Why High Performers Burn Out Quietly

If you’re productive, motivated, and capable, people assume you’re fine.

Even when you’re running on fumes.

That’s the cost of always being “on.”

What does always being "on" look like? It doesn't necessarily mean the same for everyone, but you will notice certain of these statements ring true for you:

• consistently mentally engaged

• quick to react emotionally

• consistently physically tired

• always reachable

• trouble falling asleep as you can't turn your brain off

Now I've used some significant qualifiers there, words like "always" and "consistently" don't take those literally, but do some self reflection on how often those are the case. And maybe you're in the group that runs this way during the week, and then uses the weekend to recharge. That method can work, but typically the weekends aren't long enough, or turned down enough to truly recover from the built up stress of the week.

What this habit of living in this "on" state creates is the situation of chronic stress, and that's important to differentiate from acute stress. Acute stress is the stress we want as that's short term and recoverable stress that our body (and mind) will be able to adapt to better handle in the future. This doesn't mean they have to be the intense kinds of workouts I mentioned earlier, but any sort of event that pushes the body past its level of normalcy is a stressor. In contrast, chronic stress builds over time and indicates that the body doesn't have the capacity to recover such that the stress starts compounding. This can lead to all sorts of physical and mental challenges that take orders of magnitude longer to recover from, REDS (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports) and stress fractures being two common examples. Chronic stress with have a significant impact on your physical performance as well as mental capacity and motivation levels that far outweigh the downtime needed to prevent this buildup. High performers are especially at risk for these behaviors as they're generally more adept at tolerating stress for longer periods and will normalize any levels of fatigue as they'll "sleep when they're dead." This class of personality is also more likely to dismiss any of the warning signs and push any sort of recovery to the weekend, next week, or once this project ends.

So how does one maximize their performance without falling into a stress cycle they can't get out of? The first step, like with many other processes I've suggested, is an awareness of the patterns. If anything I've mentioned above rings a little true, it would be worthwhile to start paying more attention to your energy levels, mental acuity, sleep habits, and emotional states to understand how they fluctuate. If you notice a couple of these are trending in the directions you don't want, then you'll want to look for ways to help create more of an energy wave, and not an energy straight line. You can still have those peaks, but you need to also create some valleys. This can be done on any timeline you want, but a great place to start would be daily - aim for at least 2 peaks and valleys (to start) during the course of the day. These don't need to be long periods of time, but even carving out a block of time for a walk, phone call with a friend or loved one, or a TV show will help create those valleys. Once you get a handle on how effective this is, you can then look to see if perhaps a full recovery day might be helpful - whether that's on a weekly basis or more spread out. And for those longer more sustained periods of stress (large work project, major presentation, goal race, etc) you should plan for at least a day of recovery after the event to mentally and physically wind down. As you work to incorporate this approach, you'll notice your peaks can become longer and higher with the valleys becoming more natural.

Being “on” isn’t the same as being effective.

Performance is built on cycles — not constant pressure.

The goal isn’t to do less — it’s to recover better.

🔗 Subscribe to The Wellness Forge for strategies that help you perform without burning out.

Why Consistency Beats Intensity (Especially for High Performers)

Big goals tend to attract big plans — aggressive workouts, strict nutrition, packed schedules.

And for a few weeks, they work.

Until they don’t.

I tend to encounter this challenge more at the start of a clients' journey, but we can all fall into the trap of chasing intensity at any point of our fitness lives. It is a natural choice to make, and for many there's logic there to "make up for lost time" or "strike while the iron is hot" to take advantage of the early motivation curve. There's also the mental aspect that hard workouts feel good and there's a great sense of accomplishment from completely them, not to mention it definitely feeds into the "go hard or go home" mentality. However, the biggest challenge with this approach is that while yes it can create quick short term changes those are just an illusion of progress.  In reality, chasing intensity primarily will lead to an increased injury risk and an increase in required recovery time between workouts which will negatively impact any sort of adherence to a program. The last issue I want to mention is that this approach will collapse under any sort of increase in life stress or when schedules get busy.

The alternative to chasing intensity is to chase consistency, start small and build the consistency first then slowly increase from there. I know sometimes it is hard to think this way, but health isn't a short term goal - starting with the thought process of "what changes can I make now that I could realistically consistently do for the rest of my life" is the best approach. These small consistent changes with build results, and those results will start to compound as you continue. Another huge advantage of this approach is that it is more adaptable to life changes as you can shift your workouts more easily as a 10 minute mobility session might be the perfect workout after a tough day. This adaptability also applies to overall recovery and stress management as the consistency allows your body to more adequately recover from each workout and absorb the training load from the next workout, further increasing your overall progress.

