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Today’s Health Upgrade
The latest science on protein and kidney health
Two simple ways to improve your nutrition
A daily habit that reduces depression risk
Are you best days behind you?
A Little Wiser (In Less Than 10 Minutes)
Arnold’s Pump Club Podcast is another daily dose of wisdom and positivity. You can subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Fact Or Fiction
Will Eating More Protein Cause Kidney Damage?
For decades, people with kidney issues have been told to cut back on protein. But new research challenges that long-held belief — and the results could help many live longer and stronger.
A 10-year study of more than 8,000 adults with chronic kidney disease found that those who ate more protein had a 23 percent lower risk of death.
Researchers tracked more than 8,300 adults aged 65 and older with chronic kidney disease (CKD). When they compared diets, those consuming at least 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day had the lowest mortality risk, even after adjusting for age, health conditions, and nutrition. The protective effect was especially strong in those with more advanced kidney disease.
That’s a striking finding because traditional guidelines often advise reducing protein to protect kidney function. However, newer science suggests that too little protein may worsen outcomes by accelerating muscle loss, frailty, and poor immune health, all of which are significant risks for older adults.
If you’re worried about kidney health, the research suggests you don’t need to fear protein, unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. Instead, focus on eating smart, not less.
Aim for a minimum of 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (for example, 70–85 grams for someone weighing 150 pounds), with research suggesting that upwards of 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram is still safe and effective. Choose high-quality sources such as eggs, fish, lean meats, quality protein powders, dairy products, and legumes.
Together With David
The 2 Nutrition Changes That Can Transform Your Health
You don’t need a new diet to change your body. You might just need to increase one type of food and decrease another.
When it comes to nutrition, most people are fixated on every detail. However, seeing the bigger picture is a way to reduce stress and achieve better results.
Research suggests that the amount of protein you eat and how much you limit added sugar may be the most potent combination for improving your body composition, metabolism, and heart health.
In one meta-analysis of 74 randomized controlled trials, adults who ate at least 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day gained significantly more muscle and strength, especially when combined with resistance training.
Meanwhile, a 15-year study following nearly 12,000 adults found that those getting about 20 percent of daily calories from added sugar had a 38 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those keeping sugar to around 10 percent of their total calories. The risk nearly tripled when sugar accounted for more than 25% of calories, particularly from sweetened beverages.
Notice that the risk did not depend on eliminating sugar. Eating 10 percent of your daily calories from sugar is similar to having one or two candy bars per day.
Researchers believe these effects are two sides of the same metabolic coin. Protein maintains lean muscle — your body’s biggest calorie-burning tissue — while added sugar promotes inflammation, fat accumulation, and insulin resistance. Increasing one often naturally displaces the other, making it easier to build a diet that supports energy, strength, and longevity.
Think of it as a nutritional seesaw: every gram of protein helps you build health, and every gram of add sugar you skip helps protect it.
Your best bet is to prioritize foods that hit both goals: eggs, fish, Greek yogurt, legumes, and lean meats. But the trap can be ultra-processed foods that tend to lack protein and be loaded with sugar.
If you’re looking for a simple way to add snacks that boost your protein intake while consuming less sugar (and calories), David bars feature an industry-leading macronutrient profile with 28 grams of protein, 150 calories, and 0 grams of sugar. Every batch is third-party tested to verify product integrity and safety, giving consumers full confidence in what they’re eating.
After weeks of being out of stock, David is officially back in stock on their website. They’re offering all APC readers a special deal: buy four cartons and get the 5th free when you use this link.
Prefer to shop in person? David is now in over 5,000 stores nationwide — check out their store locator to find a location near you.
Don’t focus on a diet of complications; make the small, simple choices that focus on more protein and less sugar, and you’ll give your body what it needs to perform and feel its best.
Health
The Daily Habit That Cuts Depression Risk
The next time you feel like you don’t have enough time to exercise, remember that you can protect your mental health in less time than it takes to watch a sitcom.
Researchers found that just 20 minutes of daily movement —such as walking, biking, or any activity that raises your heart rate — lowers the risk of depression and keeps your brain feeling younger and more resilient.
Researchers followed more than 4,000 adults over the age of 50 for a decade, tracking their movement with accelerometers and monitoring their depression. Those who got even modest amounts of moderate-to-vigorous activity had significantly lower rates of depression over time. Interestingly, the benefits plateaued after about an hour a day, suggesting there’s a “sweet spot” for mental health protection.
Those who moved for 20 minutes a day had a 16 percent lower risk of depression, and those who hit 60 minutes cut their risk by 23 percent.
The scientists believe exercise improves brain blood flow and boosts neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which are all key players in mood regulation. Additionally, physical activity promotes better sleep, energy, and social engagement, creating a ripple effect that strengthens emotional resilience as we age.
For optimal mental health, aim for 20 to 60 minutes of physical activity a day, incorporating activities you enjoy and can sustain.
Adam’s Corner
Are Your “Best Days” Behind You?
A friend said something to me recently that I can’t shake.
