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.
What's new this week:
Next Friday, I’m excited to share an upgraded project. I’ve been working on it for the past few months.
This project will help you get leaner, stronger, and healthier in less time.
It’s the result of almost 10 years of coaching and training parents and athletes over 40.
Aside from our private 1:1 coaching offers (which are premium and not for everyone), this will be the fastest way to get my direct 1:1 help on a budget.
And no, you won't be paired with an inexperienced junior coach; you'll have the chance to work directly 1:1 with me as your main touchpoint.
If you’re looking for premium, personalized health and fitness support in a 1:1 format—and want to get leaner and stronger than you’ve felt in a long time—this is for you.
Get lean, healthy, and strong faster.
Keep an eye out for next week's letter.
ONE REFLECTION FROM ME
I ran a 6k a few days ago.
It was my first distance race (ever).
It wasn't planned or scheduled.
My sister-in-law, Ewelina, asked me the day before if I'd like to join her.
At first I declined.
Logically, I thought I should train for it.
But after further questioning and learning that 6k was only 3.8 miles, I decided to give it a go.
Health is your foundation for fitness.
Without health, it's hard to do much.
Over the past few years, I've invested heavily in my health, testing different health & nutrition protocols.
On top of this, I've worked carefully with my fitness instructor as I've rebuilt my strength and endurance.
I'm emphasizing health first since so many clients come to us asking for help with their fitness, yet their health is in poor shape.
Get your house (health) in order first, and fitness becomes 10x easier.
Over the past 6 months, my endurance and strength have steadily improved.
I've been playing 2 soccer matches (on average) per week, averaging 6-8 miles per match.
3.8 miles?
Somehow I had put a 5k (or 6k in this case) on a pedestal.
A private client I've been working with this year asked me about running a 5k later in September (a month ago).
I told her to go for it.
So why wouldn't I do the same?
When you test yourself, you start to realize the things you made 'big' or 'hard' are just your own mental projections.
The run was a blast.
We ran on Sunday morning. I stayed with my sister-in-law for 2.3 miles to keep her company since she had only slept 3 hours after a late birthday party. Then, in my last mile and a half, I turned up the heat.
I averaged sub-7 minutes for the last stretch.
Numbers aside, the run was fun. The atmosphere was terrific, and the cause was worthy (lung disease).
Plus, the watermelons at the end were delicious.
All in all, I had a great time.
Since our clients are going through our fall 30-day fitness reset challenge, I figured it made sense to do my own.
The cool thing about challenges?
They help you raise the bar.
Maybe I'll do another race in the future.
Always wanted to do a Spartan race or Ninja Warrior course.
For now, I'll keep lifting and playing soccer.
But I've stretched my mind and body.
And that's cool by itself.
Lesson: Once you stretch your mind to a new dimension, it never goes back to its old shape.
3 IDEAS FOR YOU
I.
If you take care of your vehicle (body), it will take care of you.
Unfortunately, the world that we live in isn’t conducive to health or well-being.
If you try to build fitness on sand (poor health), high-performance fitness won’t happen.
That’s why the right habits, standards, and systems will always beat the best goal-setting techniques.
So, yes, goals are important.
But it’s just as important to have your skills, practices, and daily actions in place.
Don't put the cart before the horse.
Your order of priority for health matters.
II.
You have to become your own health scientist.
Like any good scientist, you'll want to research and use proven principles and standards that have worked for large groups of humans.
But at the same time, don’t take everything at face value. Test things for yourself. Try it out not just once, but for an extended period.
Working out and lifting weights won’t change your body overnight. But if you stick with it for 4-6 months, or longer, you’ll notice amazing changes in your body. This is especially true when you focus on energy balance.
So less is more when you’re doing the right things.
But you still have to do the right things long enough; otherwise, you won’t be able to make a scientific decision or analysis based on it.
At the end of the day, you are your own best authority.
It is your body after all.
III.
Here’s how you master your health:
Goals ← Skills ← Practices ← Actions
When you know your goals and the skills you need to reach them, you can make faster and lasting progress.
This framework, popularized by Precision Nutrition, is known as the GSPA framework.
It builds directly on James Clear’s concept of systems over goals.
The better your health and fitness systems, the more likely you’ll consistently reach your goals.
The order in which you do things matters just as much as what you're doing.
Setting goals matters.
But skills, practices, and actions are how you reach your goals with ease.
Keep the main thing, the main thing.
ONE QUESTION FOR YOU
What throws you off in your health during fall? How can you avoid this roadblock this year?
Client Spotlight
1 QUOTE FROM OTHERS
I.
"Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely. Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."
- Carl Jung
Headed back home in a few days.
Great time in Poland.
Will miss everyone.
But looking forward to being home.
As promised, your 1-3-1 Friday in less than 5 minutes.
Until next week,
P.S. Health comes before fitness. Always and forever.
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