Over 40? If so, you may have noticed that getting “back into shape” seems harder and harder every year. I mean I’m only 39, and I’ve been struggling for years now… It is very frustrating. I can hit the gym all month, and try my best to “eat clean” but the results are barely noticeable.
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Well, if any of this sounds familiar, then you may have have come across a program called “Abs After 40” from a guy named Mark Mcilyar and Six Pack Shortcuts (the makers of TestMax Nutrition & the Insane Home Fat Loss program), which has become incredibly popular over the past few months. There are ads for this program literally ALL OVER the internet. And if you have seen any of the promotional material for this program then you know that the premise behind this program sounds pretty promising.
I thought so too, so I decided to check out the program for myself and write up a comprehensive review to give you an unbiased look at it.
In the review below I will begin by first briefly discussing the unique challenges that guys over 40 (or 35ish) deal with when it comes to getting into shape. Then I’ll explain a bit about how this Abs After 40 program works and the science behind it. Then I’ll go over what you actually get in the program, and my favorite and least favorite parts, and then I’ll wrap by giving my personal recommendation and pointers on what kind of guy might potentially benefit from using this system.
Table of Contents
Why Is It So Hard To Get Abs After You Turn 40?
First off, I should say that I am not any kind of scientist, doctor, or even a personal trainer. People can talk about “hormone optimization” all day long, and go into great detail about the roles that testosterone and HGH (human growth hormone) play in health and fitness. And while I understand these concepts in theory, there is really no point in my trying to explain the ins and outs of how your body’s hormonal system actually functions, or how specific types of exercise of foods impact it. (And since I’m not a doctor, also please read our medical disclaimer at the end of this post.)
Shockingly, the fact is that most doctors don’t even understand that stuff! Which is part of the reason why they will often just prescribe hormone replacement injections and that kind of thing, rather than looking at what is causing hormonal imbalances, or offering you natural methods for correcting these issues.
But the fact is that understanding all of that scientific stuff really isn’t necessary as long as you grasp the basic concept. So here’s the main point – as we get older our bodies change, and we typically see significant drops in testosterone and other key hormones that impact our mood, energy levels, sex drive, and of course our physiques. These hormonal changes make it hard to build/maintain lean muscle, and they also make it hard to burn fat. This is why so few guys over 40 are in good shape. Even most 40+ guys who eat “healthy” diets and work out regularly, are still soft and flabby. Its sad, and extremely frustrating.
And the problem is that most workout regimes don’t really work out very well for 40+ guys because they are either too intense and draining, and can lead to injury, or they are just simply ineffective. Not to mention the fact that your typical fitness program isn’t designed for guys over 40 and doesn’t take decreasing hormone levels into account whatsoever.
How Is Mark Mcilyar’s Program Different From XYZ Fitness System?
I’ve been working out for 25 years now, so I’ve tried just about every type of fitness system under the sun. I’ve played around with all different types of training splits, crossfit, power lifting, all types of cardio, yoga, you name it. I even used to hot the gym 2x a day at times in my 20s, as crazy as that may sound. I’ve also played around with a lot of different diet and supplements. So, I’m always pretty skeptical when it comes to “new” work out plans.
That being said, this system actually does take a very unique, and apparently very effective approach by addressing the special obstacles facing guys in their 40s, 50s and 60s who want to get in shape.
There are numerous difference between Mark’s system and your average fitness/”get abs” plan, but the main difference is that it is specifically designed to help guys over 40 regain healthy hormone levels. The crazy thing about low testosterone is that it causes you to store excessive abdominal fat, and having that fat on your belly in turn throws your hormones farther out of whack, and it is basically a deadly cycle.
So AA40 (Abs After 40) attempts to break this cycle, and put you on a new cycle where you are burning off that fat and getting your testosterone, and other hormones at the levels they need to be at.
