Good morning friends. It’s been a busy week filled with various commitments and activities, and I’m making a commitment to try and blog every day of the month of April; I thought I might as well start it now to document this exciting journey. DJ, play that music that resonates with the hustle and buzz of life! How about something most people haven’t heard? I absolutely love the unique rendition by Florence + The Machine singing “Stand by Me,” which adds an ethereal touch to this classic.
The Week
This week has been a bit hectic. Our good friends, the McKinney’s, are in town, surprising my wife for her birthday. What a surprise it was indeed having them come a day before her birthday. I knew they were just minutes away arriving via Uber and I tell my wife that I’m going outside to pick up dog poop (always a highlight of my day 🤣) and I greet the McKinney’s outside. The front door opens, so naturally, my wife thinks it’s me. Wallah. She turns around to see Arizona friends—definitely a welcomed surprise.
Her birthday itself was excellent, filled with laughter, joy, and unforgettable moments. Thanks to everyone who came and made an appearance, especially those who helped me set up decorations beforehand, Sharon and Terri, who brought their creativity and enthusiasm to the task. Your contributions transformed the venue into a magical birthday celebration space adorned with vibrant colors and delightful details. It wouldn’t have been the same event without your help, as your support not only eased my stress but also added a special touch that made the celebration even more meaningful. I truly appreciate each one of you for making the day so memorable.
Some photos are below.
My Crusade.
Early January when I did my yearly blood work with my Doctor and we went over the results I had a discussion with him that it was time for some changes and that I wasn’t happy with my body weight. That led to a discussion that my blood work was excellent and implementing a strategy that would work.
The biggest part of the weight loss discussion centered around and came back in a big way to ‘maintaining the muscle that you have.’ Basically, it told me that I could go on a 1200-calorie diet, but if I wasn’t getting adequate protein, my body would burn the muscle, and it would look like a huge weight loss on the scale.
After age 50, people typically lose about 1-2% of their muscle mass per year. This natural process, called sarcopenia, can accelerate to about 3% or more per year after age 60. What’s particularly important to note is that muscle strength tends to decline even faster than muscle mass, with strength decreasing by approximately 3% annually.
However, these numbers aren’t set in stone. The rate of muscle loss can vary significantly based on several factors:
- Physical activity level
- Protein intake in diet
- Overall health status
- Genetics
- Hormone levels
The challenge I was gearing up for was ensuring I didn’t lose the muscle I had worked so hard to build while sticking to a diet. The reality is that as we age, muscle loss becomes inevitable unless we actively fight against it. It’s a battle worth fighting because maintaining muscle is key to staying strong and healthy. One of the biggest obstacles to muscle preservation? Alcohol. Whether it’s wine, beer, or any other form, alcohol poses a serious threat to protein synthesis in the body, making it harder to maintain or build muscle.
Peter Attia shares an incredible video on this topic—honestly, I can’t emphasize enough just how insightful and valuable it is.
I have a whole other blog post discussing my dramatic results since February, which have been achieved by changing my eating habits and starting a serious gym regimen. This is my measured activity at the gym on my Apple Watch.
Lastly…..
How about that ending to the Cubs game…
Have a good Sunday! I am off to the gym.