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What's in store for today:
- The Perfect Milkshake For The Summer Heat
- The Protein Pretzels I Buy In Bulk
- The Exercise That Reverses Mental Decline
- This App Is My New Obsession
Hey Friend,
As I was on my run today, I had an interesting realization.
It used to be that nice homes, nice cars, the latest tech, the biggest tv, the most fashionable "in" brands, etc. were the status symbols of choice.
Even if we all didn't consciously think so, virtually all of us have pursued those things because of the perceived status they bring.
But in the last year or so I feel a shift happening in the culture.
The old status symbols like new cars, homes, perfect decor, tech, etc. are all slowly being replaced by...
Health.
All of these things became status symbols because they were rare enough that they meant something cool. They were exclusive.
The fact that you had them said something important about you.
But now, those things aren't all that cool anymore.
What is rare and cool now?
Being fit. Being healthy. Being able to run a mile without dying.
iPhones aren't as cool as fitness trackers and having extensive blood work done.
Fancy cars aren't nearly as valuable and cool as having a healthy A1c and being in a healthy BMI range.
The perfectly decorated home isn't as cool as having a body that is fit, strong, and energetic.
What was once rare is no longer rare.
The world is waking up to how those materialistic things don't stack up to the real value and respect of living in a body that is healthy and whole.
The real flex is being someone capable of and committed to doing that in a world where most aren't.
Anyways, just a random thought as I finished up my longest run to date (3.58 miles).
I'm still a newbie, but I'm getting better 😂
Ok, on to your Feel Good Friday:
1️⃣ The Perfect Milkshake Recipe For Summer Heat
The weather here has been HOT lately 🥵
So this week, I’m sharing a sweet, cool, and ridiculously satisfying high-protein milkshake that works as a full meal replacement or a scaled-down snack.
This is my go-to summer shake:
Matt's Famous Chocolate Peanut Butter Milk Shake:
Recipe Nutrition:
- 302 calories
- 51% protein
- Only 30% Carbohydrate
- 41 Grams Protein
- 24.3 Grams Net Carbohydrate
- 1 Single Serving Cup Dannon Light + Fit Yogurt (We use Boston Cream Pie Flavor or Vanilla)
- 3/4 Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake (We used Premiere Protein Brand)
- 2 Tablespoons Chocolate Powdered Peanut Butter
- 1/3 Cup Frozen Bananas
- 15 Lily’s Sugar Free Chocolate Chips
- 4 Tablespoons Fat Free Redi Whip
- 5-6 Ice Cubes
- Add all of the ingredients to the blender and put the lid on tight.
***If you are using a single serving blender cup, we recommend a 20 oz. blender cup to have enough room for all of the ingredients. Be careful not to over fill the blender cup otherwise it will overflow when you try to put the blade / lid on.*** (Ask me how I know 😂)
2. Blend up the smoothie for 20-30 seconds until you are happy with the consistency.
3. Top with Fat Free Redi Whip and enjoy.
Pro Tips:
1. For ease of cleaning up we recommend using a single serving cup blender like the one we used. Here is a blender that comes with 24 ounce cups which have plenty of room to prevent overflowing:
2. We used Dannon Light + Fit Boston Cream Pie Flavored Greek Yogurt for this recipe which has 80 calories per single serving cup and 12 grams of protein. If you can't find that flavor in your Walmart you can substitute vanilla flavor.
3. If the shake is not thick enough, just add some additional ice and blend again to thicken it up. If it is too thick, add a small bit more protein shake and blend again.
2️⃣ The Protein Pretzels I Buy In Bulk
I love a good salty, crunchy snack — and these protein pretzels are a favorite of mine.
Here’s why:
✅ Only 120 calories per serving
✅ 18g of protein (60% protein!)
✅ Just 2g net carbs
✅ Great taste
✅ And best of all... affordable
Most high-protein salty snacks like Quest or Legendary chips cost around $2.50 a bag. These pretzels? Just $1.22 per serving.
You can grab them in a variety pack on Amazon — tons of flavor options, and seriously satisfying.
The only drawback is they are a little dry if you eat them without a nice beverage. But if you are eating a nice salty crunchy like this a great beverage to wash it down is a must anyway. 🤷🏻♂️
3️⃣ My New Motivation To Do Cardio
There are a growing number of REALLY interesting studies that are showing that exercise not only stops, but actually REVERSES age related cognitive decline 🤯
In one randomized control trial from 2011 consisting of subjects in their mid 60's, the participants who did stretching only for their activity experienced a 1-2% shrinking in their hippocampus, which translates to a correlating decline in memory and cognitive performance.
And that was just during the 12 month trial. Imagine that shrinking extrapolated over many years...
But the group that did moderate aerobic exercise like brisk walking, cycling, etc. to get their heart pumping saw an increase in their hippocampus size of roughly 2% over that same time period.
