Morning, Greg here!

Welcome to Midlife Male, the fastest-growing, #1 newsletter and lifestyle brand for men 40+. In this issue, my How I See It pulls back the curtain on what we’re building here at Midlife Male, Jon’s now-viral Manologue tells the story of why you need to stop tracking everything and start enjoying your workouts again, and we share our curated list of recommendations, as always, in the 6Fs. If a fellow MLM reader shared this with you, subscribe here:

Maybe it’s because we’re in the New Year. Or maybe it’s because I just turned 53. Or maybe it’s because both my kids are now back in college and I suddenly have a lot more time to think. Whatever the reason, I’ve been contemplating simplicity a lot lately. In particular, how to keep things in our lives simple, clean, and clear.

Not just in how we train, eat, travel, and live, or how we approach our 6Fs, but also in how we build Midlife Male.

We’re now reaching more than 35,000 readers every week. As the brand grows up, we’re leveling up too. That’s meant making a number of changes you may have noticed, along with a few you probably haven’t. With that in mind, I wanted to share what you’re seeing across the brand, the experiences, and the way we’re showing up each week.

First, thank you. My column and Jon’s Manologue were the most-read pieces we published last year. Together, they accounted for more than 100,000 reads in 2025. That means a lot to us.

We don’t use AI content. We don’t outsource anything. We each write every word of every column you read. When you open this newsletter, you’re reading us. That matters because we put ourselves out there every week.

A lot of men in midlife are hesitant to do this, to share their opinion, to build something new. Afraid to try. Afraid to fail. Afraid to look foolish. Afraid to put their ideas, opinions, and work out into the world where others can see it and take a shot at it. And understandably so. It’s scary; especially at a time society tells us we’re supposedly too old for newness and risk. (We’re not…) Many of us are also constrained by the positions we hold. I was for many years.

Personally, I’ve always believed in building in public. I find it exciting because you can’t hide. You have to do what you say you’re going to do, while getting feedback in real time. It forces accountability. You can’t fake momentum. You can’t talk a big game and fail to back it up without losing credibility.

In that spirit, I want to share some of the changes we’re making.

Read the full How I See It and explore everything new at Midlife Male this year HERE:

The quiet revolt against tracking every damn thing in fitness is upon us and getting louder. This Manologue column is exploding. Read it and let me know. Are you unplugging too?

Let me tell you a story: For over fifteen years, I’ve started every single day the exact same way: walking my dog. It began in 2009 with our first Labrador, Mr. P, and it continues today with our current lab, Lyla. Different dogs, same routine. I wake up, get the kids ready for school, see them off, then grab a leash, grab the dog, and head out for a 20 to 30 minute walk around the neighborhood, usually about a mile and a half. 

I’ve done this walk in five different cities across two states, from the Intracoastal in Delray Beach to downtown Dallas fitness trails to quiet suburban ponds, and now back in Florida along various lake trails near my house.

I loved these walks because they’re simple and relaxing. I was outside, getting fresh air and sunshine, feeling my blood start moving and spending quiet time with my dog. There was no “goal”. No plan.  

My mind wandered wherever it wanted, and more often than not, that wandering produced story ideas, book concepts, chapter transitions, Manologue columns and creative solutions I didn’t even know I was looking for.

Then I fucked it all up.

It started with podcasts. Like many of you, I discovered there were more podcasts I wanted to listen to than hours in the day, and since I worked from home with no commute, I decided my morning walk would be the perfect time to catch up. At first, it seemed harmless enough. I put in my headphones, hit play, and walked as usual.

But something quietly disappeared. The good ideas that used to show up on those walks slowly vanished. My mind stopped drifting and started consuming. Instead of letting thoughts wander, I was processing information, absorbing advice, and filling every quiet moment with someone else’s voice.

From there, things escalated the way they always do when optimization enters the chat as my kids say. After listening to one pod I decided to start tracking my walks, so I got a WHOOP to monitor my heart rate and make sure I was hitting that super coveted Zone 2 cardio. 

