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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:

• 1 reflection from me
• 3 ideas you can use
• 1 question for you

Let's dive in.

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What's new this week:

• ​Ep 30: A new chapter: The evolution of VFR to Zhanay Health (Podcast)
• ​What's your good enough (Guide)

In light of our brand upgrades, over the next few months, I'll be sharing some exciting new promos (some I've never shared before) to help more ambitious humans over 40 become healthy, fit role models.

If you've been waiting for the right moment to invest in your health, this is it.

For June, we're sharing a new 'free upon completion' program for 8 weeks.

8 weeks of programming and weekly guidance inside of our coaching app - to help drop up to 10 pounds or build your first 2-4 pounds of muscle.

It's $250 per month, for a total investment of $500 over 8 weeks.

But the cool part about this special?

If you complete the 8 weeks with 90% completion and are willing to exchange a positive review (if you had one), you can get your full investment back.

So basically, show up and do the work for 8 weeks. Drop 10 pounds and get lean (or build muscle and gain weight if that's your goal).

Then, get 100% of your investment back.

So the only risk is you not taking action and following through.

I've taken up offers like these in the past as a client, and, to be honest, they're among the best experiences I've had.

You need skin in the game to change (otherwise, you would have already done this with another free program).

This puts skin in the game.

So you're in the fire.

But you also have the ability to achieve the best ROI by getting your money back once completed, plus finally gaining momentum in your health & fitness results.

If getting lean, strong, and confident in your body resonates with you, this is for you.

7 spots for the next 8 days.

Spots usually fill within the first few hours after I send out this newsletter.

Grab yours by replying 'ZH' below, and I'll get your name added to the list (if spots are still available).

Let's kick off summer strong.

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ONE REFLECTION FROM ME

You need to find your fitness.

Here's what I mean:

For years, I lifted weights for different reasons.

When I first started lifting weights nearly 15 years ago, it was to rebuild my confidence.

I was a scrawny, skinny young man who wanted to gain some weight.

Later on, I wanted to become a better soccer athlete as I tried to play semi-pro ball.

Then, it was all about muscle building.

Then, it was about strength.

Later, I decided to drop body fat and do men's bodybuilding.

Then, I wanted to lift weights while traveling from coast to coast in the States and later internationally.

More recently, it's been about staying healthy and strong even as a busy dad, husband, and coach.

Today? It's similar to my dad motivation with a slight shift back towards athleticism and becoming the best soccer 'aesthetic' athlete I can be.

So the pendulum swings back and forth.

The most important lesson I've learned in health and fitness is to never turn off the dial.

Just don't stop taking action.

Everything happens in seasons.

Some months, your fitness dial might be an 8 or 9 out of 10.

Other months it might be as low as a 1 or 2 out of 10.

It all comes down to your goals and what season you're in.

The main thing is to never turn off your health or fitness.

As long as the lights are on the dial, you'll be fine.

At least that's what I've learned over the past 15 years.

What has your fitness taught you over the years?

Lesson: Keep the dial on no matter what.

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3 IDEAS FOR YOU

I.

Grounding, or earthing, has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, and even accelerate your body’s natural healing processes.

According to this study, grounding reduces pain. It changes the neutrophil and lymphocyte counts in the blood. Grounding also affects several chemical factors linked to inflammation.

Here’s another way to think about this:

Our bodies can generate energy and even power electrical devices.

Researchers are exploring ways to harness our body’s natural electrical activity to power medical devices.

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

Qi Gong, acupuncture, and many Eastern practices have recognized our body’s natural bioelectrical energy systems for thousands of years.

Using our body’s natural healing system can help us recover faster, perform better, and enjoy a high-quality life. This was a key goal of many ancient practices.

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

Connecting the body to the Earth lets free electrons flow from the Earth’s surface into the body. These electrons can provide antioxidant benefits.

The best health tools are often free to use.

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II.

Traveling this quarter?

That doesn't mean you need to quit on your fitness.

Here's a simple workout template you can use:

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

If you lack weights while traveling, swap squats for bodyweight squats. Replace bench press with push-ups.

Use bodyweight split squats instead of split squats. For bent-over rows, do bodyweight rows with heavy items like a backpack or books.

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

Working with busy entrepreneurs and high-performers has shown me something important: we all have the same amount of time. What truly matters is how we choose to use it.

Doing something for your health while traveling is always better than doing nothing.

III.

According to ​this study,​'The findings here demonstrate that simultaneously training for strength and endurance will result in a reduced capacity to develop strength, but will not affect the magnitude of increase in VO2max.'

In other words, strength & muscle gains can be negatively affected (which ruins your chances of keeping your muscle tone) by doing excessive cardio before lifting weights.

If you want to lose weight or inches, the most effective way is to start lifting weights FIRST, then increase sets, reps, or intensity over time, paired with a caloric deficit.

The caloric deficit drives fat loss.

The weights preserve lean muscle.

There's also the concept of the '​interference effect'.​ Essentially, this means that when the body receives two conflicting signals, it will adapt to the easier signal.

If you have two signals hitting your body from weights and cardio, your body will prefer to adapt to the easier cardio signal (which strengthens your heart but doesn't drop fat effectively).

However, it's not as scary as it sounds.

Set up your cardio and weightlifting sessions correctly. Then, you can maximize improvements in body composition and heart health.

Plus, I love cardio.

If you can, space out your weightlifting and cardio sessions by 6-12 hours (to minimize interference).

If you can't space out your workouts, do your cardio after lifting. Have a quick protein shake and a piece of fruit, like a banana. This helps replenish your energy and protects your lean muscle.

Work out smarter, not harder.

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ONE QUESTION FOR YOU

How would your fitness look like if it were simple?

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Client Spotlight

S. has a busy life with 4 kids, a corporate job, and taking care of her family. She was also selling her house and in the midst of moving to a new one.

She had zero energy, was 40 lbs overweight, and was tired of putting herself at the bottom of the list every day.

After 7 months, we’ve dropped 33 lbs and 5 inches off her waist, and given her back day-long energy to power through her work and projects.

Our strategy: a moderate caloric deficit, lifting weights 4 days a week, zero cardio, 8,000 steps per day, and focusing on eating more fruits and vegetables.

Health doesn't need to be complex.

It just needs to follow the correct principles.

Stop overcomplicating your fitness and health actions.

Keep it simple, stay consistent, and focus on what you can control in your health each week.

Avoid shiny object syndrome at all costs.

Excited to keep rooting for her and to see what she creates for her health in the 2nd half of 2026.

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1 QUOTE FROM OTHERS

I.

“What if we stopped celebrating being busy as a measurement of importance? What if instead we celebrated how much time we had spent listening, pondering, meditating, and enjoying time with the most important people in our lives?”​
― Greg McKeown

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The family from Poland is gone.

Great time together.

Now, my siblings are flying in on Monday.

Summertime is the best.

Can't beat family time together.

As promised, your 1-3-1 Friday in less than 5 minutes.

Until next week,

P.S. If your cat rules your house...​