Try to find water from a good, clean source. If you are on a municipal water source, you may want to use a water filter to filter out any heavy metals, chlorine, and other toxins.

Avoid drinking liquids that contain sugar or artificial sweeteners, as these can contribute to weight gain and hormonal imbalances. Coffee and beverages with caffeine can be dehydrating to your body. Do not count the consumption of these liquids in your total water goals per day. In fact, you may need to drink more to offset the dehydrating effect.

We suggest trying to drink a certain amount of water per hour to meet your hydration needs. This can be done easily if you purchase a bottle with time measurements on it. For example, let’s say you calculated that you should drink 100 oz of water per day. Purchase a 32oz bottle. Drink one bottle before 12pm, one bottle before 4pm, and one bottle before 8pm.

Many cans and plastic bottles contain BPA, a harmful chemical. Try to drink out of glass, stainless steel, ceramic, or BPA-free plastic containers. 32-64 oz bottles are a manageable size.

Drink 3-8 fluid ounces of water every 15- 20 minutes when exercising for less than 60 minutes.

Drink 3-8 fluid ounces of a sports beverage (5-8 percent carbohydrate with electrolytes) every 15-20 minutes when exercising greater than 60 minutes.

Do not drink more than one quart per hour during exercise.

Add about 1.5 grams, or 1/4 Teaspoon, of high quality, unprocessed Sea Salt to every 32 ounces of water that you drink. This will provide the electrolytes your body needs to function optimally.

In general, your water should not taste salty, but it should have a have a nice mouth feel or fullness to it. Experiment to find the right amount for your taste.

Alternatively, drinking mineral water achieves this same effect.

We recommend Celtic Sea Salt or Redmond’s Real Sea Salt.

If you add a lot of salt to your food, you may not need to add salt to your water.

Reverse Osmosis Filters can often strip water of vital electrolytes. If you drink from a RO filter, adding electrolytes back into your water is crucial.

In the beginning, you may find that you are urinating very frequently! Over time, the bladder should adapt and strengthen, and your urination should return to normal.

Adding electrolytes helps with frequent urination.

If you find that you are waking up during the night to urinate, try to stop drinking water about 2 hours before bed time.

Feelings of thirst can often be a poor indicator of whether or not you need to drink water. In general, if you are feeling thirsty, you are already dehydrated!

Try to drink 16oz of water before a meal, or when experiencing food cravings, to improve satiety.

While modern shoes boast thick-cushioned soles and doctor-approved arch support, these “features” can actually be detrimental to your health in the long run.

We suggest taking the more primal approach. Try to wear a minimal shoe that is “zero drop” and has little arch support.

These types of shoes actually strengthen your feet and ankles, improve your ability to balance and feel the ground, and lead to a safer and more efficient stride.

• 10 minutes of walking can be an excellent general warm up or cooldown surrounding your workouts.

• Walking after a meal improves digestion and energy levels.

• Walking at sunset or sunrise can calibrate your circadian rhythm and improve sleep.

• Taking a break during work to walk can improve your focus, creativity, and energy levels.

• Figure out when walking may be the most beneficial to your health, and plan ahead.

We encourage walking in all kinds of weather. After all, resilience means being able to adapt to the rigors of our environment.

However, sometimes it is not safe to exercise outdoors. In the event that you have to be inside, feel free to utilize a treadmill, but set the incline to at least a 2% grade.

If you don’t have access to a treadmill, you can simply set a timer for 10 minutes and walk around your home.

Choose a route that is dynamic - utilize stairs, steps, and furniture as obstacles to make your walk more dynamic. Listen to some form of audio that inspires you.

Walking can double as an excellent way to practice meditation. For more information, check out this article.

For more information on proper walking technique, check out this article.

Pick 1-2 of the following practices to make your sleeping chamber as dark as possible.

Fit correctly sized blackout curtains in your bedroom.

Buy a correctly sized eye-mask to wear during sleep.

Remove all screens from your bedroom.

Leave device chargers in another room to avoid late-night phone usage.

Utilize an alarm clock that does not have bright lights or require screens.

Buy a red night-light (to mimic the light of the ancient fire)

Buy amber glasses to minimize blue-light exposure in the evening, or switch devices to “night-time alarm clockmode.”

Pick 1-2 practices to accumulate 20 minutes per morning under the rising sun, with the most benefit occurring from 8:00am to 10:00am.

Have morning tea or coffee next to a window or outdoors.

Read the news while outdoors.

If you must drive in the morning, leave your car a 10-minute walk away from your destination.

If you shop in the morning, park as far as possible from the supermarket entrance.

