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:

• 2 exercise mistakes that amateurs make in the gym (and how you can avoid doing this too).
• 1 simple holiday trick to stop overeating even while enjoying your favorite vegan foods.
• 2 evidence based methods to test your strength and endurance going into next year.

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Last week was my breaking point.

Or to be more accurate, our family's breaking point.

Our sleep as a family had been chaotic for months.

But with the craziness of October with the hurricane, paired with our move down south, pushed us over the edge.

It's the metaphorical straw that broke the camel's back.

So we got help.

We invested $400 for a 1 hour session with an expert sleep consultant.

I was skeptical for months before (thinking I knew better as a father).

My wife also wasn't convinced.

Yet, we both realized that there was something we didn't know or understand that wasn't working.

We had tried the books.

We had tried the videos.

We had tried learning ourselves.

It still wasn't working

Within 24 hours after our sleep consultation, we started to see results.

Anthony started sleeping through the night.

I was flabbergasted.

But also not totally surprised.

It's part of the reason why I value coaching and mentorship.

The right guidance with the right approach for your situation can reap 100x better results than trying to hash things together by yourself.

It's the same mistake I made in my fitness (and health) for years.

After finishing my initial fitness studies and landing a job in one of the top personal training gyms in the northeast USA, I felt like I knew it all.

I worked my way up the ranks and eventually my schedule was booked out 5-6 days a week with 10-12 sessions per day training clients.

I was at the top of my game.

I thought I was.

Even though I had knowledge and practical experience, I still needed support.

I felt like an expert who barked out commands left and right yet I still struggled with my fitness.

I was working out and eating well.

I just hadn't created my ideal body or fitness.

I knew too much.

That's the problem I see nearly every day with clients we work inside of VFR.

They know too much.

They know about fasting, macros, lifting weights, food timing, HIIT workouts, etc.

This is what paralyzes them.

It's what kept me stuck for years until I invested in my first mentor.

It's the same reason why to this day I still have support and guidance around my health and fitness with two mentors in both of those areas.

It's the same reason why I'll keep investing in myself every year.

Mentorship is a shortcut to success.

It's an easy way to fasttrack your results without b.s. or fluff.

It works because someone else has walked your path.

They can guide you past the pitfalls.

It's still the highest ROI investment I make every year (for the past 10 years).

Invest in yourself.

Lesson: The right mentor can shave YEARS off your learning curve. When you find them - stay with them.

Here's Your 1-3-1 Friday:

1). Stop making these 2 exercise mistakes

Beginners make these two mistakes when they start working out:

• Try to do too many exercises at once
• Confuse soreness for progress

Inconsistency is close by when you do too much at once.

While it's exciting to go to the gym 6 days a week and work out 2-3 hours each day, it's not sustainable.

Especially for someone who have been conditioned to go 0 to 100.

'Once Jan 1st, 2025 begins, I'm going to go ALL IN on my fitness and health!' Thinks the beginner...

Instead of burning out and trying to do too much at once, focus on your minimum STANDARDS.

Your standard is your bare minimum.

What you're not willing to tolerate to go beneath.

So instead of setting a goal to work out 5x a week...

Create a standard to NOT go beneath 3 strength workouts every week.

No matter what - you get 3 workouts in.

That's your floor and the base you live from.

If you get 4 or 5 workouts, that's great.

But until you raise your standard, 3 workouts it is.

The second mistake?

When you confuse soreness with progress.

DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness, is a word tossed around in the fitness industry.

In fact, there's sadistic trainers known to intentionally teach clients that being sore is a sign of progress.

(and we wonder why trainers get a bad 'rep').

What's happening is your body is adapting to the new exercises.

Soreness can be a good sign, but for a different reason.

It's a sign that there are adaptations and potential room for improvement.

But constant soreness for months on end doesn't mean progress.

It may mean you're constantly switching exercises.

It might mean your trainer changes variables too quickly (6-8 weeks of constant variables is a good rule of thumb).

And it could mean a few other things.

But judging your progress by how sore you are?

It's not the best KPI to see sustainable and permanent transformation.

Rather than soreness, use strength.

See how strong you're getting each week.

Track your reps, sets, and weights that you're lifting.

Check your heart rate and V02max.

Test your 1 rep maximum.

This (and more) will give you more insight into your actual workout progression.

Enjoy the process and have fun.

Working out is incredible.

Have some fun the next time you walk into a gym.

You have arms, legs, and a body made to move.

Celebrate your body and life each day.

2). 1 simple holiday eating trick to avoid overeating

'Tis the season...

To enjoy time with your family and friends.

Not to be binge eating and throwing away your health.

Yet, for many of us, this is the time of year we throw it all away.

I don't think it's your fault.

But it's your responsbility.

The media, food industry, and conditioning makes us believe that we deserve to overeat and overspend especially this time of year.

It's like the Roman party fests that used to take place in each estival back in ancient Rome.

Focus on sustainability and use this proven tactic to avoid overeating while enjoying your favorite vegan foods.

#1 Pair vegetables and fruits with each tasty meal you eat.

Don't confuse the simplicity of this tactic with it's effectiveness.

Let's start with vegetables.

Vegetables are pound for pound the most hungry suppressing foods on the planet.