I've mentioned that this "intensity" trap usually happens when starting off, but there are also ways this mentality can creep in even after working out for a period of time. There are a few ways this can happen:

• An "all or nothing" approach to a workouts - if I can't get the exact workout in, don't ever try

• Always striving for the perfect nutrition each day - this is impossible to maintain and leads to binges

• Allowing your recovery to become optional - recovery doesn't need to happen every day, but it should be a consistent part of your training, no matter your goals.

• Make up sessions - attempting the hero weekend, where you fit in all the sessions you missed during the week.

All of these have some logic that sounds good, but consistently falling into any of the above traps will derail your progress at best, and at worst lead to burnout or injury.

For optimal results, especially if you're chasing performance, the best approach is going to be a careful mixture of both consistency AND intensity. However, the intensity is going to be sporadic and targeted to match your goals. For example, in the endurance sports world, there's a common training approach that's an 80/20 model meaning that 80% of training is done at low intensities and 20% is done at higher levels. That same kind of idea can be applied anywhere, and of course the appropriate numbers may vary, but the idea of the majority of your work being focused on consistency as the main course with intensity being the spices added to the meal. Then when you start to vary the training loads, you'll also want to make sure you're matching that appropriately with your nutrition, sleep, and recovery such that you can maximize your progress and efficiency.

Intensity gets attention. Consistency builds outcomes.

If your plan only works when life is calm, it isn’t a good plan.

Sustainable progress comes from doing what you can — repeatedly.

🔗 Subscribe to The Wellness Forge for practical strategies that help you build strength, resilience, and results that last.

Micro-Recovery: Small Actions That Drive Big Performance Gains

Most people think recovery requires time they don’t have.

In reality, recovery works best when it happens in small doses, often.

These micro-recovery habits can change how you feel, train, and perform — without adding anything to your calendar.

While looking at some of the big movers for recovery, things like nutrition and sleep, there's also lots to be gained from thinking small when it comes to recovery.  And by small, I mean short periods of dedicated time that can have outsized benefits in both physical and mental recovery.  As with other topics, I wouldn't suggest trying to implement ALL of these, but pick one or two and see if they help.  Don't panic if something doesn't work for you, pick something else and keep trying.  Once you find something that works, keep it consistent and try to make it part of your normal routines.

Let's start with some that are more physical in nature, with probably the simplest and lowest barrier to entry being a short walk - even just a couple of minutes provides not only muscular benefits, improves digestion, but it can be a nice mental break as well. Also in this bucket would be some sort of mobility work focusing on whatever joints or muscles that may be nagging you, either while sitting by moving through the joints' full range of motion, or coupled with a walk and making it a bit more of a dynamic stretch. Maybe even incorporate some sort of recovery tool in this process, foam rollers may be tougher in the office, but massage guns or a lacrosse ball work wonders and can travel pretty easily. The last one I'll touch on in this article would be to have some sort of a snack, sometimes the best way to break up your day is the injection of a little energy. This snack doesn't have to be large but something that can not only distract you physically (and mentally) but also provide a nice energy boost.

The other aspect of these little recovery breaks are ones that I'll put into more of a mental space or requiring little physical movement. A couple of examples of these kinds of breaks would be:

• Breathing resets - think deep breaths, either structured or just a pause

• Giving your eyes a rest - look away from screens, or close your eyes for a period (don't try this while driving!)

Another idea to consider in this area would be ways to shift your environment to reduce or shift the stressors in some way:

• Wearing Blue light blocking glasses

• Noise generator - white noise works for many, but there are different options that work better for some

• Background music

If you're looking for a plan to implement a break or two into your day, pay attention to your energy levels during the day and see if you notice a period (or two) where you struggle. That's the time you'll want to apply one of these techniques, and try the same one for a couple days to see if you notice a benefit. This is also a case where having some sort of logging or journal routine will come in handy to not only find those lulls, but see what works and what doesn't. I personally use the journal function in the Whoop app to help with these kinds of trials and shoot for a handful of days with the routine and without to have a somewhat decent comparison. The actual tool used doesn't really matter, it is the process of adding that recovery tactic and monitoring how (if) it impacts your body and mentality.

Recovery doesn’t need to be dramatic to be effective.

Small, consistent recovery habits protect your energy, sharpen focus, and keep performance sustainable — especially on busy days.

