Why You Feel Old At 35 (It's Not Your Age)

Everyone in their mid thirties suddenly decides they're past it. The aches show up, recovery feels slower, and the conclusion is always the same. Must be my age. It usually isn't. Nick and Grant go through the research on muscle mass and metabolic decline, including the MRI study where a 70 year old triathlete's quad matched a 40 year old's while a 74 year old who didn't train had wasted away. Nick tells the story of what six months behind a bank desk during lockdown did to a body that had been fit for fifteen years, and what happened when he started moving again. Two coaches in their mid thirties arguing that this is the prime, not the decline, with the client examples to back it up. A 67 year old working towards a muscle up. A 45 year old through menopause in the best shape of her life. None of it is genetics and none of it is luck. Older is not old. There's a difference. 00:00 The complaint we hear every single week 01:19 When your physical prime actually is 02:47 My 67 year old client is working towards a muscle up 04:31 The study that kills the age excuse 07:28 Stop chasing fat loss and start chasing strength 09:35 Pick a challenge, any challenge 10:55 What six months behind a desk did to me 14:01 The steps number that changes things 15:49 What is genuinely not normal at 35 16:45 When age does start to matter 21:46 Turning up on the bad days 24:51 Older is not old 📚 References Wroblewski et al. "Chronic exercise preserves lean muscle mass in masters athletes." Phys Sportsmed. 2011;39(3):172-8. Forty athletes aged 40 to 81. Muscle area held across the whole range. PMID: 22030953 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22030953/ Pontzer et al. "Daily energy expenditure through the human life course." Science. 2021;373(6556):808-12. 6,400 people, 29 countries. Metabolism is stable from 20 to 60. PMID: 34385400 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34385400/ We're coaches, not doctors. If something feels medically wrong, go and get tested. 🎙️ Hosted by Nick & Grant. Nick: instagram.com/getfitbynick Grant: instagram.com/coach\_grantmcdonald/ 📲 Follow us: Instagram instagram.com/performwellpodcast/ TikTok tiktok.com/@performwellpodcast YouTube youtube.com/@getfitbynick #FitnessOver35 #OlderNotOld #PerformWellPodcast