WELCOME TO THIS WEB SITE
My name is Chris Zaremba, welcome to my website. I have set up this site to provide information, ideas and inspiration to anyone who is looking to improve their level of fitness, whatever their age, but it is specifically designed for those over 50. There’s also some stuff about my journey into fitness – some photos, videos etc.
I’ve been taking my fitness pretty seriously over the past few years, having ignored it for the previous 50. It’s been a journey involving a massive amount of learning for me, and then putting what I’ve learned into practice.
I can honestly say I am now healthier and fitter at over 50 than I ever was in my 20’s, 30’s and 40’s.
At 50, I was obese, pre-diabetic and with high blood lipids (bad cholesterol), hypertension and pretty much no aerobic capacity. Today, my blood pressure and all other measurements are (according to the doc) typical for a healthy 30-35 year old.
It’s now my turn to pass on what I have learned so that others can benefit from adopting a fitness-centred lifestyle in the way I have.
By the way, I said above that I’ve been taking fitness ‘seriously’ for the past few years – it’s actually been a huge amount of fun, and I hope to pass on some of that aspect on the site too.
This site is designed to contain information that should be of help you and motivate you whatever your goal: whether you are trying move the scales downwards by losing some fat, moving them upwards by putting on some muscle, or to pretty much keep the same weight but replace some of the pounds of fat with some of muscle. Maybe that elusive ‘toning’ is the target. It should also help if you’re happy in the shape you’re in, want to stay that way and simply live a long and healthy life.
So, irrespective of whether you want to make a fairly substantial change – as I did – or just a tweak here or there, I hope you can find something here that will help you towards your goals. And if you want to watch rather than read – well, there’s always YouTube where a lot of my videos are posted – and also click the TV and Videos tabs!
The fitness journey for me continues as I expect to pursue my fitness regime for as many years in the future as possible. And I see it as my role to make a difference to others – having already made it in myself. To hep this, in my mid-fifties, I qualified as a Personal Trainer. I’ve since added some specific, advanced certification in nutrition for both weight management and physical performance – as well as specific qualifications for other fitness specialisations. I now offer personal training to other over 50’s in London and South Bucks, and by on-line courses, anywhere in the word, as well as fitness consultancy to individuals and corporations globally.
Away from personal training, I have continued to pursue my own fitness, trying to improve with each year – while not getting obsessed.
When I was 54, I thought I had done well enough to enter a fitness model contests – like bodybuilding but nicer! I did well then, and caught the bug – I’ve now appeared in 10 events, and have trophies to show for it. Particular high-points of this were winning my first British then the World Championships for both Fitness Modelling and Muscle Modelling, all of these in categories for the Over 50’s. And most recently I competed in Muscle Beach in California, and managed a 5th place trophy in the Over 35 age group.
It’s an amazing feeling, being on stage with the lights, audience and cameras – wearing nothing but some shorts and a spray tan! I’m the first to admit its not for everyone, but I love it.
My wildest dreams a couple of years ago wouldn’t have had me on a fitness stage, but here I am and actually collecting trophies, with several UK and two World Championship wins to my name. At the last count, there are 18 trophies in the cabinet, including my first one from America in September 2017.
To show there is more to exercise activity than the gym and contests, I’ve tried a few new sports and endeavours. I did my first ever 5k run in 2010 at age 54, and now I’ve done over 200 at that distance, plus half-marathons and marathons, with the London Marathon 2013 being my first at this distance.
I’ve added further marathons since including Medoc (too much red wine!) and Edinburgh (ditto whisky!) and Dublin (guess!). The marathon total is up to eight now including Los Angeles as my favourite venue.
I’d like to get up to ten marathons, with the unfamiliarity of the streets of Tokyo the next on the agenda.
I don’t claim to be a fast runner at marathons by the way – I go to have a good time rather than get a good time. And that’s the philosophy I use for other sports – all of which I try to be unusually good for a newcomer or my age – but not particularly competitive. I leave my competitive genes behind and use them on the fitness model stage.
On these other sports, I’ve also done my first ever long-distance bike rides, triathlons, jungle treks and a mountain treks, all of which bring activities to me which were beyond me in my fat old days.
I don’t expect any of my Personal Training clients will want to go as far as the competitive modelling stage, but most have taken up running and cycling. And I encourage them to pursue fitness objectives that many of them believed were impossible – and achieve them. very rewarding for them, very gratifying for me.
My ‘Fat to Fit at Fifty’ story is seen as pretty inspirational by some, and, a one-hour TV documentary was made about my fitness transformation for the Community Channel. It is still sometimes shown and. is on YouTube, and there is a link to it on the ‘Videos’ tab above.