Start small. Repeat often. Let recovery work with you.

🔗 Subscribe to The Wellness Forge for practical strategies that help you train, work, and live stronger — without burnout.

Stretching Isn’t the Fix: Strength & Movement Are

If you feel stiff, sore, or restricted, your first instinct is probably to stretch more.

But for most people, tightness isn’t a flexibility problem — it’s a capacity problem.

Strength and movement solve far more issues than endless stretching ever will.

I've had many clients initially tell me they wanted to be more flexible and I appreciate that we all have goals however I believe there are better goals to strive for than flexibility out of the gate.  One quick test is a standing squat, notice the depth you can achieve and then perform that same squat using a door frame, bar, squat rack, anything for support and notice the depth again.  For most people, there is a significant difference which shows the issue isn't flexibility (at least in legs) but in strength for your body to get into and out of that position.  Now if you're one of the few that those 2 exercises have similar depths, than yes perhaps mobility is an issue.  However, the second question I then ask is what everyday activities are restricted by this "lack of mobility" and usually there aren't any.  Again, if something comes up that should be addressed but for most they would be better served to chase strength, especially at the edges of their range of motion than spending time on stretching.

The first thing to look at when working on mobility and flexibility, and that is to maximize the range of motion with your exercises. This may require using less weight than normal, but that additional range of motion will provide a large stimulus that will dramatically increase overall strength. Another good option is to hold at that full range of motion to provide a specific stimulus at your weakest portion of the movement. Not only will this combination increase your overall mobility but that increased mobility will greatly decrease your likelihood of injury.

The next best way to increase mobility is through frequent movement of those joints with minimal stress but full range of motion. Think of things like walking, easy bike rides, or perhaps even swimming as activities that fall into this bucket. The main benefits of this kind of movement is that it:

• lubricates joints

• increases blood-flow throughout the body which brings nutrients and removes waste

• and it reinforces natural movement patterns

This movement doesn't need to be a long duration, even short durations can be beneficial - try to at least get to the point where you feel your body loosen up.

All this isn't to say that stretching doesn't have a place in a healthy lifestyle - it certainly can, but many either implement it incorrectly or at the wrong times. There are typically two kinds of stretching:

• Dynamic, or moving stretches - these typically incorporate slow movements through an entire range of motion. Think leg swings, arm swings, body leans, etc.

• Static stretching - holding the same stretched position for anywhere from 10 seconds through multiple minutes.

Dynamic stretching is best used before exercise as a warm-up to prime the muscles for whatever exercise you're about to start. Static stretching is best used either as a cool-down after exercise or as part of a night-time routine to calm the muscles and nervous system before sleep. Stretching then becomes the enhancement tool for your exercise and not the main event.

Most people don’t need more mobility drills — they need more movement and more strength.

Build capacity. Move often. Use stretching as a tool, not a crutch.

When strength and movement lead the way, mobility follows naturally.

🔗 Subscribe to The Wellness Forge for practical, sustainable strategies that build resilient bodies — not fragile routines.

Ergonomics for Recovery: Setting Up a Standing Desk to Reduce Pain and Prevent Flare-Ups

As I discussed last week, there are lots of benefits to a standing desk but I wanted to get a little more personal on how it has helped me during this past year.  As a Health Coach, I spend most of my time working with my clients to help them realize how some of their habits and environments are not set up for their success, but I will admit it isn't always easy for me to do that same thing for myself. Over this past year, I've suffered two significant injuries that have not only derailed my training but have also had a massive impact on my quality of life.  Based on these two injuries, I have looked into things I could put into practice during my daily life to not only help heal those injuries but better recover from my training and life activities.  I do find myself sitting for a good portion of the day, not only at my desk, but also in my car as I drive quite a bit for clients. I have made some changes in the car, but those are more complicated and not quite as significant, and with both of these being hip injuries (both sides) I wanted to make changes not only in my posture but my overall workspace.

I've had my current workspace for over 6 years now, and while it mostly worked I noticed it was starting to lead to more aches and pains if I sat for too long. It also didn't have much flexibility in movement as managing all of the cables became unwieldy. I had tried a couple of half measures to piece together a standing option but with the system being manual, it was clunky and often created more problems than it solved. I then looked into the UPLIFT Desk and realized this could solve multiple problems and provide a badly needed refresh of my workspace.

