role than previously thought. The body seems to respond better to protein spread evenly over 3–4 meals (approximately 25–30 grams per meal) than to a large dose of protein at a single meal, because the muscle-building process (protein synthesis) is triggered repeatedly rather than once.
- Strength training is the single strongest counteracting factor. The combination of strength training and adequate protein intake has been shown to have a significantly stronger effect on preserving muscle mass and function than either factor alone. Cardiovascular training is important for other reasons, but it is strength training that specifically fights sarcopenia.
- It's never too late to start. Studies on even much older, previously untrained people show that the body still responds to strength training with increased muscle mass and strength — the adaptive capacity is still there, it just requires a little more consistent stimulation to be activated.
The conclusion is actually quite hopeful: Aging itself isn't what makes the body weaker — the lack of adequate strength training and protein is the bigger culprit. That's one of the clearest reasons why strength training is becoming more important, no less important, with age, although the prevailing picture is often the opposite.
Part 1a: This week's training plan
Starting this week, the training schedule will be divided into three tracks by goal, in this order: Health training → Muscle building → Weight loss training. You choose the track that matches your own goal right now (and can change tracks when/if the goal changes). Each track comes in two levels: Untrained and Trained. The structure is built to be reusable and built upon week after week, year after year — same framework, new volume/progression every week.
No rest day is scheduled in any track, in case you are forced to give up your training for any reason on any day, you can consider it a rest day and continue as usual the next day.
Warm-up and cool-down — applies to all sessions, all tracks
This is not repeated day by day below, but applies as a fixed rule for each individual session, regardless of track:
- Warm-up, 5–8 minutes: light, heart-raising movement of the same type as the main workout at a lower intensity — e.g. slow cycling before a cycling workout, light squats without weights and arm circles before a strength workout, brisk walking before running. The purpose is to raise body temperature and prepare joints and muscles, which reduces the risk of injury and makes you perform better during the workout itself.
- Cool down, 5–8 minutes: Reduce intensity gradually instead of stopping abruptly — e.g. a few minutes of easy cycling/walking after a hard workout — followed by light stretching of the muscles that worked the most. This helps your heart rate and breathing return to normal and supports recovery for the next workout.
Practice guide — technique (same for all tracks)
The exercises below appear in several tracks. Technique and concepts are explained here once — in the weekly plans only names, sets and reps are referenced.
Weights — what is ”light” and ”heavy”? A dumbbell is a hand-held weight, often in pairs. ”Light” and ”heavy” are relative to you — use the guidelines below and adjust. You should be able to complete all repetitions with good technique, but the last 2–3 should feel strenuous. If you can complete the exercise too easily: increase the weight. If your technique falls so that you can’t complete all of them: decrease the weight.
Approximate guidelines (per dumbbell):
- Untrained, upper body (shoulder press, rowing): 2–4 kg
- Untrained, lower body (squats, deadlifts): 4–6 kg, or no weight to start with
- Trained, upper body: 5–8 kg
- Trained, lower body: 8–12 kg
Strength exercises:
- Goblet squat: Stand shoulder-width apart, toes slightly angled outward. Bend knees and hips at the same time, as if sitting on a chair behind you — back straight, gaze forward. Lower until thighs are parallel to the floor (or as far as you comfortably can), pressing up through heels. Hold a dumbbell in both hands in front of chest for goblet variation.
- Deadlift / Romanian Deadlift (RDL) with dumbbells: Stand with dumbbells in front of thighs. Bend at the hips — not the back — and push your butt back as the dumbbells slide down your legs, knees slightly bent. Lower until you feel a stretch in the hamstrings, then press your hips forward to rise. The RDL variation has straight (not locked) knees throughout the movement, focusing more on the hamstrings and glutes.
- Shoulder press: Sitting or standing, dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward. Press straight up until arms are almost straight, lower back in a controlled manner.