The workouts are based around compound exercises, which we all know are the best for burning fat, engaging a maximum number of muscle fibers, and keeping your workouts short and sweet. So, thankfully you aren’t going to need to spend hours in the gym doing curls or calf raises or any of those types of isolation movements (which can be particularly taxing on your joints.) However, rather than just having you do the same old compound movements that you may be used to, Mark has modified everything to make sure that you aren’t over taxing your muscles or joints, so that you can avoid injury and avoid over taxing yourself.
Lets face it, now that we are grown ups most of us don’t have hours to spend in the gym. And even if we did, working out that much can be very exhausting, and the ironic thing is that it just isn’t necessary. You might be surprised at how little you need to workout when your hormone levels are where the should be…
What Do You Get In Abs After 40?
Mark’s program is an online training course which means that everything is delivered through Mark’s website. After you get access, you just log into the “member’s area” and then you can watch the videos where Mark walks you through exact what to do, what exercise, how long to rest etc…
One thing that I liked is that the system is broken up into 3 thirty day phases, so that you feel like you know where you are headed, and you have a game plan in front of you with clearly delineated check points along the way.
I won’t go over everything, but here’s a quick synopsis of the 3 phases: The first phase “Fat Loss Jumpstart” is where you strip out that abdominal fat – thereby breaking out out that deadly fat-storage/low-testosterone cycle I previously mentioned. Then you move on to the “Male Hormone Optimization” phase where you get your hormones balanced out and start building some lean muscle. Then you transition into the maintenance phase where you stay in “Full-Auto Fat Burning Mode” and start doing A40 ab training to really get your abs defined, and keep yourself lean and mean!
There is also a “Abs After 40 Nutritional System” that comes with the program. This is basically the nutritional component of the course where you get meal plan “blue prints” and are provided with a very straight forward dietary plan that focuses on healthy hormone levels. You may already know this, but your diet is very closely tied to your hormonal system, so it is important to eat foods that support healthy levels rather than reducing them. The great thing is that most of these foods are things that most guys actually like to eat, and you’ll learn about so called “healthy foods” that can actually put your hormones way out of whack.
You also get a bonus eBook called “How To Deal With Common Injuries & Gym Problems” (at least you got this the last time I checked, bonuses may change or be removed over time.) This book is full of strategies and tips for staying injury free, dealing with soreness, and provides stretching and recovery techniques specifically for guys forty and older.
Best And Worst Parts…
The Best – Holistic Approach. In my opinion the best thing about this program is that it addresses the situation that we as older guys face, from a multitude of angles. This isn’t just about burning fat, or raising testosterone, or eating right. Its about how everything works together ie. what you eat, your hormone levels, exercise and so forth. It covers everything, including supplementation so that you have a complete plan of attack.
I also like that everything is based on real science and backed up by a huge laundry list of studies that are linked to on the website. No “bro science” here. And I should also mention that the dietary portion is really not “restrictive” in any way, and is easy to follow. So you can still eat out, have your woman cook you steaks or whatever you like to eat, and basically just keep eating like a normal person.
The Worst – No DVD. I’m 39, so using the Internet and accessing digital products isn’t an issue for me. But that said, this program is for guys in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and I guess potentially even guys in their 80s, and the fact is that a lot of senior citizens have trouble using the Internet. I mean sure, there are a lot of senior who are super tech savvy, but there are also a lot of guys in their 70s who never had to use the Internet for work, so they still have a hard time with some of this stuff. For that reason I think it would make sense to put this program on a DVD (or even a VHS tape, ha-ha) so the geezers don’t get stumped. But so far it is only available online.
The Verdict:
As I mentioned, I’ve tried just about every type of workout over the years. The great thing about this one is that it is really designed, very specifically for older guys, and has a science based approach the has spawned some pretty amazing success stories. This being the case, if you are a guy over 40 (or even in your mid to late 30s) then I think this might be a great system to use.
Particularly if you have already been going to the gym, and you just aren’t getting the results you wanted, then these methods for balancing out your hormone levels may be what you need to break out of a bad cycle and get on a good one.
It’s a good program, and it is recommended.
To see our top recommended program, click the link below: Click Here for Our Top Recommended Program For Men Over 40 Now!
DISCLAIMER: *Individual Results May Vary.
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