Why Most Men Over 50 Let Themselves Go (And How to Stop It)
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I saw a couple of old friends and family members this past weekend. Both guys are in their 50s. And honestly it fired me up so much that I had to sit down and write about it.
This is something I see all the time with guys our age and I think it needs to be said out loud.
The First Guy
The first is an old friend I had not seen in nine years. He is 58 years old. He was recently very ill and lost a lot of weight. And when I asked him what he was eating to get the weight back on, he told me donuts. Every day.
This guy is diabetic.
I am standing there thinking, man, there are so many better ways to do this. But he has never lived in that world, so he just doesn't know. And that is not his fault. Nobody ever showed him what eating right actually looks like. Not what is labeled healthy on a package, but what is truly healthy.
He wanted to work out with me a little just to see what he could do. He couldn't do one push-up. He couldn't do one lunge. He cannot even feel his feet.
And I am not judging him. When I started my own fitness journey, I could barely do one push-up either. I know he wants to get stronger. But I am not sure he truly wants to change how he eats, or even knows where to start. This is where I wish I could scream from the rooftops. It isn't that hard if you simplify your eating habits.
The Second Guy
Then there was my other buddy. He is 52. Younger than me. He has probably put on 20 to 30 pounds since I last saw him a year ago. He limps when he walks. He smokes. He drinks. He has arthritis from his head to his toes. And he just seems completely ok with all of it. As if this is just what life has in store for him now.
It made me sad. Because I know that if he changed his lifestyle, he could make most of his ailments go away. If he simply changed his eating habits, quit smoking and drinking, and started walking, I know his body would respond positively.
I love these guys. I am not writing this to judge them. But I am watching them and thinking, man, I was heading down that exact same road at 51.
The difference is that I decided I wanted better for myself. I wanted to be here longer for my daughters. I wanted to feel better, sleep better, look better. I knew that sitting on a bar stool, eating bar food, and drinking cocktails could not be my legacy in life.
And here is what kills me. It doesn't have to be this way for any of us.
The Pattern Nobody Talks About
Beyond these two guys, I see another pattern all the time with men our age that nobody really talks about.
Many men in their 40s and 50s are so consumed by making money that their health becomes an afterthought. They are grinding at work, going out to dinners, drinking at client events, and trying to close deals. They are stressed about the best car, the best neighborhood, and the best school for their kids.
And all of that stress is silently killing them by putting weight on them faster than almost anything else.
But at some point, you have to ask yourself, what is the point of making all that money if your body is falling apart?
Watch me talk through this in full here, then keep reading for my advice on where to start:
The Worst Thing You Can Do
Here is what I want every guy reading this to hear.
You don't have to overhaul your entire life overnight. That is actually the worst thing you can do. I see guys try to go from zero to ripped all at once, trying to reach their goal as fast as possible, and they end up hurt, burned out, and right back where they started.
And here is the thing about goals. When you make it all about the goal, you tend to end up right back where you started once you get there. But when you make it your lifestyle, there is no going back.
Start With One Thing
My advice is simple. Simpler than you probably think.
Start walking 30 minutes a day. That is it. Do that consistently for two weeks to start.
Then add five push-ups when you feel like it. Do ten air squats when you walk past your living room. Then maybe you start cutting out the processed food. Then the sugar. Then you take a hard look at the drinking.
One bad habit at a time. Small changes you can actually sustain. Because sustainable beats perfect every single time.
When you look at it one habit at a time, it is not as overwhelming as staring at the whole picture, which can seem impossible at first. But when you focus on changing one habit at a time, those habits become your lifestyle. And that's when it all gets easier.
And when you start feeling better from all of those combined changes, that is when you can start adding in some real resistance training and mobility work. Not before. When your body is ready for it.
Let's be honest here. We aren't getting any younger. Our muscles deteriorate rapidly as we age. And as they say, "If you don't use it, you will lose it".
The guys I saw this weekend are proof of that. My friend can't feel his feet. My buddy limps just walking across a room.
That doesn't have to be your story.
My Story
I am 54 years old. I train in my backyard with dumbbells and kettlebells four days a week. I don't work out for hours on end. I eat real food. I don't drink. And I am in the best shape of my life.
I was not always this guy. I was the guy carrying the extra weight, drinking too much, letting it all go too.
The difference is that I decided not to wait until I couldn't move anymore to do something about it.
Don't wait until you can't feel your feet. Don't wait until a doctor gives you bad news. Don't wait until you can't get off the floor to play with your grandkids.
Start today. Just one thing.
You are not getting any younger. But you can feel younger and so much better with some simple changes.
If you are ready to make that change, I put together a simple guide showing exactly what I eat every single day to stay lean and strong in my 50s. Real meals, real food, nothing complicated. It is called the How I Eat Visual Meal Guide, and you can grab it here:
And if you want to train alongside me with a structured program built specifically for guys over 40, check out the:
Midlife Fit Club fitness app here