Take a morning break and go for a short walk outdoors.

Take your pet or family for a morning walk.

Pick 1-2 practices to establish a consistent routine that will support quality, restful sleep.

Set a “No Tech 90” Alarm for 90 minutes before bedtime.

Set an alarm for when it is time to go to bed, striving to be asleep before 10:30pm.

Sometimes, it’s okay to watch a bit of TV before bed, but if so, consider wearing amber glasses.

Dim lights about 90 minutes before bedtime, or switch to red light.

The ideal temperature for sleeping is about 65° F. Consider setting your thermostat 90 minutes before bedtime.

Pick 1-2 practices to quiet the mind and unwind before sleep.

Avoid the news, thrillers, social media or similarly stressful content before bed.

Avoid discussing financial or stressful family matters before bed.

Avoid checking emails or working on projects at least 90 minutes before bedtime.

Relaxing exercises such as Daily Resets, yoga, or light stretching can improve sleep quality.

Try the 3-4-5 Breathing technique to reduce stress. 3-5 minutes is plenty!

Meditate before bed to quiet the mind (20-minute Yoga Nidra by Jennifer Piercey).

Educate your family and friends about your evening routine.

Read light-hearted, easy material before bed.

Make an entry in your Journal or Quest Log to offload persistent thoughts and build gratitude:

• What did you do today?

• What do you have to accomplish tomorrow?

• What would you do differently, tomorrow?

• What are you proud of?

• What are you thankful for?

Pick 1-2 practices to reduce excess stimulation throughout the day.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and sugar after lunch

Reduce your sugar intake for reduced cravings and feelings of increased energy.

Replace caffeinated beverages with non-caffeinated herbal teas, especially around 3:00pm.

Save socializing for earlier in the day.

Avoid vigorous activity in the three hours before bed.

Embrace Microsleeps during the day - brief naps lasting 5-30 minutes for improved alertness, focus, and happiness.

Pick 1-2 practices to improve your sleep quality.

Avoid eating at least 2 hours before bed, or ideally by 7:00pm.

Drink camomile tea in the evening to encourage sleep.

Eat a lighter dinner, consisting of foods that you know agree with you.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Your Quest for this week is to build the habit of writing by journaling for 10 minutes in the morning, and 10 minutes in the evening.

For week 1, we will be building the habit of journaling. Journaling helps control symptoms of stress and improve your mood by:

• Helping you prioritize goals, problems, fears, and concerns.

• Tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognize triggers and learn ways to better control them.

• Providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviors.

When you have a problem and you're stressed, keeping a journal can help you identify what’s causing that stress or anxiety. Once you’ve identified your stressors, you can work on a plan to resolve the problems and reduce your stress.

You are welcome to journal about whatever you want! Track your mood, measure progress on goals, write down details of the day. Below are the questions I use in my personal journaling practice. Feel free to incorporate any of these that resonate with you.

Health Tracking (AM or PM):

On a scale of 0-5, with 0 being terrible and 5 being excellent, rate how you feel today in the following health categories:

• Sleep

• Hydration

• Nutrition

• Energy

• Mood

Introspective Questions (AM):

• What is your goal or intention for today?

• What are the 3 most important things you need to priortize today?

• What are you thankful for, and why?

• What obstacles might you face today, and how can you plan to overcome them?

Reflective Questions (PM):

• What did you do today?

• What do you have to do, tomorrow?

• What would you do differently, tomorrow?

• What are you proud of, today?

Your Quest for this week is to complete 5 minutes of stress-reduction breathing, twice per day. Experiment with which technique below feels more effective for you.

Our emotional states both inform, and are informed by the way we breathe.

In other words, anxious and stressful states can often cause shallow, rapid breathing that relies on the muscles of the chest or neck. But shallow chest breathing can also cause anxiety in otherwise calm people.

This fact is something we can use to our advantage in times of stress.

One of the most effective ways to deal with stress and anxiety in the moment is to breathe in a pattern that convinces your mind that you are calm, rested, and relaxed.

Below are 2 different breathing techniques that have been proven to do just that.

Cyclic Sighing (click for video)- Inhale through your nose, about half-way to full lung capacity. Hold for 1-2 seconds, then inhale again until your lungs are full. Hold for 1-2 seconds, then slowly exhale through your mouth, as if you were gently blowing on a hot coal. Repeat this cycle for 5 minutes and notice if you feel any reduction in stress or anxiety.

3-4-5 Breathing - Inhale through the nose for a count of 3 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and then exhale through your mouth for 5 seconds. As you do this, place a hand above your belly button and try to feel the diaphragm expand during inhalation. Repeat for 5 minutes.