- Result: Take a long step forward with one leg, bending both knees until your back knee almost touches the floor and your front knee is over your ankle. Press up through your front leg. Feel free to hold a dumbbell in each hand for extra resistance.
- Plank / Side Plank: Plank: lie on your stomach, raise yourself up on your forearms and toes so your body forms a straight line, tighten your stomach and buttocks. Side plank: same principle lying on your side, hips lifted off the floor.
- Dumbbell row: Support one hand and one knee on a chair/bench, body parallel to the floor. Pull the dumbbell in the free hand up towards the hip, elbow close to the body, lower in a controlled manner.
- Outward movement (pelvis/hip, circuit training): Hip lift lying on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor — press your hips up towards the ceiling by tightening your buttocks and back of your thighs, lower in a controlled manner.
Yoga exercises:
- Cat-cow: On all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Arch your back upwards (cat) on exhalation, bend your hips downwards (cow) on inhalation.
- Downward dog → forward fold: From all fours, lift your hips up and back into an inverted V. Walk your feet forward into a standing forward bend, hanging relaxed.
- Standing crescent: Stretch your arms above your head, tilt your upper body gently to the side.
- The child's position: Squat down, bend your upper body forward, arms extended in front of you, forehead against the floor.
- Warrior I/II: Big step forward, front knee bent 90 degrees. Warrior I: arms straight up. Warrior II: arms open sideways, gaze over front finger.
- Triangle pose: Legs wide apart, one hand against the shin/floor, other straight up, chest open.
- Pigeon/butterfly: Hip opener — pigeon sitting with one leg bent in front of the body, butterfly sitting with the soles of the feet facing each other, knees gently dropping outward.
Zineng Qigong: Stand shoulder-width apart, knees soft. Inhale as arms are raised to shoulder height, exhale as they are lowered. Find a complete program and follow it. ”Cloud hands”: soft, circular movements in front of the chest.
Breathing: 4-7-8: in 4 sec, hold 7 sec, out 8 sec. Box breathing: in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4. Abdominal breathing: let your stomach, not your chest, move.
Health training
Broad, balanced week for overall health, mobility, and long-term function — no specific performance goal, just a strong, well-maintained system.
Untrained
| Day | Pass |
|---|---|
| Monday | Cycling, 20–25 minutes at a leisurely pace, conversational pace |
| Tuesday | Full body strength, 2 rounds, rest 60 sec: squats 10, deadlifts (light dumbbells) 10, shoulder press 10, lunges 8/leg, plank 20–30 sec |
| Wednesday | Brisk walk, 25–30 minutes, steady pace |
| Thursday | Walk/jog intervals, 15–20 min: 1 min jog / 2 min walk x 5–6 |
| Friday | Yoga, 15–20 min: cat-cow x 8, downward dog → forward bend, standing crescent, child's pose 1–2 min |
| Saturday | Qigong, 20 min |
| Sunday | Breathing, 10–15 min: 4-7-8 x 5–6, box breathing x 8–10 |
Trained
| Day | Pass |
|---|---|
| Monday | Cycling, 35–45 min: 5 min warm-up, 4 x 4 min higher intensity / 2 min easy, 5 min cool-down |
| Tuesday | Full body strength, 3 rounds, rest 45 sec: goblet squat 12, RDL 12, shoulder press 10, dumbbell lunges 10/leg, side plank 20 sec/side, rowing 12/side |
| Wednesday | Walking + tempo, 35–40 min: 10 min warm-up, 6 x 1 min fast / 1 min easy, 10 min cool-down |
| Thursday | Running, 25–30 min: 5 min warm-up jog, 20 min steady easy-medium pace, 5 min cool-down |
| Friday | Yoga, 30 min: Sun Salutation A x 4–5, Warrior I/II, Triangle Pose, Pigeon/Butterfly 5 min |
| Saturday | Qigong, 20 min |
| Sunday | Breathing, 10–15 min |
Muscle building
Strength focus with clear progression — fitness takes a supporting role rather than a leading role this week, as recovery between strength workouts is crucial for results.
