Thrive25

Issue #106: The Solution for Burnout is What's NOT on Your Calendar

Ryan Schneider — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 19:53:17 +0000

Good morning. It’s Monday, January 16th. Hitting your inbox this morning on this day honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Whether you're working or have the day off - take a moment to reflect on the power of his words and keep alive his dream of a more just, more equitable world for all of us.

Miss any of our issues last week on SLEEP? Catch up on Issues #101 - #105 here.

This week we're switching gears and talking about FUN, specifically hobbies.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King, Jr. "Strength to Love" (1963)

From the Lab: The Importance of Hobbies
Take Action: Bring Hobbies Back
Speed Read: Can We Really Control Aging?
Monday Metabolic: Lunge, Step & Jump
Monday Q: Added a New Hobby Lately?

The percent of Americans who believe having a hobby is important.

From the Lab

I'm pretty sure we don't need Gallup for this one - but just to be sure, 76% of us experience burnout at work.

Gallup, 2020

We all know the story - technology enabled us to work from home, but…it also made it so that we’re never just “at home." We’re always ON - on call and available.

Even if you don’t add the demands of kids to the mix - this becomes a nonstop treadmill that keeps our brains going 24/7 and, no wonder, leads to chronic stress.

Reading the rest of this report, you'd think that the solution exists in the hours of what happens at work - be more inspired, get engaged with what you're doing all day.

No doubt this is true - but I'd argue the solution is actually about what's NOT on your calendar more than what is.

My go-to stress release has always been exercise. Whether I’m grinding out a 5-mile run, doing laps in the pool, or hitting up the gym a good sweat is my antibody. No doubt this is one of the best ways to optimize our mental and physical health.

But there’s something else we should be doing too…pursuing hobbies.

A hobby is a pursuit we voluntarily do on our own time without a connection to work.

I changed this from what you might read by the strict definition in the dictionary because well - watching TV or scrolling IG isn’t a hobby.

A pursuit doesn’t need a goal or objective, but it can’t just be a passive activity - like watching others live their life. It's about you living yours!

A landmark study in 2009 (that’s credible even if you're not a Steelers fan), the Pittsburgh Enjoyable Activities Test (PEAT) showed that engaging with hobbies was associated* with lower blood pressure, cortisol, waist circumference, and better overall physical function.

On top of that, Dr. Ken Duckworth, is among many who have found that hobbies reduce our stress and improve our mental health.

I think it’s about time we protect the time for these hobbies as much as we do those meetings to review the weekly TPS reports.

Giphy.com

*Yes, it is correlation, but it controlled for demographic factors and doesn't discount the potential upside of bringing hobbies into your daily life.

Take Action

Moving aside from traditional exercise, what hobbies do you enjoy (activities like hiking can be included)? 🎸

Do you regularly do these activities on a weekly basis or have they fallen off your schedule? 🎨

I’ve struggled myself with this - I’m committing in 2023 to have more FUN and keeping these pursuits on my calendar is part of that resolution.

What about you?

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Speaking of fun - how about an app for mental health that's actually FUN? Try Shmoody.

Whether you 're dealing with depression, anxiety or just stressed out, this app offers scientifically proven ways you can feel better. Shmoody makes it easy and fun to feel better on tough days, and build positive habits. Plus an awesomely fun community for support and accountability.

Try Shmoody to feel better now - 20% off in January. Click HERE.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Artificial Consciousness: But what is consciousness anyway? If a robot is conscious, should it vote; what if we take a robot “offline”? Read more on the state of robot consciousness to see how far we are from Westworld in the real. (NYTimes)

Dry January Support: You signed up for Dry January, and you’ve made it to day 16. You’re probably in pretty good shape, but here are some tips to make the full 31. Find that non-alcoholic substitute, resist temptations, have a support team, and check in on how you feel. You got this! (Harvard)

Age Reversal from David Sinclair: After 13 years and the release of his book Lifespan, Harvard researcher David Sinclair has published a paper showing how our epigenome dictates our rate of aging and may make age reversal a future possibility. (Time)

Twitter tweet

Monday Metabolic

A real metabolic workout for your legs - starts with a weighted lunge, but after 3 rounds of box jumps and step ups, you'll be sweating for sure.

