Morning, Greg here! Welcome to Midlife Male, the fastest-growing, #1 newsletter and lifestyle brand for men 40+. Hundreds of readers are joining us every day for actionable, relatable, curated interviews, columns and content you’ll find nowhere else. If a fellow MLM reader shared this with you, subscribe here:

This week’s issue is packed:

• Jeff Krasno on reversing diabetes, shedding 70 pounds, and why social bonds are the key to longevity.

• The Participation Trophy Trap – Why too many men mistake “leveling up” for real progress (and what actually works).

• My go-to spring style rotation, why I’m hooked on these nasal strips, and the best creatine hack you’re not using.

• XPT Crystal Peak Challenge – A 2-day trek with expert coaching, 14,000’ peaks, and an exclusive Midlife Male deal.

Let’s get to it!

Greg

In partnership with:

Last week in Austin, I sat down with Jeff Krasno, co-founder and CEO of Commune, a masterclass platform for personal and societal well-being. He’s the host of the Commune podcast, where he interviews luminaries like Andrew Huberman, Marianne Williamson, Matthew McConaughey, and Gabor Maté. He also writes Commusings, a weekly essay on spirituality, wellness, and culture, reaching over a million readers every Sunday.

Jeff’s new book, Good Stress, details the wellness protocols that helped him reverse diabetes, lose 70 pounds, and reclaim his health at 50. Alongside his wife, Schuyler Grant, he runs Commune Topanga, a 10-acre retreat center offering yoga, cold plunges, saunas, and storytelling.

What struck me about Jeff was his depth—his words are intentional, his insights personal. He blends science with spirituality, moving effortlessly between biohacking and mindfulness. At his core, he’s a guy dedicated to bringing people together, sharing experiences, and making a positive impact.

Enjoy this week’s conversation with Jeff Krasno.

As always, the full unedited version is available to our Inner Circle members. 

- Greg

How Jeff Sees It 

MLM: You’ve got a new book coming out, so let’s get into it. What made you want to do a book? I’ve written one. They’re incredibly rewarding and exhausting to write. When you talk about doing hard things and good stress—what drove you to put this together?

Jeff Krasno: Yeah, it started with intellectual curiosity, honestly. Then it turned into physical necessity pretty quick. I got really interested in where human physiology meets Eastern mysticism—how the hard data of the West mixes with the spiritual side of the East. That was more of a heady pursuit at first. But about five years ago, I got very, very sick—hit with a chronic disease diagnosis. So I had to dive into my own petri dish, become my own experiment. I call it “me-search” sometimes. 

I went out, interviewed 300, 400 doctors, started pulling together everything I could learn from these brilliant people. I needed a place to store it all, and that turned into the fossil record we call a book. But I’ve also done a ton of other stuff—video content, journaling—because you get into these phases where curiosity takes over, you’re immersed, and then life pulls you somewhere else. Before I forgot it all, I wanted it down somewhere, in a way that could help others facing the same stuff I was. Unfortunately, from what I’ve seen, a lot of people are.

MLM: I’m listening to you, and I love it. It’s so similar in ways to where I found myself at 47—I’m 52 now. I hit this tipping point, same age my dad was when he passed away. From the outside, I had all this success, but I wasn’t content. No major health scare, but I wasn’t healthy. No financial crisis, but money wasn’t under control—things like that. For you, what does living a life well-lived look like every day?

Jeff Krasno: Such a good question, Greg. I think back to when I was 46—I woke up one early November day and decided, for a bunch of reasons, I was going to learn jazz piano. It tied into this bigger question of what made America great to begin with. There’s a lot of good answers, but for me, one was the Great American Songbook—our homegrown music, written by these brilliant composers. It brought people together around the radio for decades, no matter your class, race, creed, religion. 

Everyone knew those songs, could hit the dance hall. So I thought, that’d be a fun project—learn that at a more advanced age, midlife, pick up a tough new skill like jazz piano. I set a goal: one song a week. At first, it was just plunking out melodies, but after 40, 50 weeks, I was a decent player. I got way better at learning over time. 

MLM: This is fascinating. I keep working on the guitar and it’s hard. Were you surprised at how fast you picked it up?

Jeff Krasno: Well, growing up, we were told your brain stops at 25—slow decline after that, no new neurons, no new connections. Total malarkey, we know now. At 50, 60, 70, 80, you can still learn, grow, get better. That was cathartic for me—not because I’m some piano wizard, but because I saw growth and self-betterment are possible in midlife. It took accepting mistakes, having the guts to mess up. By your mid-40s, as a successful entrepreneur with accomplishments, you don’t like screwing up anymore. But mistakes are how we learn, how we grow. Biology backs that up—evolution runs on mistakes, mutations.

Every so often, one’s adaptive nature picks it, iterates, improves the species. Same deal with human growth. I started embracing consistent mistakes with piano—screw up over and over, then nail it. That dopamine rush kept me going. Now I trust myself, even here in an interview—I don’t know the next word out of my mouth, but I’ve got enough foundation you won’t stop me. I might land on a mistake that’s a gem, a springboard for growth or a new idea. A lot of us fear that, especially later in life—making mistakes, especially publicly.

