April 27, 2026
Men Over 40 Fix Their Food, Training, and Energy: Real Live Coaching Call - 103
In this episode of the Driven For Health Podcast, Coach Brian Parana takes you inside a live Call To Rise Roundtable Coaching Call with men working through real-life weight loss, energy, nutrition, training, recovery, and consistency challenges.
This is not a scripted health lecture. It is a behind-the-scenes look at how men over 40 are making progress while dealing with work, family, travel, long days, low energy, cravings, gym intimidation, and the normal pressure of everyday life.
Inside this roundtable, you’ll hear real coaching around:
-Losing weight without trying to overhaul everything at once
-Replacing high-sugar drinks with better options
-Building meals that keep calories under control
-Eating out without wrecking progress
-Using simple workouts when time is limited
-Getting started in the gym without feeling overwhelmed
-Improving energy, focus, digestion, and inflammation
-Using basic supplements like magnesium, omega-3s, vitamin D3/K2, creatine, and protein powder
-Staying consistent when life gets busy
You’ll also hear real progress from men inside the program, including early weight loss wins, better energy, improved discipline around alcohol and food choices, and a stronger sense of control.
Coach Brian brings over 23 years of coaching experience to this conversation and breaks down health in a way that busy men can actually use. No complicated diet rules or unrealistic workout plans. Just practical coaching that helps men build better habits and get measurable results.
The Call To Rise is a 100-day fat loss and health transformation program for driven men over 40 who want to lose weight, improve their energy, build strength, and take control of their health with structure, support, and accountability.
If you’re a man over 40 who knows your health needs to become a priority again, lose weight, improve chronic illness this episode will give you a clear look at what real coaching sounds like.
To learn more about The Call To Rise, visit:
Want help applying this to your own health, weight, energy, or lab numbers?
Coach Brian Parana offers Health Hot Seat coaching segments for men who want a clear next step with nutrition, fitness, weight loss, blood pressure, cholesterol, A1C, or daily consistency.
Learn more about The Call To Rise, a 100-day coaching program for driven men over 40 who want to lose weight, improve their health, and rebuild confidence:
To connect with Coach Brian:
brian@brianparana.com
Disclaimer: This podcast is for education and coaching support only. It is not medical advice. Always work with your physician before changing medication, treatment, or medical care.
- Michael started the program three weeks ago and the biggest change is this. I'm feeling better with less inflammation, fewer aches in my body, and no more brain fog, especially in the second half of my workday. Welcome back to Driven for Health podcast, episode 103. I'm your host, Coach Brian Piranha, and today you're going to get an unfiltered look inside the systems, the processes that are generating the really good results from my program, the cult rise.
- It's a 100 day fat loss challenge that I talk about quite a lot. But I wanted to peel back the layers and open up our private round table we hold every Wednesday and show you exactly what we're doing in there for guys over 40 to get their health back, eliminate fatigue, lose weight consistently throughout the 100 days that they're with me.
- In this episode, we're going to break down the definitive strategies for immediate results, including significant weight loss. Today I hear about how some of the clients are dropping multiple pounds week after week after week and how they're focusing on healthier food is actually clearing up their mind, their productivity, and their focus and eliminating some chronic inflammation that's causing a lot of aches and pains in their body.
- Also, what's the minimum effective dose for fitness and exactly what workouts should look like when you're trying to burn fat? That's super important. Then, essential supplementation. And we go over a little bit of talking about that, what that looks like in this episode and some diet hacks of swapping out foods that can cut hundreds of calories and then also drop a lot of sugar to then be able to boost for lower calorie but more filling and more enjoyable meals.
- I hope that you enjoy this episode. Let's dive in now. We got the three amigos here. Excellent. Excellent. Brandon, Mike, Devin, welcome, welcome. Happy to have you all here. I love starting off with silly questions just to kick things off. What is the most memorable sporting event or concert you've been to? We'll start there.
- Who wants to kick it off? Memorable concert or live sporting event? >> I've had a good I've had a good amount of them. went to some World Cup games when it was in the US back in 94, I think it was. >> I got to see Brazil play. And then I was with my son on Father's Day at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse when the Cavaliers beat Golden State.
- It wasn't live in person, but it was live with 20 other thousands watching it on the Giant Straits. Those are a couple that come to mind. Yeah, it's pretty epic. >> That was very epic. Devin, you have anything memorable? >> Uh, I'm a big concert junkie, so I go to quite a few. I think most memorable was probably uh Creed Summer 99 Tour a couple years ago.
- Uh, seeing them live, Front Rows. It was a pretty epic show. So nice. That's That's awesome. Uh, Creed, whenever their music comes on, it just starts singing. This is that was the time that people actually listened to the radio and they were playing a lot. >> Brandon, do you have anything? >> I went to the last game when the Phillies won the World Series.
- That's pretty much it for me. >> That's pretty good. My wife was fun. >> Yeah. My wife and I went to Detroit and there was a concert and David Bowie is one of the headers, but there was also Buster Rhymes there, too. And there's some other people, but it was it was pretty fun to see him live and in person back.
- This was back in around 2000, something like that. 2002 time frames. Three kids with with her. So, all right. Excellent. Well, let's start with some successes. as I read through some of the things. We've got some guys melting away. Devin, you're down some weight here, right? >> Yeah, just over three pounds uh as of Monday.
- Had to weigh in yesterday or today. Uh but I'm happy with the progress so far. It's been a little bit of a wonky week coming back. You know, Monday was my first day back after taking some time off from paternity leave. So, it's been all out uh at work getting caught up. Yeah. Thank you. So, I have been uh it's it's been a little harder with the third child to balance and prep meals, but I've definitely been cautious of my portions, my sizing, and uh just making sure that when I do eat, I'm focusing on making sure I'm curating the right plate so I'm actually full. Um
- so, it's been good. So, I'm happy with the progress and hope it continues to trend that way the rest of the week. >> Yeah, definitely. That's awesome. Three pounds and and that's we're off to the races. So, and we'll talk about more stuff on the prepping and and all that stuff going forward. Brandon's down.
- How are we doing? >> Good, man. Good. Yeah, I'm down anywhere between four and six, depending on the scale. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh but since I bought my own scale, uh it's definitely at least like 4.5. >> Uh something like that. Um, yeah, it went I think like maybe quarter of an inch down on my waist. I I'm starting to see a little bit of a difference for sure.
- And it was cool because somebody actually came to me that didn't even know I was doing this, just like a co-orker of mine. And uh she even she's like, "Are you losing weight? Are you doing something?" So that was that was pretty cool. So, but yeah, everything seems to be going pretty good. I feel better. Thank God.
- I was sick for sick for like five, six days. So, finally feel better. So, get back 100% instead of just like, you know, the little bit that I felt like I could do. >> For sure. >> Yeah. Excellent. Yep. That's awesome. Down. >> Yeah. >> Very good. >> Cool. >> Mike, how we doing? What's been successful? You had a really busy week. You should have said something.
- I was like, "Oh, where's she been? She was messaging me a bunch and then you got busy." >> Yeah, Friday and Saturday was like 15 hour days. But the convention went great. Laura Logan from Fox News was the keynote Saturday night and had some interesting things to share. But anyways, I I think altogether it's been well.
- Well, I mean, since I started this maybe 3 weeks ago, uh, with you, the biggest thing for me is making time to get on the treadmill since I have it downstairs and doing that, not treadmill, elliptical, and doing that for 45 minutes to an hour. So, I'm getting my steps in that way because with the new job, I'm sitting on my rear end quite a bit.
- Um, but weight wise, I think I started this gig at about 192 and I'm down to 184, >> dude. And I'd say the biggest thing is I've probably ate more green stuff in the last three weeks than I have in the last year. Um, starting to kind of like it. Like my wife has turned me on to this either an arugula salad with just lemon juice and seasoned salt and I'll eat whole flipping, you know, box or container of it.
- I've been much more disciplined when she and I eat out at nice places to not drink alcohol, which it's easy during Lent, but when Lent goes away, we'll see if I keep away from the booze. So, anyways, just being smarter food-wise. And then as an FYI, my new job, one of the benefits through Sigma Health Insurance is some virtual coachnutrition expert called OMA with an O and they sent me a free scale that's a smart scale.
- So it will send my weight automatically to my coach. And some of the tips that I'm getting from her is like I'm getting them from you because it's consistent information whether it's from you or for them. So for that anyways, thanks. And I got to drink a water at a St. Patrick's Day concert yesterday. >> Oh wow. >> Instead of drinking beer because they had no not alcohol beer.
- >> I've been to Brewbakers in Montro to do bag pipes yesterday at 1:30 and it was too much of a bar seemed too loud for her and so we bounced and uh I ended up not drinking any beer. I've been spending too much money on ads and so I have no money fund money to to spend on beer.
- So I haven't I'm literally hardly drank in the last 12 14 months because of it. So >> wow spending coaching and ads and I guess if I'm not making it and I'm spending all that money there I gotta gotta not not overspend. So it's it's interesting. It's fine. I enjoy the beer for the taste and something in the future for you, Michael, will be that it'll be a choice that you'll be able to to choose if you want it or not.
