Outlive

Even Finn is excited about this book!

A few months ago one of my clients told me about a new book that details ways to grow old better. The author was making the podcast rounds, so I listened to his interview on the Tim Ferris podcast. I ordered the book after listening for 30 minutes of the 2-hour interview.

I have since devoured the book and began to implement many of the strategies laid out inside. 

The book is called Outlive and it is by Peter Attia, MD. 

What he does is take all the recent information about longevity and distill it into a very readable book. There is quite a bit of science in there, but he makes it accessible. His co-writer Bill Gifford probably deserves most of the credit for taking Attia’s information and making it digestible. Either way, the readability makes it a fast read if you want, but I found myself having to stop a lot just to process all the information.

Here’s the general gist: if you want to age well, you need to start investing in yourself now. That means tweaking diet (not going on a diet, just being mindful about what you eat); getting some hard data about your body (DEXA scan, blood tests); and most importantly, exercising.

The single most beneficial thing we can all do for ourselves as we age is exercise. Simply going from no exercise to moderate exercise (walking) can halve your chances of getting deadly diseases. 

Exercise also can stave off dementia. This is huge. New research shows that regular exercise enhances brain function. 

As we age, we lose muscle mass and bone density. The more muscle you have at 50, the more you will be left with at 90. Exercise also strengthens bones and can offset bone density loss. 

The whole goal is to age well and be healthy as long as possible. Modern medicine can keep people alive even if quality of life is terrible. Being hooked up to tubes or unable to walk more than a few steps does not sound appealing to me. 

Working on strength, mobility, stability and cardio now will mean more freedom later. If you are strong and stable enough to catch yourself when you fall, you don’t have to worry about breaking a hip. If you do fall but have strong muscles and bones, that should also keep major injury away. Strength means you can carry groceries, put luggage in an overhead bin, pick up grandchildren. Be able to live a healthy, independent life. 

And, it is never too late (or too early) to start. Muscle mass can be built even if you are over 80. Weak bones can be strengthened by exercise no matter the age. But the earlier you start, the better it will be. It’s like investing in an IRA for health. Good to start at any age, but the younger you are, the more the IRA will grow. 

I’d love to talk with you if you are interested in learning more or starting a training program. Let’s grow older better together!