Are You Thriving Yet? (Part 1)

Reading time: about 4 minutes

Hey Brothers,

I’m Len Denton. Welcome back to the LenDentonThrive Letter. 

Quick question…are you thriving yet? 

I write to a primarily 50+ Guys group, but this question applies equally to the Under-50 Guys group as well. So, if you’re connected to an Under-50 Guy, please consider sharing this with them.

What does it mean to thrive? A dictionary definition would look something like this:

…to flourish, prosper or grow vigorously.

I think about “thriving” a lot! I consider myself a human-thriving maximalist. I want to see everybody thrive as much as possible:

…me

…you

…your family

…your weird neighbor

…even that guy at work you don’t like!

With that in mind, I write the LenDentonThrive Letter, this weekly health and fitness newsletter. 

(And, thanks for reading, by the way!) 

My goal is to help guys to thrive from a health and fitness perspective. You know, lose weight…get fit…stay fit for life!

But, from a casual look around, we have a lot of work to do! 

Most American guys are visibly overweight! Some guys are seriously overweight. 

What I find really interesting is that most guys weren’t overweight in the 1960s. Statistically, our grandfathers were far less obese then than we are now. In fact, obesity has tripled since the 1960s!

Why?

Because I think we’ve fallen for three Big Lies!

Big Lie #1

Big Lie #1 is: Corporate Food is Good For You

Throughout most of human history, calories have been expensive and scarce. As a result, hunger was a real problem.

This changed in the 1950s and 1960s as American food companies used the power of food science and industrialization to create new foods that were cheap, tasty and widely available. Think TV dinners, canned spaghetti, frozen pizzas, pop tarts, etc. These food products were cheaper and more available. And, they contained lots of carbohydrates, sweeteners and industrialized oils. Today, we call these Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs), and the typical American gets 60+% of their daily calories from UPFs.

Today, most Americans eat more food products (food from factories) than real food (food from farms)! And, we now know that this is a major contributor to obesity.

Big Lie #2

Big Lie #2 is: Healthcare is About Health

I love my doctor. I think he is caring and very knowledgable. But, I think he works in a system that is stacked in favor of profit over patient health outcomes.

America has the best medical science in the world! But, the US ranks in the middle of the pack for health outcomes, and trails other highly developed nations for life expectancy! 

This is obviously a complicated discussion that defies simple answers. However, one key issue that affects the outcomes is American medicine’s focus on intervention versus prevention. 

In America , we’re really good at treating illnesses once someone gets sick. But, we don’t focus on, and aren’t very effective at, preventative care! 

American doctors are better at treating high blood pressure and heart disease than they are at helping you to prevent it.

 As a result, our doctors excel at “sick-care.”

Healthcare is more of a Do-It-Yourself project. 

It’s up to us!

Big Lie #3

Big Lie #3 is: Fitness = Muscles

The American fitness industry has sold us on the concept that fitness equals big muscles. The product these “gym-companies” are selling is membership in their beautiful, expensive gyms! 

And, many of the muscular social media influencers we follow are gym-coaches, selling online programs to teach you to lift weights.

At this point, I should clarify a few things:

1. Strength-training is a good thing, and a vital part of overall fitness 

2. Maintaining muscle mass as we age is essential to healthy aging

3. Muscles look great, and I have nothing against guys working to become more muscular as an aesthetic

But, the Big Lie is that fitness = muscles (more muscles = more fit!)

Simply, not true! 

So many guys fail in their attempts to become more fit by following this approach. A look at gym attendance stats will show that gyms are packed every January and February as guys join up to tackle their New Year’s resolutions. 

But, the gyms are back to normal by April!

Why?

Because guys gave up or injured out or <insert reason here>!

The key point is…they did not succeed!

And, they aren’t thriving yet! 

Smarter, Not Harder

This is personal for me, because I’ve walked this path myself. For years, I focused on my job, my family and everything but my health. I was 70 pounds overweight and my cholesterol was through the roof! 

That’s when my doctor told me that I was a “poster child for a heart attack or stroke!” 

I found a way to lose 70 pounds in only 7 months. Without crazy diets or killer workouts. I didn’t step in the gym even once. And, I’ve maintained this healthier lifestyle for more than 10 years.

I call it my ThriveLife. And in Part 2 next week, I’ll share with you how I built my ThriveLife and how you can do it for your specific lifestyle and situation. 

Because, I’m a Thrivist. And, I want you to thrive, too!

See you next week.

When you’re ready for a real and sustainable fitness transformation, here are three ways I can help you:

#1 - Sign up for this newsletter. Every week, you’ll receive tested, actionable tips and strategies to help you build your own customized version of the ThriveLife that fits your needs, preferences, and personal style. And, it’s free!

#2 - For a Do-It-Yourself approach to the ThriveLife, download your free copy of my new ebook: 6 Smart Moves To Your ThriveLife. Just click the button below.

#3 - When you’re ready to join a community of other busy 50+ Guys building their ThriveLives together, check out my new ThriveLife Transformation course. The ThriveLife Transformation guides you through a 30-day transformation process which includes online video training and daily support and assistance through our online community. Join alone or bring your friends. To learn more about the ThriveLife Transformation, click the button below.

Do You Know Somebody?

Do you know a 50+ Guy who’s struggling with their weight and fitness?

Please consider sharing this information with them. Just forward your copy of this email to them. Or, give them a free copy of my 6 Smart Moves ebook!

It might change their life!

(And remember, this works for Under-50 Guys, too!)

Thanks for reading this week.

I write this newsletter to make a positive impact on the lives of 50+ Guys and their families. If you found this information useful, please consider subscribing to receive new editions each week.

If you’d like to share a thought, a question or comment with me, you can simply reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you!

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