What does it take for a middle aged dad to start getting strong, lean, & productive?

I'd like to be able to say the birth of my son caused me to change my ways, eat healthy, get fit and strong, and really clean up my act.

You'd think the heart scare a few years later would have done it, but that didn't seem to crack the code either.

Even the slow decline of both of my parents, eventually leading to their passing far too early in life, wasn't quite enough. Mum was in her early 60's and Dad in his early 70's. I'd love to say both were full of vim and vigor at the end, but that wouldn't even be close to the truth.

The truth is they both suffered from a range of health issues, and by the time they passed away, were both in a pretty sad state. I don't think either of them would have said they were living their best life.

As we do, I focused on my little family, made sure the dollars kept coming in, and dealt with my feelings in my own way. But during my occasional 3am-stare-at-the-ceiling episodes where it's just me and my thoughts, I'd always have the same recurring insight.

Deep down, hiding unseen from those who matter, there's a young confused version of me who misses his mum and dad, and wishes they could have been around longer, and better.

That's my grief to bear, and I work through it the best I can.

But I'll be damned if my beautiful little 7yr old boy is forced to go through that process even one second earlier than he has to.

Living as long and as healthy as I can, so I can spend as much quality time with my beautiful little family, is my new goal in life.

You're here, reading this website, so chances are you're in a similar boat. And if that is the case, you have to ask yourself, what's it going to take for you to make your first move on this same journey?

The Dad Project

Every part of this site is dedicated to helping you lose weight, get strong, sleep better, and become wildly productive. Put better, every part of this site is dedicated to helping me lose weight, get strong, sleep better, and become wildly productive.

I follow the science, read all the books, examine the studies, and then put it all into practice. I look at what works, what doesn't, and pass on that which I think is worth trying. I'm not a doctor, and don't pretend to be. I'll give you all the links to the studies, the books, and the science, and you can make up your own mind.

Guides will be updated as the science changes, and as I learn more. I'll be sharing my own experiences, and the experiences of others who are on this journey with me. Expect there to be plenty of "hmmm, we're not really sure on this one" as we approach the edge cases.

This website is a repository of all the knowledge and practical advice I've gathered to ensure I live as long as my genetics allow, and as well as my genetics allow, and you're 100% welcome to join me on the ride to increase both my lifespan and healthspan (we'll get into the difference between the two later).

So why now, and why you?

You're here, and you're you, so you already know why you're here.

But let's pretend for a moment you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about and need a little background on why this is important.

I've spent the last couple of years reading into, and studying up on the science of what happens to men's bodies after the age of 40. It's nightmare stuff, and even more so if you have the dream of running around in your 60s with your teenage son or daughter.

The science is clear... the time get started was yesterday.

To give context, after 40...

• Muscle mass decreases at a rate if 1% per year (doesn't sound like much but this compounds)
• Testosterone levels drop by 2% every year -- 😬
• Bone density drops by 0.5% every year

Because I like freaking myself out, I've done the math of what this looks like by the time the average man has turned 50.

• Muscle mass will have decreased by 9.56% -- so around 4.4kg of muscle if you weigh 90kg (or 190lb) -- imagine how heavy a 4.5kg bag of steak would feel... that's a lot of muscle to have just disappeared into the ether!
• Testosterone levels will have dropped by 18.29% -- which means your body will be producing around 82% of what it did when you were 40 -- Yikes!
• Bone density will have dropped by 4.89% -- doesn't seem like much, but so far, with current tech and medicine, you never get this back.

If you regularly drink alcohol or smoke the statistics get even more exciting.

All of this compounds... that bone density really starts to matter when your muscle mass has decreased to the point where falling over is more likely. And via a process called anabolic resistance, as you age your body becomes less receptive to synthesising protein and building muscle (more on this in the get strong section).

You can't stop this. You can mitigate, and slow down the process somewhat, but the clock is ticking.

The time to get started is now. If you're in your 40's or 50's then we're at "don't ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee" time.

Useful science combined with practical guides

This website serves to document my journey as I dial into, and execute on, the science behind staying healthy & strong in the lead up to 50 and beyond. It's a place where we'll share what I learn about nutrition, weight loss, exercise, and other aspects of health that are important for men over 50.

We'll look at productivity levels, how I'm managing stress, and how I'm trying to stay mentally sharp. And I'll be sharing my experiences with supplements and other health-related products that I'm using to support my overall well-being.

It turns out sleep is crazy important for preventing the falling apart of mind and body... we'll deep dive into the literature there too.

In short, this is a live document on what's working, what's not working, what the science says, what the science doesn't say, my best guesses, and my progress overall.

It's time to get started

I just love being a husband and a dad, and I wanna keep doing that for as long as possible. I want my son to have the best chance of getting a dad who is there for him as he gets older, and who is able to be active and engaged in his life.

My guess is you want those things too.

And so... The Dad Project -- a website dedicated to older dads who want to turn back time (or at the very least hold the impatient bastard back), and hang out with their family forever.

If this in any way floats your boat, and if you share similar aims, I've written a Manifesto -- a call to arms for dads just like us in how we can use the science available to become the best versions of ourselves, and to give us the best chance possible of spending the next 50 years hanging out with our beautiful children, family and friends.

The Dad Project: A Manifest for Older Dads who want to live forever