- And but you can also start seeing that if you say had a beer every time you're out somewhere, all of a sudden in the last few weeks, you'll have had, you know, a 12-pack or something, you know? >> No, I mean it adds up. I mean, I'll look forward to the day when I can do more than 1,600,800 calories a day. Um, but yesterday, you know, I did 500 calories on the elliptical.
- Um, and then when I was out at the concert, the best thing I could eat was a flatbread pizza that had meatballs and peppers on it, but it wasn't greasy and it was thin, so whatever. And I was real good with my calories leading up to that, so yeah. Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. Well, cool. We're all making progress.
- Chris is down with seven. He mentioned uh Danny, I just did a live recording podcast. It was episode 93 on the podcast if you want to hear his story and what he was up to and all. He went from 249 to 212. Pretty serious weight loss and and all. So, he's actually on orders now. He he's in the Air Force and he's actually getting orders.
- And so, that might be one reason why he's not here. But, uh, he's doing really well. And so, Chris, >> so he might have to go go somewhere. >> Yeah. Yeah. Top secret. You can't tell much, but yeah, he might be going somewhere at some point sooner rather than later. So, we're not on it. And it might interfere with the Ruck Marathon that he's doing.
- He's been training literally. He did a 20 mileer just the other day and then he found out after that he might have orders to leave. It's like, oh, it's still good, but uh yeah, definitely tough, right? Like, ah, shoot. So, I one of my big successes is I'll share this. Let me pull this up. This is pretty funny.
- This is a dramatic shift in effort. Let me find it here. I think I posted in a group the other day, but this is what happens when you figure things out and you get better the system and process. So you can see I went from the this this part by my finger that was what October, November, December, January and then February, March.
- You can see when I figured out my bike desk setup. So I've legit done over 20 hours on that bike desk thing at zone two. So heart rate's like 110 130 in that range and I'll bike for about two hours a day most days and it's been a substantial difference in output while I'm working which is amazing because I was trying to work out on this a dine right here right here and I I would watch the Olympics on that TV there but it was really hard to find time and schedule it and fit it into the day because it was extra but soon as I figured that set up man It's off to the
- races. I keep telling my my oldest Levi, he's the one who challenged me to the marathon and said, "I did another two hours today and he told me yesterday, you can't be skinnier than me." I was like, "I I don't want to be skinnier. Let me be lean. Lean and mean." >> So, does that mean your ass is okay now? She pulled muscle.
- >> It's getting better. It's getting better. I actually sit on a pillow. I took a this like a couch cushion and it's more flat. It's about this thick and it's about I don't know it's like this and I'd put it tight it in a trash bag so I wouldn't soil it right get all stinky sweaty so but I sit on it and it's been a game changer because I was trying different all sorts of thing I was sitting on a towel for a while and it it didn't work and but the the pillow is a game changer so yes I almost run I think and I did a two and a half hour
- bike outside last Monday with Levi when he was off school and and really like let her rip. So, it was pretty pretty good. So, that's a big shift for me, which is super helpful. All right, let's get into uh some of the the challenges that we got going on and different things we need to talk about today. So, uh who who wants to jump in first? Uh, one thing Brandon you said, Brandon asked and he got I just recorded episode 99 and it was on artificial sweeteners and the general take is in moderation we're good but if we're just
- successfully finding sucralose and aspartamine and all this then there might be some potential shifts in your gut biome or in in potential blood sugar bumps and such. So, and in terms of overall health, you you do have to be conscious and attention of how it affects and impacts your day-to-day. And we probably no matter what, guys should be drinking more water than diet coke, cola, soda, pop, whatever you want to call it, or Coke Zero.
- That's Coke Zero guy over here. But in a weight loss, when we have sugar sweetened beverages, say i.e. Coca-Cola verse the nonsweetened beverages Coke Zero or Diet Coke their weight loss is easier and it's it happens a lot better because you're swapping 150 calories and 40 grams of sugar for zero which is a huge help if you're drinking say two of those or three of them in a day which is compounds a silly amount of sugar that you're dosing yourself with there. So there you go.
- Episode 96 came out today, I think. So just do some math. We got about three days. So 97 tomorrow, 98 the next day, 99 will be what? Sunday, something like that. Saturday, Sunday. So there you go. You ask and you got it. >> Okay. Got it. >> Talk for 37 minutes. So I hope that it's informative. >> I'm sure it will be. Yeah.
- because that was a that was a big thing. I I think when we had our uh initial talk um like consultation, it was like I was a big uh coffee drinker and I never put like a ton of sugar in it. It was always, you know, you know, like a little dash, but you know, before I started like, you know, because I I I don't weigh a lot, but like the fats in the wrong places, right? And I think majority of that is because I didn't eat pretty much and I would just drink sugary drinks, right? So that's why like I seem small but the fat, you know what I mean?
- >> So that was like a big >> Yeah. So that was like a big thing for me was to like cut out sugar because I think that was majority of my diet was sugar. So that's why I was asking like maybe I can because I tried it without sugar today. I could not do the c it was it's gross to me. So, you know, I wanted I wanted something.
- So, I saw >> better coffee would [laughter] be the first option. >> Yeah, >> maybe some alternatives to the the sugar or whatever. We can figure that out. So, >> ying it out as we go. >> Is stevia okay? Because my wife has type two diabetes and she's a big advocate for stevia. IA and Monuit are going to be the two biggest ones.
- Um, episode 90 96 something like that. It talk about continuous blood glucose monitors and you would want to look at dosing yourself and seeing what happens afterwards. And for her, if she is monitoring that stuff, she would want to do it straight up. just take a shot right to the mouth and see what happens and then test it.
- So then she gets feedback on how sensitive she is to that or not. And that would be the the fastest obvious thing of just just a straight up pack it in the mouth, wash it down with water or whatever, mix it in water and or a hot teacup or something water and and off you go and see what I've had a lot of diabetics do that so that we can gauge where they are at on the dosage of sugar, how much they can have at any one time.
- The other thing, Mike, is the if she's eating the way you're eating, guess what's going to happen? blood sugar labels level lab level lab level lab level lab level lab level lab level lab level lab level lab level lab level levels are more stabilized. She's going to have better resting fastid blood glucose in the morning. She'll probably lose weight.
- She'll be able to work away from type 2 diabetes. A1C comes down and meds come down and different things like that. I've seen it like a thousand times just by eating the same way that you are. And if you need to have her watch that first call prep video and do the things that are in there per her because it is a manw woman combo there so she could just apply that stuff and and change quite a bit too because I love it when if I can drop a pebble in your pond and ripples out to everyone around you in a sense.
- And so if you get healthier and she gets healthier it's a win the double win right then you know what you're signing up for. >> Thanks. Thanks man. Yeah, she's down to like her like college day weight um >> after after a few years. So, I'm happy for her. And she has a continuous glucose monitor as well.
- So, I'm going to ask her to try that with the stevia. >> Yeah, I definitely see the actual impact of it for sure. Excellent. Is where's her A1C? Is it like up there in the middle or just >> No, it's it's down to just over six. >> Okay. All right. So, she's getting back working out of it then. >> Yeah.
- I mean, she's almost, you know, she's almost at nine diabetic levels, so it's pretty sweet. She feels good, >> you know. Um, Brandon, you were talking about sugar. So, one of the things that I deal with, so I'm I just turned 59 and um I just have a lot of inflammation in me, you know, probably from drinking at times or glucose or dairy or sugar or whatever.
- And I noticed since I've been eating cleaner and being more aware of what I put on my plate, um, both portion-wise and contentwise that I definitely have less aches and pains. I'm somewhat of an active guy, but even so, just less aches and pains. Probably a little more flexible, a little more less foggy, if that's a word, for my, you know, dayto day.
- >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I'd say that's a real that's a real impact there. especially I noticed that when I start making this small changes just dayto day the brain fog kind of dissipates there and you feel a bit sharper throughout the day and you're not you're not hitting that uh wall at 2 p.m.
- where it's like, okay, now I need I used to be really bad about energy drinks. And uh probably over the last six months, I've completely gone away from it. I don't have to hit that threshold of I need an energy drink or I need something to to carry me through the afternoon. That's one of the things working with Brian in the past that I've been conscious of. So I just echo that.
- >> Yeah, that's excellent. >> Hey, Devin, where do you live? >> I'm based out of Houston, Texas. >> Oh, wow. And Brandon, are you in the Philly area since you're a >> Yeah, >> like the other guys are, right? >> Yeah. So, I' I've known Brian for over 20 years, and he's um one of the handful of people that have gotten me close to puking from working out when I would do his shake and bake when he or his CrossFit um CrossFit thing.
- >> So, that's awesome. I think he I think in his mind he wanted to do whatever he could to make me puke and he didn't quite succeed, but it was damn close. I wish I did puke. I I would always try to avoid that with people and but you know being 43 now and just having more aches and pains and whatever. What in the world was they thinking putting some people through some of the workouts I [laughter] did? >> They were brutal.
- There at the front desk, at the fitness desk, I should say, they'd have these quartered scrap papers. So, they'd just take a paper, cut it into four, and just had the staff, and I would write my workouts on there to hand to people. And that was I had I had a like a stack this big of shake and bake workouts after I was done just one a week and I would just have so fighting nights small group setting.
