Why are people such as Wim Hof or Tom Brady so intriguing?
For many, they are redefining what is possible.
In most people’s minds, extreme cold exposure equals frost bite or worse.
For Wim Hof, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in shorts or sitting in an ice bath for more than an hour is just another opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong.
Those same naysayers would agree that being over 40 and being the top quarterback in professional football can’t coexist.
Whether you love Tom Brady or hate him, he’s busting right through that myth.
You may say, well, these guys can devote all of their time to improving their physical performance because it’s their profession.
And you would be right. However, they are aspirational figures that have shattered limiting beliefs and remind us of what’s physically possible with the right input and training.
Building Fitness into Our Everyday Lives
As much as I enjoy seeing physical feats performed at an elite level, what is even more inspiring is seeing parents who work, whether outside or inside the home raising kids, who live full lives, yet find time to build fitness into their lives.
I think about all of the moms I know (my wife included) who sneak in a workout while their kids are napping (with the baby monitor in hand) or make working out a fun, family affair.
I think about my Dad who’s the fittest 68 yr old I know, a CPA and Crossfit Master’s champion, who finds a way to compensate for the long hours sitting at his desk and build fitness into his life.
I think about a patient who is 90+ and still mowing their lawn and doing their own yard work.
I think about a patient who is in her 60’s who thought that back pain and a weak body was a part of the aging process until she started doing yoga and Crossfit and was able to run a half marathon. She is proving to herself and everyone around her that she’s still got it.
The #1 biological marker of aging is lack of muscle mass. Between the age of 20 and 60 years of age, the average person loses half of their muscle mass and doubles their fat mass.
If you’re beyond the age of 20 and not doing something to strengthen your body, your bones and muscles are shrinking. To top it off, around the age of 28, your growth hormone starts declining.
Every day that goes by with a 0 in the fitness column is contributing to the mountain of fitness you’re going to have to climb later in life.
Compounding Effect of Habits as We Age
When we’re in our 20’s, we have margin, our body can easily adapt and perform. We can eat junk food and still go from couch to 5k or start lifting and bam, biceps appear the next day (okay, not quite).
When we get beyond 40, those inputs from our 20’s catch up with us. We no longer have the tolerance or margin for pre-workout powders, aminos, protein powders that taste good but have all kinds of artificial flavors, preservatives, and additives in them.
What you put into your body is what you get out of it, whether now or in the years to come. The compound effect of healthy habits, especially when you get into your 4th, 5th, 6th decade of life can be profound.
The compounding effect of habits, both fitness and nutrition inputs can give us the winning edge when we’re in our prime and herculean results when we’re 60 and beyond.
Do you want people to see you at 60 and say “Yep, he’s still got it” or “Wow, you would have never guessed she’s 60”!
I want people to see me, and say, “Wow, if he can be a doctor, a husband, a father of 7 children”, and still build fitness into his life, then I can too.
Deep down we all know that we are capable of more but sometimes we don’t know where to start or how to start.
If you’re in your prime and want to start building fitness habits into your life, download the Get Fit Guide.
Have you built fitness into your life? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!