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

What's in store for today:

• Stop inflammation using this simple and free health practice that's available to you anywhere on the planet.
• Get leaner using this two-part protocol even with a busy travel year.
• Use this simple habit to increase your plant-based protein intake without stressing about your 'macros'.

Last Monday morning, my wife woke me in a panic.

'Gabriel, I need your help' she whispered, trying not to wake our son.

Her face was swollen.

She had barely slept the night before.

We still had family over visiting.

She was in tears and unsure what was happening.

Something was off and we needed to take rapid action.

A few hours later we were able to secure a last-minute appointment with the dentist.

Some food debris had gotten stuck under her gums causing the inflammation and the resulting pain.

After her emergency treatment to clear out the food particles, we were cleared to go home safely.

It amazes me how fast humans can take action.

I had been putting off setting up our dentist and hygiene systems for a few weeks since we moved to Greenville recently.

But neccesity creates change.

What I had been procrastinating on got done within hours.

It's the same with your health and body.

The more you procrastinate on your health & fitness goals, the harder it will be to take action later on.

Procrastination, like taking action, is a habit.

The more you do it, the stronger it gets.

While some things can't always get done at the moment, creating a system for taking consistent action for your health is non-negotiable.

It's the same system we use to call out our clients when they say they don't have time to workout or eat well.

My reply is always simple:

'Show me your calendar and I'll show you your future results.'

If your health isn't your #1 priority this year, then you'll get the same results you did last year.

Let's make this year different.

As a quick update, Anna's gum is fully healed.

Rapid action creates rapid transformation.

Don't underestimate how fast you can create change when you take rapid action.

You might be surprised at what you're capable of.

Lesson: Necessity creates change.

Here's Your 1-3-1 Friday:

1.) Stop inflammation using this technique

Grounding or earthing reduces inflammation, improves blood flow, and helps accelerate your body’s natural healing systems.

According to ​this study​:

‘Grounding reduces pain and alters the numbers of circulating neutrophils and lymphocytes, and also affects various circulating chemical factors related to inflammation.’

Here’s another way to think about this:

We’re bioelectrical creatures.

Our bodies can generate energy and even power up electrical devices.

Researchers are even trying to come up with ways to harness our body’s natural electrical systems to power up medical devices.

While this may sound like news to some of you, this isn’t new information.

Qi Gong, acupuncture, and most eastern practices have been aware of our body’s natural bioelectrical energy systems for millennia.

Using our body’s natural healing system to recover faster, perform better, and live a high quality of life was one of the subgoals of many of these ancient practices.

The ​current main hypothesis​ (which has countless evidence backing it up) is:

‘Connecting the body to the Earth enables free electrons from the Earth’s surface to spread over and into the body, where they can have antioxidant effects.’

Our planet’s surface is alive and bubbling with electrons which are helpful for our body to connect to.

Last year I was in Poland for 6 weeks on our annual family trip.

Since my in-laws live in a small village with a large backyard, every morning, I would go outside for 10 minutes barefoot and practice Qi Gong.

Two for one benefit.

I also saw the immediate ROI on grounding as I watched my skin heal from cuts and bruises faster (I also played soccer 2-4 times a week with my nephew).

It’s one thing to ground once a week or month.

It’s another to do it consistently day in and day out.

For those of you who have cold winters like me, here’s a few ​grounding products​ that I use to help stay in optimal health year-long.

(I use the grounding standing mat and grounding sandals to support my health; test out what works for you).

Side note: If you’re highly sensitive to energy and have been grounding and doing energy work like Qi Gong for years, you might see less benefit from grounding tools like these.

2.) Get leaner while traveling this year

Traveling internationally to multiple countries over the past few years has taught me an important lesson:

Fitness MUST be flexible.

While I’ve learned the importance of flexibility and adjustments during heavy travels, 2023 truly capped off an epic travel year.

Asheville. Arizona 2x. Austin. Puerto Rico. Estonia. Greece. Poland. Colorado. New York. Hawaii. Los Angeles. Back to Asheville. Colorado again.

Across 6 time zones and back.

From all these travels, I've found that having the right systems is crucial if you want to see great fitness results.

It doesn't need to be hard.

But you do need to have systems in place.

Here’s two systems that can help you tone up as you travel:

1. Eat to 80% fullness while traveling

Most of us overeat and eat too quickly.

Eating to 80% fullness allows you to slow down and taste the food that you’re eating.

It also creates a moderate caloric deficit that can keep you lean even while traveling.

The best part?

You don’t need to track your macros or calories. Just focus on listening to your hunger and fullness signals.

Bonus tip: Divide your plate into ⅓ vegetables/fruit, ⅓ vegan protein, and ⅓ healthy carbohydrate.

This will simplify your food choices when creating your perfect plant-based plate.

2. Lift weights 3x a week using 20-minute sessions

In an ideal world, I’d recommend 4x a week using 45-60 minutes to get the most bang for your buck.

While traveling, workouts become a different thing.

20-minute or less workouts using 2-4 main lifts like squats, pushups, deadlifts, and rows are the most EFFECTIVE when it comes to preserving lean muscle tissue and shredding fat.

It’s not perfect.

Nor is it sexy.

But it sure does work.

I've used this system for years while traveling and it's hands-down the simplest yet most effective workout I get in minimum time.

Take this and model this for your travel fitness.