- So you got the pressure of keeping up with the Joneses and especially the female Joneses and it's like >> Moren and Mayan and there's a couple couple ladies that were dab they were kick butt and team dab. Yep. Mhm. >> It's funny. >> They would kick butt, take names. So, uh, Mike, you what were some of the things that you managed during the the the time away? What how did you manage going through just being busy all day long? So, Brian's talking about a two-day um pro-life conference we had in Cleveland when I was there from about 6:30 in the
- morning till I got back home at 10:00 at night. So, my wife on Thursday made a really good um vegetable egg frittata so that I was going to be able to have this, you know, ready early in the morning veggie frittata. And then I drank um a good amount of like water while I was there.
- And because Friday during Lent, they had tuna salad. They weren't going to serve meat at this thing. So, just being cognizant of what I was eating. I wasn't able to get in the cardio that I wanted, but I was, you know, I don't I didn't have any drinks that had alcohol or had calories for two days. I didn't eat any of the bread.
- I didn't eat any of the sweets. And uh the one day when I came home to grab a shower before going back for dinner, I made a protein shake with protein powder, almond milk, Greek yogurt to get stuff in me. And then that was Friday. Saturday, I didn't do that, but I felt fine. So, and then I just tried doing a bit more cardio stuff on Thursday and Sunday and and even this week.
- So, I was pretty happy to see my weight start coming down. And I also have a scale that has a body fat monitor. So I look at that and that's something I focus on. And to Brandon's point, you know, his waist size is going down a little bit. The reason I haven't done any measurements for you yet, Brian, we had one of those long flexible tape measure type things.
- I don't know where it is. I just need to go buy one. >> You can do that. You could take a We have an old iPhone cable that doesn't work anymore. You could wrap that around you and just measure it on the tape measure or whatever. Plain. >> At least at least you got you finally got pictures of me this morning. So, it only took three weeks to send you pictures.
- >> That's all right. That's all right. I saw them come in. So, not a problem. >> And you were you were shocked into oblivion. I have no way to react to that. >> I I've I've worked with people that have weighed over 400 pounds. But in comparison, for sure, not a problem. So, excellent. Excellent. So, you you planned, you you paid attention, you made better food choices and decisions and all.
- >> Yeah, because there was plenty of junk to eat over there. Um, and there was an open bar, not an open bar, but there was a cash bar. So, yeah, none of that. So, it was good. Yeah, you've definitely made me be more cognizant of thinking before I just shovel food into my mouth. Yeah. >> And what would you have done alternatively if you weren't paying attention? >> Um, I would have had some bread with the meals.
- We probably had an alcoholic drink at least one each night is kind of stressful coordinating a thousand people over a couple days. >> So yeah, there would have been some empty car empty calories going into my belly. >> Yeah, definitely. Definitely. I would agree with that. It usually is the case more often than not.
- So, all right, Devin, where we at with getting So, you're going back to work now. You're back back in full swing. Paternity leave is over. >> Paternity leave is done. First day back was Monday. So, it was a bit of catching up. Um getting acclimated to the new territories, the new new regions. There's some there's some constants there from what I was previously covering last year.
- So, that's been a little nice. Um picked up more things to sell, which has been beneficial. So stressful week. Um so you know actually going through building out individualized meals not so much. Um but I've been be able to wake up in the morning have a coffee just black coffee seems to get me through till about 10 10:30 before I get hungry.
- And then I've actually been leaning on like cream of wheat because I can get the volume low calorie and get the fiber in there. And that has been holding me over to the afternoons. I've really been focusing more on calories in and and what that intake looks like because I know I'm not hitting the proper macros because I'm not having the the full planning as I normally would.
- So, my life is completely up in the air right now between, you know, adjusting to another child at home, everyone's home because the kids have been on spring break. So, the last couple weeks have been a bit chaotic. Um, but again being cognizant every night of okay, am I maintaining? Am I staying below that threshold of the number of calories that we have there? And even some nights I have a surplus left that I'm just I'm like, okay, I'm full.
- I'm just going to call it a night here. >> Yeah. Good. Okay. >> Yeah. I had Chris had a pretty low day. It's like, you're all right on that day. He's like, yeah, it was fine. It's like, okay, calorie deficit for the win. That works. Uh, >> hey. Hey, Devin, since I've not met you before, so like I said, congrats on your newest, what what three kids do you have, sex? >> Yeah.
- >> Yeah, I've got two boys. Uh, my oldest is six and my my youngest boy is three and then we just we have the first daughter that has made her way into the family. So, that's been real sweet. So, we've got three kids. Um, is my my oldest goes to school, my youngest is in kind of a Mother's Day out program, so he goes often. But yeah, good good mix.
- Good good family size here, I think. And this is it. >> That that's it going forward. >> Good for you, man. Congrats. And is how do you pronounce your last name? >> Uh, it's Dunto. >> Dto. Italian. >> It is Italian. It's an adopted last name, but it is Sicilian. >> Nice. I haven't been to that part of Italy yet, but I think that's our next trip.
- >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. I had a chance to go. We We went to Pulia a few years ago. It was absolutely gorgeous. And I was like, I wish we would have been able to make it down to to Sicily there. >> Yeah, >> we were there over the summer. Went to Mount Etna. Pretty fun. >> Yeah. You probably hiked it or something or walked backwards and [ __ ] like that >> kettle with kettle bells, you know.
- >> Yeah. >> And your daughter on your shoulders. >> Yeah. I had it might still be my cover photo in Facebook us on Mount Etna, but it was a week after it erupted in the summer in June or so. We were there about a week after that. They had it wasn't like lava flow erupted, but they had a big cloud and and things going on.
- But yeah, it was pretty cool. So, very nice countryside. and we drove through the mountain side and I had to make sure I kept my head up and alert and paying attention because the winding roads were turning me upside down in my stomach. >> Wow. >> We did that and then we went to a river that had just created these just just magnificent looking stone that just cut away from the water and stuff.
- There's just this lava flow, old lava flow, and it just the water just cut through it and all it knows just plain water. The kids always do well with animals and water. And if we can keep those things going for them, then they're occupied and they're good. So, Mount Etna up top and then some water fun after that. Feels good.
- >> Good for you. >> Coming in. Watch out. There's a hot tamalei coming in. Yo, >> I could say we might not be able to tell Danny, but that might be That's a No, no, that's true. That's very true. >> You know that that that's when you say, "Is he blood or is he sunburnt?" We don't know. Yeah. >> Danny, meet Devin.
- Devin says this is his first Wednesday night and Danny's been around for a couple months now. >> What's going on? >> Nice to meet you. >> Nice to meet you, man. Nice to meet you, gentlemen. >> Let's jump into the the getting back into the swing. Like what what's the plan? How do we navigate that so it it works, it sticks, and it's better for you than it's been? So that uh progress still keeps going.
- >> Yeah. As you said, get back into the swing, right? Just cracking calories. What do you mean mean? >> Regular regular life, right? your your your regular dayto-day is now it this is the foreseeable future, right? You got work schedule, you got a little baby at home and off we go. So, what's the plan? How do we make get vegetables in? How do we get better systems and process around having food prepared, navigated, managed, all that stuff so that uh yes, calories are most importantly, but then we're still making
- sure that we're picking out the high quality foods to stay full, keep the calories in check, all that stuff. >> Yeah, that that stuff I think will come in time. I think right now I'm carrying a lot of the the other responsibilities in the house right now. my wife, you know, she handles the baby most of the time and I've got the other two boys.
- So, I spend a lot of time wrangling with them, which, you know, having to get the kids up and off to school, you make sure my son's there on time. I'm kind of doing more of the runaround stuff. Once we reach that point of equilibrium, it'll I'll be able to to phase back into making sure that, you know, okay, I've got my time in the morning to make sure I'm consistently hitting the workouts.
- I'm still tracking my activity throughout the day to make sure that I'm hitting that. I'm going on walks. I've got a call that I could take remotely to make sure that I'm hitting my activity goals. Uh, and again, preparation is going to be key there, too. So, rather than um I was guys, I was talking with Brian about this.
- I think in a text, but rather than prepping individual meals for the week, I'm just kind of doing like a bulk prep of of one individual protein and then like my veggies off to the side just to make it easier. Um, I work from home, so I I'm on Zoom calls from sometimes, you know, 8:30 in the morning until 700 p.m. at night. Uh, just depending upon where in the world I'm needed.
- So there there's no excuse for why I can't do it. It's just I break out, you know, 30 minutes to go and do this. And it's easier to have that stuff pre-made for me and not have to worry about making a decision as to, oh, hey, what am I going to eat? It's just easy for me to go in there quickly, measure, and then, you know, back to my desk.
- >> Yep. One one thing I'll do, I'll take frozen chicken in the Instant Pot, 60 minutes later, I'm ready to eat. It's that fast. I just pop the lid off and boom, off I go. There we go. That and four minutes in the the microwave with broccoli. I got myself a meal that'll hold me over for a little while. That's how I roll.
- >> Broccoli is my is my gospel. I can get like three cups for nothing and just be absolutely full. >> It's uh it's make sure I'm getting the protein in. I think I'm really I'm really noticing I've got a gap on. >> Yeah, you guys got to let me know how broccoli tastes good though. [laughter] >> I think it's just acquired, you know, over time.