When configuring my new UPLIFT v3 Standing Desk workspace, the primary requirement for me was the simple process of converting from sitting to standing, with the capabilities to provide the peace of mind with the UPLIFT Desk FlexMount Cable Manager system so that I wouldn't have to worry about any of my cords or cables or make a series of adjustments once that transition is made. Over the years, I've realized if there's any hesitation that I'll cut a cord, or yank something off the table, I won't bother with standing at all. The UPLIFT Desk provides numerous different ways to bundle, hide, and route all of the cables (and yes I have LOTS of them) to the places they need to go, maintain their functionality, and most importantly work exactly the same sitting and standing.

Another key component with my success with this new workstation has been the comfort while standing, having multiple options has been key. There are days when I want that cushy pad underneath my feet to provide that extra level of comfort. Then there are days where I want a little challenge, that's where the Motion X-Board comes in as it provides just enough instability to keep me mentally alert but also enough movement to help my ankles, knees, and most importantly (for me) my hips. Not only have these options allowed me to extend the time I spend standing, but also provide movement when I need it. This movement and changing of positions increases the amount of blood flowing through the legs and in general keeps the body in a more neutral position which promotes recovery.

The other key component for me of a successful workstation, is the aesthetics of it - or the looks. This isn't just the design of the desk and the material options, but the ability to keep it clean, organized, functional, and still a little fun! Being able to lift my monitors and computers off the desk clears up the entire workspace for not only utility, but allows me to display some of the other fun items in my collection. And since the entire workspace moves, I don't have to do any re-organizing when I stand or sit. Speaking of fun, another option that I initially thought was silly was the concept of having a hammock as part of my desk. But now that I have it, I love it - and not necessarily for the reasons you might think. Sure it is comfortable and fun, but it actually does help me stay more productive, let me explain. As someone who works from home (and have for the better part of 20 years) I can always find distractions if I want to (and yes, distractions are also in the office too) but on the days when I want to stretch out a little bit the hammock provides a great option that still keeps me physically in the office. I can use that time to quickly recharge and not end up on the couch where I might end up accidentally watching an entire season of Stranger Things!

All of these features and options, especially the UPLIFT Desk’s ergonomic benefits, have enabled me to successfully rehab from my injuries and build healthier more sustainable habits that should help to keep me more injury free going forward.

If you’re dealing with nagging pain or coming back from injury, think of your desk as part of your rehab plan. The goal isn’t to stand all day—it’s to create more movement opportunities and reduce time spent in the positions that provoke symptoms. Start with 10–20 minute standing blocks a couple times a day, keep your posture relaxed, and use the desk transition as a cue to reset: a few breaths, a quick walk, a gentle stretch. Want the easiest way to build that routine into your day? Explore UPLIFT Desk and set up a sit-stand station that makes consistency automatic.

If you choose to purchase through this link, I will earn an affiliate commission on that purchase - feel free to use that link or share it with others as a way to support what I do

From Reflection to Direction: My New Year Process

A strong year isn’t forged by one bold resolution — it’s shaped by consistent intention.

Before setting goals, I step back, assess the last year, and choose how I want to show up in the next one.

One of the most common traditions this time of year is some sort of resolution, change, plan, or something to do differently to start off year.  Over the past few years, I have switched up towards more of a process that I also implement around any other significant event such as a race or work event. I use this as a time for reflection, looking at the things I did well in the previous year, some areas that didn't go so well and lessons learned from them, and finally a look forward to next year with a combination of incremental process goals, things I want to improve on, and then a "big scary goal" or two. I'm sharing this here for two reasons, one to walk through what I believe is a more successful concept, and two to provide myself with a level of accountability.

Looking back at last year, I didn't have any of those stand-out wins or massive highs but it definitely was a year of consistency. I feel like this consistency applies to the business side most with regards to my clients, my level of service to them, and also with my consistently looking to learn and continue to improve. I also feel like I managed to gradually work on my sleep, the most challenging part getting to bed earlier. There's still lots of room to improve but the increased awareness and small shift should help lead into this year for even more improvement. My training didn't go quite as planned as I started the year recovering from a torn labrum, and then later in the year picked up another hip injury. But I do feel like both of these injuries brought me greater awareness of my body, especially while running as I needed to make various tweaks based on my physical therapy. This awareness also helped me more smartly adhere to my training plan and also know when I needed to make shifts in the plan. The last area I wanted to call out was not only a better handle on my schedule, but also doing a better job of protecting the parts of my schedule that I needed (or wanted) to hold. While this may sound trivial, I have a habit of rearranging my schedule to fit others and while that has certain obvious advantages it does create other challenges for me and my mental outlook. Shifting just a little bit along that scale towards protecting my schedule helps me strike a better balance in my life.

