Proud Boomer Wellness

John C Harris

5.0 (1)
Mental Health

Health and wellness writing for people over 50 who've already tried everything the internet recommends and are done pretending it worked. No supplements to sell. No transformation story. Just honest, research-backed writing. proudboomerwellness.substack.com

2d ago

Live with John Harris | ProudBoomerPress

What came up on today’s Substack Live: starting strength after 50, telling good suffering from bad, and the grudge you’ve been carrying Thanks to everybody who came by the Substack Live today. Some of you were regulars, and some of you were brand new, and you kept the comments busy the whole hour. I said I’d write it up for anyone who missed it, so here it is. We covered a lot, but four questions are worth writing down, because I get every one of them over and over. “Is it too late for me?” This is the one I hear most. I’m 60-plus, I never lifted, did I miss my window? No. You didn’t. Here’s the research I keep coming back to. A landmark study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society took people in their 70s and 80s who had been sedentary and put them on resistance training. They made significant gains in strength and muscle mass. Proportionally, those gains were comparable to what younger people get. I went back to lifting at 62, and I feel better now than I did at 50. That’s not a motivational poster. That’s just what happened. The thing I want you to hear is this. Getting fit after 50 is different from getting fit at 30. It is not worse. In a lot of ways you finally have the patience to do it right. Your biology hasn’t written you off. It’s waiting. Your turn: Hit reply or drop a comment with your age and how long it’s been since you last lifted. “Where do I actually start?” The follow-up question is always some version of: how do I start without wrecking myself? Start by finding out where you actually are. You don’t need lab tests. You need a chair, a wall, and a watch. • The sit-to-stand test. Sit in a standard chair, cross your arms over your chest, and stand up without using your hands. Sit back down. Do as many as you can in 30 seconds and count. For adults 50 to 64, the average is roughly 14 to 17 for women and 14 to 19 for men. Under 10 at any age over 50 is linked to a higher fall risk. That’s worth knowing. • The 6-minute walk. Walk as far as you can in six minutes at a normal brisk pace. A healthy 50-year-old covers around 500 to 600 meters. That gives you a rough read on your aerobic base. • The wall sit and the overhead reach. These round out the picture: how long your legs can hold, and how well your shoulders move. None of these numbers is a grade. They’re a starting line. Then lift. Progressively and regularly, at least two days a week and ideally three. Now, the part about not wrecking yourself. The belief that keeps more people over 50 out of the gym than anything else is that lifting will destroy their joints. With the right qualifications, that belief is wrong. Cartilage gets its nourishment from joint movement, so sedentary joints tend to get worse, not better. Stronger muscles take stress off the joint. Building that muscle is joint-protective, not joint-damaging. Where people get hurt is doing too much too soon. Your tendons and ligaments adapt to load, but they adapt more slowly than muscle. The rule of thumb is that muscle adapts roughly twice as fast as connective tissue. So your muscles will feel ready for more weight before your tendons are. Go gradually. Give the slow parts time to catch up. And if you’ve got real joint pain that hangs around, as opposed to ordinary muscle soreness, back off and get it looked at. Your turn: Try the chair test tonight and post your number in the comments. “Penance or sin?” This one shifted us from the body to the