Hello Reader,

This is probably the most impactful email I've ever written.

We have 3 months left this year.

In 12+ years of coaching and ~20 years of lifting, I know this to be one of the best times of the year where you can drop 10-20 lbs, and for some people, upwards of 30 lbs of fat... completely transforming your life.

But how?

Simply put - A set of Good Systems.

The same system my client Abdulla used to drop 20 lbs in 6 months (13 lbs of which took place during October, November, and December)

Step 1. Just Begin

You don't need to read more self-help books or watch motivational videos.

You need to get started.

You have enough information.

Just begin.

Not next month. Not next Monday.

Not tomorrow (though that's better than next week).

Start NOW... with your next choice.

My client, Abdulla, who was previously at 200 lbs bodyweight "just started", even before our official fat loss protocol began. (thus you see 197 lbs in the photo)

The sooner you start, the sooner you build momentum and habits.

Start incorporating more protein and vegetables. Start taking walks. Start going to bed just a tad earlier.

Positive momentum will become your best friend.

Step 2. Cut out alcohol and the obvious junk.

Influencers will tell you "everything in moderation."

and "a little won't kill ya."

But the truth is, drinking alcohol, even just a little bit here and there, makes fat loss a LOT harder than it needs to be.

One drink turns into two or three. You make worse food choices. Eat more. Often way more. And you sleep MUCH worse. You wake up feeling terrible, making worse food and exercise choices than otherwise.

You don't have to abstain permanently, but cutting alcohol during fat loss phases can help you lose more fat, faster.

Same goes for those tortilla chips you literally cannot just eat 1 or 2 of.

Step 3. Hit your protein and calories

For protein

Multiply your bodyweight by 0.8 for your baseline goal.

Your upper goal/ceiling for protein will be 1 gram per pound of bodyweight.

A normal guy at 200 pounds will thus aim for at least 160 grams of protein.

You don't need to go crazy beyond 1g/lb of bodyweight - doing so can leave less room for carbs to power you for your workouts and fats which help with hormonal support.

Abdulla typically spread his protein over three nutritious meals that kept him satiated.

He had staple protein sources (eggs, egg whites, chicken breast, whey protein, greek yogurt, protein cereal, etc) and staple meals that he often relied on, but weren't super rigid or mandatory.

Thus, he followed meal "templates" much of the time to cut decision fatigue for at least one meal per day (usually 2). He also got great at flexibility - as you're often forced to as a married father of 3.

Step 4. Strength train 2-5x per week (keep reading for the sweet spot)

Muscle and strength is the key to both longevity and metabolic health.

Doesn't hurt that you'll look better naked too.

But more doesn't necessarily mean better.

You don't need to lift 6-7 days per week, and for most people 3x per week is most recommended. (I'm currently on a 3x Full Body Split)

We focused on:

• Horizontal Pressing
• Rows
• Vertical/Incline Pressing
• Pull-ups/Pulldowns
• Squat & lunge patterns
• Hinges

And of course did our arms, side delts, calves, leg curls and extensions for balanced and complete development.

We chose exercises that worked well for his body (ex: hack squats instead of barbell squats) and made adjustments if/when certain exercises stopped agreeing with his joints.

We focused on real progressive overload.

Each session, he aimed to add a rep or two, added weight, or both.

Step 5. CLEAN up your sleep routine and optimize your sleep score

This may be the hardest one for people to nail down because your sleep routine (or lack of) is something you've ran on autopilot for years or decades.

7-9 hours of sleep is the general recommendation, but just because you're in your bed for 7 or more hours doesn't mean you're crushing it in the sleep category.

An uphill battle most are unaware they are fighting - Less sleep and poor sleep quality makes It much, much more difficult to lose weight, and if you do lose weight, poorer sleep will result in more muscle loss (less muscle retention) compared to better sleep.

So many overestimate their sleep quality and underestimate how much they can improve it.

Sleep advice in one simple sentence:

Don't go to bed overstimulated, recently stimulated, overfed, hot, or stressed.

Let's dive a bit deeper.

Improve your sleep and you'll improve everything else in your life.

Better sleep comes from setting hard boundaries and making better choices that turn into great habits.

I recommend using a wearable device like an apple watch (I use apple watch + autosleep app), oura ring, fitbit, etc to help establish what your current average "sleep score" is.

From there, implement the following for improved sleep scores for at least 2 weeks, and you'll begin a snowball of success.