As for areas that didn't go as well, I don't go into this process trying to find every issue or mistake but instead look at one or two significant aspects that were the most impactful on the year. Probably the most obvious one that jumps out to me was my consistency with strength training, which I realize might sound odd coming from someone who knows how important it is. I will firmly admit that I am one of my toughest clients, and spoiler this will be an item coming up that I plan to work on. I also recognize that I probably got a little too comfortable with my client base and didn't push as hard I as I could to grow that, or improve what I'm doing for my existing clients. This is also one of those areas where I am my worst critic as well, but I do feel like there's room for improvement there. Finally the other aspect I recognize got a bit out of control was my ability to check out for longer than I probably should. Yes there are times when I need to zone out to relax and recharge, but far too often a 30 minute mental break turned into multiple hours. This one will probably be tough to break, but I feel like one of the tweaks I made towards the end of the year will help with this and more awareness will also help reign this habit in a bit.

So what does my plan for 2026 look like? As part of this process, I look to identify a couple of processes that I want to improve, a couple of specific targets (usually with a couple levels to them), and then a "scary" goal or two. I mentioned it above, but top of the list that I need to work on is my strength training consistency and I've already addressed many of the logistical challenges with a routine - I simply need to do it. My plan to improve my consistency starts with actually scheduling the slot on my calendar, as only having it on my training plan doesn't seem to work. I will also make the mental shift that these workouts are my most important ones of the week, and need to happen before I "reward" myself with my long run. I also want to work on keeping my schedule more in control, satisfying my clients but also leaving room for myself. I've made strides this year, but feel like there's a gap between the day to day scheduling and longer term stuff. I'm recently starting using a tool called Notion (just the free version at this time) to help better organize and visualize my longer term projects and that coupled with my existing calendar should help improve this situation. I do have some specific business goals with regards to numbers I want to hit and the success of a new program I will be launching (👀SOON! 👀) but the scheduling improvement I mentioned will also have a significant positive impact on my business. I'm taking a break this year from setting a specific financial target but I will gauge this success based on my comfort level with additional expenditures, primarily vacation and travel. I know that may sound vague but it has a very specific and real meaning to me, which is the important part. As for my "scary" goals, technically I have two of them but they're related and based on how the year starts off with my injury may collapse to one. But I have some relatively lofty goals that I want to hit with regards to my marathon time, and full distance Ironman Triathlon. But before I can really narrow in on these, I need to see how the next couple weeks of training goes as that will drive whether I can tackle both of them, or if I need to focus on just one.

The New Year isn’t about doing everything — it’s about doing the right things with intention.

When your personal health, training, and business goals align, progress becomes sustainable and meaningful.

This year, to summarize my outlook, I’m focused on clarity, consistency, and energy — and helping others do the same.

🔗 Subscribe to The Wellness Forge for weekly insights on building strength, resilience, and sustainable performance.

Less Sitting, More Moving: Standing Desks, Mobility Breaks, and Everyday Comfort

As we start off the new year, many of us are looking for ways to improve our health, and as a Health Coach one of the main things I look for are those minor changes in a clients' lives that can stacked or progressed to accomplish a much larger change. One of those aspects I look for is movement as it has become far too easy for us to sit (or lay) in one position for far too long. I always look to incorporate small changes that can add a little movement, but that small change is then repeated multiple times throughout the day. There are many examples of this, choosing the further bathroom, walking the stairs and not using the elevator, parking further away, and so on, but another great one comes from the desk that we spend a good portion of our day behind. If we can switch that to an UPLIFT Standing Desk, even for a portion of a day, that change of position and posture plus the natural shifts and sways that will happen will naturally result in more movement during the day. Not to mention that we've now included at least two more squats during the day, which do add up.

First let's talk a bit about some of the challenges that come from sitting for long periods of time during the day. Even if you have perfect sitting posture, most of us don't, there is only so much movement you can encourage while sitting and that lack of movement not only creates stiffness but it also reduces blood flow. That stiffness and reduced blood flow makes moving even harder and creates that reinforcing circle that feeds on itself making you less likely to move. Poor posture combined with that reduced blood flow over time will reduce overall range of movement in your joints and as your body gets more used to sitting it will reduce resources sent to your leg muscles as they are spending large portions of the day resting. Yes you can (and should) strength train, but sitting for long periods makes those gains in the gym even harder to accomplish.

