If you want to get leaner and live longer, go to Milliondollarbodylabs.com

A new 47-year longitudinal study is making the rounds with a scary takeaway: if you weren't fit in your 30s, you're basically out of luck later in life. That interpretation is wrong, incomplete, and lazy. In this episode, we break down what the study actually tracked, what it really tells us about human performance over time, and why fitness is better understood as a trajectory problem, not a deadline problem.

We talk about how aerobic capacity, strength, and power tend to peak earlier in life, why that early peak gives you margin later on, and where people misinterpret "decline" as "doom." We also zoom out and connect this research to other well established predictors of longevity and independence like grip strength, VO2 max, daily movement, and basic functional capacity.

If you've ever wondered whether starting later means it's pointless, or whether what you do now still matters, this episode puts that question to rest. The answer is not comforting, but it is empowering.

What the 47-year study actually measured and what it did not
Why fitness peaks earlier but remains modifiable for decades
How starting level and rate of decline matter more than age alone
Why grip strength, aerobic capacity, and movement volume predict longevity
The difference between locking in a baseline and locking in your fate
The real takeaway for people in their 30s, 40s, and beyond

You don't age out of fitness. You age into consequences. The goal isn't to stay young. The goal is to raise your floor and slow the slope.

If you want to get leaner and live longer check out https://milliondollarbodylabs.com

Why do most people quit right before they achieve mastery, and how can you build leadership that lasts decades through small, unsexy reps every single day?

I talk with Jay Pages. He owns a gym in Arizona. He describes leaving his career as an officer of loans during a bubble burst to coach. We discuss leadership from the top down and the need for action over words. He explains the journey to a belt and how mastery starts after a decade of practice. We explore the use of games to build skills and how resistance improves learning. Jay shares how he puts his ego in check to learn from students. He explains how training helps him find peace in traffic. We talk about the bonds formed through sweat and the value of choosing a path of discipline.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership is built through daily, unsexy reps over decades, focusing on competence over just excitement.

• Culture starts at the top. To earn loyalty, a leader must show up for their people when it counts, regardless of their level or status.

• The Ecological Dynamics or Constraints Led Approach (CLA) focuses on learning through games and resistance rather than static drilling.

• Check your ego to remain a student. Growth stops when you believe you have nothing left to learn from others, including those with less experience.

• Jiu-Jitsu makes you comfortable with being uncomfortable, providing mental and spiritual strength that translates into patience in high-stress life situations.

• Choose your hard or it will be chosen for you. Disciplined training prepares you to handle life's daily frustrations with a smile.

• Jay Pages Jiu-Jitsu & MMA Website: https://jaypagesjjmma.com

• Jay Pages' Instagram: @jayjpages https://www.instagram.com/jayjpages

Nate Palmer:

The founder of The Million Dollar Body and author of "The Million Dollar Body Method", Nate has been coaching for over 15 years and has worked personally with over 1,000 clients.

• Website: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/
  
  

• Book: The Million Dollar Body Method
  
  

• Lean Energy Stack: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/pages/lean
  
  

Instagram: @_milliondollarbody

If you want to get leaner and live longer check out https://milliondollarbodylabs.com

Fitness is growing up.
The people getting leaner and staying healthy aren't doing extreme programs, chasing novelty, or training like competitors. They're building capacity, regulating stress, and removing friction.
In this episode, we break down the real fitness trends heading into 2026 based on research, behavior shifts, and what successful people are actually doing. No hype. No hacks. Just what works.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• Why fitness is shifting from aesthetics to metabolic health
• How training volume and intensity are quietly coming down while results improve
• Why zone 2 cardio and strength training are becoming the foundation
• What nutrition habits are replacing extreme diets
• Why sleep is now the main fat loss lever
• How nervous system regulation is becoming a competitive advantage
• Why supplements are getting simpler instead of more complex
• How identity based habits are replacing challenge culture

If you want to get leaner and live longer check out https://milliondollarbodylabs.com

Are you tired of chasing big fitness goals only to fail once the wedding or vacation is over? What if the secret to lasting success is found in being "boring"?

I talk with Donovan Owens about his "Life is Reps" philosophy. He retired from owning fitness businesses to focus on mastery and presence. We discuss how big gestures like extreme diets usually fail because identity remains the same. Donovan explains his mastery morning system which includes physical, mental, and spiritual wins before interacting with anyone. He shares why he quit caffeine and alcohol to find his own energy. We explore how small daily actions create peace rather than just hitting targets. He advocates for systems thinking where every action affects the whole machine.