Untrained
| Day | Pass |
|---|---|
| Monday | Lower body strength, 2 rounds, rest 60 sec: squats 10, RDL (light dumbbells) 10, hip lifts 12, lunges 8/leg |
| Tuesday | Easy cycling or walking, 20 min (active recovery) |
| Wednesday | Upper body strength, 2 rounds, rest 60 sec: shoulder press 10, rowing 10/side, plank 20–30 sec |
| Thursday | Yoga/movement, 15–20 min (cat-cow, downward dog, child's pose) |
| Friday | Full body strength, 2 rounds: squats 10, shoulder press 10, rowing 10/side, plank 20–30 sec |
| Saturday | Qigong, 20 min |
| Sunday | Breathing, 10–15 min |
Trained
| Day | Pass |
|---|---|
| Monday | Lower body strength, 4 rounds, rest 60–90 sec: goblet squat 12, RDL 12, hip lift 15, dumbbell lunges 10/leg |
| Tuesday | Easy cycling, 25–30 min easy pace (active recovery) |
| Wednesday | Upper body strength, 4 rounds, rest 60–90 sec: shoulder press 10, rowing 12/side, side plank 25 sec/side |
| Thursday | Yoga/movement, 25–30 min (Sun Salutation A, Warrior I/II, Pigeon/Butterfly) |
| Friday | Full body strength, 3 rounds, rest 45–60 sec: goblet squat 12, shoulder press 10, RDL 12, rowing 12/side, plank 30–40 sec |
| Saturday | Qigong, 20 min |
| Sunday | Breathing, 10–15 min |
Progression principle going forward: when you can complete all reps with good technique and feel like you have 2–3 reps left in the tank, increase the weight by about 5–10 % next week.
Weight loss training
Higher weekly volume and more sessions with elevated heart rate, built to support a calorie deficit — combined with circuit training to preserve muscle mass at the same time (important, otherwise you lose fat burning's best friend: muscle).
Untrained
| Day | Pass |
|---|---|
| Monday | Cycling, 25 min easy-medium pace |
| Tuesday | Full body circuit training, 2 rounds, rest 30–45 sec: squats 10, shoulder press 10, lunges 8/leg, hip lift 12, plank 20 sec |
| Wednesday | Brisk walk, 30 min |
| Thursday | Walk/jog intervals, 15–20 min: 1 min jog / 2 min walk x 5–6 |
| Friday | Full body circuit training, 2 rounds (like Tuesday, feel free to change one exercise) |
| Saturday | Yoga/movement, 20 min (active recovery) |
| Sunday | Breathing + leisurely walk, 15–20 min breathing + 15 min walk |
Trained
| Day | Pass |
|---|---|
| Monday | Interval cycling, 35–40 min: 5 min warm-up, 6 x 2 min higher intensity / 1 min easy, 5 min cool-down |
| Tuesday | Full body circuit training, 3 rounds, rest 30 sec: goblet squat 15, shoulder press 12, dumbbell lunges 10/leg, hip lift 15, rowing 12/side, plank 30–40 sec |
| Wednesday | Walk + tempo, 40 min: 10 min warm-up, 8 x 1 min fast / 1 min easy, 10 min cool-down |
| Thursday | Interval running, 25–30 min: 5 min warm-up jog, 6 x 2 min faster pace / 1.5 min easy, 5 min cool-down |
| Friday | Full body circuit training, 3 rounds (like Tuesday, feel free to change one exercise) |
| Saturday | Yoga/movement, 25–30 min |
| Sunday | Breathing + leisurely walk, 15–20 min breathing + 20 min walk |
Good luck this week, Maria
PS: You can find training gear and clothing in the shop. Equip yourself for the week.
Next week: we'll build on recovery — what happens in your body between workouts, and how to plan a week that's for progress.