This practice can be done any time you are feeling stressed out or anxious.

If done before bed, this kind of breathing can improve the quality of your sleep.

The key with this is to build awareness of your breath throughout the day.

If you start to feel anxious - check in with how you are breathing, or holding your posture. A slouched posture may produce feelings of anxiety, because your diaphragm is being crunched and you are forced to breathe with your chest or neck.

Your Quest for this week is to notice when your mind drifts toward remembering past events, or fantasizing about the future. If you are successful at identifying negative self-talk or stressful thoughts for 3 times throughout your day, then consider your day a success!

Anxiety can be seen as a fixation on the future. In other words, fantasizing often about what might go wrong in the future.

Depression can be seen as a fixation on the past. In other words, comparing our current state to an idealized or romanticized time in our past.

Both of these scenarios pull us out of the present moment, where we are often safe, happy, and whole. Being able to recognize when our thoughts are being pulled off in either direction in time, and then gently returning to a state of reassuring presence, can sometimes be the key to overcoming stress and anxiety in the moment.

Here is how you do it:

When you notice anxious, depressed thoughts, or negative self-talk

1. Accept and acknowledge that you have no control over the past or future. You only have control over the present moment.

2. Identify the thoughts of anxiety or depression as separate from yourself. They are simply products of your mind, which is only looking out for potential threats.

If necessary, use the Name It, Blame It, Tame It Protocol

• Name the thought as "fantasizing," or "remembering," or simply “Not I.”

• Blame the thought as unhelpful and contributing to your stress. “This thought does not serve me.”

• Tame the thought by affirming that those thoughts have no power over you.

3. Shift your awareness back to the present moment. Gently return your awareness from the stressful thoughts of the mind to the present sensations of your body. Feel the wind on your skin. Taste the inside of your mouth. Listen to the sounds around you. See with soft focus your current environment. Smell the air. Feel your body breathe.

4. Affirm your safety and contentment in the present moment. Note how in this present moment, none of those fears or anxieties are occurring.

• If necessary, repeat the mantra "I am safe. I am home. I am content. I am whole."

This week is about noticing in real time when these anxious or depressive thoughts arise throughout your day, and refocusing that energy with the process above.

Your Quest for this week is to complete 15-20 minutes of continuous writing in one sitting, for 4 consecutive days. On the other 3 days of this week, continue with the habits from weeks 1-3 that you found most beneficial.

This week, we will be delving a bit deeper into our psyches with the practice of therapeutic writing.

When upsetting or stressful events occur, we are not able to fully process what has happened. The event and the emotions associated with it often get stuck in our memory - only to surface later in the form of anxiety, depression, and illness.

By putting pen to paper and letting these emotions rise to the surface, we are able to externalize them, see them from a new perspective, and hopefully move past them.

While this depth of writing is intense and not necessary all the time, it can be an immensely powerful practice to keep in your quiver for when you are going through a particularly challenging time, or embarking on a life journey that feels unsure or scary. Explore which of the following writing prompts resonate with your current situation:

1. Continuous Writing:

• Writing topic. You can write about the same event all four days or different events each day. What you choose to write about should be something that is personal and important for you. This does not necessarily have to involve negative emotions or events. Feel free to write without aim, or write continuously about your hopes, dreams, and aspirations.

• Length and frequency. Write for 15-20 minutes, or 3 full pages, each day for four consecutive days if you can. It is a bit more effective than writing four days over the course of several weeks.

• Write continuously. Once you begin writing, write continuously without stopping. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar. If you run out of things to say, simply repeat what you have already written. Keep writing about the topic until the time is up.

• Write only for yourself. You are writing for yourself and no one else. After you complete the expressive writing exercise, you may want to destroy or hide what you have written. Remember this writing can be for your eyes only.

• What to avoid. If you feel that you cannot write about a particular event because it would be too upsetting, then dont write about it. Just write about events or situations that you can handle now.

• What to expect. It is common for people to feel somewhat saddened or depressed after writing, especially on the first day or two. Know that this is completely normal, if this happens to you. Typically, the feeling usually lasts just a few minutes or a few hours. It is a good idea to plan some time to yourself after your writing session to reflect on the issues you have been writing about and support yourself in any emotions that come up.

• Considerations. Writing about the same topic day after day for too many days is not helpful. If, after several sessions, you feel you are not making progress, then you might need to stop and contact a health care practitioner.

