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I got, I got, I got, I got,

Bench presses and deadlifting, inside my DNA…

– Kendrick (probably)

You know the drill… if you’re the first person who responds and can tell me which Kendrick song this is without Googling – play fair – I’ll send you a free item from our Swag Shop.

If you wish, you can grab the N.W.A. Newsletter Playlist on Spotify here, all of the songs that have been featured in the newsletter are on the playlist.

Happy Friday, Coach J here from Anyman Fitness – and welcome to the latest edition of The N.W.A. Newsletter.

Each week with the N.W.A. Newsletter, I give you the best Nutrition, Weightlifting, and/or Attitude advice for you to start to use in your life today.

Tens of thousands of people have used this exact newsletter to gain muscle, lose fat, and become a better version of themselves…

Without any further ado, let’s get started..

N.W.A. Tip Of The Week

On the left is me at 29.

On the right is me at 43.

The me on the left was about to embark on a fitness journey that completely transformed him, inside and out.

He made a lot of mistakes in the process.

If I had a Delorean, here are 10 things I would go back and tell that 29 year old guy – they would save him a lot of hassle…

#1: You don’t have to do long fasts.

You don’t have to avoid all carbs.

You don’t have to eliminate entire food groups.

You don’t have to eat 100% clean. You don’t have to avoid diet pop.

You just have to be in a calorie deficit.

Those other items listed may help you be in a calorie deficit. But they won’t cause a deficit directly.

Sustainability of your diet is key. Eat the foods you love, just eat them in the right portions.

This is how you make your “diet” more like a lifestyle instead of a prison.

#2: You don’t have to lift weights/exercise as much as you think you do, you just have to be consistent.

Lifting for an hour and doing an hour of cardio every day might seem like a good idea.

But it’s a recipe to burn out too quickly.

Start small and build your way up.

You need to build the habit FIRST.

Aim for 3, 40 minute lifts per week.

Aim for 3-4 40 minute Zone 2 walks per week.

Once you have those 100% down, you can add more in if you wish. But you may find you don’t need anything else.

#3: Tracking your food is the fastest way to master your nutrition.

Eating “clean” can help you eat less calories, but for many, it’s not enough. Tracking your food will show you just how little 2,000 calories per day is.

It will also show you what’s an ‘every day’ food, what’s an ‘every once in awhile’ food, and what’s a ‘rarely’ food.

Everyone should go through at least 2-3 months where they track everything they eat – the experience is invaluable.

#4: Drinking every weekend will mask your fat loss, and the constant water weight will make you feel like a failure.

If you drink booze every Friday and Saturday night, on Monday, you’ll wake up 4-5 pounds heavier, at least.

Most if it isn’t fat, but seeing the high number on the scale is demoralizing.

Avoiding alcohol is best when you’re trying to lose fat, but if you must drink, keep it to 1-2 drinks, maximum of clear liquor (vodka, gin, or tequila).

1 drink is 1 ounce, not “one long pour”.

#5: You have to eat more protein.

This is the #1 non-negotiable when it comes to dieting. Do this and everything else will magically fall into place.

Whatever your goal weight is, eat that many grams of protein per day. Track it, and make sure it happens.

Most of your protein should be from meat. Eggs and low-fat dairy (Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or whey) can fill in the cracks.

Every meal should be protein based. Protein comes first, carbs and fats are added as needed.

#6: Your workouts will be much better if you eat carbs on a regular basis.

Don’t be afraid to eat carbs. They aren’t fattening – eating too many of them are fattening.

White rice and white potatoes are excellent choices, don’t think you need to eat sweet potatoes or brown rice if you don’t enjoy them.

Just eat what you like, and what makes you feel good, don’t sweat the small details.

#7: Be sure you’re getting high quality sleep.

Sleep makes everything easier. You’ll have more energy, less hunger, less stress.

You’ll gain muscle and lose fat faster. You’ll have higher testosterone.

Use blackout curtains, ear plugs, and a sleep mask.

Keep the room at 66 degrees F or lower.

No screens or phones for the hour before you go to bed.

Turn the lights off 8 hours before you need to wake up, minimum.

1 hour sleep before midnight = 2 hours sleep after midnight

#8: Stop changing your lifting program every few weeks, it’s killing your gains.

You want to be doing the exact same lifts in the exact same succession every week, and tracking your progress.

Constantly changing your program isn’t helping you get better results.

In fact, it’s hurting your results. You’re not giving your body enough time to adapt to the workouts and get stronger.

Every time you start a brand new program, you’re “starting over”.

Stick with 1 program and “milk” it until it stops working.

#9: Stop trying to 1 rep max everything, nobody cares how much you lift.

Enough said.

You’ll get way better results using the proper amount of weight and showing perfect form than you will slinging the heaviest weight you can find in an attempt to impress other people.

You’re eventually going to injure yourself doing that. It’s not smart.

Your goal is to get incrementally stronger over the next 20+ years, not to look cool in front of people who don’t care about you and run the risk of injury.

#10: The work is never done.

This is a tough pill to swallow. But you are never “done” when it comes to fitness.

It’s a never-ending, always evolving process of self-improvement.

Learn to enjoy the process, and love the routine of healthy eating and exercise.

Try new things. Play pickleball. Go hiking. Swim. Take up yoga.

But strength training should always be a staple of what you do.

Stay active. Sleep well. Eat right. And live your life.

Fitness should enhance your life, not control it.

———-

I currently have a few spots open on my personal, 1:1 roster for coaching.

I team up closely with my 1:1 clients and we work together on an individualized approach for success.

To learn more about this unique, “All In” experience, tap here and fill out this quick form – it will go directly to my email inbox.

Looking forward to speaking with you.

March-21-2025

N.W.A. Tip Of The Week

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