My UPLIFT Desk in the sitting configuation

One of the advantages of something like the UPLIFT Desk is that standing encourages your body to operate in a healthier fashion. First off, while it won't fix your posture, you're more likely to be in a neutral posture standing then most are when they're sitting. This posture shift not only promotes more blood flow but it removes so many of those sticking points that we sometimes find ourselves in while sitting. Also while standing there are many more opportunities even for subtle movements like shifting of weight, swaying, and small steps taken will all add up to increase your daily step count but a healthier working body overall. Standing requires your leg muscles to be activated and that will reinforce the work you're doing in the gym to help build and maintain strength. Having a standing option at your desk also promotes more movement as it presents more options.

When looking at standing options, a big component to consider is the ease at which you can switch from sitting to standing. I've tried a number of other options over the years, but one of the reasons I went with the UPLIFT Desk was the superior cable management options that can cause significant challenges if not handled properly. Also of consideration should be the ability to keep the workspace clean but also function in a similar fashion standing as it does while sitting. If you need to do a bunch of different things or use the space differently in different configurations, it becomes more of a hassle and as such you naturally won't leverage the options as frequently.

If you're looking to make a change in your workstation, I do recommend an audit of your current space, workflow, and current habits to make sure you account for as much as possible. While it may seem like a "nice to have" using mounting arms to lift and position monitors and laptops definitely is worth any extra fee they might come with. Not only does this free up your workspace but it also allows you to set it up in a way that reinforces proper posture. It is also important to look at the cable management options, something the UPLIFT Desk excels at, such that you can not only make it aesthetically pleasing, but also fully functional while both sitting and standing, without having any adjustments needed.

Mobility isn’t something you earn in one long stretching session—it’s something you build through frequent, low-effort movement. A standing desk turns everyday work into more opportunities to change angles, open up the hips, and keep the spine from locking into the same position for hours. Use the raise/lower button as your cue for a quick reset: a few breaths, a calf stretch, a hip hinge, or a 30-second walk. Want an easy way to bake that routine into your workday? Explore UPLIFT Desk and set up a sit-stand station that makes movement breaks automatic.

My UPLIFT Desk in the standing configuration.

If you choose to purchase through this link, I will earn an affiliate commission on that purchase - feel free to use that link or share it with others as a way to support what I do.

Why Energy Matters More Than Time

Some days everything clicks. Other days, it feels like you’re dragging uphill.

That’s not a motivation problem — it’s biology.

When you learn to work with your energy patterns instead of fighting them, performance becomes far more sustainable.

When I look back at this past year one of my more successful changes I made was a shift in my schedule and leaning into my energy fluctuations.  This allowed me to be more present for the aspects of my life I wanted to, excel when I needed to, enjoy my days more, and feel more rested - despite failing to get as much sleep as I'd want (and probably need).  For me this comprised of a few small but specific changes:

• Loaded up my mornings

• Built in an early afternoon down time

• Protected my Friday evenings such that they became my recharge time.

• Shifted my workouts as needed when life necessitated it

Now I realize, not all of this will work for everyone and we all will approach this differently (as we should) but the process I went through to make these changes can work for everyone.  And as we look forward to a new year, it is a great opportunity to make schedule shifts.

I started this process by recognizing what my daily energy shifts looked like and when I typically feel most energetic as well as where my lulls are. Some of this I was mostly aware of, but keeping track for a couple weeks really helped prove it to myself. Allowing for some variance week to week helps to make sure it is a real pattern and not just a one off. Not all of this is completely within our control based on work or kids so this process won't be perfect, however we can look to make progress towards a better solution. I then made a shift in my mornings since I've always been a morning person, it seemed logical to me to lean into that such that the bulk of my daily work (and workouts) were done before noon. This shift then created a gap in my early afternoon that I began to relish as an opportunity to refuel, refresh, and take some time to orient the rest of my day. Those two pieces came together rather seamlessly and in conjunction, but the Friday one took longer for me to finally acknowledge as it more or less came out of necessity. At the end of the week, Sunday is the start of my work/exercise week, I was crashing pretty hard and early in the evening. That still opened up Saturday evenings if I wanted to, but allowing Friday to be a "down" evening really helped anchor my week giving my brain and body an opportunity to recover.

