Good morning!

Let's pick right back up where we left off last week.

To refresh your memory...

Our personal growth in life is just like a tree. Even during difficult times, our habits, actions, and routines are the roots that anchor us, supporting our growth.

We all face storms in life.

In fact, the most turbulent times of our lives are just around the corner. The next two decades will be full of hurricanes and typhoons. Even the strongest among us can be brought down.

When the storms arrive, will you be strong enough to stand tall?

Part 2: Body Roots

13. Don't fall for the biggest scam on earth

Processed sugar is a drug. This is one of my most strongly-held beliefs. I love the way it tastes, but I hate how it makes me feel and what it does to my body.

From a young age, I've had a sweet tooth, and through my decade of competitive distance running, I have eaten more sugar than you could possibly imagine. I know how wonderful the taste of sugar is, but so do the 7-8 companies that own 90% of the food brands you will find on the shelf. There is a reason sugar is crammed into nearly every food product with a barcode: because it is cheap and addictive.

Major food brands know that if they can get you hooked on it, you will keep coming back to buy more. Processed sugar is a bit of a scam.

Treat it like a drug, because that is what it is.

Excess processed sugar in your diet becomes stored as body fat, simple as that. The biggest offender is soda and fruit juices - if you are "drinking" sugar, then start by cutting it out and you will immediately start seeing your body change.

When you stop eating sugar, your body will be very angry at you (just as it would be if you stopped any other addiction). The first few days are the hardest, but if you can get through those, it only gets easier from there.

I recognize that completely removing processed sugar from your diet isn’t practical for most people. Show yourself some compassion, if you slip up - but keep trying. As I said in letter 5, you will start feeling a positive feedback loop and the consistent benefits will give you the momentum to move forward.

If you want to stabilize your energy levels AND see excess body fat melt off your body, then remove processed sugar from your diet - completely.

14. The easiest way to stay lean

I don’t eat breakfast, and I eat my first meal around lunchtime.

This type of intermittent fasting allows me to become "accidentally ripped". On more than one occasion, I have taken my shirt off, looked in the mirror, and been completely surprised by how shredded I look. I am not saying this to brag! I am saying this to help you understand that losing body fat does NOT need to be difficult or complicated.

Intermittent fasting teaches you to be okay with feeling hungry from time to time. Hunger is a state of being that you should be comfortable with. I am not telling you to starve yourself, but just think about the ancient humans that we came from... they would regularly go for days at a time without food. You will survive if you skip breakfast a few days a week. Our body is perfectly equipped to deal with hunger.

When you are constantly "well fed", cells that shouldn't be around (like pre-cancerous cells) are able to grow. But when you are fasting, your body starts chewing through dead or damaged cellular material. So, aside from the obvious weight-loss benefits, intermittent fasting is just great for overall health and longevity.

If you want to practice intermittent fasting gradually, start by eating a high-protein, carb-free breakfast every morning. After a couple of weeks, slowly reduce the size of that meal, until you are skipping breakfast altogether.

I've found that skipping breakfast and then breaking my fast with a high-protein, moderate-fat meal is the best way to approach intermittent fasting. This approach is fantastic for weight loss.

Plus - it is great for cognitive focus, as well. It is much easier for me to get “in the zone” when I am fasting.

Like most things, this change is most difficult at the beginning, but if you can make it part of your lifestyle, you can protect yourself from excess weight gain - indefinitely.

15. Increase your protein intake

Protein is satiating and great for building/maintaining muscle mass. I build my nutritional approach around protein - it is the only macronutrient that I pay attention to. I shoot for 1 gram of protein for every pound of lean body mass (170 grams of protein/day).

One gram of protein per pound of lean body mass is a great target for most people.

This is my favorite protein treat:

• 1 cup plain greek yogurt

• 1-2 scoops chocolate whey protein

This tasty combination has zero grams of added sugar and will easily give you around 50-70 grams of protein. Plus - it tastes fantastic. I eat this treat nearly every day. It is great as a post-workout recovery snack or as an alternative to a sugary dessert.

16. An easy rule of thumb for counting macros

If you want to improve your diet, but you are just starting to make changes, then follow this simple rule-of-thumb for the next 2 weeks:

Double the protein and half the carbs

This is a simple rule, but it is very effective, especially if you just need a kick in the right direction. This one rule WILL help you lose weight, if you can stick to it for a couple of weeks.

When combined with a sugar-free diet, intermittent fasting, and regular walking, body fat will melt off of your body.

17. The fitness supplement that everyone should be taking

If you listened to the recommendations from every influencer, you would spend millions of dollars per year on dietary supplements.

As a supplement junkie and someone that has managed $100k+ advertising campaigns for several supplement companies, I can confidently tell you that most fitness supplements are overhyped and too expensive.