Here’s a quick workout template when you're on the go next time:

Dumbbell squats: 4 x 12 x RPE: 7-9

Dumbbell bench press: 4 x 12 x RPE: 7-9

Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat: 4 x 12 x RPE: 7-9

Dumbbell bent-over row: 4 x 12 x RPE: 7-9

Reference Key:

4 = amount of sets

12 = amount of reps

RPE: how hard or heavy you should lift; RPE 7-9 means you should lift to 70-90% of your max intensity OR leave 1-3 reps left in reserve.

(if you don’t have weights while traveling you can sub out squats for bodyweight squats, bench presses for push-ups, split squats for bodyweight split squats, and bent-over rows for bodyweight rows using heavy objects like backpacks or heavy books).

Staying fit and healthy while traveling doesn’t need to be impossible.

We all have the same amount of time each day.

It's what we do with it that matters.

Traveling and not being healthy is a poor excuse.

I did this for years and it never served me.

Instead, take full ownership of your health year-round.

Something is always better than nothing at all.

3.) A simple habit to increase your plant-based protein

One of the biggest challenges I hear every day is how to get more protein as a vegan.

Let me preface this with this quick framework:

If you're working on your health(not weight loss or muscle building), protein needs do not need to be high.

The average American is consuming too much protein and fat.

Protein is massively overrated when it comes to health.

Fitness is another topic.

Ideally when working towards fat-loss or muscle-building efforts, protein needs can and should be higher.

For fat loss, I recommend anywhere from 1.0 to 1.5 grams per pound.

For muscle building, I recommend 0.8 to 1.0 grams per pound.

You'll notice that for fat loss or weight loss efforts, the needs are higher.

This is because while dropping weight and fat tissue, your body will also want to drop muscle tissue.

Getting enough protein paired with lifting weights will be the signal to your body to keep your muscles.

So with that said, here's 2 easy ways to get more protein:

a. Aim to start your day with protein.

Whether it's an oatmeal bowl with protein or a smoothie with protein, start your day strong.

Ideally, a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 25 grams of protein per meal.

For a 170 lb male, aim for 35 grams per meal.

For a 120 lb female, aim for 25 grams per meal.

Split up your meals with smaller targets rather than getting overwhelmed at the end of the day when you're 100 grams short.

b. Plan your meals ahead of time

Hands down, this is one of the simplest ways to get more protein without feeling stressed.

1. Plan out your menu for the week before the week starts.
2. Choose high-protein vegan meals (Get free access to our ​VFR High Protein Meals​ with low-calorie & low-fat meals)
3. Create time blocks on your calendar to eat your meals (if it's not scheduled, it's not real).

The last point is important.

As a busy guy, I've been stuck in my office working on my next project...

Only to miss my meals by the end of the day and make poor eating choices.

50% of success is preparation.

The championship is always won in the preseason.

If you seriously care about your health, it's time to start acting like it.

Approaching your work and health like an athlete can change your life overnight.

It did for mine.

It can do the same for you.

Create time to eat.

It makes a difference.

1 Action Step

Choose one fitness area you want to dial in this month. Struggling with nutrition? Dial in your food intake.

Can't get a consistent workout routine? Focus on your workouts.

Client of the Week

Sebastiaan is a busy leader.

He worked as a sales manager running his team countless hours each week.

He also became a new father.

Yet, he had also put aside his health and body for years on end since his university days.

He wanted to be a positive role model for his new daughter but wasn't sure how to balance his health and work.

So he applied and we got to work.

Strategy: The first thing we started with was a simple game plan. Instead of adding more to his plate, we looked at what we could simplify.

Health and fitness at their base are simple.

We layered in 3 strength workouts at his local gym to rebuild his body and strength with an emphasis on fat loss but also aiming for body recomposition along the way.

We also added in 5 days of nutrition logging and made this even simpler by giving Seba our ​VFR Recipe Rolodex​ to take the guesswork out of meal planning and recipe creation.

Stress was a big factor for Sebastiaan as a sales leader working with his team and becoming a new father.

He also had a vacation planned for Spain (already pre-planned before coming to the Accelerator Program) so this was something we started to plan for.

Learning to slow down and focus on deep breathing for 1-3 minutes each day helped Seba start to reconnect with his center.

We then set up his travel fitness plan to give him flexibility while he was in Spain without feeling restricted by his plan.

Wins: Sebastiaan had some big wins. Not just physically with dropping 15+ pounds or 6 inches off his waist.

But also mentally and emotionally.

He started to regain his confidence and self-esteem.

His self-belief increased with each workout and his leadership started to increase at work.

He felt like a role model for his daughter Luna and his partner.

An unexpected win was gaining the confidence to do something he always wanted to do:

Quit his sales leadership role and became a hotel pianist.

He did this by the end of his Lv1 Accelerator Program.

While we don't guarantee getting your dream job by working with us inside of VFR, we have noticed a correlation with clients who take ownership of their health.

When you take ownership of your health and body, you start to see opportunities for other areas to take ownership of.

It becomes a domino effect.

Health is your first wealth.

Then, it spreads from there.

These days, Seba spends his time playing piano (and getting paid) while taking care of his health and leading his family by example.

His health investment in himself paid off well.

Now it's your turn.

 ​Apply here to get lean​, strong, and healthy using plants. Deadline to apply each month is the 20th. Create your best health and body using a fitness system that's handcrafted for you.

One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong

“It is better for you to take responsibility for your life as it is, instead of blaming others, or circumstances, for your predicament. As your eyes open, you’ll see that your state of health, happiness, and every circumstance of your life has been, in large part, arranged by you - consciously or unconsciously.”

- Dan Millman

It's official.

2025 is here.

Shake off the cobwebs from 2024 and let's make some magic.

You know that you're an infinite creative being...

Right?

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.​