As a former pro cyclist, over the last decade Dan traded out his healthy habits and athletic lifestyle for a more inactive one. Now, he’s at a point where he wants to turn things around! He’s wondering how simple exercise, eating right, sleeping better, and making small lifestyle changes can impact his lifespan and healthspan.
Over the next six months, Dan will be on a journey to find out!
In association with Whoop π https://gcn.eu/Whoop
Welcome! 0:00
Dan’s new goal 0:08
Danβs health history 1:50
How this might apply to YOU 2:55
The testing centre: Nuffield Health Manchester 4:17
Thank you to our sponsor!: Whoop 6:09
Body measurements 7:45
Fitness tests 8:59
VO2 Max test 12:29
VO2 Max results 16:36
Where Dan’s at physiologically 17:46
Why now? 18:45
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Have you been thinking of making any changes to your lifestyle and fitness routine? π«
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Watch more on GCN…
πΉ How To Quickly Improve Your Fitness By Cycling! π https://youtu.be/r9LS_HL2prY?si=K_IRwBlhw0qy8yGO
πΉ Watch our Editorβs Choice Playlist π https://gcn.eu/editorschoice
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π΅ Music – licensed by Epidemic Sound π΅
Deny – dreem
For Motivation (Instrumental Version) – CLNGR
Hip Hop Rock Song – Def Lev
Marinate (Sped Up Version) (Instrumental Version) – Zorro
Midnight – STRLGHT
Premonition – Paeta
Spacetime – STRLGHT
The Demon in Your Eyes – Rascal Genius
TO THE MOON (Instrumental Version) – Adelyn Paik
Camera Shutter Click – SFX Producer
#gcn #cycling #roadcycling #roadbike #bike #bikes #bikelife #health #fitness #longevity #healhtylifestyle #challenge #whoop
πΈ Photos – Β© Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & Β© Sirotti Images
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27 Comments
What are you doing to help you stay fit, healthy and active as you get older, and do you have any advice for Dan? π€
Love this.
After many years of abusing my body through smoking, excessive eating, alcohol consumption and finally diagnosed as a diabetic I too am improving my fitness and health. Well done Dan for facing up to this and sharing your journey. Iβm hoping you can encourage me to other health improvements.
Seems like someone jumped on the Outlive bandwagon. Great book
Love it!! Thanks for sharing your journey and offering up some inspiration! Looking forward to the next episode.
Thanks for posting this Dan,
As a 61 year old who uses Cycling to stay in shape knowing I need to do more, I am glued to your video series about your mission. Good on you for doing such a deep diving series about this. Thank you Dan
I think Dan is sandbagging on these tests.
Thanks Dan for giving us personal insights into your lifestyle post pro cycling career, and helping motivate all of us βmiddle-agersβ to jump in!
This is an important subject. I am on a similar journey (Quest). John's Hopkins recently published findings that > 50% of fifty year olds are pre-diabetic. That's confronting. A factor in the tipping point for the population at large was Covid and lockdowns. Netflix & Uber Eats became the norm. Why do so many believe they can outsource their health?
Bravo! Looking forward to following the journey.
Looking forwards to seeing your progress Dan, albeit from an excellent starting point already according to the tests you've done. Mind blown that you used to smoke heavily and are still on nicotine replacement, but can totally relate. Good luck xx
While I've got about 15 years on Dan, I started really focusing on improving my health at almost the exact same age as Dan is now. And I can definitely say that it is effort well-spent. At my current age, my weight is lower than at any time since, I'm not even sure when, high school maybe? I ride more miles per year than I ever have, I have more types of exercise in my weekly routine, I've cut back significantly on my drinking and my diet is the best it's ever been. To me, making lifestyle changes into consistent daily habits is the key. So I wish you good luck, Dan. And I'm looking forward to watching this series to see if I can pick up a few more positive changes.
