“Age isn’t measured by the candles on the cake, but by the fire still burning inside you.”
Opening
I heard someone say recently that by the time you hit seventy-five, you’ve lost half your physical and mental ability. Half! The claim stuck with me, not because I believed it, but because it showed how easily people surrender to decline. I’ve decided not to.
I’m not fighting time — I’m working with it. Through fasting, movement, writing, sleep, kindness, and a few smart supplements, I’ve found that my energy, clarity, and strength are better at 69 than they were in my 40s. Aging doesn’t have to mean fading; it can mean fine-tuning.
Fasting: My Reset Button
I practice a 20/4 intermittent fasting schedule — twenty hours of fasting, four hours of eating. It sounds intense until you experience what it does for your body and brain.
Fasting doesn’t just control my weight by limiting my feeding window — it’s done wonders for my A1C numbers by keeping insulin spikes to a minimum. My energy stays steady throughout the day instead of spiking and crashing. My mind feels sharper.
It was hard to start — that first week felt like running uphill into the wind — but once I got through it, it became surprisingly easy to maintain. My body adjusted, my cravings dropped, and food became something to enjoy, not chase.
Science backs it up. Fasting allows your body to repair cells through autophagy, improves mitochondrial health, and steadies blood sugar. It’s like giving your metabolism a daily tune-up.
Movement: The Everyday Workout
For me, movement isn’t a gym membership — it’s a lifestyle.
I manage properties, so repairs and maintenance keep me active, but I also love yard work. Getting outside, raking leaves, trimming, hauling, and working with my hands connects me to something real. I make a point to move every single day.
Even before the day starts, I get a jump on it. While I’m waiting for my coffee to brew, I take a couple of minutes to engage every joint and muscle group by simply moving in place — gentle twists, arm circles, squats, shoulder rolls. It’s fast, efficient, and surprisingly effective. By the time the coffee’s ready, so am I.
You don’t need to bench-press your body weight to stay strong; you just need consistency. The simple act of bending, lifting, stretching, and walking keeps joints limber, muscles engaged, and balance sharp.
I’m convinced that daily movement is one of the best anti-aging tools we’ve got. When the body keeps moving, the mind follows.
Writing and Mental Exercise: My 4 AM Workout
Every morning, I wake early — often before sunrise — and start my 4 AM mental workout. It’s a mix of writing, watching YouTube, staying current with world events, researching, and reflection.
I make a point to learn something new each day. Sometimes it’s about history, fishing, health, sometimes science, sometimes just a random curiosity. That daily discipline of discovery keeps my brain wired for growth.
Writing my daily blog is another form of mental exercise. It keeps my mind agile, my ideas fresh, and my curiosity alive. The way I see it, the brain is like a muscle — if you stop using it, it atrophies. If you challenge it, it stays sharp.
There’s real science behind that, too. Cognitive studies show that continued mental engagement — reading, learning, creating — slows cognitive decline. Every sentence I write is another rep in the gym of the mind.
Rest: The Secret Weapon
Sleep might be the most underrated performance enhancer on Earth.
Years ago, I went through a brutal bout of insomnia that nearly broke me. That’s when I discovered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for insomnia — and something fascinating called paradoxical insomnia.
Paradoxical insomnia is when you think you’re not sleeping — but you actually are. I was convinced I was lying awake all night, but in reality, I was drifting in and out of light sleep without realizing it. Understanding that changed everything.
Once I learned to calm my anxiety about not sleeping, I actually began sleeping — deeply. Now, I get seven-plus hours every night, and I guard that time like treasure. During those hours, my brain resets, clears out waste proteins, and repairs itself.
Sleep isn’t rest; it’s repair.
The Supplement Stack
I don’t believe in miracle pills, but I do believe in science-based support. Here’s what’s in my daily lineup — and why:
- GlyNAC: boosts glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant, and supports mitochondrial function.
- Vitamin D3 + K2: keeps calcium where it belongs — in bones, not arteries.
- Collagen + Hyaluronic Acid: keeps joints flexible and skin healthy.
- Creatine: not just for athletes — it improves both muscle energy and cognitive function.
- B-100 Complex: fuels nerve health and metabolism.
- Omega-3: fights inflammation and supports heart and brain health.
And I drink lots of water — easily half a gallon or more every day. Hydration supports everything else I do. The more water I drink, the better my joints feel, the clearer my mind is, and the easier fasting becomes.
The Power of Purpose and Connection
The final piece of my anti-decline strategy doesn’t come from a supplement bottle or a treadmill — it comes from people and purpose.
I stay close to my family, my grandchildren, and my cats. I write, I teach, I share stories online. Those interactions — especially with young people and children — keep me grounded and give me a sense of continuity.
Kids don’t care how old you are; they care that you show up. Pets remind you to stay present. Both are great teachers in gratitude and living in the moment.
Social connection, research shows, is just as powerful for longevity as exercise or nutrition. Loneliness accelerates decline; engagement slows it.
Kindness: My Daily Exercise for the Soul
Every day, I try to help someone — or at least make their day a little brighter. I make it a point to compliment people at their work. If I walk into a well-run, well-maintained business, I’ll ask to speak to the manager just to tell them what a great operation they’re running. You can’t imagine how much that simple act lights them up.
I open doors for people, make eye contact, and smile — not just for them, but for me. Because when you do that, something shifts inside. You release tension, you connect, and for a moment, the world feels a little less transactional and a little more human.
There’s real chemistry behind it too — smiling and genuine interaction increase serotonin and oxytocin, the same hormones that fight stress and lift your mood. Kindness isn’t just good manners; it’s preventive medicine.
Doing good doesn’t just make life better — it keeps you better.
Closing Reflection
People talk about aging as if it’s something that happens to you. I see it differently. Aging is something you participate in.
Sure, the body changes — but decline isn’t automatic. It’s the sum of choices. I’ve built a rhythm that works for me: fasting, daily movement, mental work, rest, hydration, connection, kindness, and a smart stack of nutrients.
If that’s what “losing 50%” looks like, I’ll take it.
Because what I’ve gained — clarity, strength, purpose, and peace — feels like 200%.
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