Welcome to 1-3-1 Fridays, my weekly newsletter, where I reveal evidence-based strategies to get lean, strong, and create optimal health.

You'll receive one personal health insight, three actionable tips, and one concrete action step. Let's dive in.

What's in store for today:

• How to get 7.5x smarter without having to learn something new.
• 4 reasons why not doing cardio might be holding back your best body.
• First world problems and why the 'modern' human is actually moving backwards in health.

The past few weeks have been busy.

Time with family. Traveling. Running our first HPV 30-day fitness challenge.

It's been a fun time navigating everything.

Yet, at the same time, it's been overwhelming.

Being back home reminds me of the importance of having a base.

Not just a base for living...

But a base for routines, rhythms, and rules.

By rules, I mean standards.

You can have standards when traveling and with family, but home is special.

Fewer distractions tend to yield better results.

The way I see this is that in certain seasons (like the summer), I'll have more distractions with family.

In other seasons (like fall and winter), I'll be more dialed in with my routines and habits.

It's a continuum, or as the Chinese like to think of things, cyclical.

We operate not as linear, straightforward beings but more closely as cyclical beings.

We move in cycles and seasons, not just in a straight line.

Which means you can accurately predict where and what you'll need to do to prepare for each new cycle.

As we approach the fall season this year, take a moment to reflect.

What have the past few fall seasons taught you about your health and fitness routines?

What have you done well... and not so well?

Self-reflection is a sign of maturity and inner growth.

It can unlock new levels of health and strength without doing more work.

It's the antithesis of what the fitness industry and modern society promote (aka do more!).

Do less, reflect more, and slow down.

That's the key to a calm, peaceful, healthy life.

Lesson: Less is more when you're doing the right things.

Here's Your 1-3-1 Friday:

1.) How To Make Your Brain 7.5x Smarter

Exercise will make you smarter.

Exercise is one of the quickest ways to boost your brainpower. It enhances cognitive skills, executive functions, and neuron activity.

But what kind of exercise works best for brain health?

Drum roll...

All exercise.

However, strength training, cardiovascular activity ('cardio'), and Qi Gong/Tai Chi have been found to have the highest impact on brain health and cognitive functions.

According to Harvard Health, here are a few other benefits of doing exercise consistently:

It's even been found that people who exercise consistently think better and have better memories.

Not surprising.

As a side note, if you want to see real benefits from getting smarter, you need to exercise consistently.

One to two weeks won't cut it here.

6-12 months should be your minimum timeline.

Regarding exercise and fitness, the LONGER your time horizon, the higher your chance for permanent transformation.

Think in years and decades.

Not days, weeks, or months.

Action Step: Exercise daily for 5 minutes. Move your body. Walk briskly. Do 3 sets of squats. Do something—anything to use your magnificent body.

2.) The 4 Dangers of Not Doing Cardio

I've spoken about strength training several times in prior letters.

But cardio is a subject that's surrounded by controversy.

Like all tools in your fitness toolbelt, cardiovascular training has its place.

Its primary function should be to support your heart health, longevity, and overall performance.

Not for fat loss.

So, if you're not doing cardio consistently, watch out for these dangers:

• Higher risk of heart disease
• Blood sugar is more instable
• Blood clots may increase
• Blood pressure may rise

The simplest solution?

Incorporate cardio + strength training + mobility.

I'll speak to the cardio part of the equation above (since the other two variables would take another two letters to discuss).

One of my favorite ways to include cardio in my workouts is using the 1-Minute Workout Method.

Like interval training, the 1 Minute Method, advocated by Martin Gibala, can be a VERY time-efficient way to get the same benefits as a full 45-minute cardio workout.

Here's how it works:

1. Warm-up for 2 minutes
2. Sprint/cycle/insert cardio movement as hard as you can for 60 seconds
3. Rest 30-60 seconds
4. Repeat for ten minutes
5. Cool down for 1-2 minutes

*There are over a dozen cardio protocols designed by Gibala. If you find this topic interesting, comment below, and I'll share more about this in a future letter.

I've seen my heart health and endurance levels improve 2x from consistent cardio sessions over the past two months.

It's been a game-changer in my health with limited workout time.

Test this out for yourself.

3.) First World Problems and the 'Modern' Human

Being a modern human comes with its own set of problems.

Instead of moving daily and challenging our bodies (and minds in some cases), many of us are slowing down.

Moving less.

Increasing stress.

Sleeping less.

Eating worse.

This means the more 'modern' we become, the more disconnected we can be with our bodies and minds.

Many of us work in sedentary jobs.

However, being a modern human doesn't mean you must atrophy and degenerate every year.

It just means we need to be more strategic with our movement and bodies.

Here are 3 practical tips you can use this week:

#1 Stand for 50% or more of your day.

As I'm writing this sentence, I'm standing. Standing is one of the most effective ways to reengage your body.

The modern human is built for sitting.

Humans were meant to move.

Standing longer, moving more, and taking short walks throughout the day is a simple yet practical way to engage your body and avoid deactivating your big muscle groups (like core and glutes).

Stand more. And reap the benefits.

#2 Learn to breathe deeply.

Stress doesn't disappear. If it isn't dealt with and released in a healthy way, it doesn't magically vanish. It accumulates.

And given enough stress, our body starts to break down.

It's the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

Learning how to breathe deeply and convert your negative stress into relaxation is what martial artists and Qi Gong masters have known for thousands of years.

The modern human is an infant when it comes to understanding the human body's incredible powers.

Breathe deeply.

And release stress.

#3 Eat more fruits and vegetables (ideally organic if possible).

Even if you can't eat more organic, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.

The reason why health is decreasing more each year for modern humans is partially due to the lower nutritional quality of food each passing year.

Make a stand for your nutrition.

Eat high-quality fruits and vegetables and flood your body with the proper nutrients, antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals that your body is craving.

Feed your body well, and it will respond in turn.

Keep it simple.

Your health will thank you 30 years from now.

Plant the seeds of success now.

1 Action Step

What's the one area of your fitness that, if you focus on this area, makes everything else 10x better?

One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong

"Our thoughts are mainly controlled by our subconscious, which is largely formed before the age of 6, and you cannot change the subconscious mind by just thinking about it. That's why the power of positive thinking will not work for most people. The subconscious mind is like a tape player. Until you change the tape, it will not change."- Bruce Lipton

Whenever you're ready, there's 3 ways I can help you: Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram and let's be friends. ​Join our free Facebook Group. Get free trainings on how to get lean and strong with plants. Want to drop body fat and build lean muscle in a fraction of the time with ease? Apply for Accelerator 1:1 coaching.