All Things Don't Have to Be Equal - And That's the Point!

You've heard the statistic: after 40, we lose roughly 1% of our muscle mass every year. Most people hear that number and quietly accept it — as if decline is simply what happens. But here's what almost nobody mentions: the four words that follow that stat in the research. Four words that change everything: "All things being equal."

In this episode of Not Done Yet!, Dr. Brad Cooper unpacks exactly what it means to refuse that condition — and how to shift your personal algorithm from passive decline to active ascent. Whether you're 45 or 75, the science is clear: it is never too late.

You'll hear about the Catalyst Cornerstones (Move, Fuel, Rest, Connect) — the high-return fundamentals hiding in plain sight while everyone chases the latest hack. Beyond that, Dr. Cooper dives into Tier II strategies including strength training, optimal protein intake, and an honest look at creatine and alcohol. For those ready to go further, he covers the Mastery Pursuits — interval training, plyometrics, and the functional mental toughness framework (fMT) that ties it all together.

This episode is for anyone in midlife or life's second half who refuses to let "all things being equal" be the final word on what's possible.

Topics covered: aging and muscle loss, strength training after 50, protein intake for older adults, creatine and cognitive function, interval training, plyometrics, sleep optimization, mental toughness, functional fitness, life's second half, healthy aging, midlife performance, not done yet

Reach out anytime with questions or ideas - Results@CatalystCoaching360.com

Tap into the BetterPath Substack series on unlocking life's second half here.

