Earlier this week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we sat down with nutritionist Dr Jessica Turton to understand the truth about weight loss during midlife, including how the most popular weight loss trends can have the wrong idea.

In this special follow-up Actions episode, host Pod O'Sullivan gives you the best advice from his conversation with Dr Jessica, including 3 things you can do in your own life to achieve your weight loss goals.

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This week on Don't Let the Old Man In, nutritionist and PhD researcher Jessica Turton reveals why low-calorie diets are scientifically designed to fail, how insulin resistance is silently sabotaging fat loss in men, and the counterintuitive approach that's helping people reverse type 2 diabetes, lose weight, and feel free around food again.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction and Jessica's background

01:48 Jessica's journey from dieting to research

05:02 The impact of calorie restriction on metabolism

10:03 The Minnesota starvation experiment findings

14:57 Insulin, glucose, and fuel prioritization

19:53 Understanding insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

25:13 The effects of restrictive diets on mental health

29:56 Reversing metabolic suppression with proper nutrition

35:04 Practical food choices for insulin resistance

40:04 Gender differences in fat storage and metabolism

45:09 How to approach dietary change for health

50:08 Food freedom and sustainable eating habits

55:03 Jessica's final advice for lasting health

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This week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we spoke to two men who led drastically different lives and careers, but who both ended up at the same place: square one. Allan Tillack and Andy Sheats both started from scratch in midlife to pursue purpose and fulfillment.

In this follow-up Actions episode, host Pod O'Sullivan gives you the most important parts from our interview with Allan and Andy, including the 3 ways you can implement their wisdom in your own life to make a change.

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Allan Tillack and Andy Sheats were both executives at the heights of their careers, having reached the top of the ladder. But then, they walked away and left it all behind to design a life they could be content with.

In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, Alan (ex-Country Head, Big Pharma) and Andy (ex-CTO, Silicon Valley) share the real story behind starting over at 50, including the doubts, the breakthroughs, and the blueprint they wish they'd had sooner.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction and overview of life transformation stories

01:01 The importance of grappling with life's big questions

02:23 Career reflections and the desire for meaningful work

04:45 Alan and Andy’s career journeys and pivotal moments

08:03 Recognizing burnout and the need for change

12:11 The impact of executive coaching on leadership development

17:00 The power of feedback and vulnerability in leadership

21:48 Designing a purposeful second half of life

26:14 The role of reflection and self-awareness in transition

31:30 The importance of authentic leadership and clear communication

37:19 Strength, vulnerability, and redefining what it means to be strong

44:28 Building a second half of life aligned with personal values

52:42 Practical advice for starting your life transition

01:00:26 The significance of knowing oneself and staying true

01:04:42 The importance of relationships and social connection

01:06:41 Final words of wisdom and encouragement

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Earlier this week, we sat down with psychologist and author Dr Marny Lishman to learn the truth about burnout, including what it feels like, how it shows up in men and the reason we feel more exhausted as we enter midlife.

In this follow-up Actions episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, host Pod O'Sullivan breaks down Marny's advice and provides his top three ways to fight burnout from creeping in. These methods tell you all you need to know from Marny's years of experience.

Watch the full episode with Dr Marny Lishman here: https://linktr.ee/dontllettheoldmanin

Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/

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What does a psychologist do when she hits her own midlife fog? She writes a book about it.

Marny Lishman is a psychologist, author, columnist, and media commentator who has spent years helping people navigate the messy middle of adulthood. Her books Crisis to Contentment and Only You: The Unexpected Gift of Being Alone grew out of her own lived experience — from recognising herself in Ben Affleck's cigarette-and-dead-eyes paparazzi shots, to finding genuine contentment in solitude while the rest of the world rushed to swipe right.

In this conversation, Marny brings her signature warmth and directness to some of the big questions of midlife: Why are we statistically most unhappy at 47.2? Why do grumpy men make the best clients? What is burnout actually telling us — and what's the one word she says to everyone who has it? Why can't men make deep friendships? And why is loneliness one of the most useful emotions you can feel?

This is a conversation for anyone who's ever stared at the cereal aisle and genuinely could not choose. You're not broken. You just need to stop.

00:00 — Welcome

01:44 — The grumpy Ben Affleck moment

03:12 — The U-curve: you're unhappiest at 47.2

05:57 — What grumpiness is really hiding

09:22 — Crisis to Contentment: the framework

11:14 — Burnout: signs, symptoms & just stop

20:51 — Why men can't make deep friendships

23:47 — Learning the language of emotions

29:36 — Only You: the gift of being alone

43:08 — Grab a backpack and go

You'll learn:

• The science behind the U-shaped happiness curve and why midlife is the statistical low point
• What grumpiness is actually communicating — and why Marny loves a grumpy client
• The four dimensions of burnout (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) and how to recognise it before you hit the wall
• Why men struggle with deep friendship and what psychological safety has to do with it
• How to talk about your emotions when you don't have the words
• The case for staying single long enough to actually find yourself
• Why loneliness is a signal, not a sentence
• Marny's one piece of wisdom for every middle-aged man: grab a backpack and go

📚 Content & People Referenced

Books

• Crisis to Contentment — Marny Lishman
• Only You: The Unexpected Gift of Being Alone — Marny Lishman

Research

• The U-Shaped Happiness Curve — Professor David Blanchflower (Dartmouth College). Research drawn from 500,000+ data points across 132 countries showing life satisfaction follows a U-shape, with the low point around age 47.2. Referenced in Crisis to Contentment.