- >> I agree. I I like it. But >> yeah, >> everything but the bagel seasoning. That would be the first one I'd throw out. Okay. a little more interesting and engaging for you. But definitely some sort of seasoning on top that thing would definitely >> So either that or you instead of putting in the microwave, you put in the air fryer and you roast it and then it'll be better that way.
- >> I didn't think about doing that. >> Danny agrees. You can make a you can make a nice soup with it. Broccoli cheddar soup. >> Okay. I like broccoli cheddar, but I don't know about the cheddar because my ass when I eat anything with fat. >> Yeah. But so then you can still make it healthy.
- So for example, you can get yourself a lowfat cheddar and that'll be almost half of the calories because the fat the fatty cheese is what gets the calories. But if you just add broccoli with lowfat cheddar, yeah, you you'll definitely can have the taste with half the calories. >> Think about that. Okay. Thanks, dude. >> And you can totally sprinkle cheese on, but quarter cup is 100 calories.
- Little goes longer and farther than you wanted. You have to be careful. You know what you can do too for >> I was just going to say that what you can do too is >> to make it creamy too, you can add either Greek yogurt, a low-fat Greek yogurt or you can add a little bit of lowfat cream cheese or cottage cheese or cottage cheese.
- Yes, >> you can blend that. You make a cheese toss. You put cottage cheese with salmon cheddar cheese and you blend it up and then you can pour it on top and be creamy that way. >> Thanks. >> Then you got a lot of protein with some cheese flavor to it. The the funniest one that I had Amber make mac and cheese Maxwell special.
- He's my third and he's very particular about what he eats or how he eats or things can't touch stuff like that. It's annoying on this and I've gotten in trouble more a couple times as Amber's making mac and cheese one way with the cheese sauce and it's just a ton of cheese and milk and whatever. And the one time I make mac and cheese I do it like grandma style, my grandma style.
- We just put the cheese in with the noodles and baked it and all and I thought it was amazing. I was like, "What is this? This isn't what mom makes. This isn't mac and cheese, you know." So, I already had some friction there. But the next time I made it, I wanted to get more protein in. I was making the cheese sauce.
- I put some cottage cheese in with some some regular cheddar cheese, but I was dicing up chicken really small to mix in with the the the noodles and the cheese and all the bacon. And then Maxwell says, "What is that?" I said, "It's chicken. What is where's that going?" It's like in the noodles.
- And you can just tell he wasn't going to have it. I I needed to still get the protein in and we have a Vitamix. So, everything was going into the Vitamix, the the cottage cheese, the cottage cheese and the diction. And it all got blended up and it got poured in on the noodles. It baked and he sat down and he had a big plate full and he eats two bites and it tastes like chicken.
- And I just started dying internally. I was dying laughing because he totally started to call me out and I had literally a chunk. I mean it was a massive amount of chicken that got blended up. So rightfully that he called me out but I was able to work around. I'm like God's garlic or something like that. >> So it it tasted good by blending it out because we have a Vitamix too and you could like you could take steel and make little like rice balls out of it.
- It's so powerful. But no kidding you could do that and it was good. Yeah. Yeah. I enjoy it. Everyone ate it. >> Wow. >> Just blend it up. And so you weren't actually say eating chicken like you would normally chewing it. Just was there mixed up. >> That was a good me. >> Still don't think I'll tell him that that one time he actually ate blended chicken because then he would never trust.
- He never does any >> especially on food. He it is sketch. is just like, "No, this is what's in there." That's usually what I get. So, I have to be very particular about either how I cook or how I prepare things in secret when he's not around. So, he'll actually eat it. >> Hey, Brian, did you ever tell the guys how well your son did at states? Because I don't know how he did. Yeah.
- Uh, so yeah, today we got a swim banquet and he was 22nd and 27th in the state of Ohio in the 100 and 200 yard freestyle. But pretty cool. He's a sophomore. Was a a big deal, right? Swimming, you're literally fighting over one second at best, half a second. Sometimes it's a fingertip literally that separates from people going to not or winning or not.
- It's pretty wild to see how that goes. So later Devin. So yeah, pretty pretty cool stuff. Very proud of him. The kids ran a marathon. He's done a triathlon. He is Who wants to do one in a marathon in April? who's got who's got motors on them. So, uh, and then with my biking now, I'm actually developing cardiovascular fitness again and, you know, muscles, tendons, ligaments getting worked on, which is helping to manage and not run so much.
- So, I'll be biking probably one to two hours as many days as I can for the indefinite future on my little bike setup and then I'll run three times a week as probably after I get back to Peru, which is something we can talk about on which one is better Monday or Tuesday next week to have a meeting instead of Wednesday to go air or in Miami for one or the other.
- I'm not sure. But yeah, that so it's gonna be a huge difference. And I almost want to run a marathon with him, but I literally like probably can't run three miles now. I'm getting pretty fit. But put the the load on my my glute still. Still was there. It pinches a little bit. Way better. There you go. That's Levi in the neck.
- Was a maniac. >> He's a psycho, Dan. >> He's psycho. Yeah, I was gonna say, man, your kid is crazy. >> Yeah, he takes after me with coach. How's your ass, coach? >> Uh, it's it's there. Still there, but uh I as I mentioned to the guys earlier, on a pillow, get it sweaty and gross and it's working out like amazing.
- Get on there. I get I gota get my heart rate up about 130, 120, 130 on average. It's It's ideal. I can can work, I can get things done, get a lot of calories, but I'm burning about 500 calories an hour on that thing. So, it's helping tone me up. My my uh my jaw line is a little little leaner lately because of all the 20 plus hours of biking lately.
- So, I got two hours biking and I did chest workout today. That was exercise for me. >> That's what's up, man. Glad to hear lot gentlemen. So you can know uh so the group can know this week coach and I put me in a little test this week. So I've been doing the picture thing and stuff and I've been having success. However, I ain't going to have coach Brian forever.
- So today was a test to take the training wheels off. So then I've been still keeping with the principles and such, but not taking pictures and and such, which has been so weird because I've been on this train wheels for, you know, the past four months. >> Yeah. You trained first, you was tracking and then we went to pictures and then now we're not doing any of it.
- >> Yes. And then also so you guys can know with my fitness journey now as you guys know I'm training for uh my marathon is next month. Thus we put the focus on losing weight at a pause because now it's goal time. So now I'm going it doesn't mean that I'm eating like crazy and I'm getting fat. No. But because the body I'm putting the body to more stress and so on and so forth and if I gain a pound here and there, it's one thing.
- It's it is what it is. Like I'm super sore now all the time, but that's because, you know, I'm in the in the 11th hour. So, I just wanted to give you guys the update for me. >> Hey Danny, what do you do to recover from your workouts? >> Great question. >> Danny is good at this. Listen up. his part two that he does. Dynamite. Yeah.
- >> So then first I warm up. My warm up is I do a full body warm up. I go on the tread for about five minutes and I do a dynamic stretch warm up. Do a little bit of football drills type stuff, high knees, high kicks, butt kicks, and so on and so forth. After I do my dynamic stretching, I roll my legs. The reason why I roll my legs is to get the the knots and the the tightness out.
- Then I bang out my workout, whatever the workout is of the day. After I bang out my workout, then I do uh static stretching workout. Typically about 10 minutes, 30 seconds each body part. So, for example, let's say I'm doing my heavy hand me 30 seconds and I have so and I'll do my whole body.
- That'll take me about five minutes to do that. Then at night time, what I do is when I'm winding down, I put my feet in I have a foot massager machine and I put my feet into my foot massager. That's what I do on a general basis. When it's a rocking day, I do everything that I just mentioned. However, I add just more. So, instead of stretching for 5 10 minutes, now I'm stretching for like 20 minutes.
- Instead of putting my feet for 10 minutes, I'm doing my feet for half hour. And I try to get a nap in to get the recovery quickly and then move forward. Um, and then also what helps with the with the recovery is the food. And I know it sounds crazy because we're all trying to lose weight from being fat. I get it.
- But when you have the right fuel, it helps with the soreness. And at first I didn't believe it. I said, "Coach Brian is but no, let me tell you that days that I r sometimes I'm eating three to 4,000 calories to the point where I'm sick like of eating because when I have to eat the next day I will feel fine, no soreness, like a regular sore.
- One day I did 20 miles one day, no problem. The next day I did everything and it was like I just left it like nothing crazy. So that's what I do for my recovery and sleep. Sleep. Yes. >> Probably sleep and a lot of water. Do you do anything like magnesium or CBD without THC or with >> Yeah, that's a great question. I cannot take I cannot take CBD because I'm in the I'm in the military.
- They will kick me out. >> Even in the CBD that has no THC in it like athletes can use. >> Yeah. Even then >> if I piss if I piss hot, they'll they'll kick me out. Even for example, poppy seeds. I don't really eat poppy seeds anymore because I can I can test hot for opioids. >> Holy crap. >> Yes, you can. >> Oh my god. >> Yes, you sure can.
- >> Yeah. So then I I don't do any of that. My in terms of my my vitamins and my supplements, I keep it very simple. For my supplements, I have creatine and I have protein powder. That's it. Those are the two things that I do. For pelform, I use a multivitamin. And I can show you that. I can put that in the chat because I'm driving.
