Hi Reader
Welcome back to 1UP,
my weekly newsletter where I share all things health and mindsets to help you get stronger, feel younger and live longer.
It's not because you're getting older
Back when I was training for the Ride to Conquer Cancer, fundraising to get to the starting line of a 200 km bike ride in Southern Alberta, I started pretty weak.
I was still smoking at the time.
Biking in the river valley, I'd be off my bike half way through the hills without fails.
I just could not get to the top.
I was huffing and puffing.
My legs did not have the strength.
My lungs did not have the capacity.
But I was so driven to participate in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, that quitting never even seemed like an option. I also was accountable, because I was part of a team.
A strong why and an accountability system... Success was inevitable.
So I kept showing up for training. Week after week for that 50-70k ride.
Often still hangover. Always under slept. Consistently late. Rarely nourished.
But still showing up.
And then, with time, the magic happened. I went further and further up the hill on my bike.
Until, I didn't have to dismount at all anymore.
And the really steep one, right by the golf course.... I finally conquered it one day.
I knew in that moment I had reached a milestone.
I had pushed my physical capacity. I felt unstoppable.
I felt ready to tackle the 200 kilometers.
And I crushed it.
I passed so many participants who looked like they were dying on their bikes.
I would have been one of them, if I had not trained.
I cheered for the many cancer survivors who were participating.
But as I write this I wonder...
Is it a coincidence that all of the cancer survivors were also the participants who were most out of shape?
At the time, I assumed that their journey had left them tired and weak.
And it was likely the case.
But could it be that their overall fitness being so low, was part of the reasons they developed cancer in the first place?
I did not make that connection at the time, but I do now, knowing what I know about VO2 max - the metric of life.
In fact, a study published in 2023 found that higher fitness levels linked to up to 40% lower risk for some cancers.
This metric measures our body's ability to use oxygen during exercise, but reflects so much more.
It is a reflection of how we experience life, and how far we could go.
If you are in your 40s, and feel exhausted and quickly out of breath,
If you're over 40 and question whether or not you'll have the stamina to chase your energetic grand-kids,
Do not accept this as the fate of those who are growing in age, because this is something you can overcome.
And I give everything you need to know to do that in this week's episode of the podcast
🎧Exhausted and out of breath over 40? How VO2 max is the key metric to boost energy, supercharge work & family and live longer.
Life is a game. Train like an athlete. Live like a champion.
PS: When you're ready to find your big Why and be accountable, I have the step-by-step you need to lose belly fat and build muscle. You can check out my 12-program here, and you can apply here.