A Father’s Day To-Do List, Every Day of the Year
Happy Father’s Day. Today (6/18/23) is my 27th … and I hope for another 27, which would make me 80 years old. I’m also hoping and trying to make them 27 quality years of life and good health.
I’ve been thinking more lately about aging as I started listening to Peter Attia’s The Drive podcast and read his book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity. [Check out my Twitter thread of nuggets from the book here]
Aging also came to mind during my recent journey back to North Dakota to celebrate the retirement of Scott Berry, legendary baseball coach of 42 years at Mayville State University. As I celebrated Coach’s outstanding career of 1200 wins and many accomplishments with former teammates, other former ball players, professors and instructors, and Comet baseball fans from this small college, I had a few tell me “it looks like you could still play”. I’ll be honest - hearing that made me feel pretty good about aging.
Roadtrip
Instead of flying back home, I decided to ride with a former teammate to Chicago O’Hare and pick up my car. It had been too long since we last chatted, and this provided a great opportunity for us to reconnect. We discussed a lot during the 10 hour drive, but at one point he asked me “how do you stay in shape?”.
I cannot remember exactly how I initially responded but I know it had the theme of ‘do the basics savagely well consistently’. I’ve written and tweeted about this holistic and evidence-based approach to a healthy lifestyle many times - as others, including Attia, have as well. But because so many people continue to struggle or be challenged with these behaviours, or sometimes unfortunately persuaded by the pseudo-science of snake oil salesmen, it is certainly worth repeating again - especially on Father’s Day - a day that fathers are acknowledge by their children (and other loved ones) for being there for them. That’s the key isn’t it - being there … and being there in sound mind and sound body; being there as a healthy, functional human being.
Keys to a Healthy Lifestyle
Here are the key strategies that I use everyday/week, that I am sure I told my buddy, that I usually tell everyone, and what we know about healthy living, longevity and good health.
No secrets here … just tried-n-true. We’ve known this stuff since Ancient Greece.
🌞Upon waking, AM sunlight and fresh air. For me, it’s just a very short walk down the block and back as my water heats for my pour over coffee. Some might take advantage of this for a longer walk or jog ticking off the cardio box.
🥣Nourish yourself well with the right types of food, in the right amounts, and at the right time. In terms of types of foods (carbs, fat, proteins, micronutrients), simply shop the perimeter of the store. Think about it - whole foods. Fruits, veggies, whole grains from the bakery, cheese and dairy, eggs, milk, 100% juices, and meats. I’m not saying I never go down the aisles but my cart certainly looks different than most others checking out … if you know what I mean. Obviously, preparation comes into play here as well with these ‘natural’ ingredients. How we prepare our foods also impacts nutritional content. Keep things fresh, grill, bake and stay away from the deep fryer and adding lots of butter - use olive oil instead.
The right amount (total calories) will depend on your energy needs and perhaps weight loss goals. I’m going to keep it simple. Think of your appetite and ‘fullness’ as a gas gauge (or a scale of 1 to 10). Don’t eat until full - stop at a 6-8 out of 10. And take a short ‘digestive walk’ after a meal. More steps and it aids digestion.
Timing has become a hot issue due to the intermittent fasting craze. The more I listen to and read Peter Attia, the more I think timing and amount (they go hand-in-hand) are very individualized. For some 3 square meals works well. Others require 3 square meals plus snacking. And then of course, there are those who swear by 16-8, eating only during an 8 hour window of the day. You might need to do some experimenting.
For myself (and what Attia preaches), protein is key to controlling satiety. Although the RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (.36 grams per pound or about 72 grams for a 200 pound person), many other suggest higher amounts. Attia points out that the RDA is not “optimal” and recommends 1 gram per pound; so that would be 200 grams of protein intake for our 200 pound person - nearly 2.8 times more than the RDA! Ideally and physiologically, protein intake at a meal should be about 30-50 grams. Personally, I’m usually around 120-150 grams per day (0.6-0.75 grams per lb body weight).
