changing your habits in your sixties: changing nutrition needs with age
WHAT I’VE LEARNED FROM BEING MY DAD’S NUTRITION COACH
After I had been coaching for several years, my dad expressed interest in wanting to work with me. The really cool thing was he didn’t expect special treatment because he was my dad and in fact, waited his turn on my waitlist, filled out his sign up form (even though I knew most of his answers already), downloaded MFP, and started completing his weekly check-ins through his client portal. He really wanted to do this! At first, I felt hesitant to coach him because coaching family can, at times, be a trainwreck. But then I quickly felt extremely grateful to support him in this journey in a way that he has supported me my whole life.
He is a great example that you can in fact teach an old dog new tricks and that you’re never too old to chase after your goals, even if they’ve been 10 (or maybe 20) years coming. So, in honor of Father’s Day this month, I wanted to share what it’s been like to be my dad’s nutrition coach.
I’ve been my dad’s nutrition coach for a little over two years now and while working with ALL of my clients is rewarding, working with my dad has been especially rewarding in its own way. It’s been a cool role reversal to be able to share knowledge and advice with the guy who has guided me through all stages of my life. Offering him support in working toward his goals in the way that he has done for me is something I will be forever grateful for. And while you may think I’m here to boast on how I’ve helped my dad lose a bunch of weight and finally get back to his high school football weight and body composition, I’m actually here to tell you that he hasn’t changed much physically and hasn’t really lost any weight at all.
While weight loss is his goal, we’ve spent the past two years shifting his habits, some of which he’s had for a very long time. And while two years may seem like a long time to work on habit building, you have to understand the guy is in his sixties (on the brink of retiring) and some of the things we’ve changed seemingly overnight, he’s been doing since I was born (which was over 30 years ago!).
Due to the nature of his job, he lives and works a kind of a split life, traveling out of town for part of the week and then back home for the weekends. One of the biggest things we’ve worked on is helping him figure out a routine that works with that lifestyle and learning how to be consistent with his ever-changing schedule. He faces challenges like living out of a hotel part of the week, using his work truck as his “office” most days, and some late night and early morning shift work. During his busy season, he is pedal-to-the-metal for 4-6 months straight with most of his waking time spent at work or thinking about work.
With that kind of lifestyle, consistency and routine are hard to come by, but he has done an incredible job making small shifts that continue to make a big difference in his progress. He's taken some really cool steps as we’ve worked through addressing and shifting his habits. He’s now doing things like:
Consistently tracking his intake and staying mindful of protein and total calories
Keeping a cooler in the bed of his truck with higher protein snacks and easy options during the day when he doesn’t often get a lot of time to eat
Using a large water bottle to keep track of his water intake and keeping a case of water in his truck
Choosing to stay in a hotel that’s across the street from the gym he has a membership at, so even on long workdays, he can still make it happen at least once a week
Wearing a FitBit to help him better understand things like his sleep and his movement throughout the day by keeping an eye on his steps and his sleep quality
Completing check ins with me each week and taking the time to think about things that are going well and things he wants to improve on
As a result, we have seen:
An increase in protein intake and more awareness with overall caloric intake through the process of tracking macros (yes, he has learned how to use MFP and he isn’t a very tech savvy guy!)
A better understanding of how certain foods contribute to creating balanced meals and how to make better food choices, especially when his schedule is busy (Egg McMuffin for the win!)
An increase in daily water intake leading to better management of hunger and a decrease in afternoon caffeine intake
A better understanding of stress levels and how perceived stress is different than what your body may be experiencing
More awareness around sleep and sleep hygiene and how quantity doesn’t always mean quality
A more consistent exercise routine, something he’s struggled with for decades
An improvement in bloodwork markers and most recently a really positive blood plaque result showing ideal heart health for his age with no potential blockages.
While none of these things may be as flashy as saying he’s lost 50 pounds and is now training for a bodybuilding competition, I'm proud of him for his continued dedication and for really wanting to make these changes for himself in his sixties! He’s shared that he feels better pushing through long workdays, he’s motivated to make food choices that keep him feeling good, and he’s finally learned how to prioritize sleep and movement (things that have always taken a backseat to his job). And whether he’s my dad or not, I know that the improvements he’s making are helping him be healthier, live longer, and actually make himself a priority for the first time in a really long time. And because of that, goals like competing in a bodybuilding show don’t seem that far-fetched anymore.
We are committed coaches who work with committed clients (no matter your age and goals!) and love nothing more than helping our clients find a sustainable approach to nutrition that allows them to work towards their goals without white-knuckling their way through yo-yo diets. Learn more about our KLN team here!