Optimal Aging

There’s a cute reason why Orange Shoe Fitness has its name, and the company is smart to repeat it. See ,the founder was a pharmaceutical rep who always wore his favorite pair of bright orange shoes. Said they made him 

feel confident. Probably also gave his prospects and clients something to remember him by, right?

One day, Josh Martin realized something important about the medicine he was selling. It was used to help people feel better after they’d become sick. What if he could do something to prevent disease to start with?

From that, Orange Shoe began, back in 2004, and now its leaders, Scott and Katie Michel, are part of a growing chain that recently opened its  11th midwestern location, this one in Chicago.

Scott Michel joins the Optimal Aging podcast this week, and I love his take on keeping fitness fun, building relationships, and nurturing a positive environment for everyone. 

“It’s a people business before it’s a pushup business,” he says.

Indeed it is. 

Resources and Links

Orange Shoe

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Functional Aging Summit

What to Learn from the Facebook Outage

‘No Time to Die’

Don Moxley was a wrestling champion at Ohio State University in the 1980s, the same time I was in college at Colorado State University. 

Now, he works in the biohacking industry -- including the commercial use of cannabis products to improve athletic performance and recovery.

And I can’t help but wonder at how far we’ve all come since the old days in the dorms, when pot was illegal and -- compared to today’s  powerful stuff -- pretty mild.

Hemp and CBD products are legal in all 50 states under the 2018 Farm Bill. Some states even allow products that contain THC, which is more powerful than the common CBD found in lotions, tinctures, and other products. 

A Forbes article explains, “Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis, but the distinction is a matter of law, not botany. Marijuana (illegal) has more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight, according to the 2018 Farm Bill; hemp (legal) has 0.3 percent or less. More to the point: Marijuana and THC get you high. Hemp and CBD do not.”

Don’s a consultant with Oregon-based Mendi, which sells CBD products, and he is director of applied science and brand development at Longevity Labs, Inc.

Don explains the benefits of cannabis for active adults -- how it can help with pain management, anxiety, inflammation and more. It’s a still-evolving story, with different rules among the states. But cannabis is definitely a growing part of helping active agers enjoy physical activity now and in the future. Enjoy my conversation with Don.

Links & Resources

Don Moxley on LinkedIn
The Mendi Co.
ProjectCBD.org

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Dream CBD powder
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
'Survivor'

Menopause is a part of life for half of all people everywhere, but  it’s not discussed much in general — let alone in the context of staying fit and healthy to enjoy a high quality of life for as long as possible.

This week’s guest on the Optimal Aging podcast is all about raising awareness and informing women about how to make the most of menopause. Selene Yeager is a trainer, nutrition coach, journalist and competitive endurance athlete. And she hosts a podcast called Press Play Not Pause as part of the Feisty Menopause movement she’s leading.

I love Selene’s approach to talking about all of this. I learned SO MUCH, and I know you will too. 

Links & Resources

Selene Yeager

Hit Play Not Pause podcast

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“Essentialism” book

Eat Me Guilt Free

Colon Health Information

What should you be doing now with your content marketing to establish yourself as an expert on fitness over 50?

We’re joined this week by content marketing expert Ann Gynn, who shares insights and tips relevant to gyms, studios, and other small businesses.

Ann points out that you already have a business RICH in stories. What could be more compelling than helping people live their best lives? Especially when it’s a segment of society that’s often neglected?

Links & Resources

The Tilt

Content Marketing Institute

Ann Gynn on LinkedIn

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Angelique Miles on Instagram

The Tweet 100

Can you look back on your life and see a moment when everything changed for you?

When you suddenly had to decide which way to go, what to do… how to even proceed?

This week’s guest on the Optimal Aging podcast was just 31 when she received frightening medical news: she was diagnosed with a disease that could lead to crippling rheumatoid arthritis — as it had for her beloved grandmother.

From that moment, Christine Conti began a journey that led to dedicating her life to fitness for herself and for others. Christine is now a veteran trainer, co-host of a podcast Called Two Fit Crazies and a Microphone, author of medical-fitness courses, and now — in January — the author of a book titled appropriately “Split-Second Courage: What If Your Fears Were the Key to Your Dreams?”

Resources

ContiFit.com

Christine on LinkedIn

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Rollga Foam Rollers

National Recovery Month on SAMHSA.org

Abba

Everybody’s on social media, sending emails, putting videos on YouTube and all — and that’s great. It’s how we get our word out about healthy living after 50. But I love sharing stories about people who find fresh ways to grow their audience and business , and that’s what this week’s guest represents.

Holly Kouvo of Massachusetts has been in fitness for 20 years. She has a robust presence on social media, regularly sends out emails, posts videos on YouTube, and even speaks at conferences. But Holly doesn’t stop there. She has managed to build an empire that includes a TV show that can reach 2 million people in 30 states. It’s Called “Get Healthy with Holly,” and she produces it in a local station, then lets other local-access stations download it and play it for audiences.

It’s a great way to grow her brand,  presence, and virtual training business. Listen to learn how she does it.

Holly’s Fitting Fitness In

Her TV show

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Healthy Aging Month

Health Benefits of Berries on WebMD

Grow the Show podcast

Like many of you, I’m intrigued by the growing merger of the healthcare and fitness industries. I wonder where it could take us as a society — and if it could lead to systemic support for millions more people to exercise and eat right. You know, particularly among older people, the word of medical professionals carries great sway — even when fitness professionals strongly disagree.