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Transcript

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There's a good chance you've heard this statistic or something like it. After the age of 40, we lose roughly 1% of our muscle mass each year. 1%. Doesn't sound like much, does it? Well, not until you do the math. A decade in, that's 10%, two decades, 20%. And with muscle loss comes the rest of the package: strength, speed, balance, function. As in life. It's the kind of number that gets cited and then quietly accepted as if it's simply the way it goes. But here's what almost no one mentions after reciting that statistic. The four words that follow it in the research. Four words that change everything. All things being equal. That's your opening. That's where the not done yet life lives. Today we're going to talk about exactly how you can take advantage of those four words in your life as we move forward. I'm Dr. Brad Cooper, co-founder of Catalyst Coaching 360, started, and it's hard to believe this, way back in 2007, and I am your fellow traveler on this journey through life's second half. As I move into my 60s and interact with more and more people in multiple settings, entering or moving through this unique phase, I am convinced that we represent one of the most valuable untapped resources on earth. Yes, I get it. I'm living it. Life's second half is different. But when we realize we aren't required to allow all things to be equal, everything changes. And that's when the possibilities literally come to life. So let's talk about this shift in the algorithm. What are the key aspects connected to that for-word phrase, all things being equal? Where can we start when shifting the dial or wanting to shift the dial? Now, everyone's looking for a hack, right? The shortcut, the magical supplement of the perfect fitness routine. But all the while, the true gold is usually hiding in plain sight while the glitter grabs the headlines, grabs the attention. So before we go anywhere else, I want to pause on what I like to call the catalyst cornerstones. There are four things move, fuel, rest, and connect. You're going to hear me come back to these repeatedly in future episodes because they are so foundational to the second half of life. But for now, I want to ask you to honestly reflect on where each one currently stands in your daily rhythm and then think about how they might be affecting that 1% per year slide. So first, move. Think back to your activity levels a decade ago, two decades ago. Compared to today, move it or lose it is not a motivational poster. It's biology. Is there something that could change in this move? Is there a shift that you've gradually slid into that you could change tomorrow? The second one is fuel. We use that word deliberately because it reminds us of the primary purpose of what we put into our mouths, into our bodies. Over time, the slow fade can create habits built around empty calories and key nutrient gaps. Have we let some of those take hold over time that are creating this 1% slide? The third is rest. Sleep affects cognition, energy, relationships, testosterone, response to exercise, food choices, and so much more. If there's such a thing as magic in the second half of life, sleep might just be it. Is there some shift that's available to us there that we're not taking advantage of? And then the last one, connect. Our relationships significantly shape all aspects of how we live, including the other three cornerstones. Before jumping into anything more sophisticated, take a look at these four cornerstones. Look and see if there's something I could tweak there or something I've drifted with over time that is creating that 1% that we talked about, that I could now say, wait, all things don't have to be equal. I can make a change. Fully address the cornerstones first. And that allows you to put your foot down on that phrase, all things being equal. Now, if you want to go to the next level, we move to tier two options. These involve a bit more intentionality, but they still apply to most of us. The first one is strength training. It's the most obvious. If the research says we lose muscle mass at 1% per year, the equally obvious solution is to build it. For those who have never made strength training a consistent habit, now, today, regardless of our age, is the time to start. What was once a bonus in the first half of life becomes essential in the second. And for anyone hearing a voice inside that says it's too late, research has clearly demonstrated measurable improvements in both strength and lean mass in adults over the age of 85. Friends, it is never too late. Protein intake is another area worth examining. The standard recommendation, which a lot of people also don't meet, but it recommends daily allowances of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. So basically do a little conversion if you're not used to kilograms of what is your body weight in kilograms, and then multiply that by 0.8 to get the standard recommendation. Now, before you dial into that number, researchers have spent who have spent careers studying this, like Professor Stuart Phillips recommends 50 to 100% higher than that. So instead of the 0.8 grams per kilogram, he's recommending 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram, especially for those of us in the second half of life. Consistent high-quality protein, it's not a niche strategy, it's a practical cornerstone of maintaining what we built and what we're building. Now, while I'm no nutritionist, I'm not here to give you medical advice, creatine probably deserves a mention here as well. Once it was exclusively associated with gym culture, but now a growing body of research shows it's beneficial not only for muscle and strength, for all of us, not just the broscience folks, but likely for cognitive function also. One recent study showed a single dose of creatine enhanced cognitive performance even during sleep deprivation. For most people in the second half of life, daily creatine isn't a gym bro supplement. It's a genuinely smart thing to consider. Do your research, but keep it on your radar. Alcohol? That's worth an honest look too. The recommendation here isn't elimination. Food and drink are part of community in many cases. And that matters. But choosing alcohol purposely rather than habitually is worth considering, giving its documented effects on sleep quality, testosterone levels, and overall recovery. Now, if you want to go beyond this tier two, there's a set of strategies I refer to as the mastery pursuits. These are elite level adjustments for those looking to perform at the very highest levels. Two of these deserve particular attention. Interval training or speed work. I regularly hear peers in their 50s and 60s, even some in their 40s, lamenting loss speed. And yes, time or age is a factor. It's life. But it's rarely the primary factor. When I was preparing to break five minutes in the mile when I turned 50, after years of focusing exclusively on triathlon, the missing ingredient, it wasn't an element of age, it was a lack of interval work. Within six months of adding consistent speed training, my mile time dropped to 454. I'm not unique. The research backs this up. If speed work is new to your routine and current health and fitness warrants its integration, start simple. Pick up your pace for 60 or 90 seconds in the middle of a regular run and build gradually from there. Plymetrics and power work are the other gaps I see most consistently. Research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology suggests that power degrades at two to four times the rate of muscle loss as we age. So we talked about the 1% per year after the age of 40, all things being equal. Well, this one's another level, right? Power is degrading at two to four times that. So jumping rope, box jumps, safe box jumps. I've seen some disaster videos online. Heavy bag work. These aren't just for the young. Gradually and wisely integrating power movements into our weekly routine addresses a gap that compounds quickly if we leave it unattended. And finally, the mental side. My PhD work centered on what we called functional mental toughness or FMT, and it plays an enormous role in how we execute everything else. Let me give you, there's a lot to this, and we'll come back to it in the future, but let me give you a simple running example of how you could start using this, how you could start saving that FMT, how you could maintain the bank for the things that really matter. So I'm going to use a running example, but you could apply this across any important event or pursuit in your life. Let's say you're racing a half marathon on Saturday. By Friday afternoon, you want to make sure you have set the stage so there are zero cognitive withdrawals to be made between now and early or middle part of the race, even. Script what you'll eat, where you'll park, what you'll wear, what time you're going to leave, when you're going to have your first cup of coffee, when what you're going to drink, and what time. Every single unnecessary decision, things that you could easily script in advance, if you wait on that and then you have to make a decision, that is a withdrawal from your functional metal toughness bank. You're basically taking things out that you could utilize during the race, and then your balance is not where it could have been. Prescripting the logistics keeps that FMT or functional mental toughness bank available for the moments that actually matter. Like that tough section in mile 10 that's coming up. This same principle applies to virtually any high-stakes context within our lives. Virgil wrote in the Aniad that the gates of the underworld are open night and day. Smooth the descent and easy as the way. But to return and view the cheerful skies, in this the task and mighty labor lies. Folks, the status quo is always the path of least resistance. Look around. Most of our peers in life's second half have quietly accepted it. They've taken that slide. Consciously or not, they've gone down that path. But here's the little known secret. Cheerful skies aren't found in spite of the task. They're found in the task. All things are not equal. And that's the point. Thank you for joining me here on the Not Dan Yet podcast. I am excited about our journey ahead and the impact that we together can have in the world as we shift expectations, lean into possibilities, and live with intention. If you'd like a few pondering prompts for discussion with friends, maybe a small group you're a part of, journaling, or simply to turn a little spark into a flame, here are three to get you started. Number one, do a cornerstone audit. Take an honest look at the four catalyst cornerstones in your life right now. Move, fuel, rest, and connect. Is there one if if you're really being truthful with yourself that maybe it's drifted a little bit more than you'd like it to be? Maybe not where it was in your 20s or 30s, but you know it could be better, and you know there's some basic steps that you could take that would shift that. What what would be one specific small adjustment you could make this week in that single area? Move, fuel, rest, or connect. Remember, it's a 1% drop. It doesn't take a lot to make up for that. Number two, all things being equal. The 1% per year stat is real, but only under a specific condition. All things being equal, right? So in what area of your physical life have you been unconsciously accepting that condition as being fixed? Strength, speed, energy? What would it mean to you practically in daily life if you shifted the trend line in that area, even slightly, over the next six months? And finally, that FMT or functional mental toughness bank account. Think about an upcoming event, challenge, or high stakes moment in your life, something important to you, personal or professional. Where are you currently making unnecessary withdrawals? How are you setting yourself up to need to make unnecessary withdrawals? What decisions in advance, logistics in advance, or low stakes choices could you prescript this week to protect your cognitive bank for when it really matters? Until next time, here's to being a catalyst. Upward aiming, forward oriented, and not done yet.