Create a bulletproof body, 10x your energy using this ancient practice, and use this technique to torch body fat
Feb 13, 2025
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:
- The exact protocol I use to bulletproof your body while creating a resilient body for work and life.
- An ancient health practice that can 10x your energy without spending hours in the gym.
- How to torch stubborn that won't go away using this technique.
If there's one thing I learned from lifting, it's this:
Consistency matters.
Not being perfect in your workouts.
But imperfectly consistent.
To achieve lean and strong health over decades, consistency is key.
Let me explain.
For the past few months, I've been training at a local gym near our home in Greenville.
It's under 3 minutes away (we chose this strategically) and is easy to get to.
I'll explain more about this decision in a second.
It's a 6-minute investment to get there and back.
Since we can't leave our son by himself, we have our nanny watch him during his morning nap.
There's another not-so-obvious fitness success element above, too.
So consistency when lifting will give you the rare gift of fitness compound interest.
What this means is that the longer you lift (and consistently), the bigger the ROI you'll see in your body and health.
One day, you'll wake up pain-free.
You'll feel strong and confident in your body.
This may take months of effort.
But consistency gets you there every time.
I'm focusing on consistency because the workout itself doesn’t have to be perfect.
You may be short on time (like I am).
You may not complete every set or rep (like I have).
You may have workouts where you can't give 110% (I know this).
But if you keep showing up week after week, you won't recognize your body or shape after a year.
Nobody starts anything with the intention of quitting shortly afterward.
However, the failure rate in the fitness industry is 95%.
So, there's something that gets lost in the translation with people's intentions.
Why did we choose to live so close to a gym?
The answer is simple.
Your environment supersedes your willpower.
If your environment is designed for success, success becomes the default.
If your environment is designed for failure, failure becomes the default.
Environment + systems + consistency = fitness freedom.
The other system we set up was hiring our nanny to support our exercise block.
Before, I had my strength block every evening at 5 pm... I ran to the fitness center up the block. I lifted weights for 5 minutes. Then, I sprinted back home, feeling despair.
I felt incongruent.
But I recognized that the problem wasn't my willpower (I wanted to exercise).
It was my system.
Before you go into this weekend, take a moment to recognize any issues that might be holding you back.
Is it a mindset problem? (negative beliefs, limited willpower, emotional self-sabotage, etc.)
Or is it a systems problem? (environment, support, schedule, etc.)
Once you know what you're facing, work on removing the obstacles.
This way, your fitness journey will be clear.
Success then becomes your default.
Lesson: Design your environment for success.
Here's Your 1-3-1 Friday:
1.) How to bulletproof your body
Strength training is how you create a lean, strong, resilient body that's built to last.
Here's why, according to ​MayoClinic:​​
- You develop strong bones
- You can manage your weight in a healthy way
- You enhance your quality of life
- You can sharpen your thinking skills
- Your connective tissue can get stronger
- You can preserve and build lean muscle mass
- You can stay strong and age gracefully year after year
Bulletproofing your body is how you can enjoy life at a high level yet stay strong and injury-free.
It's also a great way to build a strong body and improve your shape.
Strength training helps you carve a strong, powerful body. When done right, it boosts your presence and strength.
Unfortunately, for most people, this isn't their reality.
80% of Americans have lower back pain.
Two hundred fifty million Americans have chronic, mystery, or autoimmune diseases.
And nearly 50% of Americans will be overweight or obese by 2030.
Strength training isn't just how you bulletproof your body. It's exactly how you'll bulletproof your body.
Strength training = medicine.
Here's a simple framework when it comes to using strength training:
- Focus on lifting 3-4x a week (4x can be the sweet spot for two lower and two upper lifting days).
- Train at 70-90% of your max intensity. Start with easier workouts at the beginning of each training cycle. Then, add harder workouts later in the cycle.
- Master exercise techniques before scaling weights. Let your form dictate your progress, not your ego.
- Recover from each workout. It's a good rule of thumb to wait 24 hours between upper and lower workouts. For two upper or two lower workouts, aim for 48 to 72 hours.
- Sleep is important... even more, if you lift. You rebuild your body and get stronger with good rest and less stress. 7-9 hours is a solid standard to aim for.
- Increase workout intensity using progressive overload. Add more reps, sets, or complexity each week.
Using this as your fitness standard and 2025 will be a successful fitness year for you.
Repeat this every year, and you'll be fit for life.
2.) An ancient health practice that can 10x your energy
Qi Gong is one of the world’s oldest energy practices.
It’s also one of the simplest ways to release stress (in minutes) while reclaiming extra years.
Did you know that Qi Gong can also increase your longevity?
Here’s some background info from ​Cleveland Clinic:​​
“Qigong originated in China about 4,000 years ago.
It is based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) principles, which state that qi, or energy, is present in everyone’s body.
“According to TCM principles, a person’s qi must flow throughout the body for people to feel their best.”
Dr. Lin explains. “If qi becomes stagnant in a certain area, health problems can occur.”