I’ve personally tested (or at least researched) nearly every dietary supplement under the sun. If you are going to spend your hard-earned cash on a supplement, then start with...

Creatine

I'm sure you have heard of creatine, and for good reason!

It is one of the most well-researched and well-proven dietary supplements in existence. Creatine will, almost always, improve strength and muscle mass. It works exceptionally well for improving high intensity athletic performance. There is also evidence of its ability to improve endurance, and reduce depressive symptoms.

Creatine is tasteless and you can mix it with almost anything - I recommend mixing it into a flavored (sugar-free) drink or your post-workout protein shake.

In terms of dosage, 5-10 grams/day of creatine monohydrate is a great target.

Which brand should you buy? Nearly any brand. Just look for good old fashioned "creatine monohydrate" on Amazon. I buy it in bulk from this brand - you can have 100 servings for $24.

18. The Morning Walk Habit

On average, Americans spend 93% of their time inside. It is no surprise that people are so depressed and frustrated. We’ve squished ourselves into little boxes and we just stare at screens all day. It's a very real problem.

And going for a walk outside can be part of a solution. Everyone should dedicate time to walking every day. Birds fly, fish swim, humans walk. This isn't a debate.

Nearly 2 years ago, I added a daily morning walking habit to my life and the number of days that I have missed can be counted on two hands. It has worked wonders for regulating my circadian rhythm, and reducing my stress levels.

My morning walk helps me start every day on the right foot.

I call this an "anchor habit" in my life, because it always keeps me steady. Because I am fully committed to my morning walk habit, I can "link" it to other habits. For example: I'll write in my journal before I walk and afterwards I’ll take a cold plunge/shower. This three-link chain of habits is held together by my morning walk.

Commit to walking outside for 10 minutes, every morning, for a couple of weeks. You will see so many benefits that the morning walk will likely become an anchor habit for you too.

I swear by this habit and I've been working on a book called The Morning Walk Manifesto - you can read some of my notes here, if interested.

19. How to counter the negative effects of sitting

Every day, most people (myself included) spend too much time sitting down, hunched over. Sitting has become a necessary evil that we all need to deal with. It causes your body countless problems, from your feet, all the way to the top of your head.

Almost everyone I know has exceptionally tight hips and hamstrings. To counter some of the negative effects of sitting, try two of my favorite mobility exercises below.

The Elephant Walk

Fantastic for hamstring flexibility. I do this exercise after every leg workout and after each day of work. You should do this exercise as a daily hamstring refresher following a long day of sitting. Shoot for 15 repetitions on each leg. This video gives a great demonstration of this exercise.

The Couch Stretch

Great for hip and quad flexibility. Shoot for 1 minute on each side, repeat twice. Do this every day, if you can. You will notice dramatic improvements in hip flexibility after about a week. This video gives a good overview of how to do this stretch.

20. Go to the gym

Most people have no clue what to do when they go to the gym. And as a result, they just don't go at all. It is sad. Listen, please don’t overcomplicate going to the gym. There is no "perfect workout". The closest thing to a perfect workout is the one that actually happens.

Lower the barrier for entry. It is okay to show up and then leave after 10 minutes. What really matters is showing up consistently and improving over time.

Whenever my training routine is disrupted, or I am trying to get back on track, I jump onto one of the following weightlifting splits:

PPL:

• Mondays - pushing exercises

• Tuesdays - pulling exercises

• Wednesday - legs

• Thursday - pushing exercises

• Friday - pulling exercises

• Saturday - legs

• Sunday: OFF

Upper/Lower:

• Mondays - upper body exercises

• Tuesdays - lower body exercises

• Wednesday - upper body exercises

• Thursday - lower body exercises

• Friday - upper body exercises

• Saturday - lower body exercises

• Sunday: OFF

For selecting exercises, choose heavier, compound movements and do those exercises at the beginning of your workout (obviously warm up first). After you have completed your compound movements, everything else is just icing on the cake. You could just go home and you will have gained 80% of the benefits of a full workout.

My favorite pushing exercises:

• Bench press, seated dumbbell military press

My favorite pulling exercises:

• Pull ups/lat pulldown, decline dumbbell curls

My favorite leg exercises:

• ATG split squats, barbell front squats

But what about cardio? Go for three 10 minute walks every day. Just start there. If you are trying to lose weight, prioritize the dietary advice I gave you in roots 13-16.

You lose weight in the kitchen - not in the gym.

21. Seek the cold

I've taken over 1000 cold plunges in my life. Cold therapy is one of those habits that your body starts to CRAVE, even after just a few days.