• When to discontinue the journaling exercise. Writing exercises aren’t for everyone. If the writing exercise evokes strong feelings that you cannot cope with, stop immediately and do something soothing for yourself.

  Experiencing symptoms of hypervigilance, stress or distress are signals to discontinue this journaling exercise immediately. Take care of yourself by doing something like practice diaphragmatic breathing, reach out to a friend or loved one, or go for a walk to center and calm yourself.

  If you experience lingering negative feelings you might benefit some additional help. It is recommended to seek the professional advice of a psychologist, counselor, or physician to discuss these feelings

2. The Torch of Bravery: When I am faced with an unusual level of fear or anxiety, I often find relief in externalizing my fears onto the written page. Much like shining a light on a potential boogey-man, the things we can't see fully are often what we fear the most.

This practice illuminates something you are anxious about or fearful of, and repeatedly asks the question "and then what?" to follow the trail of fear back to the source of anxiety.

For example: "I am anxious that I might be getting a cold. And then what? I won't be able to work this week. And then what? Then I won't be able to afford my bills. And then what? Then I will lose my house. And then what? Then I will be forced out into the streets. And then what? I will be bitten by a rabid raccoon one night. And then what? Then no one will be there to help me. And then what? Then I will succumb to rabies and be seen as a failure by all."

Once you feel like you have reached a deeper source of anxiety, look back upon where you came from and begin picking apart the trail you just created.

This technique is helpful for 2 reasons:

First, the fears that are so debilitating to us internally may actually sound kind of silly, dramatic, or easily avoidable when looked at from a different perspective. This practice can help us illuminate this roadmap of fear and rationally identify at which points we would be able to make better decisions or receive help.

Second, the surface-level fears that plague us can often be traced back to a deeper root of anxiety. In the example above, I'm not really anxious about getting a cold, rather I am afraid of being seen as a failure. By following these breadcrumbs of fear, I can better identify and then treat the root cause of the anxiety in the first place, and let go of the more surface-level triggers along the way.

3. The Heroic Narrative: How would you write about a challenging time in your life (past, present, or future), but from the perspective of hero?

• How are you ultimately successful?

• How do you overcome the obstacles you foresee?

• What is the best outcome?

• Who are your sidekicks or companions?

• How do you stay strong in the face of fear or doubt?

Your Quest for this week is to complete 10 minutes of meditation or mindfulness per day.

There's a lot of talk about mindfulness and meditation these days. We all know it's good for us and we should be doing it, but why? For me, this practice is valuable for 2 major reasons:

The first has to do with our attention spans. Thanks to the rise of smart phones and social media, our attention has become a commodity to corporations and media influencers.

Marketing research shows that the average attention span of a person has fallen from 12 seconds to just 8 seconds. The articles, apps, and the media we consume are specifically designed to exploit this fact. The shorter our attention spans, the more we scroll. The more we scroll, the more we are exposed to sensational headlines and targeted ads.

In short, the use of screens and social media is literally eroding our basic ability to focus and remain attentive. Both mindfulness and meditation are a proven way of exercising this attention and building back our capacity to focus.

If you feel like you have trouble focusing, it's not your fault. Remember that you are up against powerful influences that have a vested interest in controlling your attention.

Second, meditation has value as the practice of remembering that our thoughts are not actually us. The mind is simply a thought machine. Its job is to consistently scan the environment for threats, process sensory information, pre-program responses to said threats, and recall potentially useful memories.

Our minds are arguably our greatest tool - but we want to have control over when we use that tool. It's great to be able to use a hammer, but things get problematic when we start identifying as the hammer itself.

Too often these days, there isn't really any separation between the thoughts generated by our minds, and who we consider truly "self."

This becomes REALLY important when coupled with the fact that our minds tend to be negatively biased.

In our evolutionary past, survival required our minds to constantly look out for threats and danger. It is naturally hardwired to warn you about everything that might try to kill you, eat you, or ruin your day. This used to produce thoughts like "There may be a bear in that cave. This water may not be safe. That cliff looks dangerous. Never trust a stranger!"

Today, these thoughts are responding instead to a virtual and commercial environment filled with false threats: "You are not good enough. You don't have enough money to survive. This person is better than you. You need this item to be valued. You don't deserve this. You will always be abandoned. You always give up. This group of people hates you."

These risk-averse thoughts may have been useful at some point in time, but now they just heighten our sense of anxiety and depression. The problem is when we start to believe these thoughts are truly us, and fail to recognize that these thoughts are just the product of a negatively-biased thought machine doing its job.

Using the hammer analogy - not only do we believe we are the hammer, but the hammer thinks every nail is out to murder us. This is not helpful.