Qigong uses simple poses and breathing patterns to promote a healthy flow and reduce the stagnation of qi.
Proper flow of qi can help the body engage its healing processes. The literal translation of qigong is “to work with qi.”
In other words, it’s the practice of working with your energy.
As humans, we’re bioelectrical creatures.
We can light up an entire city with the energy in our palms.
Don’t believe me?
Test out your energy abilities for yourself.
(great demo by Lee Holden on how to ground yourself)
Here are a few more benefits of Qi Gong:
- Regulate physiological systems: Qigong can impact heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and hormones. It may also help with long-term inflammation.
- Improve balance: Qigong helps you notice how your body aligns. This awareness can boost your physical balance.
- Boost the immune system: Qigong can help keep your immune system strong.
- Boost mood: Qigong helps lift negative emotions and improve your mood. It may also aid with insomnia and depression.
- Speed recovery: Qigong can help speed up recovery from injury.
- Qigong can help with many chronic health problems. It might aid those who have high blood pressure, asthma, fibromyalgia, arthritis, or cancer.
If you want to live longer, practice Qi Gong daily.
I've been practicing daily for nearly 2 years, and it's changed my life.
Like lifting weights, consistency defeats perfection every time.
Similar to building muscle, developing your chi (energy) takes time.
Practice hard, and you’ll be surprised by the health benefits that follow.
3.) Torch stubborn body fat using this technique
If you’ve ever felt like the last 10 pounds of fat won’t budge, you’re not alone.
You’ve dialed in your plant-based macros.
You’re crushing your strength workouts.
That stubborn fat, the kind on your hips, thighs, and lower belly, still mocks you in the mirror.
What gives?
You can melt that last bit of fat using a science-backed method.
You can also do this in a way that won’t harm your hormones, cause overtraining, or make you starve.
It's known as low-intensity steady-state cardio (LISS), an underrated fat-loss tool.
Before we move forward, let me add this quick note:
- This topic isn't for you if you haven't been lifting weights for at least 6 months and aren't in a caloric deficit.
- Sticking to the two core fundamentals is key for fat loss. If you have bigger weight loss goals, staying consistent for a longer time is key.
This topic is for advanced trainees.
This is for you if you’ve nailed the basics and want to shed the last 10 pounds.
Why Stubborn Fat Is So Damn Stubborn
Lyle McDonald, one of the most respected fat-loss researchers, explains it like this:
🔹 Stubborn fat areas like women's hips and thighs have more alpha-receptors. These receptors slow down the release of stored fat.
🔹 Blood flow to these areas is worse, meaning less fat gets transported and burned for fuel.
🔹 High-intensity workouts burn calories. However, they might not effectively target those “stubborn” areas.
This is why no amount of burpees, HIIT, or “fat-burning” supplements will fix the problem.
How LISS Cardio Unlocks Stubborn Fat
Low-intensity steady-state cardio uses fat stores for fuel.
This is different from intense exercise, which relies on carbs.
Here’s why it works:
âś… Improves blood flow to stubborn areas – More circulation = easier fat mobilization.
âś… Emphasizes fat burning – When you exercise at a lower intensity, your body uses fat for fuel instead of carbs.
âś… Supports recovery – LISS helps control stress levels. Unlike HIIT, which can raise cortisol and lead to belly fat storage, LISS is gentler on the body.
The Perfect Plant-Based LISS Plan
đź’ˇ What to do: Walk, cycle, or use an incline treadmill at a pace where you can hold a conversation. 60-70% of max heart rate (think a brisk walk, not a power sprint).
đź’ˇ How long: 45-60 minutes per session.
đź’ˇ How often: 3-5 days a week, ideally after strength training or in the morning. This is when fat burning is highest.
đź’ˇ Best fuel: Use light plant-based snacks like a banana or berries before cardio.
You don’t need to train harder. You don’t need more HIIT. You don’t need extreme calorie cuts.
Add 3-5 days of low-intensity steady-state cardio. Stay consistent for 6-8 weeks. Then, watch stubborn fat melt away.
I used this same technique to go from 10% body fat to 5% while losing my last 5-10 pounds.
It works well for torching stubborn body fat that won't go away.
It will only work if you first master the basics.
Focus on negative energy balance, macros, and strength training.
Then, move on to this next tactic.
Keep this in mind before jumping to the next shiny object.
1 Action Step
What's one habit you promised yourself you'd be doing at the beginning of this year?
Recommit to follow through on this habit.
One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong
"Until you dig a hole, plant a tree, water it, and make it survive, you haven't done anything. You are just talking."
― Wangari Maathai
Started a new IG page.
My old one got restricted, and I'm not sure if I've been using it anymore. (probably cause I speak about controversial topics).
If you'd like to stay connected there, ​drop me a follow on IG.​ Releasing brand-new recipes, nutrition videos, and workout tutorials that will all be part of the new page.
I'm also sharing a special free gift with each new connection over the next 30 days. See you ​on the 'Gram​.
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.​