other stuff we carry. Someone asked: How do I know if something is worth enduring? I grew up Catholic in DeLand, Florida, in the sixties and seventies. Most of the doctrine fell away from me over the years. But one idea stuck, and it turned out to be the most useful thing I own for sorting out my life. There’s a difference between a penance and a sin. A penance is hard on purpose, and it makes you cleaner. A sin you keep committing just piles up. A heavy set of squats is a penance. It hurts. On the other side, you’re stronger. The discomfort was how the improvement happened. That’s suffering worth seeking out. A life without penance isn’t peaceful. It’s soft, and it ages you faster than hard training ever could. But some suffering isn’t like that. It doesn’t clear. It doesn’t resolve. Every repetition adds to the pile and nothing gets paid down. The trouble is that in the moment, penance and sin feel almost exactly the same. So here are two questions I use: 1. A year from now, will this have made me stronger or smaller? Look back over the last year of carrying it for an honest answer. The past is a better witness than how you feel today. 2. Does it have an end, or is it a loop? A penance has a shape. The set ends. The hard conversation finishes. A sin against yourself is a circle you keep stepping back into. If you can’t picture the far side, it probably isn’t a penance. Penance builds you and then ends. A sin against yourself only accumulates. Your turn: Name one load you’re carrying right now. Penance or sin? “They really wronged me. Why should I let it go?” We closed on the grudge, and I could tell from the comments that this one landed. Let me say it plainly: the wrong may have been real. I’m not here to argue with that part. What I’ll argue with is this. You’ve been carrying it for ten years, and the carrying has cost you more than the original injury ever did. Marcus Aurelius put it well. We are hurt more by our opinions about events than by the events themselves. The thing that was done to you happened once. It had a beginning and an end. But the resentment does it to you again every morning, by your own hand. That is not justice. That is a sentence you keep serving for someone else’s crime. Here’s why grudges are so hard to set down. After enough years, a grudge stops feeling like something you carry and starts feeling like something you’re built around. It feels like a load-bearing wall. Who am I if I’m not the person this happened to? Take it out and the whole house comes down. It doesn’t. It was never holding you up. It was bending your spine. Set it down, and you’ll find out how much straighter the rest of you was always able to stand. And it’s worth knowing what letting go is not. It’s not pretending it never happened. It’s not saying they were right. It’s not letting a dangerous person back into your life. It doesn’t need their apology, or their participation. You’re not doing it for them. You’re doing it because you want your own head back. It won’t happen in one decision, either. The old argument will try to climb back into your hands. When it does, notice it, say “not now,” and turn your attention somewhere else. The first hundred times it feels useless. It isn’t. You’re wearing a new groove. Your turn: No names needed. How long have you carried yours? Two things to do tonight If you take nothing else from today, do these two things. Go do the chair test. And put one thing down. Both books are at ProudBoomerBooks.com: Not Done Yet for your body, and Put It Down for the weight you don’t have to carry. I write every week right here, so subscribe if you haven’t, and send me your questions for next time. Thanks for hanging out with me today. John Get full access to Proud Boomer Health & Wellness at proudboomerwellness.substack.com/subscribe
3d ago

