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My 9 Non-Negotiables

for Staying Healthy & Whole at 41

Hey Friend,

As I turned 41 this past week, I found myself reflecting on my health journey — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

It’s still strange to look back and think about where I started compared to where I am now… and just how different my life is.

Honestly, how different I am.

The person I am today is almost unrecognizable from the “pre-2015” me — back before my real journey started.

Back then, my habits looked like a “what not to do” list: smoking, drinking too much, eating junk, people-pleasing just to fit in… the list is long and, for those who know me now, probably pretty shocking.

But instead of making a depressing list of all the unhealthy things I used to do, I thought I’d share something far more useful:

The healthy things I do now.

The non-negotiables that are mostly responsible for me being the healthiest, happiest, and most energetic I’ve ever been — with the health and fitness of someone in their 20s, even though I’m in my 40s.

So… here’s my Healthy & Whole Checklist.

Let’s dive in. 👇

1️⃣ Going to Bed & Waking Up Early

I know, not the sexiest habit — but it’s the one that makes everything else easier.

They say “nothing good happens after midnight.” For me, nothing good happens after 10pm.

I aim to be in bed by 9 or 9:30, lights out by 10. I even have an alarm at 8:30pm to remind me it’s time to mix up my hydration cocktail for the morning, set my clothes out in the bathroom, and spin up a pint of protein ice cream (recipe here) as my bedtime snack.

Right now, my wake-up time is 4am. Why? Because it gives me enough time to shower, do my Miracle Morning routine for 15–20 minutes, and get into work before the rest of the house even stirs.

When you keep a consistent sleep/wake schedule, you fall asleep easier, wake up more rested — and suddenly there’s no excuse for “not having time” to walk, work out, or take care of yourself.

2️⃣ Hydrate with Electrolytes 2–3 Times a Day

Most people think they’re tired because they need more food.

In reality? They’re usually just dehydrated — and not just from lack of water, but from lack of electrolytes.

Your body needs both water and electrolytes to regulate blood pressure, nerve signaling, blood volume… all the things that make you feel alert and capable.

Here's my go-to Hydration Cocktail recipe to fix this problem:

• 32–40 oz. water

• ¼–½ tsp pink Himalayan salt

• Optional: ⅛ tsp potassium chloride powder

I drink one right when I wake up, one before lunch, and — if I’ve had a sweaty workout — one in the evening.

Do this and watch your energy, focus, performance, and appetite control improve almost instantly.

3️⃣ Walk 8,000 Steps a Day (Minimum)

Think of steps as a calorie buffer.

If you’re averaging 4–6K steps a day, you’re burning so few calories that weight loss means drastically cutting food — which is a recipe for misery.

In maintenance, low activity means you can’t eat much without gaining.

I especially value being active when it comes to having an extra buffer for my chosen indulgences.

On our recent Miami trip, Joani and I averaged 25K steps a day and ate like absolute kings — including splitting a whole Key Lime Pie in our hotel room over two nights 🤯 — and the scale didn’t budge.

This is why I hit 8K steps every day, no matter what.

If you aren't tracking your steps on a daily basis I recommend getting yourself an Apple Watch or similar, and I really like the Pedometer++ app for tracking step trends as well.  

4️⃣ Strength Train 2–3 Times a Week

Strength training won’t directly burn fat, but it makes all the difference in how you look and feel at your goal weight.

The ultimate goal is to minimize body fat, and maximize muscle mass for that nice and toned look.  

Strength training preserves muscle (and your metabolism) when you are losing weight, and if you get enough protein in your diet you'll actually build some muscle at the same time as you burn body fat.  

This screenshot below actually shows my own tracking of my bodyfat and muscle mass levels over the last 3 months, and it's pretty exciting stuff!

I aim for 3 sessions/week (2 minimum) for 30–45 minutes. If I’m short on time, I’ll do a 15-minute bodyweight only / high-intensity session instead of skipping.

Fun bonus: Just this week, during worship team rehearsal, our piano player looked at me and said, “Dude! You're looking good!”.

And guess what?  I owe that entirely to strength training. 💪

5️⃣ 15–30 Minutes of Zone 2 Cardio Weekly (Minimum)

This one’s new for me in 2025 — and honestly, I avoided it for years because… cardio is uncomfortable.

But now that I’m in my 40s (and have two kids with one on the way), I’ve come to appreciate what Zone 2 cardio does for heart health, endurance, and longevity.

Matter of fact, I have found personally that since I started doing Zone 2 cardio I look AND feel younger than ever before.  

And my blood work from Function Health says I am younger biologically as well.  