Finally, this is exactly the kind of content people my age (61) would like to see. Iβm sure a large percentage of your followers/subscribers fall into the βmiddle age and olderβ category however much of your content has been geared toward a younger crowd. Even though we excercise and watch what we eat and drink there is always room for improvement. It will be very interesting to see how the changes Dan makes effects his overall health. Good work.
– Don't try to fit all your routines into 7 days; 10 or even longer periodization will work better if you are going for variety of physical activity. Add an extra rest day or two to schedule group rides instead of going for it not recovered
– For grip strength, work on both, palms and feet. You are shown with kettlebells, so work with them bare feet and try to "grab the ground" with feet. Same grabbing tension must be used during deadlifts, barbells (with proper shoes of course) or kettlebells, does not matter. While most dynamic kettlebell moves require "sensitive grip", some are better with a firm grip. For instance, when doing double handed single kettlebell swings, hold the handle like you are trying to bend it.
– Work on rotational strength, which is a part of functional strength training. With kettlebells, clubbells and steel maces. Those will improve your muscle endurance or may be even raise VO2max.
– Look for GPP/SPP/Sport Discipline pyramid concept. The latter will be cycling for you, the others will take most of your training time.
Dan, I'm around your age and smoked for 20 years – quit in 2020 as well. I took up cycling around 2013, and got serious about it after I quit the darts. I celebrated my 40th by doing my first 200+km ride, and in 2021 logged 12 thousand kms on my bike. Life has changed and cycling has faded into the background but this vid definitely will be on repeat as I get back to it. I also share your love of the mineral water, which becomes less forgiving as we sail further into deep middle age!
Great video, I'm looking to challenge myself & go on this journey with you. I'm 64 for & during COVID I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It kind got in my head & with that I kind of gave up some what on pushing forward, taking on the attitude of why bother. The hormone treatment has cause me to add weight & with an even lower testosterones the drive isn't there. Nevertheless, I think I'll pull my head out & definitely go on this journey with man Dan. I have nothing to loose & a helluva lot more to gain. Thank s Dan for being an inspiration.
The best time to plant a tree is ten years ago, the second best time is today. Iβm two weeks out from my first charity ride. It will be the most miles I have ridden. But I have been working on it.
Great video, Dan!
Dan, how can we be alerted when you have day two and so on. I was looking for the follow up video to day one but I couldn't find it. Anybody help me I'm not sure it's posted yet but if it is, I'd like to watch the whole series.
Great idea for a series! I look forward to the future episodes.
This is literally the best thing GCN has ever done. Thank you, Dan.
I found your smoking habit quite shocking, but relatable. I had smoked since I was in my late teens, and finally quit before getting married in 2012. When I quit, I absolutely blew up my waistline. I got into cycling in 2014 and did my first imperial century in 2015. I have had my ups and downs with fitness and the pandemic set me back greatly. I hit a peak weight of 237 lbs in November of 2023. I am 45 years old, and I could not take it anymore. I joined a gym, started doing indoor cycling, corrected my diet completely and went to work. My initial stats were 237 lbs, 5'7", vo2 max of 28, ftp of 150 watts and could only run a 1/4 mile before having to walk. A few months later, I have lost 33 pounds. Vo2 max is climbing slowly to 31 currently. My ftp is up to 200 watts, I am running 5ks albeit slowly but I'm running the entire distance in 30 minutes. My resting heart rate has dropped dramatically in the low 50s, and my HRV has greatly improved. I still have a lot of weight to loose and fitness to gain back, but I'm on track. I'm also trying to set an example for my 2 sons who are 5 and 8. We are now doing more healthy activities, rock climbing together, family bike rides, baseball and flag football. My wife joined my gym and the kids attend the kids club while we work out together. It's such a change in our entire lifestyle and it has been priceless. I can't wait to see what the future brings….. because I plan to be there for it.
Really looking forward to watching the future episodes
Well done Dan. Enjoy your forthcoming journey and approach it in a measured way.
This serie will inspire and mean a lot to many people. Go Dan! Great stuff GCN.
I loved the honest and personal perspective that Dan shared and am looking forward to watching this series.