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.

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What's in store for today:

• A timeless exercise that you can do for life for strength and muscle benefits.
• The best time to eat for sustainable fat loss.
• Stop self-sabotage for good using an unconventional method (used by only 2% of people).

'A father's work never ends.'

I was sitting in a local café in Carbondale, CO, this past weekend when a British man commented on this.

We had been speaking for a bit while I was feeding Anthony.

Food was dropping everywhere, but I was enjoying the time together.

It was our last day before heading back to the East Coast.

We had spent the whole weekend together catching up.

It was the first time he and I had so much alone time together as his mother was finishing up her Qi Gong health retreat.

The prior weekend, I was in Carbondale by myself for my retreat.

It's been a fascinating journey as I continue to learn about myself.

I attended a kung fu martial arts school as a kid. Then, I stepped away for many years. I reconnected with it in my early 20s.

I dedicated several years to rigorous training in Hung Gar kung fu.

After moving to the UK, I found a local instructor.

I learned from them while we waited for Anna's fiancé visa to clear so we could return to the States.

I've done a full circle.

I haven't trained in formal martial arts for a few years. However, I've practiced Qi Gong daily for several minutes for the past few years.

Progress over perfection here.

I’m no longer as interested in martial arts, but I recognize the benefits of dedicated practice.

Which is what I've brought to Qi Gong.

For me, feeling calm and at ease in both my mind and body has been the direction I've been heading over the past few years.

In a world that has gone mad with anxiety and stress, this seems like an anomaly.

Krisnamurti reminds us that simply taking care of ourselves isn't enough amid all the madness.

'It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly ill society.'

I've come to realize that my health isn't just about me.

It's about those I impact.

Whether you're reading this letter now.

Whether it's my son who's absorbing my unconscious patterns.

Whether it's a stranger on the street who needs a helping hand.

Jung noticed that people are more archetypal than human.

Our unconscious patterns guide us more than our conscious thoughts do.

Over 90% of our lives are unconscious.

And until you make the unconscious conscious, you'll call it fate and leave it at that.

It's the same with exercise and nutrition.

It's not the one-time activities that change your life.

It's the repeated activities that transform who you are.

And isn't that the ultimate goal of any practice?

Transform who you are and become a new, improved version of yourself. Embrace the practices you are focusing on.

How can you go beyond just workouts and healthy meals?

How can you truly be healthy, fit, and strong in your daily life?

Health is the foundation for everything in life.

Without it, you and I have very little.

So - here we go.

It's good to be back home.

Lesson: Focus on the process over the product, and with enough time, you'll transform.

Here's Your 1-3-1 Friday:

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1.) A timeless exercise for life

If you're looking for an exercise that helps with fat loss and builds muscle, you've found it. This timeless workout benefits your whole body for life.

Fitness experts have praised the deadlift as a top exercise for total body transformation.

But why is it so effective?

Here are a few reasons why:

• They are great for building overall strength and muscle. They work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
• Research indicates that deadlifts can enhance jump performance and improve bone mineral density. This is especially true for older adults.
• Deadlifts help build core strength. They require strong core muscles to maintain the stability of the spine and pelvis.
• Additionally, deadlifts can improve functional movements and activities, enhancing overall athletic performance.

So with so many benefits, deadlifts are an easy sell?

Yes, but be mindful if you have any pre-existing hip or back issues.

Deadlifts aren't an end-all, be-all.

Deadlifts can be a great addition to your fitness routine. But if they cause pain instead of helping, don’t force yourself to do them.

If you can deadlift without risk of injury, then use all the deadlift variations.

It's a key part of most programs I make. Hip hinging safely engages the entire posterior chain, which includes the back and legs.

Here's one of the best videos on deadlifting I found, so you can see the proper technique.

Enjoy deadlifting!

2.) The best time to eat (for fat-loss)

Is there a best time to eat?

Yes and no.

For fitness, space out your larger meals around your workouts. Have a bigger meal after your workout and a smaller one before.

For optimal health, it’s beneficial to stop eating at least 2 hours before bedtime to aid digestion.

But can you eat early in the morning or later in the evening?

Of course.

What’s optimal isn’t always what’s ideal.

It's a good idea to eat every 2-3 hours. This helps maintain healthy carbs.

Our brains and livers require glucose to function correctly.

For protein, the same principle applies, specifically for maintaining muscle retention and fullness.

Fats naturally occur in many proteins and carbohydrates.

One thing I've shared before inside the HPV Letters is the power of chronobiology.

Eat bigger meals in the morning and smaller ones at night. This helps you lose body fat without reducing your calorie intake.

Studies show that eating larger meals earlier in the day and smaller ones later can boost fat loss. This happens even without a caloric deficit.

Mind-blowing stuff, and full credit to Dr. Greger for popularizing this approach.