Here are some sleep score basics -

• No TV's or smartphone usage in your bedroom - Non Negotiable and thank me later
• Consume all or at minimum 60-75% of your day's calories AT LEAST 3-5 hours prior to sleeping. Ideally, if your final meal (capping the day's calories) can be at least 2-4 hours before bed, you'll likely optimize your sleep from a meal timing perspective
• Absolutely no "snacking" in front of the TV before bed. Snacking = eating an undecided and untracked amount of hyper-palatable packaged goods or your wife's ridiculously tasty banana bread that has you coming back for seconds and thirds. This often results in more TV watching, less total sleep, and worse sleep quality because you overate AND overwatched TV. That said, If you have a set routine "dessert" that you eat at a certain time while watching a specific show with your partner and it's yielding incredible sleep scores, that's fine
• No caffeine past 6-9 hours out from bedtime
• Remove social media and algorithm-based apps 1-2 hours prior to sleep
• 1 hour prior to sleep, avoid creative/demanding work, difficult or stressful conversations, bright lights, and overly stimulating television shows... I'd even recommend turning down the TV brightness and wearing blue-light blockers
• Black-out and cool your bedroom - 67 to 72 degrees is often recommended but I prefer 64 degrees with a ceiling fan and an oscillating fan
• Wear earplugs and a sleep mask over your eyes
• Consider 1-2 white noise machines (one on each side of bed)

Ah... and maybe the biggest one:

• Find out... and Actually Use your CPAP machine if you have obstructive sleep apnea (been using mine for 17 years and since I was 17 years old)

If you are someone unsure if you have sleep apnea, look into it.

Shortly put, it's a condition of interrupted sleep caused by abnormal breathing. It varies from mild to severe, and is more prevalent with greater age, higher bodyweights and bodyfat indexes, higher muscularity (yes, including "healthy/lean" looking individuals), people with thicker necks, those who smoke, and those with family history of sleep apnea.

It's estimated that 1 in 3 American adults have sleep apnea.

What's worse, is that up to 80% (or more) of individuals who have it... don't know that they have it.

If this is a totally new subject to you, check out this information by John Hopkins Medicine. ​

Even the best sleep routine will not treat undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea.

Getting it treated (if you have it) will change your entire life.

Step 6. Walk - Get those steps in

Abdulla has an office job, but getting in an average of ~10k steps per day didn't have to feel like a chore.

A goal of 7-8k steps per day is a good start for those who don't currently walk much. For others, 10k steps per day is an appropriate goal.

My recommendations:

1. Take a 10 minute walk right after each meal - it will help with digestion, mood, and mental health. It'll help mark an end to a meal and prevent you from additional snacking. Bonus points if you bring the family or your dog.
2. Walk during solo activities you would've done seated: resting between sets at the gym, phone calls, social media scrolling, etc.
3. If you're eating a meal alone and it fits on one plate/container, eat it while walking outside.

The ultimate hack, of course, is to get yourself a "walking pad", an under-desk treadmill.

That way, you can be productive while you walk, (many like myself find walking increases their productivity) or walk while you would otherwise be sitting (scrolling TikTok, watching Youtube or Netflix, etc)

Step 7. Drink more water

It's simple.

Light or pale yellow urine means you're hydrated.

Aside from serious health implications, mild to moderate dehydration can lead to increased hunger and snacking, less fullness, and obviously worse workouts.

Drink water:

• 16-20oz (500 ml) Upon waking, right after using restroom and logging your weigh-in
• Before, after, and between your meals
• Before, during, and after workouts

Try to front-load hydration during the day and if you find urinating in the middle of the night negatively affects your sleep, taper yourself and/or stop drinking 1-2 hours before bed.

I've personally found tapering my hydration too much at night (for me) will cause me to sleep warmer, thus hurting my sleep quality. You have to find your right balance.

Step 8. Track what Matters like a BOSS

Average people "try things".

Professionals who get results "track things".

Here's what Abdulla tracked:

• Daily Weigh-ins (focusing on the weekly average)
• Step count
• Nutrition (calories / protein, carbs, fat)
• Workouts (the weight and every rep/set)
• photos every 2-4 weeks

Also extremely helpful

• Weekly Waist measurement
• Dexa scan / Body Fat Measurement at start and end

Start wherever you are. Track your workouts, bodyweight (I love the app: Happy Scale), and steps, starting now. It will eventually become effortless.

Also Start with roughly tracking your protein and calories... and eventually you can start weighing things out for more precision.

​
​Putting it all together

Fat loss doesn't occur by luck but it's far from impossible.

You need structure and consistency.

You know that the first step is hardest, and that it gets easier the more often you do the right things.

Drop the snacking & alcohol. Hit your protein/calories. Hit your steps. Train for Strength. Track your numbers.

That's how Abdulla did it, and that's how it's done.

Exactly what I would do if I was starting again...

And look in the mirror.

That's how you can and *will* get it done too.

🔥 One foot in front of the other 💪

"Do the Next Right Thing."

-Matt

PS: I'm starting a new Lean Muscle Transformation coaching group for October 2025

If you are a high level professional or entrepreneur with 10 to 15 lbs to drop... I'm here to tell you that you can get it done.

Those with 20 or more pounds of fat to lose - I'm talking to you too.

In my 1-on-1 coaching, I'll work with you to lose bodyfat and drop weight without an overly restrictive diet or slaving away in the gym.

I've worked with young and single entrepreneurs... as well as older and married high performers with multiple children... All getting results.

Just reply to this email and put "RESULTS" as the subject line, and I'll send you all the details.