John's Author Journey

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Oct 14

The Allure of the One Week Lie

People often express a strong desire for honesty, yet they routinely gravitate toward quick-fix promises because these rapid solutions offer immediate emotional relief in moments of frustration. In fitness, creators and sellers often exploit this tendency by offering unrealistic, accelerated results that spread quickly across digital platforms despite lacking real substance. Conversely, an honest timeline requires navigating prolonged, repetitive effort and acknowledging that true physical transformation demands months of consistent dedication rather than just a few days. Although misleading shortcuts often attract larger initial audiences, creators who prioritize realistic guidance ultimately build more sustainable relationships with their clients. Evaluating whether a program is truly trustworthy means looking for realistic progress ranges, transparent discussions about setbacks, and customized approaches tailored to individual needs. Get full access to Proud Boomer Health & Wellness at proudboomerwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Oct 13

Proud Boomer Press with John & Chris (Nomads 50+)

Get full access to Proud Boomer Health & Wellness at proudboomerwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Oct 7

When Grit Destroys Your Health

Episode Overview Most adults over 50 have spent decades proving they can endure immense strain. Conditioned in their thirties and forties—in corporate settings, military service, or family life—they learned that non-quitters earn respect. However, endurance lacks built-in judgment: it holds up under a load that builds you just as hard as one that takes you apart. This episode breaks down “The Off Switch,” a 5-question diagnostic framework designed to help you evaluate current life loads, discard unnecessary burdens, overcome disguised fears, and separate genuine obligations from outdated identities. Key Takeaways & Core Themes 1. The Endurance Trap After 50 * The Blind Spot of Grit: Endurance uses the same voice whether a load is making you stronger or wearing you down. After 50, carrying a draining load comes out of a smaller physiological supply, making subtraction more vital than continued building. * Building vs. Subtracting: Today’s fatigue cannot distinguish between growth and wear-and-tear. Look at the last 12 months across concrete physical indicators—sleep quality, 4:00 PM energy, blood pressure, patience, and engagement with hobbies—to determine if a load leaves evidence of building or evidence of subtraction. 2. Enduring Things You Could Change * Misapplied Endurance: Enduring a load you could alter (like an unadjusted work schedule) is often passed off as toughness, when it really serves as an excuse to avoid the discomfort of changing it. * The “Cannot” vs. “Will Not” Distinction: Many claims of “I cannot change this” actually mean “I will not change this because the price is too high”. Saying “cannot” removes personal agency and keeps the burden stuck in place. 3. Finite Journeys vs. Endless Loops * Defining the Loop: Suffering with a destination (surgery recovery, a project launch, a military deployment) can be borne with dignity. A loop has no end date, repeats without positive change, and extracts a cost every cycle. * Reclaiming the Exit: If a loop depends on someone else’s action (waiting for an apology or promotion), you do not control the exit. Breaking a loop requires altering your own inputs and building an exit you hold. 4. Pride, Identity, and Disguised Fear * The Identity Trap: Professionals over 50 often hold onto damaging loads because stopping feels like a loss of status or identity (”I don’t quit”). * Responsibility as a Cover: Vague nouns like “the family,” “the bills,” or “everything” often mask specific, unnamed fears—such as losing income, starting over at 60, being seen as a failure, or losing daily structure. The 5-Question Evaluation Framework (”The Off Switch”) To evaluate any heavy role, job, routine, grudge, or relationship, write down answers to these 5 questions on paper: * Direction: Will carrying this build me or subtract from me over the next 12 months? * Control: What parts of this load sit within my direct control versus what is outside it? * Shape: Does this load have a defined, specific end point, or is it a repeating loop? * Honesty: Am I carrying this because it is genuinely worth it, or because enduring is who I am? * Root Motive: Is my reason a concrete responsibility (with a name, amount, and date) or a respectable cover for fear? Actionable Roadmap: What to Do Starting Today * Step 1: Conduct the Page Inventory. Pick one specific load today. Write out all 5 answers on paper—keeping it in your head allows identity to edit the truth. * Step 2: Run the 3 Self-Tests on Identity & Fear. * The Sentence Test: State why you carry the load. If the reason names an identity trait (”I finish what I start”), it points to pride, not value. * The Relief Test: Imagine the load is lifted tomorrow with zero judgment or cost. Initial relief reveals the load’s true toll. * The Starting-Today Test: Knowing what last year showed, would you pick up this exact load today? If no, only sunk time is holding it. * Step 3: Separate Responsibility from Fear. Give real responsibilities a logistical plan (cost, timeline, runway). Give fears a clear name and size so they stop making decisions for you. * Step 4: Avoid the “Loudest Exit.” Do not quit in a dramatic blaze of glory. Stop losses first, build a financial or logistical runway, time the move, and establish what will replace the load. * Step 5: Talk to One Direct Confidant. Share your 5 answers aloud with one trusted person who knows you and speaks direct truth (like Kim in the episode), rather than seeking noise in public forums. Key Quote “You spent decades proving you could carry a lot. That question is settled. The skill still worth building is choosing where to aim the strength you already have.” Most paid newsletters sell you a content library and move on to the next subscriber. Proud Boomer Press works differently. When you upgrade, that's when I start paying attention. I'll answer your questions. I'll engage with your work. I'll spotlight what you're building. Everything I teach here, I do, and I do it alongside you, not from a distance. The upgrade isn't the end of our relationship. It's the start. The Free group at Skool is here Or, if you prefer one-time support, you can donate once at https://ko-fi.com/proudboomerpress. It is all appreciated! Get full access to Proud Boomer Health & Wellness at proudboomerwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Oct 6

Live with John Harris author of 'Not Done Yet'

Thank you to everyone who tuned in to my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Find the books at all major retailers or click the button below Most paid newsletters sell you a content library and move on to the next subscriber. Proud Boomer Press works differently. When you upgrade, that's when I start paying attention. I'll answer your questions. I'll engage with your work. I'll spotlight what you're building. Everything I teach here, I do, and I do it alongside you, not from a distance. The upgrade isn't the end of our relationship. It's the start. The Free group at Skool is here Or, if you prefer one-time support, you can donate once at https://ko-fi.com/proudboomerpress. It is all appreciated! Get full access to Proud Boomer Health & Wellness at proudboomerwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Sep 28