Key Takeaways

● REPS stands for Repetitive Excellence Produces Success.

● True transformation requires an identity shift, not just a six-week challenge; if who you are hasn't changed, you will return to old habits.

● Mastery is an energy to embody every morning through a system of "quick wins".

● A "Mastery Morning" involves three pillars: a physical win (like a walk), a mental win (journaling or study), and a spiritual win (intentional silence).

● Building a "bored brain" is essential in an overstimulated world to help you get back to a state of presence and silence.

● Systems thinking means recognizing that every small action (or "rep") affects the entire machine of your life.

● "Stacking" one new behavior every two weeks leads to 26 new habits by the end of a year.

● The "planning trick" is when the excitement of planning replaces the actual work; the best time to start a new habit is "now" rather than waiting for Monday or New Year's.

● Life Is REPS Website: https://lifeisreps.com

Nate Palmer:

The founder of The Million Dollar Body and author of "The Million Dollar Body Method", Nate has been coaching for over 15 years and has worked personally with over 1,000 clients.

● Website: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/

● Book: The Million Dollar Body Method

● Lean Energy Stack: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/pages/lean

● Instagram: @_milliondollarbody

This isn't a highlight reel.
It's an audit.

Instead of recapping guests or episodes, this end of year review distills the ideas that kept surfacing across the most listened to conversations of 2025.

Different topics.
Same underlying problems.

In this episode, we break down what actually mattered this year when it came to fat loss, energy, discipline, gut health, cravings, recovery, and long term health.

• Why energy dictates consistency more than willpower
• The real reason discipline feels restrictive for most people
• How chronic stress quietly drives belly fat and cravings
• Why most symptoms are downstream of ignored systems
• The hidden cost of comfort and constant stimulation
• Why identity shifts outperform goals every time
• How maintenance beats rescue when it comes to longevity
• What this year revealed about sustainable fat loss
• The difference between alignment and optimization
• What to carry forward and what to stop doing next year

Most people don't need more information.
They need fewer things working against them.

This episode is about removing friction, lowering noise, and building systems that make progress inevitable instead of fragile.

If you want to get leaner and live longer check out https://milliondollarbodylabs.com

Have you ever wondered if psychedelics could unlock better mental health, emotional intelligence, or a deeper connection with yourself and others?

I talk with Austin Mao, who is a licensed natural medicine facilitator and co-founder of Ceremonia, a legal psychedelic center in Denver, Colorado. Austin is the Program Director & Head Minister and has guided over 500 individuals. We discuss the purpose of using guided psilocybin and ayahuasca experiences to foster profound healing and personal growth. Austin explains that connection is the foundation for healing, pairing modern science (psychotherapy/neuroscience) with mindfulness and shamanic practices. He shares incredible stories, like how physical pain of 20 years disappeared after one ceremony. We explore how their structured retreats help individuals integrate lessons by building capacity to process experiences, avoiding resistance, and teaching the skill of presence.

Key Takeaways

• Transformation often occurs because people become accustomed to a lesser quality of living and do not realize the difference until it is shown to them.

• The process at Ceremonia focuses on connection as the foundation for healing.

• Many participants experience significant physical transformations alongside emotional and mental shifts; at least two out of ten people often have a life-changing physical transformation.

• The two key variables determining a psychedelic experience are dosage and the subjective feeling of safety/capacity.

• The most inconvenient truth about connection is that real connection comes from experiencing "now" (presence) and the impact you are having on someone else in the current moment, not from history or background.

• A simple tool for practicing presence is asking yourself: "What's it like to be me right now?".

• Website: https://www.ceremoniacircle.org

• Instagram: @ceremoniacircle https://www.instagram.com/ceremoniacircle

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ceremoniacircle

• YouTube: @ceremoniacircle https://www.youtube.com/@ceremoniacircle

• Upcoming Retreats Mentioned: Awaken Together (January 13-18); Heal with Ayahuasca (February 2-8); Weekend Retreat (March 6-8).

Nate Palmer:

The founder of The Million Dollar Body and author of "The Million Dollar Body Method", Nate has been coaching for over 15 years and has worked personally with over 1,000 clients.

• Website: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/
  
  

• Book: The Million Dollar Body Method
  
  

• Lean Energy Stack: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/pages/lean
  
  

• Instagram: @_milliondollarbody

If you want to get leaner and live longer check out https://milliondollarbodylabs.com

Why do we spend thousands on workouts and supplements, but treat sleep like an afterthought, and how is it hurting our performance?

