Practically Fit

Alex is flying solo this week to talk about something that’s been on his mind since turning 45: how to keep your competitive drive from getting you hurt as you age.Alex reviews a study suggesting competitiveness peaks around age 50, and provides some psychologically-inspired tips on how to mitigate your competitive nature as you age. Plus, he finds inspiration on the topic from a couple of unique places: a surprisingly wise Reddit comment and multitalented actor Patrick Wilson. Along the way, Alex shares a recent story about the one-arm push-up obsession that left him with a weeks-long shoulder strain.Also, on this week's Warm Up: are walnuts the key to longevity, and are showers the key to fewer sick days?Send us Fan Mail

Three hosts. Three race distances. Only one can be the best.Alex, Jen and Abbie face off in the ultimate running debate: the 5K vs. the half marathon vs. the marathon. Which race distance is really best for runners over 40? Each host makes a case built on training time, mental toughness, recovery, strength training and even heart health. One of them brings research nobody saw coming.Along the way they share how they push through the hardest miles, a hot and humid race-day story that went sideways, and a bit of news that might pull one host back to the starting line.Who made the strongest case? Listen in, then tell us your favorite distance at practically.fit or email [email protected] us Fan Mail

Nobody’s fitness routine is perfect, and Alex and Abbie are no exception. In this unscripted episode, they trade their deepest, darkest fitness confessions. They cover habits they know they should break, rules they quietly ignore, and a couple of stories they probably should have kept to themselves. A few confessions caught even them off guard, and one involves a rivalry with a total stranger.First, in the Warm Up, they cover new research on why an inconsistent wake-up time could be wrecking your sleep. They also look at one writer’s week-long attempt to hit 100 grams of protein a day, and what a dietitian said about it.Share your own fitness confession in the comments at practically.fit or email [email protected]. Next week, Jen is back for a debate: what’s the best race distance?Send us Fan Mail

Long COVID took running away from Matt Fitzgerald for more than three years. With no sign of recovery, he signed up for the Javelina Jundred, a 100K trail race in Arizona's Sonoran Desert, and ran it on a day of record-breaking 99-degree heat.Matt joins Alex and Jen to talk about his new book, Dying to Run: An Athlete's Quest for One More Finish. He explains why he needed closure, why the race had to be 100 kilometers, and why he felt he had already won the morning after he registered. They also talk about running as a dependency, how competitiveness and spirituality fit together for him, why he wants running to be a big tent, and how to adjust your goals when a race goes wrong. No spoilers: you'll have to read the book to find out how the race ends.Dying to Run is available in print, digital, and audio wherever you buy books. For Matt's coaching and training plans, visit 8020endurance.com.Send us Fan Mail

Ultra-processed foods aren't just chips and soda. On this episode, Abbie and Alex dig into what UPFs actually are, why the science around them is worth paying attention to, and how to shift your eating without losing your mind or reading every label at the grocery store.Abbie walks us through the categories researchers use to define how processed a food really is, before they cover some of the startling results from studies on ultra-processed foods. They also share some practical tips on how to limit your intake of UPFs, including a "green, yellow, red" traffic light system. By the way, that's "amber," not "yellow," in the UK. Then comes pantry confession time: with three teenagers at home, Alex freely admits their pantry is a "red light district." Abbie and Alex each pick one UPF they're keeping without judgment, one they're committing to swap for a healthier option, and one they're still figuring out.Plus, on The Warm Up: a ridiculous article from Runner's World that looks at what Apple wearable data tells us about increasing VO2 max. Hint: it's a lot of work for minimal returns.Send us Fan Mail

Alex and Abbie have strong opinions about fitness gear. Some of those opinions cost them money. Alex and Abbie compare notes on who has the worse impulse control when it comes to fitness purchases, share the gear that genuinely changed how they train and come clean about their biggest misses. They work through where it's fine to go budget versus where you really should spend the money (sports bras and socks, anyone?). They debate the gear one of them loves that the other thinks is completely pointless (the tiny plyo box, the weighted vest, the handheld running bottle). Then comes the recovery gear tier list: foam rollers, massage guns, lacrosse balls, compression socks, cupping kits and recovery creams, all ranked S through F.They close with the question that divides the running community: do carbon plate shoes actually make a difference, or are mid-pack runners just paying $270 to feel fast?Plus, on this week's Warm Up: new research on why five-minute walking breaks during your desk job can meaningfully lower your blood sugar and blood pressure, and the science behind why unpleasant gastrointestinal incidents happen to endurance athletes, prompted by a certain viral Hyrox moment that was all over social media this week.Send us Fan Mail