It's Never Too Late: The Science on Starting Strength Training After 50

It's never too late to strength train: the science of starting after 50 Description: Candy Price and John Harris cover why strength training matters after 50, and where to start if you haven't. They talk protein, bone health, pacing yourself, training at home, and why what works for one body may not work for yours. The live had 17 people in the room and a busy chat. Guests John Harris is a Navy veteran (1981 to 1991), NASM Certified Wellness Coach, business analyst at Hillsborough County, and author of Not Done Yet and Put It Down. He runs Proud Boomer Wellness and Proud Boomer Press. Candy Price spent 27 years in healthcare, mostly with cancer patients, before turning to wellness coaching. She works with active retirees on strength, mobility, balance, bone health, and longevity. Key takeaways Only about 10 to 20 percent of adults over 50 worldwide meet the guideline of strength training twice a week. About half meet the aerobic guideline. A study of nearly 46,000 older adults linked age-related muscle loss to roughly 70 percent higher odds of fracture. In a study of nursing home residents averaging about 90 years old, eight weeks of high-intensity resistance training raised strength by an average of 174 percent, grew thigh muscle about 9 percent, and improved gait speed 48 percent. The common protein guidance of 0.7 to 1 gram per pound is a maintenance number. Building muscle takes the training to go with it. "Heavy" is personal. John's rule of thumb: the last two reps of a set should be challenging. If the last rep goes up like nothing, add weight. Muscle you built years ago comes back faster than you expect. Start where you are. You are not your 25-year-old self, and leaving the ego at the door is the fastest way to avoid injury and quitting. Muscle and bone work as a team. Muscle pulling on bone signals the bone to stay strong, and impact work like step-ups, sit-to-stands, and jumping adds to that signal. Consistency and variety beat intensity. Strength train two or three times a week, add walking, cycling, or swimming, and move every day. Timestamps 00:51 Welcome and introductions 01:26 John's story: 311 pounds in 2011, years of endurance racing, then the switch to lifting 05:36 Candy's background in healthcare and coaching 08:14 Three statistics on strength training, fractures, and older adults 10:20 How attitudes toward strength training are changing 12:08 Why it's never too late, protein as a minimum, and what "lift heavy" means 15:41 Muscle memory and why BMI misleads 17:14 Cardio versus lifting: how each felt in the body 20:21 Everyone is different, so don't copy someone else's plan 21:33 Protein, whole foods, and bone 23:11 Muscle and bone remodeling 24:18 How to start a routine: meet yourself where you are 28:10 Progress slowly, and why overdoing it is the quickest way to quit 29:35 Run-walk intervals and pacing 30:27 Creatine: dosing, water retention, and brain research 33:26 Breathing during lifts: exhale on the effort 34:17 Slow down, control the weight, skip the momentum 39:01 What John and Candy each eat around training 41:14 John's weekly fasting schedule 43:50 Weighing in daily and reading the number as data 46:03 Training at home with little or no equipment 49:12 Impact training, jumping, and bone density 50:41 Consistency, variety, and doing something you enjoy 53:44 Where to find John and Candy 57:16 Closing thoughts Mentioned in the conversation Home training options: bodyweight work, wall or bar push-ups, elastic bands, light dumbbells, and a 10 pound mace (John mentioned Onnit as a source). John said a full push-up loads about 70 percent of your body weight. Creatine: John takes about 10 grams a day as powder in coffee and finds 15 too much. Some people get stomach upset or hold water early on, so drink plenty of water and check with your doctor. John's articles: the piece on gummy supplements came up during the live. Where to find John Substack: Proud Boomer Wellness, including the paid tier with a monthly 30 minute follow-along class and tutorials Skool: search "Proud Boomer Wellness" (free to join) Books: ProudBoomerPress.com or ProudBoomerBooks.com, with links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers. Put It Down came out September 2. Where to find Candy Substack: Harvesting Health and Happiness, including a paid tier Coaching app: weekly classes, nutrition support, yoga nidra, breath work, and direct messages, with details on her Substack Closing thought You're never too old to start, and every bit of work pays back. Being past 50 doesn't mean you're done. Get full access to Proud Boomer Health & Wellness at proudboomerwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Sep 18

The Psychology of the First Step: Overcoming Gym Anxiety

The hardest part of the workout happens in the parking lot, before anyone touches a weight. In this episode, I get into why sitting in the car staring at the gym doors isn’t a fitness problem; it’s a confidence problem, and why knowing how to train doesn’t make you immune to it. I’ve got a NASM certification and it did nothing for the fear I felt walking into a gym at 311 pounds. I break down the two different fears keeping people stuck in their cars: the returning athlete afraid of who they used to be, and the true beginner afraid of the building itself. Same parking lot, two different fights. I also get into what beginners actually worry about (hint: it’s not sets and reps, it’s where the bag goes and whether that machine is really open), and why the fix isn’t a smarter program. It’s fewer unknowns and about ten visits before the mystery wears off. If you’ve been putting off walking through those doors, this one’s for you. Most paid newsletters sell you a content library and move on to the next subscriber. Proud Boomer Press works differently. When you upgrade, that's when I start paying attention. I'll answer your questions. I'll engage with your work. I'll spotlight what you're building. Everything I teach here, I do, and I do it alongside you, not from a distance. The upgrade isn't the end of our relationship. It's the start. The Free group at Skool is here Or, if you prefer one-time support, you can donate once at https://ko-fi.com/proudboomerpress. It is all appreciated! Get full access to Proud Boomer Health & Wellness at proudboomerwellness.substack.com/subscribe

Health and wellness writing for people over 50 who've already tried everything the internet recommends and are done pretending it worked. No supplements to sell. No transformation story. Just honest, research-backed writing. proudboomerwellness.substack.com

Creator

John C Harris
Years Active

2026
Episodes

25
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© John C Harris
Show Website

Proud Boomer Wellness