They were describing a strange ache — not sadness exactly, but a kind of hollow, nostalgic feeling.
“There just aren’t as many big life moments to look forward to anymore,” they said.
No more wedding.
No more births.
No more milestones circled on the calendar, waiting like finish lines.
They weren’t ungrateful. Their life is full — kids, career, friends, health. But they felt a quiet FOMO that the era of firsts had ended. That everything ahead would somehow be smaller, less electric, less new.
They weren’t bitter; just wistful.
There’s a strange ache that comes when the milestones fade from view. The ones that once gave life structure, countdowns, anticipation. The days you circled on calendars and replayed in photo albums.
It’s easy to mistake their absence for a kind of ending.
But I’ve started to think that’s one of life’s greatest illusions: the belief that meaning lives in the endpoints.
We spend so much of life chasing crescendos — the wedding, the baby, the promotion, the trip. Each one feels like proof that we’re progressing, that life is unfolding according to plan. And then, when those obvious markers fade, we start to believe the story is winding down.
But that’s the illusion.
We prepare for months — sometimes years — for the wedding. The dress, the music, the vows.
But the wedding, beautiful as it is, is a single day. A prologue. The story doesn’t really start until the next morning, when you’re learning what it means to love someone in-between, on a random Tuesday when you’re both tired and slightly annoyed and still choose each other.
The same is true with the birth of a child. That day is miraculous. But it’s not the destination, it’s the doorway. The first chapter in a lifelong experiment in patience, wonder, and letting go.
Even birthdays follow this script. We light candles, make wishes, mark another turn around the sun.
But the celebration isn’t the point. It’s the life that follows; the ordinary days where you decide who you want to become before the next candle is added.
A wedding is a moment; marriage is a lifetime of practice.
A birth is a miracle; raising a child is the real act of creation.
A birthday is a date; a year is what you fill it with.
Somewhere along the way, we started to confuse the highlight reel with the movie. We’ve been trained to glorify events. They’re tidy and photogenic. You can measure them, post them, and reminisce about them.
But life isn’t built from headlines — it’s built from footnotes.
It’s in the moments you stay up all night unintentionally, the random breakfast where you laugh for 2 hours, or the seemingly meaningless “thinking of you” text that turns someone’s day around. It’s in choosing to still be curious, to still build something, to still love even when it’s inconvenient or ordinary.
As much as the big, obvious moments can be undeniably special, you don’t have to wait for permission to have a “big” moment again.
Life doesn’t stop offering them. You just stop labeling them that way.
The older I get, the more I think life becomes richer when you start creating your own milestones. Host a dinner for friends who’ve never met. Take on a challenge that scares you. Train for something even if no one else cares. Celebrate a Tuesday just because you woke up feeling grateful.
I know that some of these might sound crazy or a bit idealistic. And I hear you. Waking up and saying, “I love today!” might not feel authentic. And it shouldn’t be forced. But I also know that if you try it when you find something you’re truly grateful for, you might be surprised how it feels and how your perspective changes.
You get to determine what brings you joy and the moments that have an impact.
You don’t need a wedding or a birth certificate to mark significance. You just need intention.
So don’t look back at what’s gone, or wait for what’s “supposed” to come next.
Look forward and look around.
The best days aren’t marked by an event. They’re made by the way you choose to keep showing up for your own life.
So if you feel like there’s nothing left to look forward to, don’t wait for a milestone to celebrate again. Plan a dinner with friends for no reason. Book a trip without a story to justify it. Create a new tradition just because you can.
I’m going to take a page from Arnold and challenge you to create a moment. It doesn’t have to be big. Just do something that means something to you. If it keeps you accountable, tag me, Arnold, and the Pump Club on social. We’ll be there to celebrate with you.
My hope is that you realize you don’t need to wait for more big moments. You need to realize that every ordinary day is one, once you stop measuring life by what everyone else says is supposed to matter.
Because life doesn’t get less exciting when the big moments end. It gets bigger and better when you finally realize your story is whatever you make it. -AB
Better Today
Take any of these tips from today’s email and put them into action:
High-Protein Diets Reduce Death Risk in Kidney Disease Patients: A decade-long study of adults with chronic kidney disease found that consuming a higher protein diet significantly lowered mortality risk, which challenges traditional low-protein guidelines and the theory that protein is bad for kidney health.
Why More Protein And Less Sugar Can Transform Body Composition: Meta-analysis research reveals that consuming at least 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight while limiting added sugar to 10 percent of daily calories creates optimal metabolic conditions for muscle growth, fat loss, and cardiovascular health.
20 Minutes of Daily Exercise Reduces Depression Risk: A 10-year study tracking 4,000+ adults found that just 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily—such as walking or biking—significantly lowers depression risk.
Why Your Best Days Aren't Behind You: Life fulfillment doesn't depend on traditional milestone events like weddings or births but rather on intentionally creating significance in ordinary moments, transforming everyday experiences into personally meaningful life chapters regardless of age or life stage.
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