- I don't have that on me right now. the group not not in this chat but in the group me that I can I can do that uh and I do that as soon as I get home because if I feel like I'll do that forget and then the other thing that I have is I use vitamin D I have omega-3s and then I have another it's like a multivitamin but not really that has magnesium zinc and something else and that's that's my supplement package.
- I don't take any pre-workout. >> Okay. What's >> that? My preworkout is Yes. My preworkout is a spoonful of honey which I got that from coach that that's what I do. >> Makes sense. >> No. >> Okay. So that is good. >> Is now for example my schedule's a little funky. So now I'm doing two a days, right? So there are times where I don't have I can't go home and come back.
- So then I have like a little bit of candy in my car, right? And so then I have like a little bit of like something like this in my car and then I'll take uh like one or two of those right before my workout just to get the the the fuel going >> because I don't pump it out anyways. >> Yeah. Um, what are your thoughts, Brian, on magnesium or some of these recovery things that you see like joint recovery with MSM, riosamine, that kind of stuff? >> The the big supplements that we do need to take are going to be a multivitamin. We got the ability for
- fish oils, omega-3, fatty acids, combined EPA and DHA of 2,000 milligrams. It's a really good amount that is the system you studied is really solid amount for helping to help vitamin D3 K2 there's a powerful couple a lot and then after that and getting in some magnesium we can get into after that is like great stuff if you need it you can but Danny was referencing how he's feeling better better rule.
- I talked about pessimistic, but you felt eating healthier and less sugar and inflammation like reference for a little bit earlier. >> Okay. Sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh share that with D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D Mike, what you said about how you feel when you don't have the >> Oh, I was just saying that I I feel less inflamed as far as you know, I had more joint flexibility, less aches and pains and probably just the biggest thing is
- more clarity or less I don't want to say brain fog, but just probably more alert throughout the whole day. And then I've also ate a lot more fiber in veggies than I have um previously. One of the things I like um to get fiber in, I don't know your thoughts on this, Brian. Um garbanzo beans or chi-chi beans, whatever you want to call them, in a can.
- You know, I rinse them out and then I'll douse them with a good amount of We have this cherry flavored balsamic vinegar from Traverse City. And a little can is 200 calories, but it fills you up and it's got a good amount of fiber and some protein, I think, >> right? Yeah, totally. Beans period, all beans, not green beans, but chickpeas, black beans, pintos, all those, they're going to be about 200 220 in a cup.
- They're going to have about 30 grams of carbs. They're going to have about eight grams of protein and about six to eight grams of fiber. slam dunk and they are a starchy carb meaning that you have to pay attention to how much of that you have in meal but yes very much yes powerful good high quality search carb because of the earth fiber combo >> okay yeah I'm still learning so we'll be learning for a while >> y you're doing a you're doing a great job Mike do you want can I call you Mike can I call you Michael Yeah, Michael.
- No, Mike's fine. I don't know why it says Michael, but Mike's fine. >> Roger that. You're doing a You're doing a great job. I was gonna ask is I don't know, we haven't seen each other in a while. How's how's the uh fiber thing going? Is it is it going? Are you getting that those those fibrous carbs? It's still a struggle.
- >> So, I'm learning the difference between fibrous and starchy. So, I'm getting better at it. One of the things I said earlier is um I'll take a whole plastic container of escarole um and my wife will just squeeze fresh lemon juice on it and seasoned salt and some parmesan flakes and that's pretty good.
- And today we did it with some three green some spinach, kale, and maybe something else. So it's a way of taking something that I don't really like and making it taste pretty darn good. So you know I've not been eating a lot of calories, Danny. I mean, he's Brian has me at like 1,600 1,800 calories, but I dropped about 8 lbs in um 3 weeks. And it's not just water.
- It's not just water weight. Um my percent body fat's definitely going down. So, you know, it's just it's nice eating smarter, being aware of. And to me, the challenge is how do I take stuff that I don't necessarily like and to your point, making veggies taste good and something that I look forward to. So, it's getting better.
- Congratulations, my boy. Man, you said you just glazed over that, man. Eight pounds and and three weeks, my boy. Come on now. Good job, man. Wow. >> Thanks. >> Yeah, that's really good. And you had a really big work event that cost a lot of effort, energy, mental fatigue, right? Yeah, I had a like a two-day conference that I was kind of spearheading with about a thousand people.
- That went really well for two long days. >> A lot. >> But it was good. It was fun. So, enough about me. Brandon had mentioned that his belt size has gone up. So, one of the things I will try to commit publicly, you guys know Brian's been waiting for a long time for pictures from me. I finally sent them. Um, I am going to go buy probably I'm going to see if Drug Mart has it.
- Brian, one of those flexible tape measures instead of using an Apple cord that he says he does and then just start to take some of these measurements. I mean, I have this sheet. It's been on my desk. I see it every bloody day. It's right here of where I'm supposed to measure and stuff. I don't have it.
- It's just I haven't done it. So, anyway, so my goal is when we talk next, I'm leaving for Florida Wednesday or Friday. I'll be gone for about two weeks when I see my son and then go hang out at our condo down there. Work remotely. So, I'll be able to eat well from our condo pretty well and it'll just be me.
- So, I think I should eat pretty smart. Um, but I want to get some measurements in for you, Brian, and >> see if we have time to get that all scheduled in the next couple days before you take off for >> Yeah. Yeah. Let's do before Tuesday, Monday, Sunday, Saturday. >> Brandon, how long have you been in this group? I'm sorry. Say that again.
- >> How long have you been with this group? >> Yeah, you, Brandon. >> Um, >> I'm trying to think, man. I'm I'm terrible with time frames, man. >> What? Like, >> no. No way. Maybe two weeks. Two and a half weeks, maybe. >> You just started too then? >> Yeah. Yeah, I just I just started too. >> Know when you when you gave me money and stuff.
- So Brandon, did you meet Brian just through like podcasts and stuff? >> No. >> Yeah. So apparent >> 24th is when you So about threeish weeks. >> Yeah, that makes sense. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I was looking um I've been wanting to do this for a long time. Like I knew I needed help for a while. So my birthday was Valentine's Day, right? So I kind of like pigged out, you know, before my birthday and then started feeling it after.
- And I've been struggling with what's the word with energy. I felt like I was crashing at like one or two and it was affecting my job. Um, so I just decided to bite the bullet and just I looked on thumbtack for like nutritionist or slashpersonal trainer, you know, anything of that nature and um found Brian that way. Found him that way. Yeah.
- >> So >> exactly. >> Yeah. So like I was mentioning Brandon, so I've known the guy for a long long time and I'm pretty sure I'm the oldest in the group at 59. Um, but I've always been a a pretty big fan of his. I've seen his clients get results from over 20 years ago when he knew a fraction of what he knows now.
- >> So, um, >> you know, I just need to try to put things together. And I'm usually pretty tough on myself. Um, and I've not been anywhere near 100% compliant with all the stuff Brian would like us to do, but I've taken his advice and Danny's advice, which is don't try to do it all. So, I'm seeing progress.
- I'm making changes and I'm going in the right direction. You know, there's that saying Rome wasn't built in a day. And you know, I don't want this to be a fad. I don't want to get overwhelmed by trying to, you know, be perfect with all these freaking things that he would like for or suggest for us to do.
- You know, he's not a militant pain in the ass like Danny probably has to put up with with some of his content. >> Um, but it's just nice to see things, you know, go going the right way. That's all. and and he's got a he's got a good heart um too and he's obviously done well with his kids. So >> yeah, >> just a little plug for him that he didn't ask for or want but you get anyways.
- >> Yeah. >> But >> yeah, man. Just to pick it back on what what Mike was saying changed my life, right? Uh on the first week I lost seven pounds. I told coach straight up, coach, I haven't I don't go to the bathroom. I had digestion issues, blah blah blah. He was like, "I got you." In one week, I went to the bathroom more times in a week than I did in the whole year.
- >> So, [laughter] >> yeah. Step for a time. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> But I can say though is that as we're we were on this conversation, we're texting back and forth. So, you know, we'll see what happens. >> Yeah. Wow. Good for you. Yeah. One step at a time. Hey, one thing, Brian, that I think would be cool, um, and this, I think, we'll get people to engage more with the brotherhood, myself especially included. I'm pointing my at myself.
- It'd be neat if maybe once a week we post some food thing that we like and how we make it that it tastes good. There was one guy, I forget his name, he was vaping. He had a cauliflower pizza that he was going to post a recipe. >> Oh, that was Cody. Yeah. >> Yeah, Cody. And, you know, so that would be kind of cool.
- I'm still waiting for Danny with his like plantains and all this other stuff. >> Yeah. Yeah. The I'll text you that. >> I know. >> I mean, ideally, these would be like healthy things. >> Even just something flavorful or or pretty good. It would be kind of a neat way to get us more involved in maybe learning a little bit more about others.
- >> No, that's good. And it usually as general guys don't like to be as open or share or anything like some of them are uh I have to open, hey you lost like three pounds this week. Can you put that in a group? And like the other guys will you'll get a good good motivation out of it and stuff. So I'm get I'm rounding the corner to my 100th episode of the podcast inund about 180 days I did 100 podcasts.
