It is amazing to me that my body responded so quickly to the changes I made in my diet and exercise routine. Becoming unfit as one ages is not automatic, but rather is the result of an undisciplined lifestyle. My path to fitness needed to adapt to my schedule and budget - and to my constantly evolving goals. No single program would have achieved the results I attained by combining elements of several approaches. Experimenting to find a routine that is effective and enjoyable is critical.
Intensity is a major key to success.
Half-hearted, unfocused effort leads to poor results in every area of life, especially exercise. There is little benefit in exercising for long periods of time at a relatively low intensity level. Workout intensely for a few brief sessions a week, and use the extra time to better yourself in areas of your life that matter even more than exercise. This was a great protocol for starting a program, especially for me as I had not exercised regularly in a long time. It was flexible and offered a variety of exercises.