MLM: I want to circle back—you mentioned a health issue early on that kicked this off. Where are you with your health now? What did you do after all these interviews for your life, your health? You’ve got a family, all that—can you share a bit? I’m interested.

Jeff Krasno: Yeah, I was dealing with the boring, everyday symptoms of modern life—chronic fatigue, brain fog, irritability, couldn’t focus, always needing to check my phone. Then some hits to my vanity—70 pounds heavier, man boobs—my kids’ term, clinically gynecomastia. Had a gut, little brown skin tags under my armpits, which I later found out were early signs of insulin resistance. Then the diabetes diagnosis hit.

I stuck a continuous glucose monitor on my triceps—got one on now, this little disc tracking blood sugar live. Checked the app—fasting glucose at 120, 130 mg/dL, right on the diabetes edge. Saw my primary care doc—she said, “Watch out.” I’d also had a hip replacement, tested my microbiome—gut was leaky as an old rusty pipe. That was at 49. Thing is, that’s not extraordinary in America—it’s ordinary, sadly. We’ve normalized the abnormal with health. But it sent me on a quest. 

MLM: I’d imagine having kids really put your own health in perspective. I know I think about it all time. I want to be around for them as they get out of college and have lives and families of their own.

Jeff Krasno: Exactly right. I’ve got three teenage daughters—God help me—and I wanted to be healthy for me, but also for them to see behaviors that lead to well-being. They motivated me more than I did myself—wanted to leave footprints they could follow, internalize. Slowly, I adopted these protocols—what I call good stress—and started an upward spiral in my health. I didn’t know that existed—always heard about downward spirals, but upward ones are just as real once you align your lifestyle with your biology, your design. I asked myself, how did Jeff Krasno and my hunter-gatherer ancestors evolve? What conditions shaped this human organism’s adaptive mechanisms? 

We evolved over hundreds of thousands of years as Homo sapiens—millions as hominids—with Paleolithic stress: temperature swings, scarce calories in winter, living in nature, community. We’ve stripped that out for ease and convenience. My thesis was, my chronic disease—and many others’—came from chronic ease. I had to self-impose deliberate good stress to get healthy, align how I live with how I was built.

MLM: What’s an example of that? What you’re describing hits a lot of guys—you’re not the outlier in your 40s, you’re the norm, unfortunately. What you’ve done is transformative—going from the 99th percentile of the average middle-aged American male to losing the weight, getting healthy with intention and purpose. For the guy listening who’s where you were, where does he start? How?…

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There's also a health benefit to NADS, which as a father of two young men (21 and 18), is super important to me. Both my boys are now exclusively wearing NADS as well. Here’s why. NADS organic underwear cuts down common chemical exposure and uses 100% GOTS certified organic fabric.  So say goodbye to the normalized chemicals that are linked to low testosterone, erectile dysfunction, infertility and testicular cancer.  

I tried NADS, really liked them, reached out to their founder and CEO Dan, learned more and trust the product and people.  Now, we’ve partnered with NADS.  That’s how it works.  Check them out here.   - Greg

The Participation Trophy Trap: Why Men's 'Leveling Up' Culture Is Failing Them

By Greg Scheinman

Somewhere along the way, self-improvement became a sport.

We went from having almost no options for men’s personal growth to an explosion of retreats, masterminds, men’s groups, weekend warrior events, sauna sessions, ice baths, military-style boot camps, and biohacking trends.

And now? We’ve got guys who are doing so much “leveling up” that they’re not actually leveling up.

It’s become the equivalent of a little league participation trophy—just hopping from one thing to the next, mistaking busyness and spending money for actual progress.

According to a 2023 market analysis, men’s spending on self-improvement retreats and masterminds has increased by 78% since 2019, with the average participant dropping $3,200–$5,800 per event. But here’s the kicker: follow-up surveys indicate only 23% report sustained behavior change after 90 days.

That means most of these guys are right back where they started—except now they’re a few grand lighter with a group chat that’s already dead.

Think carefully about your investment.

Think carefully about where you go, what you do, and what you’re actually hoping to get out of it. Because you can’t build on an unstable foundation.

Too many men think their lives are going to change from a single event. It doesn’t work like that.

Build the Foundation First. Then Reward Yourself.

If you want to transform, start with your daily habits—your health, your mindset, your behaviors, your discipline. Then reward yourself with an event, a challenge, or a mastermind that enhances what you’ve already built—not one that pumps you up for 72 hours and sends you home with nothing but some swag, a couple of great photos, and a temporary high.

I’ve seen this movie before.

We’ve become so dependent on special occasions, events, and challenges to start, stop, or restart something that we’ve forgotten about the basic, simple premise of setting and maintaining standards.

You don’t need extremes to change your life. You don’t need to wait for the right event, the right date, or the right challenge.