- >> So that's that's a that that is a sav that is savage because most people don't even make it past three to 10. 90% of podcasts will make it past 10 episodes and I pumped out one this morning per Brandon's request. So yeah, it's been one a day most days this year in 2026 pretty much. There's been a couple small gaps and stuff, but amping them out.
- So I'm making a a herculean effort. So let's go back to I'm flattered you guys. I appreciate it. Uh all the compliments and the goal is to help you guys so that you thrive in the things that you do. And the outcome, the reason why I do it is because of what happens. say even Danny as an example. We realign what he actually wants out of say the speed dating and a relationship.
- So he's forthcoming of it and now like here's a good example of okay there's alignment and and all of a sudden Spidey senses are up like holy cow this is what I want and and this may or may not turn it at least there's a there's a magnetic connection now because you both are on the same playing field same alignment with it not just one person wants this one person wants that.
- So, back to the the supplements, the other supplements, glucosamine and chondroitin don't really have a lot of actual science behind them to support using them or paying money for them. MSM does. And you're going to look for about two grams of that. 2,000 milligrams is be the dosage that you would want to take per day.
- And that'll help with anti-inflammation and joints and faster recoveries, reduce muscle soreness, oxidative stress on the body, things like that. So, it'll help with the the inflammation. And then the magnesium is certainly there's a number of different kinds on the market. Magnesium glycinate is for sleep and stress. Magnesium malanate malate is for muscle pain and energy.
- Yes. And then citrate is magnesium citrate is for digestion to help with more of like a mild last and it can help things move through you per say constipation or backed up. But ideally, if you're doing the things I tell you to do, lean protein, lots of vegetables and fibrous type foods, healthy foods, your digestion track should be pretty regular and solid and and not that big of a deal.
- Standard dose for magnesium generally is about 100 to 200 milligrams, especially say the glycinate, the one for sleep, or the one for muscle pain and soreness, the malate. So, there you go. And if you need me, I can put those in the the group. Uh, not a problem. I will do it. I'll just put in group. Yes, I took pictures right away of the things.
- And once I'm done with the dishes, then I'll uh I'll post it. >> Cool. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Oh, and then this is the the the cheesecake that I made. I want to show y'all right quick. Oh, >> yeah. So, that's that's it right there. is that biscoff cheesecake that I share with y'all. Now, it goes against my principle of cheesecake, right? Cuz cheesecake is should be unhealthy.
- However, this is my this is my meal prep cheesecake, so it is not real cheesecake, but it's good for my snack. If I divide this into six, each piece will be roughly about 190 calories roughly. I say roughly because I didn't follow the recipe exactly, but that's how much it would be. >> What's in it? >> It has um bisoff.
- The top is bisoff. >> Then there's a biscoff spread. I use milk to so then I can spread this biscoff. Then I used one egg. I used cottage cheese, Greek yogurt. I was supposed to use low-fat cream cheese, but I didn't have any. So, I just used regular fat cream cheese and that's it. And then all and then I had two scoops of You're supposed to use vanilla. I don't have vanilla.
- Um but I use I used um two scoops of protein. >> Oh, you put protein powder in it. >> And then you just beat it all up and then put it in the fridge for it to set up or something. You're not baking it. >> No, sir. I'm a real cook. Come on now. Of course I bake that [ __ ] Come on now. What the hell? >> He does fake. Yeah, he fake stuff.
- You know, like Brian Brian, I'll just piece meal things together and just like call it a day. Throw some garlic on it, I'm good to go. >> Yeah. So, you know, this is the kind of stuff I'm talking about. You know, when people come up with interesting ways of whether you want to call it a cheat meal or making veggies, you know, taste good because you look forward to that.
- Share that, please. And I know Brian, you got a whole tent, too. But just might be a way of getting some of us involved, too. >> Yeah, absolutely. You know what's one one uh thing that helps me? I like that. I like anything. That's how I got fat. So, that plays a factor. But um what helps too is um for my rice, for example, right? I'll show you real quick. Right. rice.
- When I cooked it, I I threw in one of these turkey, one of these chickens here. >> Okay. >> Right. >> Then I threw in a can of beans. So, there's a can of beans in there and there's a can of >> you listening in right here. This is an easy way meal. >> Absolutely. This this meal right here, if I have if I have uh cuz with rice, because it's obviously more rice and everything, I do just one half cup So, I literally take a half cup of this. Boom.
- And then I'll eat that. Then I kind of switched up my meal prep a little bit this week. But then in here, I just have pure pure veggies and I'll eat like three cups of this and then a cup of this. Boom. That's my whole meal right there. Now, if you don't like the veggie taste, that's fine. You can cheat your way, if you will, and get extra veggies by putting it in the rice and stuff.
- You see what I'm saying? Now, obviously, I don't know exactly how much is in there, but I know that there in this plate right here has everything that Coach Brian says in this meal. >> Okay? >> So, that's how I do it. Now, again, me, I personally like veggies and I like everything. So, I don't have that necessarily that issue, but just sometimes you got to trick your brain, you know what I mean? Like put it like in eggs or put it in the chicken, like a stir fry or things like that.
- Put a little bit of seasoning, put a little bit of, you know, you can definitely make it work. And then sometimes you just got to, you know, as much as coach Bryant doesn't want to say, but sometimes you just got to change your mindset. Like, listen, I don't like it, but it is what it is sometimes. You know, that's what I do.
- You don't want to necessarily force it, but at the same time, you got to take we we have to change the mindset and we have to say >> I think I'm I think I'm seeing it. I don't know. Are you starting to see that too, Brandon? Because you joined around the same time as I did. >> Yeah.
- So, my whole life I just thought I didn't like certain foods because they looked gross. But [clears throat] then I started like when I got the, you know, the list, I forget what the sheets's called, but the whatever. Yeah. >> The prep video and all that. I'm like, "All right, >> I'm just going to try it. See what's up. See if I genuinely like it.
- " And I'm cool with it. I mean, there's there's a few things like I can't do cherry tomatoes. Still can't. Tried it. Don't like it. Regular tomatoes, cool. cherry tomatoes can't do. But there's like certain foods where like I gave it a shot and I'm like I just can't do it. I did I tried putting it in rice, right? I tried putting it in I just I don't like cherry tomatoes.
- So, but I had this notion forever. I didn't like broccoli and I can eat broccoli, right? So, I kind of agree with that. Like just eat it. See what's up. Like it may not be your favorite thing to eat, but it kind of hits different when I'm trying to do something with my body. I don't know. It like hits my mind different.
- It's like, all right, I'm doing this to try to get healthier. I'm doing it to try to get fit. You know what I mean? So, I kind of agree with that. Kind of like tricking your brain because I don't know. >> Yeah. And and I'm my goal with this isn't for this to be, you know, a 100 days of doing this and then going back to normal.
- And truthfully, um I've not been miserable in the least bit doing this for 3 weeks. It's just different, you know, to your point. And in a way, it's always saying stimulating because that's not right the the right word. It's maybe interesting that at my age, I'm looking at food differently. I'm looking at food, you know, I enjoy a lot of foods, but it doesn't mean that I can't eat them at all.
- You know, you just maybe moderate uh what you eat, >> you know, for example. Um so to me that I think could have a longlasting effects is eating smarter, wiser, and then there's some good thing. Um, it makes you feel good when you do um, like when I go out with my wife and I don't eat the way that I used to eat at these really nice restaurants and making that conscious effort.
- So, while I might have I might not get satisfaction from the food, I told Brian I get satisfaction from the discipline that I exhibited to get through that meal and still spend time. >> Sometimes you got to think you've been there, done that for a long time, and where did it end up? >> Yeah. >> It wasn't.
- But also, if you're going out to eat and you're going to spend a bunch of money, you should enjoy it and then you just plan the rest of your day to fit it in. That's what I do. I literally will manipulate the hell out of my day to get something that I want or need or know. So, I'm a I am a master calorie and macro manipulator like crazy to make sure I get what I want or need.
- So, like yesterday, if I would have had some green beer, I would have made some allowances to make that happen. But that didn't happen. So I didn't have to do anything. And then lastly, it's [clears throat] Wednesday. Like there's nothing about today. Why am I eating different or special or whatever else in a sense? Might as well just stay on track, eat the way I should so that I don't have to work harder tomorrow because I'm a lazy human being just like all of us are.
- And if I can eat in a way that makes me isn't I have way too many other things on my mind to to try and figure out how to lose weight because I got fat and all that. Not not interested in that. I got way bigger fish. Almost had to come up with 500 bucks the other day to fix. I'm like, "Oh jeez, they were fine. They're about paid $30 for the guy who told me like all right.
- Those are some of my thoughts on the just the overall process. And ultimately, I love this saying I've been using for years. You're doing two weeks, doing two months, you're doing two years. That's the setup. That's what we're trying to do. So, if you don't like something one way, let's try it another. And if you just don't like cherry tomatoes, we're not going to have those anymore at all.
- >> Sure. Make any sense. Then we can find other things to eat. Uh, for me, I like Brussels sprouts until I roasted them. And I have a lot of show. I'll eat Brussels sprouts every day that they're roasted. They're boiled like my mom to make them. >> No, thank you. >> And it's okay to put a little bit of bacon or panchettto with the the >> Yeah.