In this context, meditation has nothing to do with reaching enlightenment or becoming one with the universe. You don't have to sit in the lotus position or chant, unless you want to. Mindfulness and meditation are practical tools for our every day functioning in this distracted, monetized world.

Now on to the practices themselves.

Mindfulness - I define mindfulness as being present and attentive to what you are doing in the moment. This can be listening to music, driving in the car, playing an instrument, making art, playing with your kid, watching tv, or even doing chores.

The idea is simply that you are practicing focusing on what you are doing. Not surprisingly, this builds up your capacity to focus! No matter what you choose to do, be present and attentive. If a thought appears in your mind or you get distracted, just simply note it and gently return to focusing on what you were doing.

For this practice, pick any activity and simply be present and attentive to what you are doing in the moment, for 10 minutes. I personally enjoy putting on some music, and listening with full presence and attention, as if it were the coolest new music I had ever heard.

Meditation - I define meditation as the inner practice of creating a little space in between your thoughts, and you. This practice entails feeling and experiencing a point of focus (like feeling your breath, repeating a word, or watching a candle flame), and simply noticing when a thought appears in your mind.

The difference between meditation and mindfulness tends to be the location of focus. Mindfulness tends to have an external focus, whereas meditation tends to have an internal focus. The inner state of your mind and body become the focus itself.

For this practice, sit, stand, or lay in a comfortable position. Relax and experience the rise and fall of your breath. Let the breath happen without you controlling it. As thoughts arise, simply note it, and return to experiencing the breath.

Once you notice that you are thinking, gently return to the breath. The key is not to stop or suppress thoughts from happening, just let them happen and float away like a leaf coasting down a river, or a cloud drifting through the sky.

If you notice that your nose is itching, simply note "nose itching" and return to the breath. If a past memory pops in your head, just note "remembering" and return to the breath. If you find yourself thinking about the chores you are supposed to do, note "thinking" and return to the breath.

Remember, meditation is not only about building up your attention, but also building up your ability to notice your thoughts as "NOT I." You are more than your thoughts.

People tend to have a lot of psychological barriers around meditation, often believing they can't do it. For this reason, I have included several of my favorite guided meditations, as well as my favorite app Insight Timer. Insight Timer includes a ton of free guided meditations. There are hundreds of ways to meditate, so explore what works for you and enjoy the process.

Alan Watts 10-minute Meditation

Light Watkins 9-minute Meditation

Ram Dass Loving Awareness Meditation

Gratitude Mindfulness

Your Quest this week is to simply sit quietly and enjoy whatever you observe, for at least 10 minutes per day.

Congratulations on making it this far in your Quest for Stress Management. All this deep work of journaling, mindfulness, and building a better relationship with our thoughts is challenging!

If you have a particularly busy life, sometimes these added practices just feel like more chores or things to check off. While these practices are meant to be tools for you to use when needed, sometimes the best medicine to a hectic life is to do absolutely nothing.

When it feels like you are getting too tangled up in to-do lists, work, and errands, it can be really helpful to have several minutes a day where you can just relax with zero agenda.

This week, find a time in your day to simply sit and enjoy wherever you are. This can be indoors or outdoors, at work or at home, whatever! This is not a time to be distracted with screens, books, or podcasts. Just sit or walk and enjoy your moment in time.

In the Re-Wilding movement, this act of solitude can be referred to as Sit-Spotting.

In the beginning, it is very important to first get a glimpse at what comprises your current nutrition.

Our approach to nutrition is not about making large, sweeping changes to your diet. Rather, we strive to make small changes incrementally to adopt the habits, behaviors, and routines that support our wellbeing.

This initial food log will tell us two very important things:

First, it will tell us how many calories you currently eat per day, on average. This is valuable information that can be applied to our personal goals

• If we want to maintain weight, improve performance, or gain muscle, we may find out that we aren't eating enough to support our well-being.

• On the other hand, if we are hoping to lose weight, we may find out that we are eating above a theshold for effective weight loss.

Second, we will return to this food log in the coming weeks to identify ways in which we can make simple, sustainable adjustments to the foods we eat, in order to optimize our health and reach our nutritional goals.

Rather than throw out your current diet, our approach is to use your diet as a foundation, and make sustainable adjustments from there.

Your Quest for this week is to record a food log for 5-7 days.

Here are the steps for this week:

1. Calculate your Caloric Needs: Multiply your body weight in pounds by 10.

If you weigh 150 pounds, you will need 1500 calories per day as a base to maintain your current weight.

