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What if aging well has less to do with living longer and more to do with staying capable enough to keep doing what you love?
In this episode of Everyday Ancestral, I sit down with Dr. Thomas Hemingway, a board certified physician, father of six, outdoorsman, surfer, biker, skier, and rock climber. Thomas wants to be surfing at 100, but not because he is obsessed with reaching a certain number. He wants to stay strong enough to hike with his grandchildren, carry his own groceries, move freely, think clearly, and keep participating fully in life.
We talk about why low energy, stiffness, weight gain, poor sleep, and muscle loss should not automatically be accepted as inevitable signs of aging. Instead of starting with expensive biohacks, Thomas brings the conversation back to movement, strength, sleep, natural light, real food, family, and community.
Thomas has also learned some of these lessons personally. For years, he worked extremely long hours while raising a large family and allowed sleep to fall to the bottom of the priority list. Over the last decade, he has changed that approach and now intentionally builds sleep, strength training, movement, and outdoor time into his life because he wants the health to be present for the people he loves.
Why This Matters to You
Feeling like your body is slowing down simply because you are getting older? Thomas challenges the assumption that declining energy, mobility, or capability should automatically be accepted as normal. He encourages you to look at what has changed in your daily habits before blaming your age.
Too busy to exercise consistently? You may not need another hour blocked off for the gym. Thomas recommends walking for five to ten minutes after meals and breaking up long periods of sitting with short bursts of movement throughout the day.
Worried about losing strength as you age? Thomas considers muscle one of the most important foundations for longevity. Strength helps you carry groceries, get up from the floor, lift luggage, maintain independence, and continue doing the activities that make life meaningful.
Sacrificing sleep because everyone else needs you first? Thomas did that himself for years. He now views sleep as foundational because poor sleep can quickly affect energy, cognition, stress, and the other health decisions you make throughout the day.
Overwhelmed by biohacking gadgets and expensive longevity protocols? Thomas is not against technology, but he believes many of the most powerful practices are already available for free. Get outside. Move your body. Watch the sunrise or sunset. Eat real food. Build relationships. Lift something heavy.
Actionable Advice
Walk after your meals. Take a five to ten minute walk after eating instead of waiting for one long workout later in the day.
Schedule strength training. Aim to make resistance work a regular part of your week so you actively maintain and build muscle rather than assuming muscle loss is inevitable.
Break up sitting every hour. Stand, squat, plank, walk, or move for the length of one song to prevent hours of uninterrupted sitting.
Protect your sleep routine. Choose a consistent bedtime, dim the lights before bed, keep your room dark and cool, and give yourself enough time for seven to nine hours of sleep.
Prioritize free ancestral practices first. Get natural light, spend time outdoors, move your body, eat real food, and connect with people you care about before assuming you need another expensive tool.
Thomas has spent decades working as a physician while raising six children and staying deeply connected to outdoor movement. His own years of overwork taught him that health cannot always be postponed until later. Today, his goal is not simply to extend lifespan. It is to preserve strength, mobility, energy, purpose, and connection so he can keep surfing, hiking, playing, and being present with his family for decades to come.
Links and Resources to Explore
Contact Dr. Catherine Julia Mort for information on her Mitochondrial Optimisation Blood Work Masterclass (July) and HTMA course (November)
Listen to the Full Episode – Available now on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
Listen to the Full Episode – Available now on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
You do not need to overhaul your entire life or buy every new longevity tool. Start by asking a different question: what kind of body are you building for the decades ahead? Take a walk after your next meal, prioritize your sleep tonight, schedule strength work this week, and listen to the full episode for more practical ways to stay capable, strong, and engaged in the life you want to keep living.
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