Top Ten Takeaways From My First 191 Articles
Since 2020, I’ve written 191 articles to help you get stronger, leaner, and healthier—without the confusion.
You’d think I’d have run out of things to say by now. But the opposite happened.
Writing about fitness has only made me more passionate about helping people get strong, stay consistent, and feel good in their bodies.
This month, I’m stepping away for the first time in over four years. Not because I’m burned out. Not because I’m out of ideas. But because I’m getting married and heading out on my honeymoon. Woohoo!!
But before I go, I want to leave you with something valuable. (And I’ll be back with new articles the first week of June).
Here are the top 10 lessons I’ve seen change lives—over hundreds of client wins, years of coaching, and nearly 200 published articles.
If you apply even a few, they can change yours too.
1. Sustainable Habits Trump Quick Fixes
The best fitness plan isn’t the one that works for a week.
It’s the one that still works when life gets chaotic, motivation dips, or your schedule goes off the rails. Quick fixes promise fast results—but they usually cost you your sanity, your energy, and your long-term progress. The people who see real change?
They don’t follow perfect plans. They follow repeatable ones. They eat meals they actually enjoy. They train in ways that fit their lifestyle. They build habits that work on their busiest weeks—not just their best ones. Small wins, done daily, are what create big results.
You don’t need extreme effort. You need steady effort that doesn’t quit.
2. Strength Training Is Essential
Want to lose fat? Age well? Boost energy, confidence, or resilience?
You need strength training. It’s the closest thing we have to a cheat code for your body—and most people still overlook it. Lifting builds lean muscle, protects your joints, strengthens your bones, and keeps your metabolism humming.
It improves posture, balance, and how you move through the world—whether you're chasing PRs or just chasing your kids. And no, you don’t need to train like a bodybuilder. You just need to lift with intent.
Start with twice a week. If you can get to three or four, even better.
3. Protein and Fiber Are Key—No Matter the Goal
Whether you're trying to lose fat, build muscle, or simply feel better day to day—these two are your foundation.
Protein helps repair tissue, build muscle, and boost metabolism through the thermic effect of food (it takes more energy to digest than carbs or fat). It also supports recovery and keeps you fuller for longer.
Fiber feeds your gut microbiome, stabilizes blood sugar, and slows digestion—so you stay satisfied after meals instead of reaching for snacks an hour later.
Together, they improve hunger control, energy, and body composition—regardless of your goal.
Forget trendy diets. Get these two dialed in, and you’re already ahead of the game.
4. Your Efforts Compound Over Time—For Better or Worse
Every action you take—every workout completed, every meal logged, every hour of quality sleep—is part of a much bigger picture.
And whether you realize it or not, those actions are stacking. The same goes for skipped workouts, missed meals, and stress-fueled choices. Each one on its own might not matter much. But over time, patterns emerge—and those patterns either build momentum or break it.
Change doesn’t require perfection or massive effort overnight. What matters most is the direction you’re heading and your ability to course-correct when life throws you off track. The small things—done consistently—create the biggest results. And the moment you feel like you’ve lost progress? That’s the moment you have the most power to shift things.
Momentum is built through action.
So keep taking it.
5. A Little Cardio Goes a Long Way—But a Lot Is Great for Longevity
You don’t need to run marathons to see the benefits of cardio. In fact, even 2–3 brisk walks per week can improve your heart health, reduce stress, and support recovery.
But if you’re thinking long-term—living longer, thinking sharper, aging with strength and independence—doing more can make a real difference. Zone 2 cardio, which is steady, conversational-paced effort, has been shown to:
Improve cardiovascular endurance
Boost cognitive function
Increase mitochondrial efficiency.
Helps you recover faster and perform better during your strength workouts.
Start small—20 to 30 minutes a few times a week is a great place to begin. If you enjoy it and your schedule allows, build from there. And if you can get to 150 minutes per week? You’re right on track for major long-term benefits.
Cardio isn’t just a fat loss tool. It’s an investment in how well you’ll live, move, and feel for decades to come.
6. Sleep Is Non-Negotiable
You can train hard and eat well. But if your sleep is trash, your results will suffer.