- Again, you can fit it in if you're they track and max calories. You can find it to get it fit. So, as then you suggesting the broccoli cheddar combo, there's ways to really bring out that cheddar taste without better talent. You can get it to to go around and and work through all that stuff to uh manage it pretty well. >> Yeah, I think I think bedtime, buddy.
- Boy, I got 10:30 here and I asked me to see Mike. Hey, did I I think I sent over the thing that So, book a call on there and if none of them seem to work or whatever, just message me cuz I'll just book a call no matter what. Oh, here. Let me send it over. >> Yeah. While you do that, coach, can I take it back on what you said right quick? Two seconds.
- >> I know that uh when it comes to dieting and right, we think that we have to torture ourselves and we really don't. Now, I want to preface this by saying I have drank the Kool-Aid. I am a disciple of Brian. All right? So, [laughter] uh but for example, my lunch this week is I have a baked potato with my baked potato.
- I have Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I have cheese and I have a dash of bacon with some chicken in it. Right now, the dieter is like, "Oh my god, that's do whatever." No, because it's all fits within the plan. Then next to that, I have all I have a container, one container of this that has three cups of mixed veggies.
- You see what I'm saying? You can have the stuff that you like. It's not like you can't. The other day, I I was craving I was craving ice cream. So, I said, "I'm having ice cream." Okay. So, I know that I have a snack, one snack every day. That's what I all lot myself. Okay, cool. So, then I had my snack in the morning or when I when I wanted it.
- And then instead of having a huge ass ice cream, nope. I pulled up to Wendy's and got myself a junior uh a junior one. It was like this big. And it was 190 calories. So, I still have what I like as such. I'm not torturing myself, but at the same time, having it in moderation, like you were saying, have it in moderation.
- You know, the other day, man, I had this big ass steak, man. I felt like a man. You know what I mean? It's not that you can't have it, not you got to love the food, but at the same time, we have to just, you know, have the right flow and use it the right way. >> Yeah. Some of that self-control is good. So, there's so much instant gratification that a lot of us seek >> in today's society that it's kind of neat to >> um, you know, to do that.
- So Brandon, the reason I started right now is a bunch of different reasons, but a big thing is I thought it'd be easier starting it during Lent um than some other time of the year where I'm already giving up booze and sweets. So it's a matter of seeing it moderation. >> Never got you here. >> Yeah. Thanks, gentlemen.
- Appreciate it, Brandon. Nice meeting you, Danny. Good seeing you. I'm glad the love life might be uh thumbs up >> on the horizon. >> We'll see. We'll see. Yeah, >> I can't imagine this guy any I can't imagine him any higher geeked up on like happy hormones, you know, but >> we'll see. >> Maybe he'll blow right through the damn computer screen.
- Look at him like a little freaking kid, you know, in a candy store. [laughter] >> Yes. Yes. Yes. I had to tell her I was I was cool and I was like, "Listen, ON THE INSIDE I'M LIKE But then I was like, "No, no, no, no, no. On on outside I'm cool. Chill." She's like, "You're hiding it very well." I said, "Thank you." I am. That's right.
- [laughter] >> Thanks for the laugh. See you guys. >> Yeah. >> You have you have a few more minutes. We can talk about exercise. We didn't really get to touch on it. >> Yeah. All good. Yeah. I'm cool. >> Let's touch that. And I I put in let's talk on in the nef before Wednesday. So like Tuesday, Monday, whatever.
- Sunday, whatever works. Let's find some time to catch up. Mono and mono. But uh a couple things. One is exercise. The goal is yes, we need to work out one way or another and we need to fit it into your schedule or you have to deci figure out when you even have available time. If you're pulling doubles and someone didn't show up, >> you're not working out that day right now.
- It's take off to >> do some push-ups in the back room or something. And that that might end up being what you end up doing is like, okay, I can I know I can commit to doing uh a 100 push-ups today and 100 squats and 100 sit-ups. When they come in, I don't know, but I will commit to doing the hundred of those three things.
- And you do some in the morning, some in the middle of day, some here, there, and then the evening. and you can just log in your phone or on paper, whatever to help keep track of it so you don't lose your your I used to do that with push-ups like crazy. I I've got tens like 10,000 push-ups or something just by marking down.
- I just bust out a set of 30 or something and all of that stuff adds up over time. And if that's all the time that you can lock to it, >> then it is. Now, as far as exercise goes, generally at least the minimum two amount of getting into the gym twice for say 30 minutes. Science proves that that will be sufficient enough. Are we building muscles and stuff? Probably not, but it will help to get you in there to feel good and not be like, "Oh, I haven't worked out in five days or something.
- " Well, we're we're working off two days a week and maybe sneak in some push-up squats and stuff. Now, if you were to do something like that on the gym days, because you're doing so many push-ups in a sense, we'd want to do the back of the body. A lot more rowing exercise, pulling exercises that work the back and things.
- So, that would be super important to be able to for you to manage balancing out the movements in a sense. So that that would be the the easiest best way for you to start checking that that movement exercise box is just doing some body weight stuff that you have uh time for and whatnot. So So hit me with what what the schedule's looking like and we'll see what we can figure out.
- >> Yeah. So like this is this is I would say overall 90% of the problem, right? is let's just say today for example uh >> 6:00 a.m. to 3 is my job right by the time I am done you know clocking out getting back it's like 3:30 4:00 >> then I find that I have to make a choice right I have to either >> exercise go to the gym or attend my recovery meetings right >> and it's usually one or the other because now it's going to be easier when I get a car 100% But when I go to recovery meetings, I got to transportation, right? Public
- transportation. I at least spend an additional hour and a half, two hours just doing the bus thing >> and then getting there, getting back. By the time I get back, just going to one meeting, it's like 8:39 and I got to wake up at 5:30. You know what I mean? Because then it cuts into my sleep. >> That's 90% of the That's 90% of the problem right there.
- How many times you have this? >> How many days a week? Do you >> how many days a week? >> It's really it's it's dependent on me, right? I'm at a point in my recovery where I don't need to go every day anymore. It's not mandatory. It's just something that I need to do, right? Um help other people find a sponsor, you know, that's just part how recovery works.
- So, on average, I still like to go four to five times. >> Oh, there you go. I know. There's the two. Yeah. >> And then >> Yeah. And then the day I planned to go to the I'm like I'm going to the [ __ ] gym today. That was the double day, right? So I'm like awesome. Great. >> You know, but debating >> because you know I sent you pictures of the gym and >> um I'm still a little what's the word? Um we'll just say nervous because I'm like >> nervous, intimidated, whatever.
- >> Yeah. Whatever. Yeah. still like I don't like doing it in front of people because I have no idea what I'm doing, right? Never been in the gym in my life. So, um >> Well, you get over it. [laughter] >> 100%. 100%. So, I And then, you know, it's also limited. >> Go quick on that. If you need a little kick in the pants or motivate or whatever, hey, Brian, I'm gonna go work out at three o'clock today. Cool.
- I'll show up around three and say, "How you doing, man?" She said, "Oh, if you need that little boost, not a problem. I do it literally every day." Right. >> I have I have text messages set up. Uh I still work with women. I have this, you know, she's probably closer to 70, Sharon down in Texas, and I have text messages strategically send later in my Apple phone on the days that she said she was going to go work out.
- So, I posted something for Thursday and I post something on Saturday and I posted something on next Monday so that they just pop out in the morning saying, "Hey, it's a gym day or let's get our flex on or whatever." And then she's like, "Oh, Brian's thinking of me." Well, I thought of her and I took the appropriate action for me to show up for her to be there when she needs me without me having to actually like literally set an alarm, which I have.
- I literally have set alarms to go off for people like John every every day at 1:00 101 my alarm goes off on my phone to message John and so I do I make sure I touch base with them. So that is an opportunity to to just get over that and we can talk through that stuff. And at the very least, if you just went in there and you did one or two exercises and that's all you did, cool.
- You don't need to do 18. The majority of the workouts I ever do, I do maybe three exercises. I just do a lot of sets and reps of those. And then when I go back in another time, I will do a bunch of another angle of the the the exercise thing and do like six, seven, eight sets and that's like it. That's how I work out.
- Uh what we did today we did benching. So my buddy and I he benched, I bench, he bench, I bench. And we did that for I don't know, it was like six, seven sets. And then I went to the dip thing back here, which is uh >> Mhm. I did dips out this thing here like this. >> I was here just going busting them out up and down.
- So I did like 15 of those and then I went to the back this this thing here under the light this machine and I did tricep thing >> and I did these things and I just went back and forth. We did five sets of those and then we laid on the the the bench thing there and we just laid we were at an incline. I just did these. That was it.
- That was a workout was four exercises. Took us about 40 some 50 minute about 50 minutes. I'm starting to feel it. Then that was it. So you can literally just go in and pick. Okay, it's a back day. I'm going to do bend over rows. I'm just going to grab dumbbells and bend over rows and I'm going to do bicep curls. That's it. And you do 10 sets of each and you leave and you're good.
- So it didn't have to be a lot. and someone asks you what you're doing, you're like, "Well, my coach told me to do this." You know, just blame it on me. >> Whatever. >> Yeah. I'm I'm also debating because another issue I have is the gym here, right? It's pretty limited, right? Like if someone >> Stop. It doesn't matter.
