When a copy of PEAK40 arrived in the post out of the blue, I wondered if somebody was trying to tell me something (I turn 43 later this year).
I feel I’ve built up good habits in my twenties and thirties, but I’ve certainly noticed over recent years how my recovery after exercise is changing, particularly after a long day of hiking in the mountains…
In fact when I read through the press release accompanying the book it made me laugh that my eyes were drawn to a sentence saying ‘How to train with achy joints, knees, back, shoulders’. Aches and pains certainly do seem to be a feature of daily life in my forties so far!
If you’re in an absolute rut and really don’t know what to do with your life or how to get fitter, then Dr Marc Bubbs’ PEAK40 plan is going to be a lifesaver.
At school we’re not taught how to live and many of us bumble through, not really thriving or feeling confident in our decisions, but Dr Marc Gubbs lays out an approach to take with easy-to-follow prose.
Dr Marc Bubbs himself is a performance nutritionist and looks after a number of professional and Olympic athletes. He has already written a best-selling book called PEAK and now he has written PEAK40. He hosts ‘The Performance Nutrition Podcast’ and regularly speaks at health, fitness and medical conferences across North America, the UK and Europe. He is also a dad of three girls, all under the age of seven, so he understands the life stage many of us are at in our 40s.
First off, I really like how the book is split in to four sections (The Downward Spiral, Nutrition:Shape the Path, Rebuild and Recover, Unlock your Potential). And in each section Dr Bubbs reads like he’s talking to you with kindness and understanding. This isn’t one of those grunty ‘be-tough’ books. It’s sensible and reliable life advice. I also like that if you do want to look up the science behind some of the tips he gives, then he’s linked all of the scientific studies in the back of the book for you to go on and read.
Throughout the book he focuses on all aspects of life from sleep to nutrition to mindset. Along the way I think you’ll like how you pick up small nuggets of information that will help you introduce new ways of doing things in to your daily life.
I also really like how PEAK40 also addresses some of those confusing lifestyle messages that do the rounds on social media, such as:
• How to restore flexibility
• How to train with achy joints, knees, back, shoulders
• Whether a plant-based diet is right
• How to maintain bone health
• Whether to lift weights
• Who should do HIIT (and who shouldn’t)
• The importance of glucose control in your diet
• Whether living with anxiety and/or low mood is normal
• How to reset expectations
While this isn’t a book about adventure, it’s one of the best books I’ve read that covers health, nutrition, recovery and mindset all in one place. The PEAK40 plan will certainly keep you in a fit and healthy condition to continue your own adventures pain free, and beyond your 40s.
I asked Dr Marc about his past adventures and he tells me he spent two years travelling and in the last chapter in the book (Chapter 13: Science, Nature and Awe) he talks about living on a deserted island for a week.
He adds: “What didn’t make the cut in the book was that when we landed on the tiny airstrip in the middle of the jungle, the other dozen or so passengers left with their guides and the plane took back off to Panama city. I was left there…completely alone. I was waiting on receiving an email confirmation for going on further and there were no phones (this was the time when spending half an hour in an email cafe cost $20 US). The next plane wasn’t until Monday, so there was a good chance I’d be sleeping in the jungle. Thankfully, Arnulfo my guide arrived (some half hour later, the longest half hour of my life to that point). I spent seven days and nights on a desert island, completely alone (with Arnulfo dropping off lunch for me everyday).”
PEAK40 is on sale now in paperback for £10.99, 208 pages, black and white illustrations throughout.
ISBN 9781645020738
Chelsea Green Publishing www.chelseagreen.com