I’ve also created a TV show called ‘Fit Happens’, which is designed to take the fitness message that I promote for the over fifties to those of any age. There have been two TV series – a total of 9 episodes – plus a couple of generation fitness specials.
The series are jointly presented by me with nutritionist Keith Cormican, and we have top fitness trainer and group instructor Nicola Fuestel joining us for the second series of five episodes. In both series, we look at cooking, nutrition, in-gym activity, out-of gym fitness and interviewing some interesting folk in the world of fitness. Plus answering a question or two from members of the public.
Series One was on TV in late 2014 and Series Two was screened for the first time in May 2017.
It’s now on YouTube – click on the ‘TV’ tab for a direct link, or for more details see the dedicated web site for the Fit Happens TV series and specials – www.Fit-Happens.co.uk
I’ve taken up mentoring with a great newcomer to the sport, Dan Wynes. He’s made massive progress, well on his way to becoming a superstar, I reckon.
And he has been winning trophies too, as well as picking up lucrative commercial modelling contracts and coaching others – now including me – to follow his own success.
Two TV documentaries, both Fit Happens specials, about our contest preparation and on-stage work together are available – the links are on the TV tab above as well as on www.Fit-Happens.co.uk.
I am honoured to have Dan originally just as my mentee, then my training partner and fellow fitness model contestant, and now a good friend and my coach for my latest contest at Muscle Beach.
==================================================================
As you may have gathered, I’m keen to help others benefit from fitness in the way I have. And I do this in a few ways:
(1) My Total Fitness Package consists of several meetings, discussions and gym sessions which take place over a period and designed to change you for the better for the rest of your life. We discuss all aspects of your lifestyle affecting health and fitness, performing a food nutrient analysis of sample typical days, or a full food diary. Your movement activity is reviewed, both exercise and activities in daily life, all with the aim of producing a concrete set of recommendations, and the motivation to adhere to them.
(2) I offer Personal Training sessions for those who want a smaller level of input than the Personal Fitness Consultancy. These sessions are offered in gyms in London and High Wycombe, or elsewhere by arrangement. Designed to instruct and motivate in both exercise and nutrition, we also cover lifestyle factors such as sleep and stress. And for those who live further away, the same subjects are covered and support given by Online Personal Training – the same level of detailed analysis and support – and with clients already benefiting from Wick to Sydney!
(3) I have my book, available as a paperback or an e-book, describing both my own fat to fit at fifty journey, and also giving suggestions, ideas and a full course for anyone who wants to follow in my footsteps. In addition, I have two dedicated workout courses (one for three gym trips per week, and one for three or five) and my Total Nutrition Pack. All on my Shop tab to see all the options!
(4) I also offer a Motivational Speaking presentation called ‘Fit Happens’ which I present to groups of all ages from 5 to 500 – and the audience can be charities to large corporates, any groups in fact that are interested in learning more about fitness, perhaps achieving the benefits from fitness that I have. Maybe the individuals in the group think they don’t have enough time (wrong), may be too old to start (very wrong) or don’t think it’s a priority in their lives (very wrong again). Based on a standard presentation, it can be tailored to individual audience needs of course.
(5) There are descriptions of my exercise routines on this site. However, for the full story enabling you to train in the same way I do, click Workout Systems to purchase either my ‘ABC7 Workout System’ (5-10 workouts per week) or the less intense ‘Fit Happens Workout’. Both workout systems come complete with schedules spreadsheets, over 200 photos and 150 videos from my library of over 130 different exercises.
(6) I have a members subscription club called Fit Club 50, which delivers monthly information, encouragement and ideas to your fresh to your inbox each month. From exercise routines to healthy recipes, insightful articles, infographics and fitness holidays (which don’t have to be in the mountains, despite the pic!). Click of the Fit Club 50 tab at the top for more.
==================================================================
I’m happy to answer questions on any aspect of fitness, especially those relating to a 50+ year old. Questions will be answered with contributions, if appropriate, from Chris Saward, who is the Sports Science Consultant to Fitness Over Fifty Ltd.
The email address is Chris@FitnessOverFifty.co.uk. This is the same email address for anything ranging from fitness questions, clarification on some intricate complexity of the ABC7 System, how to tell a good carbohydrate from a bad one, any suggestions for this web site, or if you are interested in anything else on the site. I’m very keen to help in any way I can, so don’t hesitate to send that email.
There are many fitness videos, full of ideas, tips, inspiration and motivation on my videos. Just click here to see the full list.
And please subscribe to my written blog – click on Blog at the top of this page.
Many thanks for reading this far. I hope you will find the pages of the site to be motivating, interesting and of value to you, and that they help you towards achieving or maintaining a healthy, fit and fun life.
You will add years to your life. And life to your years.
Chris Zaremba, Fitness Over Fifty Ltd