Extremes are just another form of instability. They’re fear. They’re insecurity. They’re the idea that you have to go from 0 to 100 overnight—or from 100 to zero just as fast.

One will blow your engine. The other will fry your brakes.

Temporary Wins Don’t Solve Permanent Problems.

30-day challenges, 75 Hard, three-day fasts—these are temporary solutions to permanent problems for most guys.

Anybody can force themselves to do something for 30 days. Or 75.

But talk to me on Day 76…

Our Dogs Deserve Our Best

A few months ago, we switched our dogs to We Feed Raw, and the results have been undeniable. We were skeptical at first—our dogs had been on the same food for years, and we thought they were doing just fine. But since the switch, we’ve noticed shinier coats, better digestion, improved energy, and even a change in our older dog, Riley (11).

Riley’s once cloudy, gray “old dog” eyes have completely cleared up. They’re now black, vibrant, and full of life—just like when he was a puppy. The only change? Their food.

In our experience, We Feed Raw has made a huge difference in our dogs' health and happiness. If you’re looking for a way to improve your pup’s well-being, I highly recommend it.

These Are the Amazing Nasal Strips I’m Trying

You can’t be fit if you can’t breathe.

I’ve struggled with nasal breathing my whole life. Narrow nasal passages, allergies, and—according to Kate—my snoring has gotten worse with age. Not exactly a party.

Jason Wachob, founder of mindbodygreen and one of our early interview guests, introduced me to a tool called Intake. It’s designed to open up the nasal passages and make breathing easier. Think of it like the adhesive nasal strips athletes wear—but smarter. Intake uses two small magnetic adhesives you place on either side of your nostrils, then a magnetic plastic strip clips on across the nose.

I’ve been using it. It takes a little trial and error to get the fit and process right, but once you do, the difference is real—especially in how I sleep and breathe. I’d absolutely wear this for athletic events, too.

Why All-In is a Recipe for No Success

Steve Magness wrote these important words in the lead-off to this Wall Street Journal article:

“In sports, business and other fields, single-minded focus is often the path to burnout and disappointment. To achieve ambitious goals, well-roundedness is a better bet.”

This is a really interesting take on the real, proven skills you need to make your moonshot ideas a reality.  I shared it with my sons as they embark on college and their careers. - Greg

The Easiest and Tastiest Way to Take Creatine

Do you like gummy bears? Then you’ll love the flavor of CREATE creatine gummies. And you’ll also love how portable they are. No more measuring powder, no more stirring endlessly trying to get it to dissolve, and no more finding creatine residue at the bottom of your shaker. If you’re reading this, then there’s a good chance you know the value of creatine, one of the most-studied, proven supplements available. If you’re 40+, it’s a must. That’s why we partnered with CREATE. It’s what I take and you should, too.. Learn more here. - Greg

My Spring Style Rotation

I find fashion & style fun. It’s not about being on the cover of gq, or being perfectly dressed, or spending a ton of money…It’s about confidence. How you perceive yourself, and how you want to be perceived by others. I heard a new term the other day “Dopamine Dressing”. It makes sense. I get a hit from wearing certain clothes. I feel better, perform better and look better when I dress certain ways that work for me. And that’s key. Finding what works for YOU.

Spring style rotation on point. Which look is your favorite?⁣ - Greg

Sign Up for the XPT Crystal Peak Challenge

I recently spent a week with Laird Hamilton in Hawaii at an XPT event and I’m not exaggerating when I say that it was a perspective-changing, incredible experience. In addition to events in Hawaii and Malibu, XPT also puts on several 2-Day events throughout the year, with expert trainers at beautiful locations and with challenges that enrich and excite you.

That’s what XPT Crystal Peak is about: a two-day expedition that includes an 11.1 mile trek to 3 of Colorado’s near 14,000’ peaks. You also get 5-star meals, peak recovery, mindset work and training along the way.

Interested? Hell yes, you are. And we’ve got a great deal for you through Midlife Male if you sign up today: $300 off with code MidlifeXPT. Use this link. Spots are going fast!

In Case You Missed It

CHECK OUT OUR MOST POPULAR STORIES:

Laird Hamilton’s Blueprint for Ageless Living and Unstoppable Energy

Dr. Darshan Shah on Practical Longevity Solutions

Author Jonathan Goodman on the Obvious Choice

Jacob Zemer on Reclaiming Fitness

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Join the Inner Circle

The MLM Inner Circle is a community for midlife men, by midlife men. Our members are accomplished men over 40 looking to level-up across every area of their lives.

Some have been married for decades, others are divorced, most are fathers. All of our members seek improvement, access, insights, and support in a group of like-minded men. They are committed to making the next phase of their lives, the best phase of their lives, living happier, healthier, wealthier, stronger and having more fun in business and in life.

We do rolling admission — join today.

MLM Founder: Greg Scheinman / Follow Greg on Instagram & LinkedIn

“You either define midlife, or it’ll define you.” - Greg

MLM Editor-in-Chief: Jon Finkel / Follow Jon on Twitter/X and Instagram

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.” - Teddy Roosevelt