We’ve seen many body transformations and middle-aged people defying what people think about getting older. However, Andy Wilkinson is taking it to new levels!
Looking over his Instagram profile you would be forgiven for thinking he is in his 30’s. In fact, he said himself that people often think he is younger than he is and has been mistaken for being his daughter’s boyfriend! As you can see on his Instagram page, he isn’t afraid to get his 6 pack out, and gets a lot of looks from younger women. He also has a lot of younger women slide into his DM’s!
As a personal trainer, Andy obviously spends a lot of time working out. He said he works out three times a week and that there isn’t one magical answer to being fit in your 50’s. He was interested in weight training in his teens, but he didn’t really pursue it until he was in his 30’s, and in his 50’s was when he quit his job working for Jaguar to be a full-time personal trainer.
So How Does He Stay Looking Young?
Obviously, genetics help a great deal! However, the main thing that Andy say’s accounts for his health and fitness is hard work, diet and trying not to stress.
- Keeping Calm
“Stress is massively ageing..so I try to not get myself worked up about anything. I have a personal mantra, which is “Everything will be OK”, and that keeps me calm and carries me through.”
- Good Sleep
“I think rest and sleep are huge contributing factors to why I look so young too. I don’t eat late, I’m always in bed before midnight and I sleep in a totally blacked-out room with no phone. It really works for me in terms of getting a good night’s sleep.”
- Eating Healthy
“It was in my thirties that I radically assessed what I was eating. I realised there was no need to have protein shakes, bars or supplements to get that beach body look. It was about eating healthy foods, portion control and cutting down on carbs as you age.”
- Cutting down on carbs
‘The older you get, you don’t need as much carbs or food as you think you need. Now I’ll stick to a few tablespoons of rice and half a sweet potato as my carbohydrate and I focus on eating less carbs at night.”
- Train No More than 3 times a Week
“I generally weight train three times per week for no more than an hour, and I might enjoy a game of tennis or racquetball with a friend too but that it’s it really. I find people sometimes train too much and get injured or don’t see the results they want. The body needs time to repair and recover afterwards and I make sure to have at least a day’s rest between workouts.”
- Drink Plenty of Water
“I also drink plenty of water too – you can put all the creams in the world on your face but water is what matters most when it comes to good skin. And I might occasionally have the odd glass of red wine, but I don’t drink much alcohol otherwise.”
In general, Andy said that there is so much information about health online than ever before but it really is about going back to basics.
“I’m living proof that you can still be fit and toned in your fifties and I hope I can motivate and inspire people.”
Andy’s Daily Diet
BREAKFAST: Slice of seeded bread with a slice of salmon, half an avocado, and two poached eggs. Followed by a bowl of chia seeds, flax seed mixed with blueberries, hemp seeds and a tablespoon of peanut butter with almond milk.
LUNCH: Cajun chicken, three tablespoons of rice and broccoli and sometimes a tablespoon of coleslaw
DINNER: Slow cooked stew of chicken, sweetcorn and frozen vegetables or a Thai or Indian slow cooked chicken curry with three tablespoons of rice.
SNACKS: A handful of almonds/brazil nuts or an apple, although he usually doesn’t snack.
DRINKS: 3 litres of water every day and an occasional coffee or glass of good quality red wine
TREATS: A small bar of 70 per cent dark chocolate or profiteroles
