My calendar has been booked out.

The past two weeks have flown by with end-of-year busyness.

It's astonishing how fast time can go by the busier we get.

I recently shared and wrote about the power of slowing down.

Yet, things can speed up without a conscious effort to slow down.

I'm looking forward to more time being present in the next few weeks.

With family driving down to see us the last week of December until New Year's (9 people), we'll have a full home here till the end of the year.

And I can't wait for this.

As much as I enjoy solitude and time with Anna, family and friend time is unbeatable.

It creates some of the best memories and experiences.

And it allows me to crack jokes about our adventures, failures, lessons, and insights from the past year.

Success means nothing without your loved ones.

Failure is meaningless without your friends.

Life (and us) is all interconnected.

We need each other to grow (even as we develop ourselves).

May you enjoy the holidays and end your year well. :)

Lesson: Cherish the moments with your loved ones. Act as if each moment is your last.

Here is your 5 Minute Friday:

How To Make Your Brain 10x Smarter

Exercise will make you smarter.

Hands down, exercise is one of the fastest ways to increase your cognitive abilities, executive brain functions, and even improve neuron functioning.

But what kind of exercise works best for brain health?

Drum roll...

All exercise.

However, strength training, cardiovascular activity ('cardio'), and Qi Gong/Tai Chai have been found to have the highest impact on brain health and cognitive functions.

According to Health Harvard, here's a few other benefits from doing exercise consistently:

It's even been found that people who exercise consistently think better and have better memories.

Not surprising.

As a side note - if you want to see real benefits from getting smarter, you need to exercise consistently.

1-2 weeks won't cut it here.

6-12 months should be your minimum timeline.

Regarding exercise and fitness, the LONGER your time horizon, the higher your chance for permanent transformation.

Think in years and decades.

Not days, weeks, or months.

Action Step: Exercise daily for 5 minutes. Move your body. Walk briskly. Do 3 sets of squats. Do something—anything to use your magnificent body.

The Dangers of Not Doing Cardio

I've spoken about strength training several times in prior letters.

But cardio is a subject that's surrounded by controversy.

Like all tools in your fitness toolbelt, cardiovascular training has its place.

And its main function should be to support your heart health, longevity, and performance.

Not for fat loss.

So, if you're not doing cardio consistently, watch out for these dangers:

• Higher risk of heart disease
• Blood sugar is more instable
• Blood clots may increase
• Blood pressure may rise

The simplest solution?

Incorporate cardio + strength training + mobility.

I'll speak to the cardio part of the equation above (since the other two variables would take another two letters to discuss).

One of my favorite ways to include cardio into my workouts is using the 1-Minute Workout Method.

Like interval training, the 1 Minute Method, advocated by Martin Gibala, can be a VERY time-efficient way to get the same benefits as a full 45-minute cardio workout.

Here's how it works:

1. Warm-up for 2 minutes
2. Sprint/cycle/insert cardio movement as hard as you can for 60 seconds
3. Rest 30-60 seconds
4. Repeat for ten minutes
5. Cool down for 1-2 minutes

*There's over a dozen cardio protocols designed by Gibala. If you find this topic interesting, comment below, and I'll share more about this in a future letter.

I've seen my heart health and endurance levels 2x in improvement from consistent cardio sessions over the past two months.

It's been a game-changer in my health with limited workout time.

Test this out for yourself.

First World Problems

Being a modern human comes with its own set of problems.

Instead of moving daily and challenging our bodies (and minds in some cases), many of us are slowing down.

Moving less.

Increasing stress.

Sleeping less.

Eating worse.

This means the more 'modern' we become - the more disconnected we can be with our bodies and minds.

Many of us work in sedentary jobs.

Heck, as I'm writing this, I'm typing on my desk in my office in Asheville.

But being a modern human doesn't mean you must atrophy and degenerate yearly.

It just means we need to be more strategic with our movement and bodies.

Here's 3 practical tips you can use this week:

Stand for 50% or more of your day.

As I'm writing this sentence, I'm standing. Standing is one of the most effective ways to reengage your body.

The modern human is built for sitting.

The true human was meant to move. Standing longer, moving more, and taking short walks throughout the day is a simple yet practical way to engage your body and avoid deactivating your big muscle groups (like core and glutes).

Stand more. And reap the benefits.

Learn to breathe deeply.

Stress doesn't disappear. If it isn't dealt with and released in a healthy way, it doesn't magically vanish. It accumulates.

And given enough stress, our body starts to break down.

It's the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

Learning how to breathe deeply and convert your negative stress into relaxation is what martial artists and Qi Gong masters have known for thousands of years.

The modern human is an infant when it comes to understanding the human body's incredible powers.

Breathe deeply.

And release stress.

Eat more fruits and vegetables (ideally organic if possible).

Even if you can't eat more organic, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.

The reason why health is decreasing more each year for modern humans is partially due to our lower nutrition quality every passing year.

Make a stand for your nutrition.

Eat high-quality fruits and vegetables and flood your body with the right nutrients, antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals that your body is craving.

Feed your body well, and it will respond in turn.

Keep it simple.

Focus on one action step at a time.

One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong

Enjoy your family time.

Enjoy your meals.

Enjoy your end of year.

Happy holidays,

- Gabriel

Whenever you're ready, here's one way I can help:

Every week until the end of the year, you'll see our End of Year VFR Special.

If you ​apply for a coaching spot​ and qualify this week, we'll coach you for FREE until the end of this year.

(e.g., if you apply and are accepted this week, that would equal 2 weeks of free coaching with your start date for your 4-month Accelerator Program starting on Jan 1st, 2024.

We'll deduct a week from this special every week until the end of this year.

So this week is the maximum bonus week you could qualify for (2 extra WEEKS) each week after deducting one week less.

You’ll also be able to lock in our 2023 tuition before tuition rises in 2024 (due to all the incredible upgrades we’ve made over the past 12 months inside of VFR).

Spots fill up fast due to a 2-week waiting list, so your application is not guaranteed to be viewed so I’d recommend applying now even if you’re unsure when to start.

Happy holidays! :)