Morning, Greg here! Welcome to Issue No. 9 of Midlife Male, the lifestyle magazine for midlife men, by midlife men. I wanted to personally welcome all our new readers, and if this newsletter was forwarded to you, subscribe below.
This week we've got our “How I See It” interview with Bob Harper, a new Viewpoint column on a very important topic regarding your kids, recommendations for each of our 6 Fs and more. This is more than just a newsletter. It's a community of men looking to maximize midlife. Remember, we're all in this together.
How I See It with Bob Harper
Photo credit: Guideposts
Bob Harper is a renowned fitness expert, a New York Times bestselling author, and the creator of the Black Fire workout program. Best known for his role as the host of The Biggest Loser, Bob started his career working at the front desk of a fitness center in Tennessee.
Eventually, his desire to succeed in the fitness industry led him to Los Angeles, where he became one of the most sought-after personal trainers in the city. However, in 2017, a heart attack forced Bob to rethink his approach to fitness. Today, he lives in New York, where he enjoys spending time with friends and compiling bespoke playlists for his hot yoga classes. Midlife Male founder Greg Scheinman discusses daily routines, negotiation, risk taking, The Biggest Loser and more in this wide-ranging conversation. Here is this week’s How I See It:
Greg Scheinman: What does a typical day look like for you now?
Bob Harper: A typical day for me starts early, around 6 AM. I like to get up, have my coffee, and then read for about 45 minutes. I try not to grab my phone right away. After that, I walk my dogs, feed them, and then head to yoga. I come back home and tackle work tasks for the day. I aim to finish everything by 5:30 PM, except on Thursdays. Around that time, I’ll have a tequila and meet friends for a relaxed evening. I’m usually in bed by 10 PM.
Greg Scheinman: Has your daily routine changed over the years or recently?
Bob Harper: My routine has changed to reflect my lifestyle now. When I was working non-stop, especially on The Biggest Loser, I had no life. That show consumed nearly 20 years of my life, and it was all work. I lost friends because I was never available. People didn’t understand how all-consuming the job was. It wasn’t just on-camera work, but also being there day in and day out with the contestants.
How the Galactic Irresponsibility of the Gambling Industry Affects Kids
I have a big bone to pick with the gambling industry:
At the conference I attended last week, one panel stood out—and not in a good way. It was filled with gambling industry executives trying to convince us they’re doing something righteous. They were pushing the idea that they’re being responsible custodians of sports betting, but it felt like a complete sham. I kept waiting for tough questions, especially since Boardroom and CNBC are supposed to be media organizations, but they never came. It was all softball questions, no accountability.
As I sat there, I couldn’t help but think about my own experiences as a father. My son goes to CU, and I’ve seen firsthand the darker side of teenage gambling. One of my closest friends from college, now a successful attorney, was our campus bookie back at Michigan. Back then, it was all cash and word-of-mouth—you knew which fraternity room to go to place a bet. Now, it’s all online and connected to kids’ lives through their phones and credit cards.
There’s a situation close to home that really hits me. A dad in my community, who I’ve had issues with, has a son who’s a bookie. The dad’s a lawyer, and his son goes to UT, where he’s passing down the business to high school kids. This kid takes bets from minors, and the crazy part? The dad’s okay with it. But I’m not.
I confronted the dad. Here’s what I said…
Millions of stories are posted online every day and 99.9% are noise. We sifted through the nonsense to share standouts with actionable takeaways you can use to maximize your life in each of our 6Fs: Fitness. Family. Finance. Food. Fashion. Fun. Let’s go.
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FAMILY – A Father’s Advice to His Son on the One Thing You Should Never Do in a Relationship
FITNESS – Why Tom Brady Incorporates Swimming into his Workouts
FINANCE – The Finance/Futurist You Should Follow to Learn Where We’re Headed
FASHION – Want to Dominate Fall? Try this Vintage Brown Leather Jacket
FOOD – Hard Truth: AG1 is Mostly Hype and Here’s Why
FUN – Tony Robbins’ Upcoming $35,000/Year Longevity Membership
Some women are using so much filler in their faces they’re getting what’s called a “pillow face.” It’s a disturbing trend that’s popping up with men as well. When it comes to plastic surgery and fillers for guys, where do you stand?
Last week’s poll results
Oh wow — y’all really hated that sports car photo from last week.
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