Organisations Mentioned

• Men's Table — CEO David Pointon cited; research shared on how men's participation reduces anger and aggression in the home
• Mongrels Men — men's community organisation mentioned as part of the broader shift in men's mental health culture
• Just One Reason — men's mental health/suicide prevention organisation mentioned

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This week on Don't Let the Old Man In, we sat down with Dan Foster, CEO of The Centre For Men and Families, to unpack the problems men are facing in the transition to midlife and why so many men feel unfulfilled.

In this special follow-up episode, host Pod O'Sullivan shares the top things he wants our listeners to take away from Dan Foster's episode, and provides three actions you can do at home to take his wisdom on board.

Watch the full episode with Dan Foster: https://linktr.ee/dontllettheoldmanin

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Dan Foster is the CEO of the Centre for Men and Families, a rites of passage organisation heavily influenced by the work of Richard Rohr. After spending years in ministry and theology, Dan found himself in the middle of his own midlife deconstruction — which is exactly where his work now lives. The Centre runs two programs: one for young men navigating the first half of life, and one for men in midlife and beyond who've ticked all the boxes and still feel the ache.

This conversation is for every man who's hit 40, 45, or 50 and quietly wondered — is this all there is? It's also for the man who's been carrying something for decades and hasn't yet found a safe enough place to put it down.

Books mentioned:

• Adam's Return by Richard Rohr
• Iron John by Robert Bly
• Falling Upward by Richard Rohr

Also referenced:

• Poetry of David Whyte and Rumi
• Documentary: The Manosphere
• Bruce Springsteen on "trying to get home to a home he never had"

Other men's work mentioned:

• Men's Tables — David Pontin
• Men's Circles UK — Pascoe Ashton
• Mongrels Men Sydney — Tim Houston

Connect with Dan Foster & the Centre for Men and Families: [centreformenandfamilies.com]

00:00 — Intro & Welcome

02:35 — Richard Rohr, Adam's Return, and the 5 Hard Truths

07:14 — You're not in control — and why that's actually good news

08:27 — Mens Programs - Forged (18–30) and Men's Rite of Passage (30+)

15:05 — Why rituals work — the 3 reasons men open up

20:25 — Men communicate better side by side — fire, circles, and brotherhood

24:44 — What men actually leave with: relief, peace, self-acceptance

31:36 — The manosphere, elders, and what young men are really hungry for

41:39 — Whatever you don't process, you project

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Earlier this week, we sat down with longevity educator and author Professor Scott Fulton to discover the top secrets about improving your healthspan that most people will never know about.

In this follow-up episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, host Pod O'Sullivan reflects on the key lessons from Scott's years of expertise, and provides you with the three things you can take with you into your own life.

Watch the full interview with Scott Fulton here: https://youtu.be/8MyxAgoS5-g

Let us know what topic you'd like us to cover: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/suggestions/

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Professor Scott Fulton is a research engineer turned functional health span expert, author of the #1 bestselling book Function, and chair of the National Aging and Place Council in the US. After a career troubleshooting complex systems across industries, Scott turned his engineering mind to the one system nobody was looking at properly: the aging human body. His work draws on over 700,000 participants and 10 million person-years of data to answer a question most men don't think to ask until it's too late: what will actually determine how well you function in the second half of your life?

This conversation is for every man over 40 who thinks being fit means being healthy. It's also for the man who's never tested his balance, flexibility, or reaction time, and doesn't yet know that one of those is quietly becoming his weak link.

Book mentioned: Function by Scott Fulton — available now, currently #1 bestseller

Connect with Scott Fulton: scottfulton.ca

00:30 — Why You Should Listen

04:28 — Why Runners Can't Walk: The Biomechanics Explained

09:34 — The Statistic That Will Change How You Walk Today

13:10 — Falls Aren't a Strength Problem — They're a Reaction Time Problem

16:39 — The 5 Domains of Functional Health Span

21:42 — If You Don't Demand It, You'll Lose It

26:12 — The Top 4 Self-Assessments to Do This Week

35:28 — Why Disease Is Not Your Biggest Threat — Function Is (2:1)

40:04 — Why Men Lose Their Social Network the Day They Retire

48:18 — What Your 80-Year-Old Self Is Asking of You Right Now

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