Poor sleep increases cravings, slows recovery, and wrecks your energy. It makes fat loss harder and muscle gain slower. It even messes with your mood and willpower.
7–8 hours is the gold standard—but quality matters too. Dark room. Cool temp. No screens before bed. Consistent schedule.
Fix your sleep, and everything else gets easier.
7. Real Progress Happens Between Workouts
You don’t grow in the gym. You grow after—when your body repairs. And that only happens when recovery is dialed in.
That means:
Smart programming - If you’re pushing to the max every session without giving your body time to recover, you're not training hard—you’re just breaking yourself down.
Managing stress - Mental fatigue and chronic stress can bleed into your physical progress, making it harder to recover no matter how dialed-in your workouts are.
Drinking enough water - Being even mildly dehydrated can impact performance, slow recovery, and increase fatigue.
Eating enough food (especially if you’re training hard) - If you’re training hard but under-fueling, recovery stalls. You need calories and nutrients to repair muscle, restore energy, and adapt to the training stimulus.
Fatigue doesn’t always mean you’re overtraining.
More often, it means you’re under-recovering.
Your progress depends on how well you bounce back—not just how hard you push.
8. If You Don’t Enjoy Your Routine, It’s Not the Right One
You won’t stick with something you dread. And you don’t need to.
There are endless ways to move your body, eat well, and get results. The best plan is the one you look forward to doing—even on tough days.
And along the way?
You’ve got to celebrate wins. Not just goal weight or PRs. But the small stuff:
You showed up tired.
You meal prepped when it wasn’t convenient.
You chose water over soda
Stack enough of those wins, and you'll start to genuinely enjoy the process of transforming your body.
9. The Right Supplements Can Help—But They’re Just a Bonus
Supplements won’t fix a bad routine. But they can give you an edge when the basics are already in place.
Here are the ones I actually recommend:
Creatine – strength, performance, recovery
Vitamin D – immune health, hormone support (especially if you don’t get much sun)
Magnesium – better sleep, fewer cramps, less stress
Whey Protein – convenient way to hit your protein target
Fish Oil – heart and joint health
Notice what’s missing?
Fat burners. Detox teas. Gimmicks.
Don’t chase magic pills. Use what works, and keep your focus on real food and smart training.
10. My Clients Are Incredible—And Their Results Speak for Themselves
I’ve worked with clients from all walks of life—busy parents, professionals, athletes, and complete beginners—and their results never stop inspiring me.
Eshan dropped nearly 30 pounds in four months, gained strength, and eliminated back pain.
Caleb, a father of three, stayed consistent through injuries and a hectic schedule.
Jenny, a kayaking grandmother, built strength, erased back pain, and now keeps up with her grandkids pain-free.
Scott lost over 40 pounds and hasn’t missed a workout in two years.
Ayush fixed chronic back pain and fell back in love with training.
Veronica trained for her wedding, hit six pull-ups, and rebuilt her confidence from the ground up.
Every story is different.
But the common thread? They showed up, stayed consistent, and committed to real change.
If you’re ready to do the same, I’m here to help.
One Final Thought Before I Go
I’m stepping away for a few weeks—but everything I’ve shared here still applies.
Fitness doesn’t pause. Life doesn’t pause. And your progress doesn’t have to either. These 10 lessons have helped hundreds of people build stronger, healthier lives. I hope they help you do the same.
Now, a quick heads up: I won’t be taking on any new coaching clients until May 20th.
But I know there are a few of you reading this who already know this is what you need. You’ve been thinking about it. Maybe even talking about it. You’re just waiting for the “right time.” Here’s your permission to decide. Use the next few weeks to really think it through.
And when I’m back, we can hit the ground running.
Best,
John
P.S. The best wedding kickoff!
3 Steps You Can Take
Apply for coaching - If you’re ready to start, you can fill out a coaching application here (it takes 90 seconds or less). Best case, you change your life. Worst case, I’ll help you draw up a road map to get closer to your goals.
Sign up for my newsletter - If you’d like to hear more, sign up for my mailing list here.
Keep learning - You can check out my other articles here. Nobody asked me to, but I’ve spent a ton of time researching everything from artificial sweeteners to saturated fat to testosterone and more, so you don’t have to.
