I was quite unsporty for many years, until I started to like running about 3 years ago. When I began I could just do a short distance, always walk, run short thime, then walk again and so on. In autumn last year I reached my goal and took part in (and finished) a half-marathon

With every sports it’s important to start slowly to not overstrain your body, but it will adjust soon.

Additionally, since I started a new job where we can visit a gym for free, I’m going there 2 times a week, which is a very good addition to running and also helps my bad back a lot.

There’s definitely some truth to that. I’m in the lucky position that my wife recently finished her education as a nutritionist (and she was very interested in the topic before that too). Personally I never was that interested into nutrition so it’s good that she keeps these things in mind, especially with our kids around.

She was also the one to convert me to a plant-based diet 7 years ago which had some immediate effects on my health back then. I’ve used to have problems with impure skin, especially on my back, and that pretty much vanished over night as soon as I cut out milk.

I’m lucky to have her.

Great topic!

Pre-lockdown, I was going to the gym (and sauna!) 5 days a week and in the summer I go for long walks up the mountain.

I also experiment with different diets - I love seeing how the various types impact my health and I found that a Palaeolithic-type diet suits me well. Currently I am experimenting with the carnivore diet (again!)

In the gym I do mostly compound exercises and I would agree that body composition is 80% diet - but that 20% exercise is important too. I feel we should always try to mimic what we have evolved to do, so in other words what our ancestors ate/did… even if just as a starting point. This includes lifting heavy things and sprinting and even doing things that scare us a little bit or get our adrenaline pumping!

I also think the microbiome is more important to human health than we currently realise - only 10% of the cells in/on our bodies actually belong to humans, the rest belong to microbes/gut flora etc, collectively known as the microbiome. When this gets out of kilter, many diseases can follow.

My best advice is usually to try things for yourself. Do research and try what makes sense to you