How complicated is it really to stay in shape?

I often get asked how I train and eat to stay in shape. Many people seem to think it requires a complicated training schedule, constant variety, and a diet where every meal has to be weighed and counted. That's not how my life looks.

I do pretty much the same things week after week. It may sound simple and maybe a little boring – and that's exactly the point.

My training

I strength train five days a week, working one muscle group per session. I follow a method we call

Powerset Training . This means I choose an exercise and do four sets. The first three sets are relatively easy and controlled. In the fourth and final set, I train to failure – that is, until I can’t do another repetition with good technique.

It makes training efficient and clear. I don't have to do tons of exercises or spend hours in the gym. I know what to do and make sure the last working set really counts.

In addition to strength training, I walk and try to get about 8,000–10,000 steps a day. That's my main cardio workout.

This is how I eat

At 10:00 in the morning, I drink two cups of coffee, take a glass of amino acids and about 50 grams of protein from protein powder. About 30 minutes later I go to the gym.

At 2:00 PM I eat the biggest meal of the day. It's usually chicken, meat or fish along with a mix of vegetables.

At 5:00 PM I eat quark with frozen blueberries.

At 7:00 PM it's time for the second real meal of the day. It often looks similar to the first meal of the day, but the portion is slightly smaller. Afterwards I like to have a piece of fruit.

9:00 PM A while before I go to bed, I eat a little more quark with berries.

That's how I eat six days a week.

Is there no room for anything extra?

Yes, of course.

On Saturday, the day looks more or less the same until the evening. Then I eat whatever I want. I love ice cream, so that's usually the permanent dessert – preferably with some chocolate and a glass of red wine.

It's not about living perfectly. It's about having a good structure for most of the week and at the same time being able to enjoy life.

It doesn't have to be any harder than that.

Good quality food with lots of protein and vegetables. As little processed food as possible. Regular strength training, daily walks and one night a week when I eat whatever I feel like.

This is not an extreme diet. For me, it's a way to maintain weight, muscle mass, and feel good – year after year.

Does everyone have to eat and exercise exactly like me? Of course not. But the basic principles work for most people:

Eat good food. Train your muscles. Move every day. Make it easy enough to keep going.

There you have the answer to how I do it. It may not be very exciting, but it works.

All the best, Kenneth