While there are some differences between individuals (primarily whether you're a morning person or night-owl) the general biology and trends are consistent. Mornings are associated with a higher cortisol level which helps with mental focus and physical performance. There's a natural dip at some point "mid-day" that's a function of hormone shifts, blood sugar, and stress load. And then in the evenings the shift is toward winding down the day towards recovery. Now the magnitude of the variations aren't consistent from person to person and of course can be "controlled" to some degree by willpower and caffeine. However, understanding these variations allows you to work with your day not against it and save the coffee powered sessions for when you really need it.

So what are some of the signs that a schedule shift might be helpful?

• Living on caffeine

• Poor sleep, especially when feeling exhausted

• Emotional swings

• Forcing workouts when tired

• Consistent lack of focus

There are more, but these are the key ones to look for and for me caffeine was the biggest flag that suggested I should think about a shift. I could tell that what I was doing, while working, wasn't something I could realistically sustain indefinitely, and most likely would create a problem down the road. This is where having some level of awareness and data tracking comes in handy (or a coach) to help spot these trends and allow you to do some experiments on yourself to see what moves the needle in the desired direction. I'm excited to see what I can accomplish this next year based on the continuation of this adjustment process!

Energy isn’t something to dominate — it’s something to manage.

When you learn to roll with daily and weekly trends, performance becomes more consistent, recovery improves, and burnout fades.

High performance isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing the right things at the right time.

🔗 Subscribe to The Wellness Forge for practical strategies to manage energy, reduce stress, and perform at your best.

Track Your Progress — Without Letting the Data Run Your Life

You don’t forge better performance by chasing perfect numbers.

You forge it by combining objective data with subjective awareness — using both to make better decisions, one day at a time.

Data pertaining to our health and wellness has never been more in-depth or more available than it is today with the digitization of medical records, more control given to individuals, and the boom of apps and wearables.  This data can be incredibly useful to track things like performance, recovery, progress, and spot trends or illnesses early enough to act before they get out of hand.  However, that amount of data sometimes become overwhelming, and it can also become easy to get wrapped up in individual metrics and miss the bigger picture.

There ae some pieces of data that are rathe straightforward and can combined with objective data to make them even more powerful indicators. For example, the weight you can squat is a good strength metric, but when you combine that with level of effort you now have a gauge for how well you're performing at that weight on that given day. As you progress lifting with that same weight, it will feel easier, and that ease (in this example) is an indication of when you're ready to progress and increase the weight. Another example would be from your blood work (something everyone should do at least a couple times a year) vitamin levels compared with the optimal levels for that nutrient helps guide towards potential supplementation, with repeat tests helping to understand absorption.

Where this process can lead to challenges is when focus is put on any one signal number with the exclusion of any subjective correlation. For example, many wearables provide some metric that represents how ready you are for the next day. And while that information usually combines a number of different pieces of information (heart rate, heart rate variability, previous days activates, sleep, etc.) it is only a snapshot of those metrics and even ignoring any potential inaccuracies, that is only one snapshot in time such that it is providing a limited view into the complex working of the body. Over time, you may come to find you typically feel similar to how that "ready" score indicates you should feel, but it is an important exercise to continue to check in to verify you feel in the ballpark of that number. Chasing the numbers can lead to additional stress, over-reaction/correction, exercising too hard or too easy, or prioritizing the wrong behaviors. It is more important to chase the process and not the numbers.

Another powerful way to leverage data is to not look at the single values, but the trends in those values over a longer period of time. When looking at something like sleep duration or heart rate variability, individual values don't tell the whole story but general movement or significant outliers can be useful to look at. Trends can help determine if behavioral changes are having a positive or negative impact while outliers can be an indication of a potential illness. Looking at trends, also helps with looking at the bigger picture as each data point builds on the previous data to form a more powerful story and helps minimize focusing on the small details.

If you're looking to make a change in a metric, first make sure it is one that you can easily and consistently track, and remember that absolute accuracy isn't a firm requirement, but the data should be consistent, or accurate compared to itself. Track that metric for a week without making any changes so you have a decent starting trend and rough idea of the variations. Then change one (maybe two) behaviors and continue monitoring for at least two weeks. This period will allow you to account for any normal variations and any issues with consistency in your behavior changes. After that period, you should be able to determine if the changes improved your metric or not. Based on that, either continue, shift behaviors, or maybe look at the next metric to attack.

Data is powerful — but only when used wisely.

Track what matters. Ignore what distracts. Let the numbers guide, not judge.

When you combine data with awareness, you make better decisions, improve consistency, and unlock higher performance.

If you want support building a balanced, data-informed approach to your health and training, I’m here to help.

🔗 Subscribe to The Wellness Forge to get weekly insights that strengthen your body, mind, and performance without the burnout.