Alex and Abbie had recent milestone birthdays, and it made them reflect...a lot...on what they're actually chasing when they hit the streets, the trails or the gym. Is constantly trying to improve your fitness realistic? Is "maintaining" secretly the hardest goal of all? And when you compete with yourself, which version of yourself are you competing with. Current you, or younger you? In this episode, Alex and Abbie have the honest conversation about how fitness goals shift as you age, and why that doesn't have to mean giving up.They dig into the real question driving the episode: what do the numbers actually say about fitness as we age? Alex walks through 5K pace data by decade, and Abbie breaks down a study on strength loss with age. The data may either alarm you or motivate you, depending on your personality.They close with the questions that don't have easy answers: Can maintenance actually be ambitious? If you can't outrun the data, what are you chasing? And is "I want to still be doing this at 75" the most hardcore fitness goal of all?Plus, on this episode's "Warm Up": a look at whether magnesium is actually replacing melatonin as the sleep supplement of the moment (the short answer: maybe, but the science is messier than your Instagram feed suggests). They also break down a fun story about a 39-year-old mom (and writer) who showed up to a 10K in running briefs, and why that says something interesting about where amateur running is headed.Send us Fan Mail

Alex and Abbie have been lacing up their shoes and heading into the woods, and in this episode, they're taking you along for the ride. Trail running has become one of their favorite ways to move and decompress, and today they're breaking down everything you need to know to get started, stay safe and actually enjoy it.Together they walk through the gear you actually need (trail shoes are non-negotiable), how to recalibrate your expectations on pace and terrain, and what the research says about the physical and mental benefits of getting off the asphalt.They also get honest about the challenges: ankle sprains at the exact wrong moment, snake encounters, sudden weather shifts, and the very real possibility of getting completely lost. Plus, in this edition of the Warm Up: new research shows that just 10 minutes of super-slow jogging can sharpen your thinking and boost your mood. And, a look at the growing science behind why travel is genuinely good for your mental health.Send us Fan Mail

Protein is having a moment. It's in your coffee, your ramen, and apparently your popcorn, and there's a good reason the food industry is obsessed with it right now. In this episode, Abbie and Alex dig into the protein craze: what protein actually does in your body, why it's suddenly being added to everything, and whether any of these products are worth it.They start with the basics: proteins aren't just for building muscle. They're running virtually every system in your body, from your immune response to your digestion. Since protein is so important to your body, how much do you actually need? Abbie and Alex take a look at the recommendations, and it's complicated.They also taste-tested the Starbucks Protein Latte before recording, in preparation for a segment on the strangest protein-infused products now on shelves, including protein pizza crust, protein water, and a brand of chicken-based protein chips that Alex describes as having "chicken fur" on them.Plus, a drink-themed Warm Up: new research links coffee to higher testosterone levels in men, tea drinkers live longer according to a UK study, and Americans drinking alcohol has hit a record low for the second year in a row.Send us Fan Mail

We obsess over pace, heart rate, and training plans. But the recovery variable most of us treat as an afterthought? Sleep.Abbie and Alex dig into the science of why sleep matters more than most of us realize, especially after 40. Deep sleep and REM naturally decline with age, and for athletes specifically, that's when the real recovery happens. They cover the exercise-sleep feedback loop, and how your evening fitness routine might impact your sleep.They also take a "his vs. hers" look at sleep in your 40s—perimenopause and night sweats on one side, andropause and waking up to pee on the other. Then, a myth vs. reality segment where Alex and Abbie tackle common beliefs about sleep. Can you just "catch up on sleep" over the weekend? Is melatonin really harmless? And are there really people who can get by with five hours or less?Also on this week's Warm Up: new research suggests full-fat dairy may not be as harmful as we thought (oh look, nutritional advice has changed again). Plus, Gen Z is having an "analog summer," filling tote bags with journals, watercolor palettes and other "offline" activities—all while promoting it on TikTok.Send us Fan Mail