Issue #6: Why Walk?
Good morning. It's Monday, August 22nd. Welcome to Week 2 of Thrive25!
This week you’ll be getting a 360° view of your current fitness levels - metabolic conditioning, strength training, and even stability/flexibility - with tests you can do on your own.
It’s really a starting point before we go deep into these specific topics in future weeks.
**Be sure to bookmark this week to come back to as you’ll want to reassess in 3, 6 or even 12 months as you continue your journey to Thrive.
“In every walk in nature, one receives far more than they seek.”
The potential reduction in our “biological age” from frequent, brisk walking.
We Were Made for Walking
To walk is human.
Theories abound on why humans are one of the very few true bipedal animals. We don’t know for sure the reason for this natural selection that evolved some 4 million years ago and we may never know*, but regardless of the origin, walking has no doubt allowed us to thrive.
*Bill Bryson estimates that only 1 out of a billion bones actually become fossils so there will always be holes in history. It’s amazing we have pieced together as much of the 3 billion years of life on earth as we have!
The benefits of walking on 2 legs:
We can carry stuff - our hands and arms are available to carry food, tools, babies as we travel
Let’s us go far - walking reduces our energy exerted 75% compared to chimps and other apes
Keeps us cool - being upright reduces the intensity of the sun by hitting our core body at an angle, thereby acting as a cooling mechanism as we walk long distances
So we walked
Hunter-gatherers walked 16,000-17,000 steps a day (about 8 miles).
Walking allowed humans to travel far to find food - and over time enabled us to traverse the entire planet*.
This trend continued throughout history until the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.
Today most of us are stuck behind a computer, on an assembly line, or in a car/truck. We walk fewer than 5,000 steps a day
We’re built with a body and metabolism that has evolved over millions of years, but have drastically changed how we move in just over 100 - an insignificant speck of time when it comes to human history.
*Want to go deeper on the history of walking - check out the blog post from Primal Kitchen Founder, Mark Sisson or the book On Foot: A Walking History.
Test #1 - Walk for 2 Hours
Our first “fitness assessment” to help us know if we are thriving:
You should be able to walk for 2 hours and cover 5-6 miles (2.5-3 miles/hour) while:
Holding a conversation
Paying attention to your environment
Not feeling strain or exertion
So find a partner, a pup, or a podcast and get walking...
Also, we get it - it’s the middle of August. You might need to take a raincoat in the south or northeast or manage heat warnings out west. **Be sure to get out either early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid heat exhaustion. Of course where I am in FL you can do the walk at 4am and still be a sweaty mess after just 10 minutes.
Remember, these tests are nothing more than a benchmark for yourself. Keep track of your time and distance, so you can continue to improve in the future.
Keep Your Head Above Water
Regardless of whether you’re a competitive swimmer, you get some laps in on the weekend, or you try to keep yourself from dropping like a rock to the bottom of the pool, there’s another great metabolic test for you - treading water.
Test #2 - Tread Water for 15 Minutes
This one takes me back to my teenage years as a lifeguard.
We should be comfortable in the water and have the function to sustain ourselves without swimming for 15 minutes.
This is also great aerobic exercise if you’re recovering from an injury or protecting your joints - 30 min of treading water burns over 440 calories!
So go find a pool and get on it. And again, if you can't make 15 minutes, record your time and try again after some practice.
Extra Challenge:
Ready to join the local water polo team? For added degree of difficulty:
Warm-up: Tread for 3 min
30 secs kick only (arms at side, above head, or holding ball or weight overhead)
30 secs arms only (keep legs completely still)
Repeat 4x until you’ve completed the 15 min
*BTW, there’s a fascinating episode from Michael Lewis’ (Author of Moneyball and The Big Short) podcast, Against The Rules that talks about the latest science that has completely changed the odds of the Coast Guard finding anyone lost at sea. Hope it doesn’t happen to any of us - but treading water just might save your life.
Get Out and Play
Play is such an important part of life - especially as we get older.
And fitness shouldn’t always feel like a chore - it should be fun (hence one of our Elements to Thrive)!
So for the final test…
Test #3 - Play for 20-30 Minutes
What sports do you love? (At Thrive25 we love golf and it’s now an Olympic sport, but sorry golfers - doesn’t count here)
Are you able to play tennis, basketball, soccer, flag football, or anything else you enjoy for 20-30 minutes without feeling absolutely spent?
**Remember our goal is to Thrive - that is being able to participate in and crush the activities we love to do - don’t let age or health get in your way!
And if we haven't said it enough, thriving is about your personal journey and taking micro-steps to improve your health. Ours is a judgment-free zone!
Monday Q
What’s your go-to sport of choice or what do you want to start playing?
Whether it’s something you loved as a kid, something you played until recently, or hopefully something you still do, what type of “play” is on your list to complement walks, runs, bike rides, and trips to the gym?
Wanna share? Send us your answer (team@thrive25.com). If you’re up for it, we’ll share with the rest of the Thrive25 crew (either with your name or anonymously).
Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Less Food = Longer Healthy Life: A recent study coming out of Yale shows that calorie restriction, known to extend healthspan in lab animals, has shown the same results in humans.
The Ancient Art of Bodysurfing: We loved this feature from Patagonia. "Bodysurfing is pure face-first over-the-falls fun. Nothing more than ocean lovers poorly playing the dolphin."
The Dinner Tab has Soared: Check out this in-depth look from the NYTimes at the costs for restaurant owners to explain how and why we are facing inflation when we go out to eat.
Airport Workouts: Roam Fitness offers a gym at Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) and is in talks with several airports for more gyms in the coming years.
Monday Metabolic
Just one round for today’s workout, but we think that’s all you’ll probably need!
Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts on Playbook!
Key Tips:
When rowing - 1) Use your entire body (especially legs), not just your arms; 2) Focus on power, not speed.
How to do a lunge jump
How to do an inverted row
How to do a spider push-up
Product Recs
2 new product recommendations this week to help you Thrive:
Primal Kitchen (affiliate) - this is Mark Sisson’s company (we met him earlier) with some of the healthiest and most delicious condiments and dressings. Their ketchup and avocado oil mayo are staples in our fridge and my wife absolutely loves their buffalo sauce! Thrive25 readers get 10% off - use code “THR25” at checkout.
Fully Home Office Desk - this fully adjustable desk has been a life saver for my home office. It gets me standing throughout the day and has enough space to hold the many piles of books next to my multiple screens. The company is a certified B-Corporation and is truly dedicated to only sourcing and delivering truly sustainable home office furniture.
REMINDER: 1 week left for our Launch Referral Campaign (deadline = this Friday, August 26th!)
Get as many tickets as you can to win the $150 Patagonia Gift Card!
1 Referral (Real Pro) = 1 Ticket
3 Referrals (All-Star) = 5 Tickets
5 Referrals (MVP) = 10 Tickets
10 Referrals (Hall of Famer) = 20 Tickets
Thank you for joining us today!
Check out the latest workout videos on our YouTube channel
Got feedback? Tell us what you think at team@thrive25.com
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Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.
To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.