If you’re lightly active, you can multiply this number by 1.2 to get a more accurate number, and if you’re very active, multiply by 1.5.

• Sedentary: Less Than 10,000 steps per day.

• Lightly Active: 10,000 steps per day and 60-100 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity per week.

• Very Active: 10,000 steps per day and 150 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity per week.

Again, if you weigh 150 pounds and want to simply maintain your current weight, your daily calorie needs would be 1800 if you’re lightly active or 2250 calories per day if you’re very active.

We also recommend using this Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator (BMR) to get a more specific assessment of your daily caloric needs.

2. Decide on a Nutritional Goal or Intention: In short, do you seek to Gain, Maintain, or Lose body weight?

• To gain muscle: you would add between 200-500 calories from your base number calculated above to be in a positive energy balance. The more active you are, the closer to 500 calories you may want to add. The majority of these calories should be from protein sources.

• To maintain weight: you would try to eat close to the number calculated in step 1.

• To lose weight: you would subtract between 500-800 calories from your base number calculated above to be in a negative energy balance.

• This of course only takes into account your diet. You can also increase your level of physical activity (exercise/training and non-exercise physical activity) to increase your energy expenditure, which will help create a larger negative energy balance to increase weight loss.

3. Begin a 5-7 Day Food Log: We highly suggest tracking everything you eat and drink for a few days using an application such as myfitnesspal.com – it’s free and will give you a good idea of what your current daily calorie intake is. This video is a good tutorial.

While we don't believe in food logging for extended periods of time, an occasional 5-7 day log can be very illuminating.

4. Are you eating enough? As you complete your food log, look back at the original Caloric Needs or BMR that you calculated in Step 1. How does this compare to the total calories you consumed on a daily basis? Are you eating more or less than your caloric calculation?

Record this in your Quest Log.

Macronutrients are the building blocks of food that give us the energy and structure for survival. The Macronutrients are Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats.

This week, we are going to be exploring the role of protein in your diet, and creating 1-2 sustainable changes to optimize protein intake for you.

The Importance of Protein:

- Emergency Energy: In times of severe starvation, protein can be broken down from muscles and turned into glucose.

- Muscle Growth: Protein forms most of the structures in our body and allows for movement. Protein are the building blocks for our organs, and must be present in excess to produce growth.

- Messaging: Protein forms many hormones and enzymes that control various biological processes for normal function.

- Satiety: Unlike Carbs, Proteins and Fats provide greater feelings of satiety or “fullness.” This is a useful component when engaging in weight loss.

Your Quest for this week is to identify your recommended protein needs and add 1-2 optimal protein behaviors into your daily routine.

Step 1: Look at your Week 1 Food Log, and calculate an average of how many grams of protein you consumed per day. Record this number in your Quest Log.

Step 2: Take your bodyweight (BW) in pounds, then multiply BW x 0.7. Record that number, and then multiply BW x 1.0 - these two numbers represents your optimal range for grams of protein.

Your protein needs are not a fixed number, but can change based on your activity levels.

On days you are more active, feeling cravings for sugary foods, or feeling fatigued, try to consume closer to the top end of your protein range.

Step 3: Compare your protein intake from step 1 with the recommended range from step 2.

Does your protein intake from week 1 fall within the range of recommended protein for you?

If no, how many grams off are you from being within the range?

Step 4: Even if you are very far off from your protein recommendation range, start by attempting to add just 20-40g of protein per day on top of your usual diet.

Pick 1-2 practices below to implement into your diet this week to achieve an optimal range of protein

1.Consume 15-20g of protein within 30 minutes post-workout.

• A smoothie, protein shake, or even PB+J works great here, just choose a whole-grain bread with high protein.

2. Include 15-20g of protein as part of your breakfast or as a snack.

Examples:

• 3 large eggs is 18g of protein.

• 1 cup of plain Chobani greek yogurt has 21g of protein.

• 2 slices of Dave's Killer Bread with 1 tbsp of Sun Butter has 17g of protein.

• 2 low-fat cheese sticks contain 14g of protein.

• 1 tin of sardines contains 26g of protein.

3. Include 4-6 ounces of meat, fish, or poultry at each meal:

• 4 ounces of meat is roughly 20-23g of protein.

• 4 ounces is about equal to the size of your palm.

4. Include vegetarian sources of protein in your meals.

Examples:

• Tofu, Tempeh, Lentils, Black Beans, and Edamame are all around 15-20g per cup.

• Quinoa, Brown Rice + Beans, and Hemp Hearts have about 8-10g per cup.

5. Switch to consuming more high quality meat, poultry, and fish

• ideally choose cage-free, organic, wild-caught, and pasture-raised.

