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 18: How to disease-proof your body for life | a tribute to my abuelo​ (Podcast)

Can you help us choose our new brand name?

I've been working behind the scenes on some new upgrades to our service and how we show up in the marketplace.

Running a small business costs thousands of dollars each month for operating expenses, advertising, and team payroll.

I’ve gone many years without taking an owner’s pay while pouring my heart and money into our business.

So it’s truly no small feat that has kept us going the past 8.5 years since I first started coaching.

In a world where trust is low and new ‘coaches’ pop up daily, I’m finding that the key to standing out is simple: deliver great results and be yourself.

Our vision is to become the best health-coaching brand in the game and help 100,000 career-driven parents over 40 get lean, strong, and healthy in minimal time through exercise, nutrition, and psychology systems.

What's in store for today:

• One of the oldest medical practices on the planet, and how to use it daily.
• An underutilized way to improve your fitness in under 10 minutes.
• A simple way to reverse the rate of power loss as you age.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is how quickly humans can learn.

Watching my son develop is a daily lesson for me.

Every day (it seems), he's learning something new and tackling harder things.

For example, he learned to use our step stool. Now, he can pull himself up to the bathroom sink and sit there to wash his hands and feet.

It's amazing to watch.

But it's also normal.

All of us have this innate ability to learn.

But most of us don't.

We stay stuck for years.

We worry about what others will think.

We care too much about perfectionism.

We think that if we can't get it on the first few tries, we can't do it.

All symptoms of what Carol Dweck called 'a fixed mindset'.

I made a cake for my wife last weekend as we celebrated her life.

Every year, I've tried to make a cake, but a fixed mindset has held me back (so I then ask my wife to help me).

This year was different.

I made an internal decision.

I created the time and space last Sunday.

And I got to work.

It wasn't easy.

But the internal resolve to make the vegan millet cheesecake was there.

So I was going to make it no matter what.

It's this kind of resolve that separates a growth mindset from a fixed mindset.

Too often, we give up too early, only to find out years later that we weren't doing the right things.

We were.

We just weren't doing enough of them.

It's like working out 2x a month and wondering why you still aren't fit and strong.

You just have to put in more reps.

When you do the right things in the right order in the right amount, you get the right results.

I often say, "Do less, better."

In this case, do more, then get better.

You have to suck before you get good.

Which means you'll need to do enough work first.

Lesson: More effort is a good sign that you're trying. Trying = growth mindset.

Here's Your 1-3-1 Friday:

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1.) Traditional Chinese Medicine

The benefits of TCM are multifold.

From its understanding of the energy body (with meridians and Qi) to its Taoist concepts of consciousness and the mind, TCM has a lot to offer modern society.

Yet, it's still relatively unknown to the mainstream.

Part of why I believe this is the case is the same reason why authentic practices never really go mainstream:

They go to the root cause of the problem.

I don't think that people don't want to solve their problems.

I think many of us unknowingly connect with the victim "archetype." This weak side can hold us back from fully owning our health.

When combined with ignorance, this is why life-changing practices like TCM exist, yet most of modern society doesn’t use them.

It's similar to the way most people approach their nutrition.

Research shows that a whole foods plant-based diet offers many benefits. This evidence has existed for decades, even longer when you look at the healthiest people globally.

Yet, most people don't apply or use this.

In fact, most people get angry or tune out when you mention these amazing benefits.

So the circle of samsara continues.

Here's a few TCM practices to consider adding to your health:

• Acupuncture: the practice of using sterile, thin needles to help with Qi regulation
• Cupping: similar purpose, but this time using small metal or plastic cups
• Chinese herbal medicine: the practice of using targeted herbs for healing, Qi rejuvenation, and health
• Qi Gong: the science and art of working with your life force energy and converting it using the 3 treasures (Jing, Qi, and Shen)
• Tai Chi: a martial arts practice that uses components of Qi Gong to help stabilize the body and mind for deeper health
• Medical Qi Gong: the healing practice of using your own Qi to help others heal from chronic diseases or health conditions

The overarching belief in TCM is that ​stagnation leads to pain and disease.​​ 

If you can remove stagnant energy, then energy within us can flow the way that it's supposed to.

If you don't and this stays this way for long enough, this leads to a host of chronic health issues.

While I don't agree with all the tenets of TCM, including their approach to food, I've found it hard to disagree with their health principles.

Like all new things, it requires an open mind and willingness to learn about yourself.

TCM is a vast and deep subject. It's taken practitioners a lifetime of study, and it's one I've thoroughly enjoyed diving into so far.

It's worth learning more about.

2.) Unlock sprinting benefits

I've been unlocking a new fitness ability for the past few years.