- You will use what you have access to. That's >> Well, I just meant like would it be worthwhile? >> Yes. >> Getting a membership somewhere. >> No, no, >> no. Okay. >> Why? Because then you have to like transport yourself. How long does it take you to get to the gym and in the place? >> Not long at all. >> No.
- Like literally, tell me how long it takes for you to leave this space where you're sitting right now to walk there >> realistically. >> Yeah. Like a minute. >> Two and a half. Two and a half minutes. It's all the way at the end of the >> building and half minutes. Three minutes. Yes. >> Three minutes. If you got a gym membership somewhere, the closest gym to you, how long is it going to take you to leave where you're sitting to get into the door? >> Depending on the bus, but it's the next stop.
- Not long, but definitely longer than 3 minutes. >> All right. Time. How long? Okay. on a if I go there and the bus is right there 7 [snorts] minutes if I have to wait. >> You know what I'm saying? >> Yeah. >> Like immediately the bus comes every 12. >> Damn it. You're like running and they didn't stop. I was so away from me.
- >> I know. The bus runs every 12 minutes. So if I miss it >> so plus seven. So 20 minutes. >> Okay. So seven to 20 minutes. It's a variable. And then we add that on the other side. 7 to 12 minutes. So, you're talking about 20 to 40 minutes of transportation time to go work out at the gym. It doesn't even make sense.
- You'd be done with your workout before you got there and back if you just sat on the bus basically. So, no, >> I will not allow you to do that. So, we we walk down to the gym and we use what we have access to and we maximize. I you don't need a lot. You literally need dumbbells to get a really good workout and that's it.
- You don't need much. So, don't don't think about anything else about how much you do or don't need. Or even if it oh, it's busy. It's a small place. There's not a lot of access to so many dumbbells. Okay, cool. Well, just go do some push-ups and squats until something opens up. And then go grab the dumbbells and do your thing.
- And then you put them down like someone grabs them. Then you go back and do more push-ups and squats until the thing becomes available. Or you say, "Hey man, let's super sit. Let's work in together. You do a set and I'll do a set." And you just crank. And then you you know, you just that's that's how you do it. So >> got it. >> All right. >> And that that's all that we need to do.
- So yeah, you're you're not allowed to get a gym membership. >> No problem. >> Don't. And we can even get to specifics of just doing a body part, chest, back, shoulder, leg. So, we could get into that if we needed the time, but ultimately you want to do full body stuff as we're still trying to like burn fat and and use exercise to do that to to reshape your body.
- And so, we can do that in the beginning for a while until it is till it settles in. So, you think about it. All right. I do an upper maj major muscle movement. I do a secondary and I do legs. So what do I mean by that? Do chest, tricep, legs. I do shoulders, deltoids, legs. I do back, bicep, legs. There's three workouts for you. There you go. That's it.
- And if you went and you did 10 sets of all three of those, maybe an extra set or two for warm up, we're we're good. Done. Check the box lead. maybe 20 to 30 minutes worth of effort. And you can even circuit it where you do chest, chest, tricep, legs, and you just circle that for 10 10 sets, you're going to be pretty sweaty and wiped out by the time you're done.
- But if we need it for the time efficiency, then that's what we do. But if you have some time in there, then we do chest, tricep, legs, and then we take a breather. breathe a little bit for like 30 seconds and then you go back to the chest again. And that's how you would do it. So upper b upper body major movement secondary like the biceps, triceps or delts and legs.
- Squats, deadlifts, lunges are going to be the primary things that you would do. That's it. >> There's your workouts. Got it for the ongoing. And you just do the chest circuit the one day. The next time you go in, you do the back and then the next time you go in, you do the shoulders and then you get right back and you just rotate through that.
- During COVID, I did this same workout. I'd come in here because I I love working out, but I would not purposely I don't like working out by myself. I've been working out for two decades by this is like every day almost. And so I'll share this real quick. Here is this is my workout sheet. This tracks every day that I worked out and what I did.
- So, you can see on here there's a date, there's some initials, and it all means something to me. It means nothing to you. Like, what the heck is this? There's a scribble on board, right, with stuff. But today, 318 D is in Dan. C is chest. Dane came on the 16th, D and B back. Then I did something on the 12th with chest.
- And then tomorrow he's coming. We're going to do shoulders. I'm not doing legs because my butt still hurts. But that's that's the setup. And I just keep rotating through that thing. Or when I was in in the COVID times, I would do a chest, back, shoulder, and legs. That's the rotation. And I would do 10 of 10 reps of those four exercises all day long. All day long.
- So on this board, I just mark off when I got through a round and that was it. And I did a modest amount of weight. I would do a weight that I didn't have to warm up for. I could come out here, I could bench press, and I could leave. Or I could come out, bench press, do pull-ups and shoulder presses and leave. Or I could do bench rest, pull-ups, shoulders, press, and squats and do three sets of that and then leave and then come back later.
- And I would just work through and I'd hash off. And I did. That allowed me to be super successful at being able to lift weights consistently during COVID when I was by myself and I wanted to work out, but it was more time and energy because I only have time for this or for that. And that's that's it. I don't have any more extra time. It's all gone.
- So, it's just this or that. So, you and I both have the same problem, time management. So, and it's just it's all relevant to like I've got four kids and five animals and whatever else, but that's my life. So, I'm busy, but you're busy too, right? So, and you have your life that you're juggling all the things and stuff. So, then we just figure it out.
- But you just said it. If I only go four days in a week, then I have three workout days. If I go five days, then I have two workout days. There you go. Pretty simple for you to manage your workout rotation now. Does that make sense? >> Yeah, it does. So, and at some point you will need the recovery meetings less and then maybe you're working out three or four days a week, but then also your your situation's going to evolve and you'll have a car and you'll get out and you'll have a a place to be at and and live and all
- stuff. So, that will change and maybe you're like, "Well, shoot. I'm going to have dumbbells and stuff at my house so I don't have to get a gym membership. Cool. Then then you don't have to do that. So >> yeah. >> All right. So there's some ideas. Get it in. But I like the chest, back, shoulder stays, those three rotations.
- So you do a chest. It doesn't matter what chest. Ben bench press, dumbbells, push-ups, dips, doesn't matter. you do some tricep and you do squats. The next day you do back, biceps, and you do like lunges. And then on the shoulder day, you do shoulders, delts, and a dead lifts. There you go. There's your workout routine. You do 10 sets of each.
- 10 reps. Boom. We're good. At least for the next couple weeks until you're like, "Hey, man. I'm I'm getting bored of this." [laughter] usually what it is. >> But if you literally only did something for your chest, like a bench press or similar, you did a pullup or a row of or similar, you shoulder press, and you did legs and abs.
- If you did those five things indefinitely for the rest of your life, you'll be very fit, very in shape. It would be the most boring workout that you could tell anyone. They'd look at you like that's what you do. But you'd be fit, you'd be in shape, you'd be strong, functional, capable, and it was just based off those major muscle moves because they that's that's how you move your body.
- >> All right, >> got it. >> So, any questions? >> As of right now, no. I'm sure the first time that I actually go to the gym, I'll be hitting you up for sure. But >> a video like, am I doing this right? Cool. I've watched people squat and dellet and all this stuff. I mean, that was like 10 years of my career just staring at people work out.
- So, >> not a problem. >> All right. >> Appreciate it. >> There's a simple rotation. I'll message that in our group or in our chat >> of that that setup so that then you're not trying to remember what I said after this call. And then uh book a time with me. >> I will do >> before Wednesday. And if you don't see one, then just ask.
- be like, "Hey, Brian, do you have any time around this time on this day?" And then I could usually I don't I can fit it in. So, >> okay. >> Yeah, I'll look over it. >> Julio, man. All right. Later, Gator. Be well, >> man. Thank you, man. You, too. >> Super happy. >> Thank you, man. >> Thank you, man. >> Bye. >> All right. Bye.
- >> Thanks for joining us on this round table and I just wanted to let you see what we talk about. It's real engagement with the real guys. I believe that community is a huge missing piece in our time now. Guys are lonelier. They are strange. They do not have the resources, the time, the ability to manage effective weight loss or long-term success.
- And that's why I even created the culturize in the first place is to help empower guys to have sustainable processes that give them the lifelong results that they need to show up for their family and even more importantly for themselves. So that's the calltorise.com 100 days. If you're interested in joining, it's pretty easy.
- You just you can email me brianbrien.com. You can go to the callalltorise.com and click on any of the red buttons. There's a bunch of them. That website very thoroughly goes through everything that you need to know and understand what the program is about. Guys, I like to win. I don't even like to win. I love winning.
- And if any one guy comes works with me, I'm going to guarantee as much as I possibly can to give it our all to give you as much success with our time together. I even have a money back guarantee. As long as you do the work and we don't have progress, then we will do something about that and I will offer that back because I'm I'm in it to win it with you for you to be successful.
- That's it. and the people that show up on my doorstep are winners and they really want to work hard to be successful. So check it out. Love to have you and keep listening into these podcasts. There's so many more already in the line in the pipeline ready to go so that you get knowledge, education, and you can apply it into your everyday life. Thanks for showing up.
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