Macro Balance: How to Fuel Your Body for Real Performance

Executives and athletes have something in common: they live in energy-demanding environments.

Yet most underfuel, over-restrict, or eat meals that don’t match their needs.

Macro balance is one of the simplest ways to improve daily energy, mental clarity, and training performance — without dieting.

In any given day, I'm sure you hear at least 10 different ideas of what macros (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) should be what percentage of your caloric intake.  The short answer, as with most things health related, is that it depends.  There is no set of ratios that works for everyone all of the time. Even for an individual, there may be times where it makes sense to shift things around based on the current life situation. Finding the right balance that works best for you and understanding how you might want to make changes as you move through different seasons of your life is a very important skill to learn. At the core, it requires not only an understanding of what you're putting in your body but also a consistent assessment of how your body is responding to that fuel.

When I start working with clients on their nutrition, I always start with protein as it is one of the easier ones mathematically and is also one that many struggle with. Protein is the primary building block and repair tool for muscles and is incredibly helpful in managing satiety and blood sugar. Because of these 2 factors it is probably the biggest (or at least near the top of the list) nutritional factor in achieving long term weight management. As an initial optimal target, I tend to use the 1 gram of protein per target weight (in pounds) since this makes the math nice and simple. Now, this is a target, not a firm rule - but in aiming high, even if falling a little short, you're still getting sufficient levels. If you're looking to get started, keep track of your current protein consumption and aim to gradually move towards your optimal target. How much additional protein you can add will vary, but start with 15 grams per day for a week and go from there.

Most of what you read will at least be in the ballpark with protein, but where the variations really come out are when it comes to fat and carbohydrates. The main role of carbohydrates is to provide fast energy to the body, muscles, and brain in the most efficient way. Yes fats and protein can be broken down to create energy, but that process takes longer and is significantly less efficient. Fats do quite a lot for the body and as such can't be ignored either as they are the building blocks for hormones, aide in nutrient absorption, brain health, and help control inflammation. There are many fads out there that suggest reducing, or eliminating, fat or carbohydrate intake will be the best option. I tend to avoid recommending the exclusion of macros or foods (unless there's a medical reason) as that withholds vital nutrients from the body and in most cases sets the individual up cravings, dietary issues, and general challenges with weight management. For most people in most situations, the best solution for the body to function optimally is some level of all 3 macro nutrients. A good starting point s to balance out the calories left over after your protein target. As an example take a 2000 daily calorie target for an individual targeting 150 pounds, such that their protein target is 150 grams. That leaves 1400 calories (2000 - 150 g * 4 calories per gram) for carbs and fat that I'd split evenly to start. That works out to 175 grams of carbs (700 calories divided be 4 calories per gram) and 78 grams of fat (700 calories divided be 9 calories per gram) as a starting point. Using these as a starting point, keep track of not only how you're hitting those numbers but also more importantly how you feel based on that, as naturally there will be some variance to the balance of fats and carbs on a day to day basis. Understanding how your body responds to those shifts in each macro will allow you to better understand how your body responds and which macros it tends to like most. For an individual, it may end up looking more like a 60/40 split or some other number, however it is important to not go below 20% of total calories from fat as that can cause some potentially significant problems for hormones and nutrient absorption.

The last "macro" I want to mention is alcohol as the body does treat it differently but it does get converted to energy with 1 gram working out to 7 calories. Many look at the health benefits of some alcohol, however many of the benefits very well could be from the associated social behaviors. There have recently been numerous studies on the disruptions alcohol has on sleep and recovery as well as other potential downsides. As with everything, the right amount for anyone may shift and change but it definitely needs to be accounted for when looking at overall intake and how the body responds to it.

I know this may sound like a lot but the good thing is that for many people this is a one time process with check-ins as necessary based on shifting life patterns. If you're starting a new training program, increasing your carbohydrates will allow you to perform better in your sessions and recover better. On the flip side, some folks notice that they feel more bloated when they eat carbs (a very natural process) and as such they may feel better with a lower percentage of carbs. There are lots of apps out there that can help with this process, you can also use a notebook, or enlist the help of a coach to keep you organized.

You don’t need a restrictive meal plan — you need balanced fuel.

Protein rebuilds. Carbs energize. Fats support. Alcohol disrupts.

When you understand what your body needs, every meal becomes an opportunity to improve performance.

🔗 Subscribe to The Wellness Forge for more practical, science-backed strategies to fuel your day and strengthen your long-term health.