6. Include low-mercury fish in your diet 1-2x per week.

• Salmon, Trout, Shrimp, Sardine, Cod, Tilapia

7. Include 1-2 handfuls of Nuts and Seeds as a snack.

• Nuts and Seeds that are high in protein include Hemp Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Peanuts, Almonds, Pistachios, and Sunflower Seeds.

• These contain about 6-9g of protein per handful.

At the end of this week, notice how the optimization of protein affected you. Did you notice any changes in your sleep, energy levels, mood, satiety, and physical performance? Record your thoughts in your Quest Log.

For week 3, we will be exploring the role of carbohydrates as a source of energy, and adding 1-2 sustainable practices to optimize carbohydrates in our diet.

The Importance of Carbohydrates:

- Quick, intense energy: Because fat takes longer to transform into fuel, the body needs a fuel supply that can be quickly tapped into for periods of intense activity. Carbs are our “rocket booster” fuel that is used for high-intensity activity lasting 90 minutes or less.

This quick energy is why high-carbohydrate foods often leave you feeling hungry an hour or two after eating them.

- Hormone Regulation: Carbohydrates signal the release of certain hormones, such as Insulin, that trigger muscle growth and protein utilization.

- Digestive Health: Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that feeds our healthy gut-bacteria, reduces disease, and reduces cholesterol.

- Brain Function: In many people, glucose is the main fuel for the brain. However, the brain can adapt to also run on ketones, derived from fat.

- Inflammation: For many people, refined and processed carbs, especially sugar and grains, can lead to increased inflammation, joint pain, fatigue, and gut issues.

- Fat Loss: Monitoring carbohydrate intake can lead to the greatest changes in body fat percentages.

Your Quest for this week is to identify your recommended carbohydrate intake range, and then adopt 1-2 sustainable carbohydrate behaviors into your routine.

Step 1: Look at your Week 1 Food Log, and calculate on average how many grams of carbohydrates you consumed per day. Record this number in your Quest Log.

Step 2: Based on your personal nutritional goal, pick 1 of the following ranges to shoot for:

• Fast Fat Loss: 50g or less of carbs per day

• Accelerated Fat Loss: 50-100g of carbs per day

• Weight Maintenance: 100-150g of carbs per day.

• Highly Active: 150g or more of carbs per day.

Record this range in your Quest Log.

Step 3: How does your carbohydrate intake from week 1 compare to the recommended range for your nutritional goal?

• Do you need to add or remove carbohydrates to be within range of your goal?

Step 4: Pick 1-2 of the practices below to incorporate into your diet this week.

1.Consume the majority of your carbs as vegetables.

• We recommend 2-3 cups of vegetables per day for Women, and 3-4 cups per day for Men.

2. Consume nutritious carbs like fruits, grains and starches in moderation.

• Aim for 1.5-2 cups per day of grains and starchy foods

• Oats, Quinoa, Whole wheat, Brown or Wild Rice, Sweet Potato, etc.

3. Consume less than 20-30g of added sugar per day.

4. Time the majority of your carbohydrate intake around when you are most active during the day.

5. Eat a colorful variety of vegetables daily.

6. Choose locally grown, organic, and in-season vegetables as much as you can.

7. For fruits, choose a colorful variety of berries for the most benefit.

8. Aim for 25-30g of fiber per day, mainly through vegetables.

At the end of this week, notice how the optimization of carbohydrates affected you. Did you notice any changes in your sleep, energy levels, mood, satiety, and physical performance? Record your thoughts in your Quest Log.

This week, we will be exploring the role of fats as an energy source, and sustainable behaviors to optimize fat in our diets.

The Importance of Fats:

- Long-term, idle energy: Our bodies are great at storing fat because we are meant to be continually burning it. At rest or during low levels of activity, fat is the primary fuel source. We can adapt over time to utilize fat at higher intensities and with greater efficiency.

- Nervous System function: Fat is used to build and maintain cell walls, especially for our nerves.

- Vitamin absorption: Many vitamins require fat to be present to be absorbed. Otherwise, they are excreted through the body.

- Connective Tissue (Joint) Maintenance: Fat is used to keep our skin, joints, tendons, and ligaments elastic and functioning well.

Your Quest for this week is to identify the quality of your current sources of fat, and then adopt 1-2 sustainable fat behaviors into your routine.

Step 1: Look at your Week 1 Food Log, and calculate on average how many grams of fat you consumed per day.

Record this number in your Quest Log.

Step 2: Based on your Food Log, what are the main sources of fat for you? Are these plant or animal-based fats?

