From being listless and overweight in his forties to being cut and living his best life at 55, personal trainer and owner of Fit in Midlife Jason Smith shares his fitness life

What does a typical training day look like for you?

There is no typical training day! As a personal trainer and coach working across multiple time zones, I fit my training around client appointments.  That provides plenty of variety but also means I train at times that may not be optimum for my chronotype.  

I aim to do 6 strength sessions a week, repeating a push, pull, legs split and supplement that with 3 or 4 runs to maintain my cardiovascular fitness and keep me lean.

I limit my strength workouts to around 45 minutes and keep them efficient by timing my rest between sets.  Runs can be shorter or longer depending on how I am feeling and the Great British weather!

Can you remember the first time you walked into a gym?

I remember the first time I walked in after a 30-year break very clearly!  I was nervous and frightened I’d make a fool of myself but thankfully nothing could have been further from the truth.  

Everyone was friendly and mostly kept themselves to themselves and by taking things light and building my confidence and strength over time I didn’t draw any unwanted attention or make any unwanted YouTube appearances.

While much of the kit had evolved since I last used a gym, the fundamentals were the same, so I was able to work things out and just get on with using it.

How strict are you on nutrition?

When I started my fitness transformation, I was meticulous.  I used an app to track my nutrition and aimed for a 300-calorie deficit.  Once I’d lost the weight and body fat, I took the same approach to adding muscle, setting a target of 200g protein and a 200-calorie surplus.

Over time, I became much more aware of how to meet my nutritional requirements and stopped tracking calories.  Today I eat around 2,800 calories per day and always hit my 200g protein target, supplementing with whey protein powder when needed.

One thing I will never change is my abstinence of alcohol.  This made such a big difference to me early in my fitness journey. I just enjoy the benefits of how I now feel too much to ever consider taking even a sip.

What’s your food guilty pleasure?

Easy, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk!  I grew up in Birmingham and my aunt worked at the Cadbury factory in Bourneville and would get free supplies.  So, Cadbury was a big part of my childhood.  I’ll sometimes eat a few chunks on a Saturday night but that’s about it.

Favourite training session?

I can honestly say I love all my training, but a long trail run through the country on a bright sunny (but not too hot) day?  Nothing beats that!  I love being out in nature and my trail runs are never time trialled.  If I want to stop and look at the view or watch deer in the woods, I will.  It gives me a massive high!

Least favourite session?

It used to be leg day but over time I’ve learned to love it by focusing on the challenge.  But I still hate walking lunges.  They take so much out of me but also do so much good in terms of strength, stamina and balance, so I just aim to get them done and finished and celebrate the achievement afterwards.

What’s the best bit of fitness advice you’ve been given?

To enjoy my training.  Whether it be in the gym or out on the trails I aim to find something about it to enjoy.  When I’m trail running its easy as I enjoy being out in nature so much but in the gym it’s that sense of pushing yourself a bit harder, doing an extra rep when you think you’ve reached your limit and feeling the pump at the end of the workout.  

I also listen to my ‘Happy’ play list, an eclectic mix of music from heavy rock to Disney songs, but all music that energises me by making me feel good.

Essential item you can’t live without?

Either my Apple Watch or Oura Ring.  I recently went on holiday and left my ring on the bathroom sink leaving me without its data for two weeks.  I was inconsolable!

What does fitness mean to you?

For me, it’s reinvention.  I was drifting through midlife unhealthy, unfit and with little energy.  Getting fit at the age of 50 has given me a second chance with the energy, confidence and capability to live an active and fulfilling life.  The ability to keep up with a 16-year-old sporty son is priceless.  I hope it will be the same when grandkids arrive!