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.

Here's what's new this week:

•  ​Ep 12: The invisible mechanism sabotaging your fitness results​ (Podcast)

The doors are closing for the new test pilot program we're launching next week on February 9th.

If you've got 10+ pounds to drop or 5+ pounds to muscle to build, you're sitting on a goldmine.

Most people never activate the potential of this goldmine because of:

• Internal excuses
• Limiting beliefs
• Self sabotage

However, if you're a successful human between 40-65 who wants to create optimal health and strength while getting lean and healthy, this is for you.

I've got 3 spots (out of 10) left for this new test program.

The new focus is on health, strength, and longevity rolled into one unique mentorship experience.

There are 6 tiers of support, ranging from premium to budget-friendly.

Only apply if you're serious about transforming your health.

Just reply 'PILOT' to this email, and we can chat more about your health (even if it's not the right match, happy to point you in the right direction).

What's in store for today:

• Why most people mess up after making their first initial caloric adjustments (and what to do next).
• The simple reason why weight loss plateaus happen and how to break through them.
• The new 90-day monk mode challenge I'm taking on to uplevel my health this year.

Everyone is talking about the nutrition pyramid these days.

As always, where attention goes, energy flows.

If you're a career-driven human over 40, you don't have time for distractions or games.

Especially if you want to get lean and strong in minimal time without the extra hassle.

Most nutrition guidelines (if not all) are built on industry incentives.

They aren't built with real health in mind.

If you want to use evidence-based nutrition and health to create a resilient, strong body, then this is for you.

But 9 out of 10 people will remain stuck and slide back in their health as they age.

If government pyramids were the answer to our health, why is obesity nearly at 40% in the States?

If the answer to health is just making a new diagram and showing it to everyone every few years, then our country’s health should be great.

But it isn’t.

There’s a specific reason why promoting new versions of health pyramids won't bring change.

These versions aren't based on real health principles.

Despite a small drop in obesity recently, likely due to new weight loss drugs, there’s still much to improve in our nutrition and health in the States.

Coupled with the fact that nutrition pyramids don’t account for one of the most important mechanisms in human transformation: behavioral change. 

If someone won't change on their own, the change won't last.

We keep running on this hamster wheel, thinking we’re making 'new changes.'

But if we don’t understand behavioral psychology and how people truly work, it’s like getting a high five at the gym without ever working out.

This isn’t a participation award for people who know about the nutrition pyramid.

This is about embodying health principles and becoming a force of change that can be reckoned with.

Health starts with you and me.

What we do on an individual level.

Then, it spreads to our family and community.

Then, to the state, national, and finally global level.

So you and I matter.

Lesson: Health is the foundation for everything good in life.

Here's Your 1-3-1 Friday:

---

1.) The initial macros calculation

Your initial calculations are just that - initial calculations.

Like all things in exercise and nutrition, the body will adapt to them.

So getting your initial adjustments is important, but so is understanding the principles of nutritional science.

The body constantly strives for homeostasis.

Changing your calorie intake aims to alter your body composition.

But this first adjustment is a hypothesis.

New free macro calculator we've been building the past few months.

Which means you might need to tweak the numbers generated from your first calculation based on how your body responds during the first 2-3 weeks.

My recommendation here is two-fold:

• Be patient with your results
• Track your data diligently

These both go hand in hand.

It’s tempting to give up and say your macros aren’t working, then cut calories again. But that’s not usually the problem.

Patience and tracking data are key to winning in fitness. They help you avoid yo-yo dieting and keep your weight steady over time.

The approach outlined here is how you can carry forward for the rest of your life.

To summarize: your initial adjustments are your starting place.

Start tracking your nutrition. Aim for 80% accuracy for the first three weeks. Try to track for at least five days each week.

In 3 weeks, you should know if your initial adjustment is on track or if changes are needed.

As a side note, you may see some weight gain during your first 2-3 weeks. This can happen even if you are cutting.

It's more likely for a woman during her time of the month. Even after menopause, water retention can still occur.

Or you may notice an initial water weight loss of 3-4 pounds.

Ignore this, since it's water weight, and the initial carbohydrate reduction (specifically for fat-loss goals) is the main culprit.

If you’ve been undereating for months and are now making changes, your body might resist staying at a lower calorie intake.

So be mindful of this and ready to do a mini diet break if needed, to give your body some extra time to release fatigue from being on a lower-calorie plan for a while.

Focus on the right levers in health.

