I chatted with Donny Singe who I consider not only a friend but also someone I trust when it comes to training, supplements, and outcomes. He has over 20 years of experience not only with professional athletes but also with his own impressive list of clients both individual and corporate. Donny uses Old Bull health products exclusively. This is what he had to say:
Donny Singe
Work: Head of Coach Mentoring.
Where: Well College Global https://www.wellcollegeglobal.com/
Also: Don Singe Performance & Capacity Coach and Old Bull Health
Lives: Sydney (Northern Beaches)
Age range: 55-59
Old Bull products: Protein powder, Testosterone & Immunity Formula, Stress & Cognition Formula.
Donny was also Head of Performance for the Manly Sea Eagles from 2003 to 2021 with a couple of seasons at the Bulldogs in between.
Exercise? What does that mean for you?
Donny took a deep sigh when I asked this question. He looked like it was hard to imagine life without exercise.
Eventually, he said, “I’ve never done anything else”. Exercise is what keeps me capable and confident, it is my life. I don’t want to be immobile or incapable when I'm older, I want and need to stay strong.
- I walk about 10 km odd 4x a week. I alternate on each walk between listening to music, learning from a podcast, and no distractions while I walk. I used to run more, but walking is less frantic and allows me to think.
- 250 push-ups a day (Throughout the day)
- 60 chin-ups a day (Throughout the day)
- 150 body-weight deep squats (Throughout the day)
Have you always exercised?
Yes. I did stop for a couple of years between the age of 50-56 years. I got lost, work got in the way and I’m thankful I found my way back.
Why walking?
Walking is fit for my purpose. My time. Mind time. Gives me time to think, contemplate, and plot, and keeps me sexy (In my own mind).
What is the biggest health challenge we face as men over 50? (In your view)
Weight. Without a doubt.
As we get older, individual priorities take over, we coast, life is good, the career is going well, and we are generally settled family-wise.
We often neglect ourselves, live the good life food and drink wise, and need to reboot when we realise life with poor health will suck more than the good feelings we get from eating and drinking alcohol. I see this over and over.
So how would you fix that?
Start here: Stand in front of a full-length mirror for about 3 minutes and have a good look at what you see.
Measure yourself, your tummy, your weight. Go to the doc, get some blood tests done, have a checkup, and get a good view of your current health status.
Decide what the current you is capable of from an exercise perspective, any issues that need to be passively, actively, or urgently managed, and the plan for these.
Then be realistic in your goals.
You are not where you were, often this is like starting again, not picking up where you left off.
Start small and build, do not bite off more than you can chew. You are often not resuming an exercise regime; you are starting from scratch.
The Why?
I want to be capable at 80, not a sorry bag of bones. To avoid that you need to prepare now, not wait until it is too late.
Nutrition
The first for me is portion size.
I generally don’t fast but having said that I eat my evening meal and anything else by 8:30 pm, and then other than my Fitter Stronger bundle in the morning, I don’t eat until around lunchtime the next day. Mainly because I am not hungry.
I also use Stress & Cognition formula at around 11 am to get me through the hump of the day and to stay sharp for the rest of the day.
Lunch is a small meal of chicken or tuna and rice or salad. I have a second protein shake at about 4:30 or so, and then dinner which includes either salmon, chicken, or steak, and then at least 3 vegetables (broccoli, potatoes, and peas for example) and we sit as a family to eat this.
I make sure I stay hydrated throughout the day. This is important.
I like the Fitter Stronger Pack as it gives me some core nutrients and a protein boost in the morning.
I really like the Cognition Formula and recently used this while away in camp for 3 weeks, to get through long intense days. No dips in my mental clarity and no naps. It works for me.
Testosterone & Immunity Formula helps me avoid energy level dips throughout the day and I feel good. I sleep really well. Did I mention I was the oldest on camp?
Last words.
Get on it.
If you are not the best version of yourself, not as fit and healthy as you should be, then start today, 20, 30, 50, whatever your age. You will not regret it.