The immediate benefits of a cold therapy are:

• increased metabolism (more fat burning)

• increased dopamine (more motivation)

• increased endorphins (more good vibes)

Some of the longer term benefits you might notice:

• reduced inflammation (faster recovery from exercise)

• stronger immune system (better resistance to illness)

• improved discipline (more willpower)

No matter what is going on in my life, I make sure to get at least 1 minute of cold exposure. During the warmer months, my cold therapy comes in the form of a cold shower, and in the colder months, I'll take a cold bath, or jump in a river if I have one nearby.

I'll have future letters dedicated entirely to this wonderful activity, but here is some general information to get you started with cold therapy:

Cold Showers

Take your usual warm shower, then change the temperature to cold. From there, expose all of your body parts to the cold water, one at a time - like you are doing the hokey pokey. Finish off by doing a full rotation underneath the cold water. The first time you do it, just do it as quickly as you can. As you get more comfortable, you can extend the amount of time exposed to the cold water - 2 minutes is a good target.

Cold Plunge

This is a mental game. Your mind is going to try to talk you out of it and you need to cut those excuses off immediately. Read letter 2 if you need a refresher on excuses. For your first cold plunge/bath, just get into the water up to your shoulders and jump right out. This will help you break the mental barrier for future plunges. A quick plunge is invigorating, even without staying in the water for an extended amount of time. Once you have broken the mental barrier, gradually increase your time spent in the cold water. 2 minutes is a good target, but depending on your goals, you can progress up to 8-10 minutes for a single plunge. You don’t have to plunge every day. Studies have shown that just 11 minutes TOTAL over the course of the week is proven to bring a cascade of health benefits.

I have a bunch of cold therapy resources coming, so until then... stay chilly.

22. Break a sweat

If you have access to a sauna and you aren't taking advantage of it at least a few times a week, then you are missing out!

Sauna use is fantastic for your heart, can extend your lifespan, and it just puts you in a good mood. Plus - because it elevates your heart rate and makes sweat pour out of you, it is actually its own form of cardiovascular exercise. If you want to take a deep dive into the benefits of sauna use, then read this very thorough article from Dr. Rhonda Patrick.

It is hard to give recommendations on the amount of time to spend in the sauna, because there are different types of saunas and each might have a different temperature. My personal approach: I just sit there until I start feeling discomfort - then look at my watch and stay in for another 5 minutes. This approach isn’t for everyone, but it works for me.

For your first time in the sauna - don't try to be a hero. Shoot for 10 minutes, and then next time shoot for 12 minutes. Slowly increase your sauna exposure over time and eventually you will find your sweet spot. Enjoy!

23. Get to sleep

When mastered, sleep can have a disproportionately positive effect on ALL aspects of your life, both mind, and body.

As I said in letter 3, waking up early is one of the most effective ways to create the life of your dreams. And although waking up early can be difficult, you know what is even more difficult? Going to sleep at a reasonable hour. With all of the distractions of life and the constant barrage of unnatural light, it is nearly impossible to "wind down" at a reasonable hour.

There is no way around it, you need to find a way to consistently get 6-8 hours of sleep every night. This is a constant battle for me. No amount of brute force and willpower can drag my head off the pillow, if I am not well-rested. But I’m committed to waking up early. So, starting at 9 PM (and sometimes earlier), I stop using my phone and I try to dim down as many lights as I can.

When you reduce your light exposure, it lets our ancient brain know that it is time to wind down. Reduce unnatural light and stimulation as much as you can, in the final hour leading up to your bedtime. If all of your lights are on, and you are scrolling on TikTok, then you will have little chance of falling asleep on time.

And when you stay up late every night, you are guaranteed to start each day at a disadvantage. But when you consistently go to bed early, you start every day with the deck stacked in your favor.

A final note on sleep, when you are sleeping, your mind is still at work. I like to "seed" my mind before going to bed, by thinking about my ideal future and all of the things I am grateful for, while I am drifting off to sleep. I find my dreams are more positive and productive when I do this.

You spend 1/3 of your life asleep - make the most of that time and both your mind and body will be thankful.

Alright, that’s it!

When I came up with the concept for this newsletter, I had no idea of how long it would be. I tried to be as concise as I could, so if you are reading this right now, then you are serious about your personal growth.

I truly hope that the last two letters have inspired you to strengthen the roots of your personal growth tree and that you have discovered a handful of new ways to grow.

To ensure you keep growing, here is what you need to do:

• Choose ONE root from the past two letters and commit to grafting it into your life. I personally swear these roots will improve your life, if you cultivate them.

• Choose TWO people that you can be accountable to, on your personal growth journey. These people could be a friend, spouse, family member, or even someone younger who could benefit from your guidance and support. Just as some trees link their roots together to share resources and weather storms, you will be much stronger when you strengthen your relationships and grow together with the people you care about.

If you made it to this point, can you reply to this email?

Thank you.

Cliff