🏃♂️Movement. Notice that I did not say exercise or workout. Move and move often. A lot of light movement interspersed in the day, especially if you have a sedentary job. Take breaks from sitting every 90-120 minutes maximum. Even if it’s a 5 min walk around the building or down the hallway. Heck, do body weight squats or inclined pushups up against the desk. Just move.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about “Zone 2 Training”, which is basically light-to-moderate intensity (50-60% max heart rate), steady state aerobic activity for 20-60 minutes, or what most people call “cardio”. Get some. Actually, get a lot of it 3-6 days per week. For me, sometimes it’s two 45-min brisk walks with the dog per day or a 45-min ride on the stationary bike at the wellness center. But also intersperse 1-2 days of vigorous intensity movement as well. Walk-jog, intervals on the bike, tempo runs or sprints, pick-up hoops or soccer, etc. But know your limits and progress into the intensity and duration.
And don’t forget to lift heavy shit a few times per week. Squat, lunge, hinge, push and pull horizontally and vertically, brace and rotate the core. And it does not need to be a 45-60 min lifting session; nor does every set need to go to failure. Leave some in the tank, so you can function the rest of the day and be motivated for the next session.
And we should do some mobility or flexibility as well. Every major muscle group and joint.
👉🏾 Check out this Volt Athletics blog for more insights into my weekly checklist. And here’s a glimpse of a sample week.
😃Laugh, smile, and find your Inner Circle. I love to laugh. For some who have met me, this may come as a surprise as many have called me ‘intense and serious’. As my wife says, “there’s work Joe and fun Joe”. Part of it may also be my introversion. But, I love to laugh with friends from my inner circle and also when I relax and unwind by myself with a good sitcom or episode of Jackass!
Build and maintain positive social relationships – this is the number 1 - that right, THE number 1 - determinant of happiness and a good life as determined by the Harvard Study of Human Development.
For me as a big-time introvert, this is a small group of trusted friends that I stay in close contact with weekly.
🧠Think and engage the brain and mind. We’ve heard it before. The brain is also a “muscle” , so we need to exercise it. Read, think, do deep work, think some more, etc. It amazes me how people can sit on an airplane and stair at the back of the seat in front of them! BTW, taking those breaks from sitting at your computer can actually help not only metabolism but also cognitive function!
🛏️Recovery and Sleep. Nutrition is a big part of recovery and so is sleep. But before we discuss sleep, there are a few other ways I like to recover and rejuvenate. First is deep breathing. It could be in the middle of the day or while stretching but just taking a deep diaphragmatic breath in through the nose to total lung capacity and slowly exhaling all the air out is calming. Sometimes I will couple this with Jacobsen’s Progressive Relaxation performing one muscle tension activity below and then breathing before moving onto the next.
Second involves heat therapy and cold water immersion. Usually twice per week I will sauna or steam room for 12-20 minutes per exposure, and follow it up with a cold shower. Other times, I will do hot:cold contrast shower at home.
Finally and quite importantly, sleep is a non-negotiable. When in good mental health, I do not have trouble sleeping. Always a solid 7-9 hours per night in my Sleep Number bed (25 or 30 setting). The bed is key. I’ve had a Sleep Number for about 10+ years and have never slept or felt better.
The routine and environment are also important. There are several widely-known recommendations for both (see below). I abide by most, but also break the rules on some without it affecting me.
Knowledge does not equal Behaviour
I’m going to end by saying that these are behaviours - eating, moving, when to go to sleep, relaxing, etc. I am certainly not a psychologist or behaviour change expert but I can tell you that And, behaviours can be difficult to change. If you need to make changes, know yourself. Can you make them all at once? Do you need to choose a low hanging fruit (no pun intended)? Can you go for it all, or do you need to stair step your way to attain the optimal level? Can you go it alone or do you need support?
Regardless of the approach, even if it’s a small tweak which I often make, remember that loved one’s will be waiting to wish you a Happy Father’s Day. So, prioritize your health everyday. Be consistent. Every day. Live for yourself, your future and the enjoyment of your children.
🎧 Listen to similar conversation that I had on Mid Life Athlete podcast.
<P.S. if you are interested in references/research studies to support these statements, let me know. Happy to provide them. Ideas without data are just another opinion.>