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Welcome to 4 Minute Fridays, my weekly newsletter where I reveal cutting-edge tips to help you get lean, boost energy, and live longer.

What's In Store For Today:

• This 15-minute exercise creates new brain cells
• The best diet to get lean quickly
• The best supplements for more energy

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Hey friend,

The other day I was having a conversation with a customer who dropped 50 lbs off his body using the ​Lean Body 90​.

For a few years, he was battling crippling anxiety but during the time we worked together, he rarely felt an episode.

The funny thing is he didn't even notice it was gone until we had a discussion about it.

He asked me why this was and this is what I told him:

Your brain lives in your body. If your body is unhealthy then it's going to be hard for your brain to work as it should.

Also, the things you did to get yourself in shape (exercise, walking, eating good foods, etc.) are the same things that reduce anxiety.

Lastly, as a result of his new behaviors he changed how he reacts to stress & anxiety. Instead of reaching for food he goes for a walk or gets some exercise.

I'm not saying that this will work for everyone but I am confident that it will work for most people who deal with this on a regular basis.

Getting in shape is less about looking sexy and more about feeling yourself again.

Don't sleep on what the power of body transformation can do for you.

That being said...

Here Is Your 4 Minute Friday:

1. This 15 Minute Exercise Creates New Brain Cells

As we age we naturally lose brain cells. Studies show that the volume of the brain declines with age at a rate of around 5% per decade after age 40 with the actual rate of decline possibly increasing over age 70.

The hippocampus, in particular, plays a key role in your brain function and is one of the areas that can atrophy due to age.

Thankfully, there is a certain type of exercise that's been shown to help us regain brain volume and grow new neurons.

Researchers found that 15-30 min of cycling at low-moderate or moderate-high intensity promotes change in your brain.

Aerobic exercise may help not only delay its structural decline but also increase hippocampal volume, as has been shown in a few studies in older individuals.

This is something I notice in a lot of my older entrepreneur clients where cardio is almost a mandatory part of their day.

The energy and focus they generate by getting an aerobic workout are crucial to their ability to run a business and make decisions.

Do you want a better functioning brain as you age? Get out there and do some cardio.

2. The Best Diet To Get Lean Quickly

While I am a proponent of doing sustainable things to lose weight, I am not above getting quick results to prep for a vacation or holiday.

When I need to get lean in a quick amount of time I do a form of a mini-cut called a Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (aka. PSMF).

The protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF) is a very low-calorie diet designed for quick, short-term weight loss. Btw this is not sustainable and will likely lead to weight regain.

The PMSF is only to be used in 2 situations:

1. You need to get lean for a vacation in a short amount of time
2. You're bulking and want to maintain a certain level of leanness

Here's how to do a PMSF:

1. Keep protein high at .8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
2. Set your calories at 8.3 x protein intake. Example: 8.3 x 100 = 830 kcal if your protein intake is 100 g.
3. Get your essential nutrients by eating your veggies along with keeping your protein high.
4. Duration: this is key. Unless you’re overweight, you cannot sustain this diet for long. At most you do this for 2 weeks to get ready for a "peak event" ie. pool party, vacation etc.

Again, this is NOT a diet you do for a long period as it has major drawbacks. But if you're in a pinch and need to drop a few extra pounds before an event this is a tool to use.

Ask Me Anything - The best supplements to take for health and energy

Question From Emily: Love your input! I’m a 30 year old healthy woman who is active, but works a remote job! I don’t drink coffee or take any supplements, green juice, vitamins at the moment. What could I be taking for having energy throughout the day?

My answer: Thanks for the question, Emily.

There are a few supplements I take to maintain high energy levels throughout the day.

Before getting into them I need to mention that nothing will give you more energy than taking a walk in nature​. It's the best tool for someone who works remotely. If you can't do this then try getting a treadmill desk. It's an absolute game-changer.

As for supplements, I like to start at the end of the day and work backward. A great supplement I use is magnesium l-threonate. This helps relax me and helps me get quality sleep. The brand I use is ​Magtech from Natural Stacks​.

I also take vitamin D when it's the fall and winter months to improve my mood and energy levels.

During the day I drink a cup of coffee 1-2 hours after waking. But it doesn't seem like you drink coffee so another alternative is a new supplement called Paraxanthine.

Paraxanthine is less toxic compared to caffeine, creates less anxiety, enhances physical performance, provides a similar energy boost, and may have stronger mood-boosting effects

I talked about this in a ​previous issue of the 4MF​ and I've been using a supplement called ​Focus Bites (from Natural Stacks)​ that contains paraxanthine.

I find that it's a way to get an extra energetic boost without harming my sleep like drinking an extra coffee would.

That said, when it comes to taking supplements for energy the best course of action is to get a blood test and see which nutrients you're deficient in.

Doing that will most likely provide you with the best bang for your buck in terms of filling out any nutrient deficiencies you may be experiencing, which will contribute to better energy levels.

Note: I do not receive any compensation for mentioning these supplements. The founder and I are friends so I know the quality he puts into his product. He has sponsored previous issues yet I recommend them because I actually use them every day.

Want your questions answered? For the next few weeks, I'm doing a feature called Ask Me Anything where I answer all your questions. Send a question over to ​[email protected]​ and get your question featured in next week's 4MF issue.

Client Of The Week - Brent, Entrepreneur