Since I started Zone 2 running workouts 10 weeks ago:

• My resting heart rate dropped from 59 to 45 

• My cardio fitness shot from average to above average...almost high

• My biological age dropped from 33.9 to 29.4 (I'm 41 🤯)

I usually to run 1–5 miles at a 10–12 min/mile pace, 2–3 times/week. Sometimes more.

Of course, when I first started running 10 weeks ago, I was only running around a 14+ minute per mile pace.  

So don't be discouraged when you start, just stick with it.  It's worth it. 

6️⃣ Eat Healthy Meals & Snacks 80% of the Time

Abs are “made in the kitchen,” and so is your long-term health.

Here’s my rule for the 80% of meals and snacks that are not a "cheat":

• Meals ≤ 400 calories

• Snacks ≤ 200 calories

• At least 40% of daily calories from protein

The other 20%? That’s for special moments like date nights out and splitting an entire Key Lime Pie in Miami with Joani 🍰

We teach our clients how to create a menu of “healthy” foods they actually enjoy so that staying on track doesn’t require constant willpower.

Because the truth is that when your every day healthy meals and snacks taste like cheats, you don't need to have REAL cheats all that often — and it's way easier to get back on track after a cheat, too.

7️⃣ Miracle Morning Routine

This 10–20 minute morning ritual — meditation, affirmations, visualization, journaling — has been life-changing for my mental and emotional health.

Like many of you, I am prone to struggling with bouts of depression, self doubt, negative self talk, etc.

With this daily routine I have been able to pull myself out of depression, heal self doubt, eliminate negative self talk, and to feel much more powerful and at peace every day.

I’ve tested life with this self care routine, and without it — and let me tell you…I am better with it.

It grounds me, helps me process my thoughts and fears, helps me reframe struggles, helps me get clarity on what I really want and what’s important to me, and so much more.

I originally learned about The Miracle Morning routine from the book of the same name written by Hal Elrod.  I use the Miracle Morning App every morning to do my routine.  

Frankly, it’s life changing, and I’ll never again go for more than a day without doing this routine.

It’s that important to my overall health, and I imagine it could be for yours, too.

8️⃣ Positive Media Only, No Doom Scrolling

I intentionally minimize useless, negative content and replace it with media that inspires, teaches, and challenges me.

It’s part time management, part mental health strategy — and it’s as important as anything else on this list.

Here's a list of some of my favorite books and podcasts to help you get started on curating your own positive content "diet":

• The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
• The Mountain Is You by Brianna Weist
• Level Up by Rob Dial
• Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind by T. Harv. Eker
• The Art of Exceptional Living by Jim Rohn
• The Modern Wisdom Podcast
• The Mindset Mentor Podcast
• The Rich Roll Podcast
• Miracle Morning YouTube / Podcast
• The Healthy & Whole Podcast 😉

9️⃣ 3x3 Living

I want to keep my life simple, uncluttered, focused on what matters.

3 by 3 living means I allow myself to have 3 main priorities in my life at any one given time, and I strive to have 3 daily tasks or actions that align with those 3 priorities.

Sure, there’s a lot of other stuff I do every day / week that goes beyond those 3 daily tasks and 3 life priorities, but having clarity on my 3 by 3 helps me make important decisions every day about what I am going to focus on and where my time and energy will go.

More importantly, it helps me be clear about where it will not go.

Right now my 3 life priorities are my family, my body, and my work.

So most days my 3 main tasks on my to do list involve one of those 3 priorities.

3 by 3 living allows me to go to bed each night knowing that I lived the day in alignment with my priorities and my values, rather than feeling like I just ran around putting out fires and being swept away in the chaos of life.

I consider myself extremely blessed that at the ripe young age of 41 years old, I have discovered the incredible power of focus in life.

Most of the things we get distracted by in life are things that we will never remember or care about on our deathbed.

I want to die knowing that I lived my life with intention.

And 3 by 3 living lets me do that.

How to Start Without Overwhelm

Think of this as a treasure map, not a to-do list.

Focus on starting, and refining, not on perfection.  

An all or nothing mindset will get you nowhere, but an intention of starting with the low hanging fruit and building from there will get you all the way in time.

Here's a simplified list to start picking off one by one:

1. Set a bedtime alarm & wake-up time

2. Make and drink 2 Hydration Cocktails/day

3. Track & hit 8K steps/day

4. Schedule 2-3 strength workouts/week

5. Schedule 2-3 Zone 2 cardio sessions/week

6. Stay 80% on track with meals/snacks

7. Get The Miracle Morning book + app and start the daily routine

8. Swap 80% of media for growth content

9. Define your top 3 priorities in life & start each day mapping out 3 daily actions that will allow you to sleep well at night.

Remember, this is a marathon not a sprint.

Build one habit at a time, keep what works, and let the results compound.

– Matt

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.