Step 3: Because fats are our primary fuel source, we want to consume as we need to feel satiated, energized, and alert.

If our Protein and Carbohydrates amounts stay within their relative ranges, it's okay to get the rest of your calories from high-quality fat sources.

Step 4: Pick 1-2 of the practices below to incorporate into your diet this week.

1. Cook your food with 1-2 tbsp of animal fats (lard, tallow, ghee, butter), avocado oil, or coconut oil

2. Consume high-fat foods like Avocados, Coconut, Nuts and Seeds, and Olive Oil

3. Salmon, Sardines, Beef, Pork and dark poultry all are healthy sources of animal fat.

4. When consuming vegetables, add healthy fats such as olive oil to improve satiety.

5. Consume a high-quality Omega 3 or Fish Oil Supplement

6. Eat high fat dairy in moderation

• 1-2 servings per day.

• For some people, dairy is inflammatory and can be avoided.

7. Avoid industrial seed oils for cooking or consumption

• Soybean, Canola (rapeseed), Corn, Sunflower, and Safflower oils.

• These fats are highly processed and can lead to inflammation, weight gain, and gut issues.

8. Avoid processed or “junk” foods that are high in fat, including most fast foods.

At the end of this week, notice how the optimization of fats affected you. Did you notice any changes in your sleep, energy levels, mood, satiety, and physical performance? Record your thoughts in your Quest Log.

This week, we will be looking at lifestyle factors that contribute to your diet and the quality of nutrition you receive.

Up until now, we have been focusing on what we are eating. Now we focus on the how and when.

Your Quest for this week is to pick 1-2 nutrition lifestyle factors and implement them into your routine.

1. Plan and shop for a week's worth of meals ahead of time, keeping your macronutrient calculations and nutritional goals in mind.

2. Prepare your meals for the week all at once and store in your fridge or freezer, to make healthy foods as convenient as processed foods.

3. Have a discussion with other members of your household about your nutritional goals and how they can support you.

4. To give your digestive system a break, try to consume all your calories within an 8-10 hour window of time.

5. Chop and Process fruits and vegetables to your liking before putting them away, so that they are convenient to add to any meal.

6. Adopt the 80-20 mindset

   • 80% of the time, eat in a healthy way that aligns with your goals and nutritional needs.

   • 20% of the time, enjoy the foods that you love without guilt or shame.

   • This equates to about 1 meal every 5 days.

7. Avoid eating within 2-3 hours before bedtime to improve sleep quality.

At the end of this week, notice how the optimization of your nutrition lifestyle affected you. Did you notice any changes in your sleep, energy levels, mood, satiety, and physical performance? Record your thoughts in your Quest Log.

We have spent the past 5 weeks adopting new food behaviors and adding nutritious foods into our diet.

Today, we are going to look at the foods that tend to cause us distress, and may be better off if we consume them less.

Your Quest for this week is to identify how processed foods show up in your diet, and pick 1-2 practices to implement into your daily routine.

Step 1: Look at your Week 1 Food Log, and identify which foods or meals come from Fast Food, Restaurants, or are highly-processed and pre-packaged.

Think of this as traditional ""junk food"" - chips, cured meats, candy, granola bars, sugary beverages, desserts, breads, and fried food.

Step 2: Do you notice any patterns for when you are consuming these foods?

• Is it out of convenience, or a craving?

• Is it associated with your work culture or home life? Is it a response to stress?

Step 3: Pick 1-2 of the practices below to incorporate into your diet this week:

1. Identify 2-3 healthy snacks that are enjoyable to you and easy to prepare ahead of time. Keep these stocked and ready to grab on the go.

2. Identify 1-2 restaurant or fast food items that align with your nutritional goals, but still allow you to have a level of convenience or flexibility.

   • For example, Maepole, Cava, or Barberitos have healthier options than McDonalds and Zaxbys. -

   • Decide on the restaurant and menu items that work for you, and ignore the rest.

3. Avoid sugary sodas, high-fructose corn syrup, and use artificial sweeteners sparingly - they may contribute to cravings for sweets.

4. Prioritize foods that are free of preservatives, dyes, nitrates, nitrites, and hormones.

5. Research 2-3 low-sugar sauce or salad dressing recipes that you can make yourself to add flavor to your food.

6. Trade out your processed snacks for fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy, or self-prepared vegetables (such as carrots).

At the end of this week, notice how the optimization of processed foods in your diet affected you. Did you notice any changes in your sleep, energy levels, mood, satiety, and physical performance? Record your thoughts in your Quest Log.