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Let’s face it, you already know you should be cold plunging. You know how good it is for your body, how good it is for your mind, how good it is for recovery. What you’re really thinking about right now is: Which plunge do I actually buy? The Plunge is the answer and you’ll find a full breakdown of why we use them after the 6Fs below, including the exact person to contact to answer any questions you have personally.

Greg here,

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it’s not about gifts. It's about family, togetherness, food, football on TV, backyard ping pong and just hanging out. I love it because the kids are home and we host (I say “we”, but my wife Kate’s the real host!).

I’m thankful that we get to do that. I’m thankful for Ben, my behind-the-scenes, tireless assistant. Y’all have no idea how much he does for us here. And to Jon for holding it all down and being a great friend. And to each of you. We’ve grown to over 30,000 Midlife Male readers every week (10x from this time last year) and we’re grateful for each and every one of you.

If someone shared this with you, subscribe for free below. Let’s get to this week’s amazing issue. - Greg

By Greg Scheinman

I used to be boring. 

That was the first thing I saw when I walked into Jesse Itzler’s house. It was painted on a chair. And it hit me at that moment.

“I used to be boring. And now I’m not. And that’s why I’m here.”

Five years ago, I was going through the motions: conformity, complacency, redundancy. I’d chased everything I was “supposed to”. I was drinking too much. I wasn’t taking great care of myself. I wasn’t doing anything particularly interesting or exciting. I was just kind of, like, doing. I certainly wasn’t taking any great adventures. There wasn’t a podcast, I hadn’t written a book. And that was the moment that I decided I wanted to change.

I didn’t want to be boring anymore. I wanted to be interesting. And I wanted to be interested in things again. I wanted to be curious. I wanted to be adventurous. I wanted to make new friends, be in better shape, be able to say that I’ve actually done cool shit in my life that was different. Maybe even a little outside the norm and a little unexpected. And I wanted to be around the types of men who do those things too.

So, I put a list together of those people. 

Guys like Laird Hamilton. Rich Roll. And, yes, Jesse Itzler. 

This Viewpoint is a deep dive into how I made it happen, and how a few years of work all came together in a matter of weeks. Read it here:

By Jon Finkel

Sixty years ago, before NIL deals and sponsorships, Roger Staubach won the Heisman Trophy, served in Vietnam, won two Super Bowls as a quarterback, made two Hall of Fames, built a company, and sold it for more than $600 million. 

And it almost didn’t happen. 

I was lucky enough to have dinner with Staubach a few years ago and he shared his story with me. I think about it every Thanksgiving week for two reasons. 

First, the Cowboys have been playing on Thanksgiving since 1966, and the games on Thanksgiving helped turn the Cowboys into a national brand. Second, Staubach has run maybe the greatest, coolest family flag football game for the last 35 years, which I’ll share at the bottom of the column.

But for right now, when you’re sitting around gorging yourself on leftover stuffing and cornbread and green bean casserole on Sunday, read this and regale your family on the Roger Staubach origin story, because it’s improbable and awesome and one of my favorites in sports and business:

By Greg Scheinman

I got an email from a publicist, which I almost never respond to, about interviewing Todd Diamond, the author of Pass the Trauma, Please - a book about the Holocaust. And my first reaction was: this sounds like a downer. 

As a Jew, I’m proud of my heritage, I’m not religious, but I’m deeply aware of what’s going on in the world and the rise in antisemitism. Did I really want to step into this? Did I want to use my platform for something that could be so heavy? But something in me said ‘yes’. Maybe because Todd’s book isn’t what you expect. 

It’s a comedy-drama memoir that approaches one of the darkest chapters in Jewish history in a totally unorthodox way. At its core, it’s a story about a son trying to honor his father. A son who wanted to share his dad’s Holocaust story—not as pure tragedy, but as a mix of love, loss, laughter, and legacy. 

Todd and I got into the deep stuff during our conversation too: the intergenerational effects of trauma, his personal experiences, his father’s experiences, and how his first draft went so far off the rails his dad basically said, “What the fuck is this? Make it sound like us.” And he did. 

The conversation was honest and unexpected, and I’m genuinely glad I agreed to it. And I’m glad I read the book. Because if you want people to remember important, painful history (if you want them to actually engage with it) you have to meet them where they are. Todd met me exactly where I am. This is the kind of book about this subject that I would want to read, in the way I’d want to read it. So enjoy this interview. You’ll learn a lot about Todd, and I encourage you to watch, listen, and pick up a copy of Pass the Trauma, Please. It’s really good.

The CS-8 is a reminder of how good life feels when we are not glued to a screen. No recording, deleting and recording again. No stopping the moment so you can judge the moment.

It is a rechargeable, reusable digital camera inspired by the classic Super 8, and it forces you to stay present. You film your weekend, your kids, your trip, your life, and you see it later the way memories used to work. It also films in that old school, grainy style so the footage feels more personal.

We like it because it creates actual anticipation. It turns simple footage into cinematic nostalgia. It takes the pressure off perfection and puts the focus back on living.

If you want your family memories to feel timeless again, this delivers. A great gift for yourself or any guy in your life who remembers watching his dad film holidays with a giant VHS camera on his shoulder. Check it out here.