How you could frame this in a daily snapshot:

Morning: Healthy carbs & protein (zero - minimal fat)

• Biggest meal

Mid-morning: Healthy carbs & protein (minimal fat)

• Medium snack

Midday: Healthy carbs & protein (minimal fat)

• Second biggest meals

Afternoon: Healthy carbs & protein (moderate fat)

• Smaller snack

Dinner: Healthy carbs & protein (moderate fat)

• Smalllest meal

Evening snack: Healthy carbs & protein

• Light snack (if needed)

3.) Stop self-sabotage (forever)

Why do you say one thing and then do another?

Or make you progress towards a goal, and then self-sabotage as you see success?

Or why do you fear failure and prefer to stay stuck rather than go into the unknown?

Our conscious mind is our logical side.

Our subconscious mind is our emotional, unconscious side.

The subconscious (or unconscious) rules approximately 95% of what we do in life.

Until we bring to light what is in our unconscious mind, we’ll stay ruled by it for the rest of our lives.

Self-awareness, solitude, silent meditation (zazen), Qi Gong, and self-reflection are strong tools.

They help you study yourself and your consciousness.

However, these can take years or even decades to master and use at the highest level.

Paraliminals quickly tap into your unconscious. They help you build lasting habits of self-inquiry.

Created by Dr. Paul Sheele, paraliminals are audio guides.

You listen to them while bypassing your conscious mind.

HoloSync technology allows paraliminals to communicate with your nonconscious mind.

It helps rewire the long-held subconscious beliefs you have about yourself.

They changed my life years ago when I started using them.

Carl Jung, a renowned psychiatrist, devoted his life to exploring the unconscious mind and the patterns that shape our world. He summed it up perfectly:

If you want to see fast and permanent results, use paraliminals every day for the next 60 days.

There are a few ways to use paraliminals:

1. Option 1: Try the 40-Day Challenge in the MindTRX App. It's called Paraliminals Accelerator and includes 40 ready-to-use paraliminals along with a downloadable workbook.
2. Option 2: Select paraliminals that resonate with you. Then, build your learning plan. Focus on the areas you want to improve.

Either way works fine.

Some of you prefer more structure around this.

Others may want to do more self-exploration.

The main thing is TO BE CONSISTENT.

While results can be fast and instantaneous, setting proper expectations is always important.

Give yourself grace and be consistent for at least 60-90 days with this (every day).

Then, review your results and assess the impact they have had on your life.

Try out Learning Strategies' paraliminals with their MindTRX App.

Get your free 3-day trial here.​

Moving forward, it’s only $8 per month for a subscription or $25 quarterly for three​ months.​

(I have no affiliation with MindTrx but love sharing great tools.)

The last thing I’ll add to this letter?

An open and curious mind is a prerequisite for success with paraliminals, as with all things.

If you have a fixed mindset or are resistant to transformation tools, you may be skeptical.

I know I was.

Learning to be coachable and having a beginner’s mindset has given me back so much.

It has allowed me to learn ten times faster. Implement easier.

And get sustainable and lasting results.

Do the same for yourself. 🙂

Feel free to share your results after using Paraliminals for at least 60 days.

1 Action Step

It's mid-month. What's one area of your health you'd like to dial in for the next 2 weeks? Write it down and go after it.

Client of the Week

Meet Liza.

She’s a busy realtor, mother of 2, and wife.

Long days as a real estate agent keep her busy with open houses and tours.

Eventually, this led to her neglecting her health for extended periods.

It’s a reminder that our health isn’t a one-time decision… but rather a multitude of small choices we make over time.

She wasn’t happy with her body. Or how she looked.

She wanted to regain her confidence and energy.

So we got started.

Strategy: Nutrition was a big focus for us. Liza wanted to drop body fat permanently. But she also wanted to do this the right way.

We set her calorie intake to a moderate deficit to achieve an average loss of 1 pound of body fat per week.

For 5 days, tracking her nutrition was essential.

We also combined this with our meal prep system.

Making simple meals for her family became essential as she started this new journey.

We then created a standard for her home workouts.

Liza wasn’t keen on working out in a public gym where everyone in the community knew her and could distract her.

Plus, working out from home was more convenient.

Lifting hard and pushing her reps became a priority. This way, we could make the most of each workout.

Results started to pour in.

But to be fair, it wasn’t perfect.

We had some trouble adjusting her macros. This caused her tracking to be off for a few weeks. Work got crazy. Family relationships got strained.

Liza travels often. Added to this were several family trips over the summer and a lot of time spent on the go.

She still persevered.

Wins: She has lost almost 35 lbs. This happened even after a metabolic reset to prepare for further weight loss.

She’s dropped 5+ inches off her waist. She’s leaner, confident, and more energetic than she’s felt in years.

She’s a new person.

She’s learned how to set non-negotiable standards for her life.

And she’s never going back.

​Apply here to get lean, strong, and healthy using plants. Deadline to apply each month is the 20th.

Achieve your best health and body with a fitness system tailored to you.

One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong

“This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”​
― Alan Watts

Anthony turned 1 year old last week.

I can't believe how time flies.

Another reminder to stay present each day.

This wraps up another 1-3-1 Friday letter.

And as promised, get healthier in under 5 minutes.

Talk soon,

References

• https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/deadlift-benefits