But, WHOOP didn’t track my route, which meant I had to add the Nike app to log mileage, pace and time. I then listened to a guy share how a breathwork app was the perfect way to start his walk, so I figured I’d try that. Before long, I was monitoring my walk across my phone, a tech wearable, three apps and, yeah, still listening to a podcast.

Then the optimization fitness bros explained that walking was fine, but if I really wanted to level up, I should be rucking. So then I added a 20-pound vest, and my peaceful morning walk officially became an exercise in obsessive compulsive protocol.

What used to involve grabbing a leash and heading out the door turned into a full preflight checklist. Vest on. WHOOP charged. Nike app activated at the exact moment I stepped outside. Podcast queued. Phone synced. Headphones in. I had tech on my wrist, in my ears, and in my pocket, all in service of optimizing something that had never needed optimizing in the first place.

Soon, I stopped looking forward to my walks altogether. I wasn’t noticing the birds, the trees, or the water. I wasn’t talking to neighbors anymore. I wasn’t letting my mind wander. I was just another asshole marching around the neighborhood, locked into Zone 2, tracking distance in an app, listening to someone explain how to better optimize a cup of coffee with some bullshit new algae powder, all while wearing a weighted vest and looking like I was about to deploy overseas…

Read the full Manologue and how I snapped out of this nonsense (and how you can as well) HERE:

The end of the year doesn’t need more pressure. It needs more connection. These questions aren’t about fixing kids or steering them in the “right” direction. They’re about listening. Creating space. Letting them say what they need to say without being interrupted or corrected. One of the most overlooked skills in parenting is restraint. The ability to stay quiet long enough for kids to feel safe being honest. When kids feel heard, they feel grounded. And when they feel grounded, everything else gets easier. This is how you start the new year strong with your kids. Check out these questions here.

Warm water. Incredible sea life. Saunas. Cold plunges. Breathwork. And just enough discomfort to shake something loose. That’s the XPT Mayan Free Diving Expedition in Roatan, Honduras. This isn’t a vacation. It’s an experience designed to challenge the body, calm the nervous system, and expand what you believe you’re capable of. Greg is making this his Misogi for the year and joining the group himself. Midlife Male partnered with XPT to offer exclusive access and a special rate. It’s capped at 25 people and will sell out. This is the kind of trip you carry with you long after you get home. Visit the link here and use code MLM100 to sign up and save.

If you’re over forty, your hips are often the canary in the coal mine of your flexibility. When they stop moving well, everything else follows. Mobility isn’t about stretching harder or forcing end ranges. It’s the ability to move with control, breath, and awareness through the positions your body already owns. 

If you only have 10 minutes, this is how you should use it. These movements aren’t random. They explore rotation, load, length, and control at a pace the nervous system can trust. This is how you keep moving and keep moving forward. Check it out here.

This isn’t your average squeeze bottle from the grocery store. This stuff is honey with superpowers; pure, high-grade Manuka packed with nutrients that actually support immunity, digestion, and overall health.

It’s hands-down the best honey in the world. If you care about your immune health (and if you’re in midlife, you should), this is a must. I’ve been using it everywhere: on my pancakes, protein waffles, Greek yogurt, fruit, in smoothies—it adds the perfect touch of sweetness without the crash.

If you want to give it a shot, use code MIDLIFEMALE and try Manukora for yourself.

The Hencye canvas workpant in washed slate is built from the origins of traditional American workwear. Hencye is a tough, double-knee, patch-pocket workpant that will become your go-to piece for when you don’t want to wear something other than basic jeans. Hencye has a straight, but slightly wider leg, and an adjusted comfortable mid-rise. They’re super comfortable. Effortlessly stylish. Iconic and elevated. All the things we appreciate here.

As a new year begins, most people set resolutions to do more. Train harder. Eat better. Learn something new. But very few bring that same intention to their financial lives.

Greg believes this year calls for a different financial approach. Not more. Less. Here is a note from his financial advisor that he wanted to share:

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

Love Greg’s How I See It column? Visit the full How I See It Archive HERE where he shares his personal insights, experiences and perspectives on everything affecting midlife.

Buy My Book Here / Book Coaching/Speaking Here

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.