The anti-aging gold rush is everywhere. Peptides. Longevity stacks. Silicon Valley pouring billions into tech that promises to add to your lifespan. Or does it?

Here’s some interesting data: We crushed infectious diseases and built modern medicine, but we have hit the ceiling on easy life expectancy growth. Now supposed improvements cost more and often do less.

Which is why after reading this, we remain committed to focusing on the basics: Movement. Recovery. Strength. Stress management. Daily rituals that improve energy, mood, muscle, and health span today.

Longevity is not a lab experiment. It is the sum of small wins repeated for years. This is a fascinating article that explores how far we’ve come and why taking a step back from all the hack madness might be the future.

This breakdown on inflation and cost of living is a wake-up call. Economists love “hedonic adjustments,” but real life does not care about adjustments.

Here’s one example: In 1955 you needed one thing to stay in touch with the world as an adult: a telephone line. Five dollars a month and you were connected. Adjusted for inflation that should be fifty-eight bucks today.

But to participate in modern life you need a smartphone, a data plan, broadband at home, apps for your kid’s school, two-factor authentication, and a digital footprint you cannot opt out of. For a family of four you’re looking at $200 to $400/month easy. That’s 4x to 8x what it used to be. And that’s a cheap example.

This article is a sobering wake-up call about how relative costs have skyrocketed compared to the 1950s and 60s and how it’s leaving too many people behind.

This THEORY long-sleeve polo checked every box at Eudemonia for Greg. Lightweight stretch knit. Clean collar. No buttons. A technical fabric that holds its shape and breathes well.

Made from viscose sourced from responsibly managed forests, which means it feels good and wears well without being fussy.

It is casual enough for daytime panels, polished enough for night events, and comfortable enough to move in.

We like it because it fits the Midlife Male rule: never too tight, never sloppy, always put together. It is the kind of piece you can pack for any trip and know it will work in any setting. Check it out for yourself.

Ben Stiller has launched a soda company called Stiller’s. Is the soda good? We don’t know yet. Are the commercials hilarious? Yes. If you need a quick laugh, check it out.

We like this because fun matters. A 15 second laugh can reset your day. Not everything needs to improve your HRV or your net worth. Some things exist just to make you smile (and sell soda haha).

You know what the easiest way to plan a big ass 2026 is? Simple. Use Jesse Itzler’s Big Ass Calendar or Planner. It’s what we use at Midlife Male because it allows you to put EVERYTHING you want to accomplish, achieve and do next year in one big spot. 

Forget calendar apps you never check. Forget those old flip calendars you get at the grocery story with barely enough room in each square to write a birthday.

Use the BIG ASS CALENDAR to write down your Big Ass Goals and Events.

Order it here

BONUS: We’re going to be coming out with a set of MLM printable stickers that you can use to mark the Midlife Male events you’ll be able to attend, along with how to use the color-coded stickers the calendar comes with for each of our 6Fs.

I can tell you this with absolute confidence, The Plunge is the one to get.

I’ve tried them all.
I’ve researched them all.
And The Plunge is the one I have in my backyard. It looks the best. It performs the best. It’s built to last. And I know the people behind the company - personally. I trust them.

And because of that relationship, we have something very special for Midlife Male readers.

You get direct access to the team at Plunge.
Not a support chat. Not a generic inbox.
A real human being who will actually help you.

If you’re on the fence…
If you want to know whether it will fit in your yard…
If you want to understand maintenance, filters, setup, delivery, anything at all…
If you just want to make the most educated decision you can…

Here it is.
The direct email and phone number of the guy who will walk you through everything.

Nobody else is offering this.
Nobody else gets access like this.
Only Midlife Male.

If you’ve been thinking about a Plunge, this is the time of year to do it—this is their best deal all year, and we’ve layered even more value on top of that.

Get your plunge.
Level up your recovery.
Take advantage of this access.
You’ll thank yourself every single time you step into that cold water.

F/L: Jonathan Lopez 

E: [email protected]

Ph: 916-891-6870

Troy Aikman on Reinvention, Wrestling Demons and What Success Looks Like

Laird Hamilton’s Blueprint for Ageless Living and Unstoppable Energy

15 Pieces of Wisdom from Chef Robert Irvine

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

Love Greg’s Viewpoint column? Visit the full Viewpoint Vault HERE where he shares his personal insights, experiences and perspectives on everything affecting midlife.

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

Love Jon’s Manologue column? Check out the full Manologue Archive HERE where he writes about pop culture, parenthood, sports, nostalgia & everything in between.

If you read Midlife Male most weeks and you loved this issue, we encourage you to share it with just ONE guy you know who would like it. That’s it.

One share would mean a ton to us.

Let’s call it our Midlife Male Gentlemen’s Agreement:

We’ll keep writing the #1 newsletter for midlife men for free and if you get anything out of it, our ask is that you pass it along to another guy who’d enjoy it too.

And if you do, we’re going to email you our popular Strength Training Program as a thank you.

Deal? Deal!

Use this link to share with your brother, buddy, colleague, friend, training partner or whoever you think would enjoy it and we’ll send you our Official MLM Strength Program right away!