It’s funny how your priorities change as you age.

As a younger person a large part of the reason you work out is to be as lean as possible, have six-pack abs, etc.

…but getting too lean when you are 40+ can mess with your testosterone levels.

Maintaining high testosterone levels is a priority. 

I’ve been reading and researching quite a bit about this the past 2 years…but the best book I’ve read on the subject I just ordered off Amazon last week is:

Younger Next Year: Live Strong, Fit, and Sexy-Until You’re 80 and Beyond

There’s a Women’s Version as well.

This book was co-written by Henry S. Loge, a 46 year-old Gerontologist who is part of a cutting-edge 23 doctor practice in Manhattan…and one of his incredibly fit patients who is 70+.

It’s about how to turn back the biological clock.

The original book was written 10 years ago and is a New York Times Bestseller.

I know I’m late to the party in hearing about this book.

My excuse?

I’m somewhat new to hearing about the Getting Old Club.

As a Gerontologist, Dr. Henry Lodge specializes in these areas.

  • Chronological Aging – Aging based on a person’s years lived from birth.
  • Biological Aging – The physical changes that reduce the efficiency of organ systems.
  • Psychological Aging – The changes that occur in sensory and perceptual processes, cognitive abilities, adaptive capacity, and personality.
  • Social Aging – An individual’s changing roles and relationships with family, friends, and other informal supports, productive roles and within organizations.

Younger Next Year uses a great analogy for biological aging.

Comparing aging to a tide…

Tide and Sunset“When you’re a kid, the tide is behind you and you go forward, no matter what you do. Stronger, more coordinated, better focused…better able to understand and cope.

But at some point the tide inside your body goes slack and the free ride is over. And then, in an instant, it turns against you. You get a little weaker, your balance is funny, your bones out to be frail…you can’t remember things.

And it begins to look as if before long the tide will be running pretty hard. And it’s going to sweep you up on the rocks.”

Dr. Lodge explains…

In our 40’s and 50’s our bodies switch to “default into decay” mode.

The free ride of youth is over.

Decay is like the constant tide trying to pull us back into the rocks.

We can override the default signal of decay with Daily Exercise.

The key is that you must send a signal to grow EVERY day…or the body will continue to head into decay mode.

(Growth s the opposite of decay.)

Don’t think of it as exercise.

Think of it as a constant grow message to override that crazy tide.

Dr. Lodge gives his aging patients a few rules.

Rule 1: Exercise six days a week for the rest of your life…Six days, serious exercise, until you die.

Rule 2: Do serious Aerobic Exercise four days a week for the rest of your life.

Cardio

Yes, I realize that cardio (aerobic exercise) isn’t the trendy thing right now.

Telling people to exercise 6-7 days a week DEFINITELY isn’t the popular message you see online.

…but if you are in your 40’s, or older, DAILY exercise should be a priority.

Younger people can “get away” with just lifting weights for muscle size and then dieting hard to look lean.

They don’t need cardio, because the tide is in their favor.

(Although for health reasons, I’d still recommend at least some form of cardio 2-3 times per week).

The trend is training 3 times per week for 30-40 minutes.

I recommend 4-6 days per week of lifting, followed by 30-40 minutes of cardio of varying intensities.

If you are following a different program, I’m NOT saying ditch that program.

What I am saying is to fill in the gaps of your current program with some additional workout days…

…especially if you are in your 40’s and beyond.

I know 6-7 days per week of exercise sounds rough, but it doesn’t have to be torture.

Daily repetition is the way to create a habit.

…and habits are the way to do things on autopilot (little effort).