Ignore all the rest.

2.) How to defeat plateaus

A question I hear often:

That's understandable.

Most programs don't set you up for success, especially after initial weight loss.

They also don't tell you what to do next or, if something isn't working, what to do.

Here's how you can make it work this time:

• Track your data, especially in the first 3 weeks. Fluctuations will occur in either direction (for fat loss or muscle building).
• Learn to decipher trends vs fluctuations. Fluctuations happen on a daily basis, and trends reveal themselves over time (1-2 weeks).
• Plateaus are inevitable parts of the process, but they don't always mean something is wrong. It's an opportunity to test, evaluate, and refine.

For fat loss, expect water weight loss.

This can be 3-4 pounds out of the gate or 3 weeks down the line.

But it will happen.

It's possible to live at your goal weight.

Sometimes your body retains water weight (more common in women), so be prepared to stay patient if that is the case.

For muscle building, you may gain 3-4 pounds (primarily water weight, especially with higher carbohydrate intake).

Again, this can happen right out of the gate or a few weeks down the line.

Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for these fluctuations and monitor your results like a curious scientist.

Check out the new episode on plateaus ​here​ for further context.

I also created a simple flowchart to troubleshoot weight-loss plateaus (and weight gain) ​here​.

3.) Monk mode for 90 days

Over the past few months, I've created some poor health habits.

Most of them are related to my evening routine.

Some of them are related to my mental and emotional terrain.

All of them are related to my deep health and well-being.

So what's monk mode?

A quick Google search gave me this definition:

So what's the intention behind monk mode for me?

To do a hard reset on my current habits and reboot my subconscious programming.

We're all creatures of habit.

The more we repeat certain actions day after day, the more deeply ingrained they become within us.

While some people use monk mode for certain things in their lives, others go to extremes. Mine is simple.

For the next 90 days, here's my personal challenge:

• No movies, shows, or YouTube
• No media (learning courses, phone) after 8:30pm
• Wake up 6am or earlier every day
• In bed by 10pm or earlier each day
• Read for minimum 20 minutes daily
• Think for minimum 20 minutes daily
• 1 hour fully present with Anna and Anthony (minimum daily)
• 2 hours of deep work daily
• In office by 7am latest
• 45 minutes workout 4x a week (minimum)
• 15 minutes of Qi Gong daily (minimum)
• 10 minutes of zazen daily (minimum - silent seated meditation)

As you'll notice, there's a big emphasis on standards above.

These aren't my goals for the next 90 days; they're my non-negotiables.

(Ironically, I haven't owned a TV since 2020, but YouTube and Amazon movies have started filling my evenings on my laptop.

The main areas I've targeted with monk mode are:

• Thinking and reflection: I've gotten into automatic mode and haven't made time to reflect on and think about my life. This ends now.
• Inner calm and peace: I've allowed my mental and emotional terrain to be dictated by the media I consume (YouTube can be very fun...).
• Rejuvenation: Sleep has become a secondary concern rather than the main driver of my health. This changes now.
• Connection: I have started going through the motions in my relationships and filling my free time with chores and housework, rather than being fully present with those I love.

I've noticed that the older I get, the faster time seems to go by.

This isn't a biological byproduct (aka our bodies getting older).

It's a mental byproduct (aka our minds are conditioning us to move faster).

So slowing down won't be easy.

But it will be transformative.

As a final note, you might think I'm contradicting myself from prior letters when I've said to only tackle 1-3 new habits every few weeks.

My list above is obviously more than 3.

But they aren't all new.

The only 'new' ones I'm introducing during my 90-day monk mode are:

• No movies, shows, or YouTube
• No media (learning courses, phone) after 8:30pm
• Wake up 6am or earlier every day

Everything else is just a slight optimization for things I'm currently doing.

The 3 habits above are the 3 'new' ones I'm challenging myself to raise the bar on my health.

And personally, I enjoy being challenged.

Create your own version of monk mode.

Transformation is always possible for all of us.

1 Action Step

Give yourself the gift of less - remove one distraction that's blocking your health habits (e.g. Tv, shows, Netflix, social media, etc)

One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong

Less is more, done better.

Instead of trying to do more, maybe I'll do less, better.

Wrestling with this question.

In other news, the sun is back. Snow is gone.

Back on pitch tomorrow morning. Life is good.

As promised, get leaner on plants in under 5 minutes.

Till next week,

Whenever you're ready, there's 3 ways I can help you:

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