But I'm taking this up a notch with sprints this year.

SIT, or sprint interval training, is becoming popular in fitness. Trainers and researchers see its health benefits. It takes much less time than MICT, or moderate-intensity continuous training.

Here's a few benefits to consider ​​from using SIT​​:

• 7.8% decrease in resting heart rate
• Lower diastolic blood pressure by 3.8%
• 7% decrease in mean arterial pressure
• Reduction of 6.5 to 20.1% in total cholesterol
• Decrease in triglyceride LDL levels by 27.8%
• Lower triglyceride level by 29.4 to 37%
• 6.7 to 7.1% increase in HDL

There's also the positive impact on fitness metrics.

 ​​Sprinting for 6 to 12 weeks​​ can:

• Increase lean muscle mass by 1%
• Improve VO(2max) by 11.5 to 23.4%
• Adherence rates for sprinting is 74.2%, higher than other forms of exercise because it is time-efficient

Trained athletes who did SIT for 2 weeks also saw:

• Maximal aerobic speed by 2.3%
• Peak power by 2.4%
• Mean power by 2.8%
• 3,000-meter time trial by 6.0%
• Endurance, lasting 42% longer than before SIT

So there's a large body of evidence showing the benefits of using ​​SIT protocols.​​ 

There's still hesitancy about recommending SIT as a replacement for MICT. This is mainly because SIT protocols are often more intense.

Even with benefits like improved VO2 max, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, cardiovascular function, and body composition, it's hard to recommend SIT to someone who isn't able to do MICT consistently.

However, here's the breakthrough:

If you want to get the benefits of SIT you don't need to do it as long as MICT protocols.

You just need the right exercise dosage and prescription to give you the benefits.

You also don't need to full-out sprint either, especially if you've got extra weight, joint issues, or are concerned about your body while sprinting.

You can get the same benefits while on a bike machine and biking full out for 20-30 seconds (any cardio equipment or activity that gets your heart rate up high enough will do).

My current SIT protocol is simple:

• Do my 4x weekly resistance training
• Do 1-2 SIT sessions each week post lifting
• Do SIT for 10 minutes per session; 1 minute hard as I can full out and 90 seconds rest. Repeat up to 10 times.

Can I make it better? Absolutely.

But for my current time constraints and goals, this works.

Keep it simple.

3.) Stop losing power

The fastest thing you lose as you age is power, not strength.

So what is power?

Power is your ability to exert force quickly.

Power = strength x speed

Why is it important then?

Because this translates to real-world movements and activities.

For example, how fast can you move on the road if an incoming car is coming toward you?

Or to be able to lift your child out of harm's way if something tries to hurt them?

Basically, your body's strength is what power is all about.

It's symbiotic with strength and goes hand in hand in a properly designed resistance training plan.

In a ​​meta-analysis with 15 trials and 583 participants​​, results indicated improvements across the board with:

• Muscle power
• Generic actvity based tests
• Activity-based tests emphasizing movement speed

Their conclusion? Power should be a part of a weekly resistance training plan, especially for older adults.

So what's an older adult?

We already know that the rate of atrophy (muscle loss) is 3-8% per decade after 30.

Since power is related to muscle strength (strength + speed), if you're over 30, power should be a focus of your training.

Since power depletes your ATP faster (energy storage for workouts), programming this correctly is important.

Here's how to program power exercises into your workout safely:

• Add 1-2 power exercises per workout (at least 2x weekly)
• Aim for 2-3 sets with low reps (3-6 reps max)
• Choose a light weight that you can move fast
• Example exercises include: medicine ball slams, snatches, sprints (yes!), and bench jumps.
• After doing your power exercises, move into your programmed resistance training block.

Power exercises will improve your quality of life. I know, because I use them every week.

The difference I've felt from using power exercises (kudos to Dr. Cody for supporting me with this) has been night and day.

I feel faster, more powerful, and move quickly when needed throughout the day.

It's a pretty cool feeling and reminds me of when I was 19, and I felt invincible.

Add in power exercises to your training.

It's worth the 5-minute investment.

1 Action Step

Add in power training. It's worth it.

One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong

Tried to record a new podcast episode this morning.

Had Anthony in the office with me.

He wanted to test the mic '1, 2, 3' with me.

Didn't record podcast.

But the mic is working and fully tested. :)

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.​ 

References

• J Vollaard, N. B., & Metcalfe, R. S. (2017). Research into the Health Benefits of Sprint Interval Training Should Focus on Protocols with Fewer and Shorter Sprints. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.z.), 47(12), 2443. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0727-x
• Kiers, H., & Veenhof, C. (2022). Effectiveness of power training compared to strength training in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 19, 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-022-00297-x