How many times have you heard a prospect or client say he can’t do something because his doctor told him that he’s too old for weightlifting, running, exertion of any kind…?

My guest this week is a nurse, a personal trainer and functional aging specialist who represents a growing number of “nurse coaches” who seek to help integrate healthcare and fitness. 

Nicole Vienneau is on the faculty of the International Nurse Coach Association’s Integrative Nurse coach Academy. She also owns Blue Monarch Health, bringing fitness training to people over 50 in Washington state. Dementia prevention is a major focus of her work.

Nicole’s spirit and enthusiasm are infectious, and I love the angle she represents on this topic. Enjoy our conversation.

Time Index

7:45 -- Suffering and death -- and 'a small amount of healing'
11:20 -- How 'nurse coaches' emerged
18:50 -- 'This is not a typical gym'
25:45 -- How she reaches older women -- and overcomes their barriers to fitness
34:30 -- Going where the communities already exist
44:30 -- Older people want to remain active
49:55 -- Three Things I Like This Week


Resources and Links

Integrative Nurse Coach Academy

Her page there

Blue Monarch Health

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The ‘Respect’ movie site

Report on ‘Middle-Age Spread’

World Alzheimer’s Month

Are you nervous about retirement? If you’re already there, are you enjoying yourself?

As much as we might want to focus just on exercise and diet, finances are a big part of our overall wellbeing, too. And for many people over 50, the thought of retiring can be stressful. Even if they have done what they need to, they still wonder — will it be enough? Will I be able to live how I want to live? Am I in good shape?

It sounds a lot like the conversations we have with ourselves and clients about exercise, doesn’t it? 

That’s not the only similarity. Financial fitness comes from making decisions based on values, sticking with them in general but being open to modifications, and remaining consistent over time.

How many trainers have given similar advice to new fitness clients?

I want to talk about financial fitness here from time to time And I thought a good way to start would be with a financial planner. Murs Tariq is partner at Peace of Mind Wealth Management In Raleigh, North Carolina, and co-host of the Secure your Retirement podcast.

We cover a lot of ground — on common fears, smart strategies, and concerns you might have as an entrepreneur about topics like succession planning. I hope you’ll find it thought provoking — and if you don’t have a retirement plan or someone to help you make one, there’s never a better time to start than now. 

Time Index

4:50 -- Working and retirement have changed over the years
13:00 -- Nobody's going to do it for you
22:00 -- The lingering fears
38:00 -- Small businesses, succession planning, and unexpected turns
43:55 -- Three Things I Like This Week

Resources and Links

Murs Tariq at Peace of Mind Wealth Management

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Christopher Meloni, Men’s Health

OptometryTimes.com

Tim Lyons is a fitness entrepreneur on the move. He opened his own gym in Scottsdale, Arizona, then started coaching other gym owners on how to succeed. He wrote a book called Good to Grow and hosts a podcast with the same name. And, as if all that’s not enough, he’s a frequent speaker at conferences and even produces his own Growth Summits, including one that’s coming up this fall in Nashville.

I’ve known Tim for a couple of years now, and I’m always struck by how helpful and open he is. I know this graciousness is part of the reason for his success, too.

But I’d never spent a great deal of time talking with him, or learning his story — how a former football player, and still a devoted fan, discovered his marketing talents and parlayed them into this array of business enterprises. He also knows the value of the over-50 demographic, which we discuss — as well as the importance of content that speaks effectively to them.

Sometimes I hear from young men who want to learn to write better and to promote their own personal brand. I’m always happy to help. And Tim Lyons is someone who’s done it. Here’s my talk with Tim.

Timed Highlights

5:10 -- Finding the right business model for his gym
9:00 -- You grow when you surround yourself with the right people
14:00 -- You can always make money, but time slips away
17:00 -- Why would anyone want to listen to me?
20:40 -- Why systems are so important
26:50 -- If you don't communicate, what do you expect to happen?
35:25 -- Addressing the "older" market
49:30 -- Three Things I Like This Week

Tim Lyons Website

FitPro Growth Summit

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OrderYourLife.com

Spelling Bee

The Criterion Channel

Three fitness leaders have combined forces on an innovative approach to fitness for people over 50. Former industry executive Martin Pazzani and former owners of multiple Anytime Fitness locations John Spence and Michael Gelfgot are now on the verge of opening the first Act!vate Brain & Body in Cincinnati this fall. It will be the debut facility in the country that trains brain health and physical health at the same time, using science-backed techniques to fight off cognitive decline. They intend to scale it up in other cities, too.

They couldn’t be arriving at a better time, as more and more people live longer and dementia rates go up accordingly.

But while Alzheimer’s and other dreaded affiliations are most often associated with age, they are not inevitable byproducts of time, says the team behind Act!vate. And Alzheimer’s organizations and medical professionals agree that lifestyle factors -- including exercise -- can play a role in minimizing the chances of getting it.

The Act!vat setup is unique, combining novel resistance training, cardio workouts, and brain games all under one roof, in an instructor-led small group. The target age is 45 and up. It’s designed to promote cognitive health, clear thinking, better memory and sleep, and more aspects of brain health that can become incapacitating later in life.

This is really interesting stuff, and I’m excited to bring you my chat with Martin and John. I have a feeling we’ll all be hearing a lot more about this as time goes on. 

Links and Resources

Act!vate Brain & Body

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New York Times article on older golfers

“The Devil’s Candy” podcast

Catalina Crunch snack mix