They fill you up.

They also make it hard to overeat them AND other foods you'll be eating with them.

Take brussel sprouts and carrots.

1. Start with an empty plate.
2. Fill up to 50% of your plate with veggies (the more the merrier).
3. Then add in whole foods like potatoes, yams, and lentils.
4. Top it off with your favorite savory food.

Run the same process with fruits.

Fruits are 4x more nutritious than vegetables.

They're slightly easier to overeat but they're fruits.

Which means even if you overeat fruits (like bananas and dates) you're doing the BEST thing for your health.

No one has ever gotten fat or sick from eating fruits.

Vegetables and fruits.

These are your two health allies going into the holidays.

As a closing thought:

If you want to get more bang out of your food, then avoid altering them from their original form.

For example, if you're using this holiday strategy, it won't be as effective if you're drowning your broccoli in avocado oil or your aspargus with olive oil.

You can use healthy fats with your veggies if you'd like.

But aim to be more conservative with your fat portions.

Fat is the enemy of health especially when excesivvely high.

Veg and fruit will protect you through the holidays.

They'll also keep you fuller.

Plus, they'll give you a daily health boost of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (all of which lead to high performance health).

Why not add these two to your health arsenal?

3). 2 ways to test your strength and endurance next year

Want to start next year in your best health and strength?

Use the two systems below to track your current strength and endurance.

Once you know your baseline you can start to work your way backwards towards your goals.

Let's dive in.

The 1-Rep Max (1RM) Test for Strength

Why 1RM?

The 1-Rep Max (1RM) test is a cornerstone in strength training, promoted by key fitness experts and supported by numerous studies.

It measures the maximum amount of weight you can lift for a single repetition of a given exercise, typically the bench press, squat, or deadlift.

According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, the 1RM test is a reliable indicator of maximal strength.

It also helps create a highly specialized strength program for you.

How to Perform a 1RM Test Safely

1. Warm-Up Properly: Begin with light cardio for 5-10 minutes, followed by dynamic stretches. Perform 2-3 sets of the exercise with progressively increasing weights to prepare your muscles and joints.
2. Choose the Right Exercise: Select a compound movement like the squat or bench press that engages multiple muscle groups, providing a comprehensive strength assessment.
3. Incremental Increases: Start with a weight you can lift comfortably for 5-10 reps. Gradually increase the weight by 5-10% for each subsequent attempt, ensuring you have enough rest between attempts (2-5 minutes).
4. Execute with Precision: Focus on proper form to prevent injury. Perform the lift explosively and control the descent, maintaining stability throughout the movement.
5. Record Your Max: The highest weight you successfully lift for one rep is your 1RM. Use this metric to adjust your training intensity and track progress over time.

Benefits of Tracking 1RM

Monitoring your 1RM provides clear benchmarks for strength gains, helping you set achievable goals.

It also makes it easier to specialize your strength training program (whether you're doing this or have an expert programming for you).

The Cooper Test for Endurance

Why the Cooper Test?

Endurance isn't just about how long you can run; it's a measure of your cardiovascular and muscular stamina.

The Cooper Test, developed by Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper in the 1960s, remains a gold standard for assessing aerobic fitness.

According to research in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the Cooper Test is a simple yet effective way to estimate VO2 max, a key indicator of cardiovascular endurance.

How to Perform the Cooper Test

1. Choose Your Setting: Find a flat, measured track or a treadmill to ensure accurate distance measurement.
2. Warm-Up: Engage in light jogging and dynamic stretching for about 10 minutes to prepare your body for intense activity.
3. Set Your Timer: The traditional Cooper Test involves running as far as possible in 12 minutes. However, you can adjust the time based on your fitness level.
4. Pace Yourself: Start at a steady, sustainable pace. It's tempting to sprint at the beginning, but maintaining a consistent speed will yield a better endurance assessment.
5. Maximize the Final Minutes: In the last few minutes, increase your speed to cover as much distance as possible.
6. Calculate Your Results: Compare your distance to standardized Cooper Test charts to evaluate your cardiovascular fitness level.

Benefits of the Cooper Test

The simplicity of the Cooper Test makes it easy for you at any fitness level.

It not only provides a clear measure of your endurance but also helps which areas you need to improve.

It's a simple way to stay on top of your cardio health.

Integrating These Tests into Your Routine

The 1RM and Cooper Test give you two new tools for your fitness toolbox.

Here’s how you use them consistently:

• Schedule Regular Assessments: Perform the 1RM test every 8-12 weeks and the Cooper Test every 4-6 weeks. This frequency allows for consistent monitoring without overtraining.
• Use Data to Adjust Training Plans: Analyze your test results to modify your workout routines. If your 1RM increases, consider adding more weight or varying your exercises. If your Cooper Test distance improves, incorporate more high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to further boost endurance.
• Stay Consistent and Patient: Progress takes time. Celebrate small victories and stay committed to your goals.

You can't set your fitness compass if you don't know where you are now.

Get clear on this and rock your goals.

I'm rooting for you.

1 Action Step

Slow down during the holidays. Enjoy meals. Enjoy your family. Enjoy your fruits and veggies. Have fun this season! :)

One Quote To Finish Your Week Strong