I talk with Jill MacRae and Lori Oliver, co-founders of The Inactive Company, a sleep performance business focused on developing products and technology. They brought complementary expertise from companies like SPANX, Starbucks, and Coca-Cola to solve the sleep epidemic. We discuss how they moved past their own sleep struggles—Jill with staying asleep, Lori with falling asleep in a constant state of high cortisol. They created a sleep mask using patent-pending technology that achieves complete blackout, regulates temperature, and includes eye pockets to integrate science into a functional product. They emphasize that sleep is the only human performance factor you cannot replace and explain how consistency and daily routine shifts fix sleep.

Key Takeaways

● Jill MacRae struggled with staying asleep as she got older, and she realized training herself to sleep better improved her health, focus, and performance; she even developed pneumonia because she wasn't sleeping well.

● Lori Oliver struggled with falling asleep because she "lived in cortisol world" while managing large teams and traveling internationally, meaning her brain was constantly trying to solve problems and could not wind down.

● Complete blackout is the number one factor important to signal the brain and body to produce melatonin naturally.

● Creating a Pavlovian response by making the bed a "sacred space" (only for sleeping and sex, not working or watching TV) helps the body recognize that it is time to turn off when you enter the room.

● Consistency is the key to adopting good sleep habits, whether that means a consistent bedtime, wake time, or nap time.

● If you wake up in the middle of the night, Jill advises a "reset": get up, drink water, use the restroom, and then lay back down to break the cycle of swirling thoughts.

● Lori advises using breathing techniques (two inhales, one big mouth open exhale) while in bed to reset cortisol levels and calm the brain.

● Strenuous exercise should be avoided two hours before bedtime, but light movement like walking after dinner helps digestion and limits blood sugar spikes that can wake people up.

● Website: https://inactiveco.com

● Instagram: @the_inactive_co https://www.instagram.com/the_inactive_co

● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-inactive-company

Nate Palmer:

The founder of The Million Dollar Body and author of "The Million Dollar Body Method", Nate has been coaching for over 15 years and has worked personally with over 1,000 clients.

● Website: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/

● Book: The Million Dollar Body Method

● Lean Energy Stack: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/pages/lean

● Instagram: @_milliondollarbody

If you want to get leaner and live longer check out https://milliondollarbodylabs.com

Will an AI doctor soon replace your physician? I talk about how personalized testing and artificial intelligence are making true preventative health cheaper and more accessible.

I talked with Hunter Ziesing, who shifted from a successful career in finance after losing family and friends to preventable diseases. He now runs Longevity Health, a virtual clinic providing comprehensive diagnostic testing, including 60 blood biomarkers, DEXA scans, and VO2 max, for $11,000 annually. The goal is to make health preventative, not reactionary, moving beyond the current sick-care model. We discuss how their AI platform analyzes this massive data to create customized health plans, significantly reducing costs and giving constant, gentle reminders to change daily habits, making prevention affordable and effective. We also cover the challenges of getting consumers ready for a doctorless AI model and the essential role of human doctors in the future.

Key Takeaways

• Longevity Health offers a fully HIPAA compliant, physician-led virtual clinic for $11,000 per year, which is a fraction of the cost of some high-end clinics.

• The virtual clinic provides comprehensive testing, including a DEXA scan (for bone density and visceral fat), a CGM glucose monitor (worn for about two months), a blood test (analyzing around 60 biomarkers), a VO2 max test, a sleep study, and gut biome analysis.

• The tests are tailored to the individual's specific health concerns and family history. DEXA and blood tests are the metrics repeated most often every quarter to see real change.

• The "trillion dollar business" is what they are building around AI. AI has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of personalized medicine and make health information more accessible to the masses.

• AI is not fully ready yet, as it still "hallucinates," and regulations are not yet finalized. Furthermore, consumers are not fully ready for the "driverless doctor" and still desire a human physician in the loop for critical decisions.

• The preventative health approach requires giving people a "check engine warning light" via an app, offering constant, gentle reminders to reinforce healthy behaviors before a disease is diagnosed.

• Website: https://www.longevityhealth.me

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterziesing

Nate Palmer:

The founder of The Million Dollar Body and author of "The Million Dollar Body Method", Nate has been coaching for over 15 years and has worked personally with over 1,000 clients.

• Website: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/
  
  

• Book: The Million Dollar Body Method
  
  

• Lean Energy Stack: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/pages/lean
  
  

• Instagram: @_milliondollarbody