This means that not only did the group who exercised not experience shrinkage, but they saw new growth and an improvement in cognitive performance.
As someone who has had relatives with Alzheimer's and dementia, this is incredibly encouraging, and adds another huge motivator to keep me running and doing other forms of exercise that get my heart rate into Zone 2, or roughly 60-70% of my max heart rate.
To calculate your own Zone 2 heart rate range, just take 220 minus your age, and then multiply that number by .6 to get the bottom end of your range and .7 to get the top end of your range.
So for me for instance, 220 - 40 (my age) = 180. 180 x .6 = 108 BPM, and 180 x .7 = 126 BPM.
So Zone 2 exercise for me would be any activity that gets me into a range of roughly 108 to 126 beats per minute.
Now when I run, I'll know my brain is growing along side my endurance and heart strength.
4️⃣ My Favorite Thing This Week:
The Strava App
Now that I am a runner I've become hooked by the game of slowly tracking and improving my runs.
Running a little longer here. A little faster there.
And there's a really cool app called Strava, which is apparently something every runner on the planet uses, and I'm really late to the party 😂
It tracks your runs, pulls in heart rate data from my apple watch, gives me lots of encouragement when I set new records, helps me set goals, helps me find new running routes...
It even let's me find other people I know, even famous athletes who are using the app and I can follow them and see their workouts, times, distances, paces, etc.
It also let's you track activities like weight training, walking, swimming, etc. as well, but the app itself seems really geared for running especially.
It's REALLY cool.
You can also start training plans to help you prepare for a 5k, 10, half marathon, full marathon, etc.
If you are new to running or have an interest in this, I highly recommend checking out Strava. You can download it for iPhone here and Android here. It brings a whole new level of fun and gamification to something that is also improving your health along the way.
Honestly, I've never felt like I was a super competitive person, but I can't help but look at other runners stats and feel a nice little push to make my own stats a little better on every run.
New YouTube Video 🎬 10 Steps To Sustainable Weight Loss I Wish I Would Have Known.
In addition to the Podcast YouTube Channel I also have started making videos again for my main channel.
If you haven't been over to my main channel I definitely recommend heading over and checking out some of the videos there and subscribing there as well.
I hired an editing team so there will be a lot of videos coming out on this channel in the coming year 💪🏻
Starting with this one titled 10 Steps To Sustainable Weight Loss I Wish I Would Have Known.
I've spent nearly 2 decades failing my way through figuring out what sustainability actually means when it comes to weight loss and health.
I've explored all the fads, all the extremes, supplements, calorie counting...you name it and I've probably tried it.
And in the end of figuring it out personally and now having tested with 100's of clients over the years these are the 10 most essential things I have found that are necessary for truly sustainable results.
👉 Watch it here + Subscribe to my Main YouTube Channel
Client of the week: Sandy Dinsmore
When Sandy joined Healthy & Whole, she was scared.
She had gained a significant amount of weight over the past few years, and after a sobering doctor’s visit, she was terrified about what might happen if she didn’t turn her health around.
She was anxious. Overwhelmed. And more afraid than just about any client I’ve ever met.
But I knew she was fully capable — and just needed a path forward that made sense for her life.
As someone who grew up in a big Italian family, Sandy spent decades cooking huge meals for others. But after her kids had grown up and her husband passed away, she realized she didn’t know how to eat for one—and she certainly didn’t know how to eat healthy and enjoy it.
So we started from scratch — building a lifestyle that worked for this new season of life as a proud grandma who splits her time between home and frequent family visits.
Here’s what we focused on to help Sandy thrive:
✅ Teaching her how to make single-serving meals that felt comforting and satisfying
✅ Building sustainable routines she could stick to both at home and while traveling
✅ Helping her stay active with daily walks and workouts she could do at home
✅ Guiding her into maintenance mode at her goal weight — with her favorite foods still included
✅ Coaching her through mindset work to calm the anxiety and rebuild confidence
Sandy went from scared and overwhelmed… to feeling more calm, more confident, and more herself again.
Her spicy Italian spark returned. She started smiling more. Laughing. Cracking jokes. She now calls me "Mr. Coolio" for some reason 😂
By the time she graduated from Healthy & Whole, she was at her goal weight, living in maintenance, and traveling for weeks at a time — enjoying ice cream with her grandkids and even wrangling goats 😂🐐
For Sandy, this journey wasn’t just about a number on the scale.
It was about unlocking a life of energy, freedom, joy, and presence.
And today, she’s out living it — fully. 💛
A Quote To Finish Your Week Strong
"Your level of success will seldom exceed your level of personal development, because success is something you attract by the person you become."
- Hal Elrod
When you're ready, here's how I can help:
If you're looking to lose weight sustainably while building a flexible lifestyle that you enjoy, I can help. Apply for coaching here in the Healthy & Whole Mentorship Program.
Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.
