## Introduction to a New Way of Aging Welcome to "Younger Next Year," a guide that will challenge your conventional views on aging and provide you with a roadmap to living a vibrant, healthy life well into your 70s, 80s, and beyond. I'm Chris Crowley, and along with Dr. Henry S. Lodge, we're here to tell you that it's never too late to start living the life you've always wanted. ## The Problem of Decline Aging, as many of us know it, is a gradual decline into weakness, pain, and eventual dependency. Dr. Lodge paints a stark picture: "Every year a little fatter, slower, weaker, more pain-racked. Your teeth are bad, yellow, and your breath isn’t so great, either. You don’t have any money. Or hair. And your muscles look like drapery. You give up. You sit there and wait. Go to the Nursing Home…get tied to a chair." This is not the inevitable fate we often accept. Instead, we can choose a different path, one that involves resisting this decline and living with energy, strength, and passion. ## Harry's Rules: The Foundation of a Younger You Dr. Lodge and I have distilled our approach into what we call "Harry's Rules." These rules are simple yet powerful: - **Exercise Six Days a Week**: This is not just about any exercise; it's about serious aerobic and strength training. You need to do serious aerobic exercise four days a week and serious strength training with weights two days a week. This is the cornerstone of our program because it triggers growth and counters the natural decay that comes with aging. - **Eat What You Know You Should**: Quit eating fast food, trans fats, and refined starches. Focus on a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole foods. The science is clear: what you eat directly affects how your body ages. - **Connect to Other People and Commit to Feeling Passionate About Something**: Social connections and passions are crucial for mental health and overall well-being. Find activities that bring you joy and engage in them fully. ## The Science Behind the Rules Our bodies are designed to move and to be challenged. In our modern, sedentary culture, we often forget this. Dr. Lodge explains that our bodies and minds evolved in an environment of feast and famine, not the constant availability of food we have today. This mismatch between our evolutionary design and our current lifestyle is a key reason why many people age poorly. Exercise, particularly vigorous exercise, triggers a process called "good decay," which is followed by growth. This cycle is essential for maintaining muscle mass, bone density, and overall health. It's not just about physical health; exercise also has profound effects on our mental well-being, reducing stress and improving mood. ## The Importance of Balance: Hunting and Hibernating Life is about balance. We need to balance our "hunting" activities—those that challenge us and push us to grow—with our "hibernating" activities—those that allow us to rest and recover. This balance is crucial for maintaining energy and avoiding burnout. As I often say, "If you thought there was no easy answer to getting Younger Next Year … um, you were right. It's a torture. And it lasts the rest of your life." But it's a worthwhile torture, one that leads to a life of vitality and joy. ## Navigating Retirement and Aging with Purpose Retirement and aging are often seen as periods of decline, but they can also be times of great opportunity. Dr. Lodge uses a powerful metaphor to describe the transition from career to retirement: "Career paths for the young are actually superhighways, carefully marked with huge, legible signs: GO TO COLLEGE, TAKE THIS EXIT TO PROCTER & GAMBLE, BECOME A USEFUL COG IN THE AMERICAN ECONOMY. But the paths of retirement are back roads or country lanes, with no signs to tell you where to go. Or who to be. No role models. No norms of behavior and no support organizations." This lack of structure can be daunting, but it also offers a chance to redefine what is meaningful and fulfilling. It's a time to focus on "being" rather than just "doing," to engage in activities for the sheer pleasure of them, rather than for status or recognition. As Ashton Applewhite notes, "This new stage of life gives us the opportunity ... to make more time for being, amid the doing. More time for reflection, for relationships, for enjoyment of diverse activities." ## Becoming an Old Person in Training Aging is not just a biological process; it's also a social and cultural one. By embracing the idea of becoming an "old person in training," we can challenge the negative stereotypes and shame associated with aging. This mindset shift is crucial because it allows us to see aging as a natural part of life, rather than something to be feared or hidden. As Ashton Applewhite puts it, "Becoming an old person in training makes it easier to think critically about what age means in this society, and the forces at work behind depictions of older people as useless and pathetic. Shame can damage self-esteem and quality of life as much as externally imposed stereotyping." ## Conclusion: Embracing the Journey Living younger next year is not just about following a set of rules; it's about embracing a new way of life. It's about recognizing that aging is a journey, not a destination, and that every day offers an opportunity to grow, to learn, and to live fully. As we often say, "You will take wrong turns and hit some potholes. But you will also have great adventures." The key is to approach this journey with the right attitude and a commitment to living life to the fullest. Remember, it's never too late to start, and the rewards are well worth the effort. So, let's get started on this journey together. Let's make the next third of our lives the best yet. Train for it, and you'll have a ball. It's all about attitude, and as Agassi said, "Attitude is EVERYTHING!"

Here are the key insights from "Younger Next Year" by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry S. Lodge: ## Avoiding Decline Aging does not have to be a gradual decline into weakness, pain, and dependency. It is possible to resist this decline and maintain energy, strength, and passion. ## Harry's Rules - **Exercise Six Days a Week**: Include serious aerobic exercise four days a week and strength training with weights two days a week to trigger growth and counter natural decay. - **Eat What You Know You Should**: Focus on a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole foods, avoiding fast food, trans fats, and refined starches. - **Connect to Other People and Commit to Feeling Passionate About Something**: Maintain social connections and engage in activities that bring joy and passion. ## The Science Behind the Rules Exercise, especially vigorous exercise, triggers "good decay" followed by growth, essential for maintaining muscle mass, bone density, and overall health. It also improves mental well-being by reducing stress and improving mood. ## Balance in Life Life needs a balance between "hunting" activities (challenging and growth-promoting) and "hibernating" activities (rest and recovery) to maintain energy and avoid burnout. ## Navigating Retirement Retirement can be a time of great opportunity rather than decline. It offers a chance to redefine what is meaningful and fulfilling, focusing on "being" rather than just "doing". ## Redefining Aging Aging is not just biological but also social and cultural. Embracing the idea of becoming an "old person in training" helps challenge negative stereotypes and shame associated with aging. ## Attitude and Commitment Living younger next year is about embracing a new way of life with the right attitude and commitment. It's a journey, not a destination, and every day offers opportunities to grow and live fully. ## Financial Responsibility Spend less than you make to ensure financial stability and reduce stress in retirement. ## Social Connections and Passions Social connections and passions are crucial for mental health and overall well-being. Engage in activities that bring joy and commit to feeling passionate about something. ## It's Never Too Late It is never too late to start making changes to live a healthier, more vibrant life. The rewards of following these principles are well worth the effort.