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click to View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

Monday Q

When's the last time you started a new hobby?

What's a hobby from 10+ years ago you want to start up again?

Product Recs

Impossible - my go-to after a week of poor sleep during my fast. A combination of magnesium and l-theanine powder with nothing else to help you sleep. Click HERE. 😴
TMAC Fitness - 20-min home workouts with no equipment that finishes with a quick meditation, what's easier than that? Try TMAC for 10 Days Free. 🧘

Thrive25 Referral Program

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Thanks for joining us today!

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Why Thrive25

We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.

To health!

Issue #105: My Story of the 4-Day Fast

Ryan Schneider — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 19:53:13 +0000

Good morning. It’s Friday, January 13th. I made it - 4 days of fasting. Unlike Thor (Chris Hemsworth in Limitless), I didn't free dive to spearfish for my first meal, but I might have enjoyed it just as much!

Man is a genius when he is dreaming.
Akira Kurosawa, Japanese Film Director

Weekly Insights: Summary of Deeper Sleep
Inspiration: Story of My 4-Day Fast
Friday Flex: Supine Twister Stretch
Brain Games: Getting Lost to Find Yourself

% of adults in the U.S. that report feeling "sleepy" at least one day per week. On avg, men were sleepy 2.7 days per week, women 3.4 days per week. (National Sleep Foundation)

Weekly Insights

Click HERE to check out previous issues in the Thrive25 archive.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

After years of fueling athlete, actor, and executive clients with this proprietary blend of beneficial fats and performance enhancing ingredients, Mary Shenouda (@paleochef) created Phat Fudge to share her masterpiece with the whole world.

Eat Clean. Play Often. Crush Life. That’s the Phat Fudge motto. Short and sweet, like the ingredient list - you're too busy crushing life to worry about weird, hidden junk in your food. Check it out HERE.

Inspiration

Just completed my first-ever 4-day fast.

Many have asked WHY do such a thing…well 3 reasons:

Longevity: I’m more convinced by the data that 2-4x per year a multi-day fast can increase lifespan. It eliminates all those senescent (dead zombie cells) taking up space in our body (correlated with aging), creates more rejuvenating stem cells, boosts immunity, and helps us become more metabolically flexible - burn glucose (sugar) and fat. (Source: Valter Longo)
Thrive25: You deserve not just third-party research, but a real-life experience of the tips and research we present here in Thrive25.
Mental Toughness: I wanted to see if I could do it - about 90% of the challenge this week was mental.

For 96 hours (7pm Sunday - 7pm Thurs) I woke up with hot water, salt, squirt of lemon juice, and then just had water or tea (green tea in early afternoon, mint at night to avoid caffeine late in day) for 4 days straight - no food or snacks (I didn’t even lick the knife after making my kids peanut butter toast).

So what happened?

Day 1: piece of cake (well not literally, but…you know what I mean). Felt normal all day - full of energy. Weird not eating dinner, but not a huge deal.

Day 2: started out great. Went to a strength class and noticed my sweat was like water and I didn’t smell at all (bizarre). All good until about 5pm - hit a wall! No energy at all and a struggle to manage kids to bed. Slept horribly.

Day 3: woke up feeling pretty bad and thinking 7pm Thursday is a long way away. I wasn’t hungry - I actually don’t think my stomach rumbled once. It was completely mental that my brain was saying I needed food. By that night I was also really cold. My body temp dropped over one degree (96.8) - this is normal as you create heat from digestion and all your blood flow goes to your adipose fat. Definitely a little irritable and questioning why.

Day 4: First time I woke up thinking about food in a long time - a little tired, but excited it was almost over. Decent energy all day and my body had warmed up. Not sure I ever felt a “euphoric” high of ketosis or that feeling you can go forever without eating that some say they get. Those tacos tonight were pretty incredible.

In summary - I lost about 6 pounds (not the intention - want to get that all back and rebuild my muscle), had to tighten both my belt and my Apple watch. Might be random, but - for the 4 days I never burped (or the other way), cleared my throat, or even sneezed. My stomach never made a noise.

I also never experienced body aches or headaches - but I did notice on Day 3 the rising cortisol (fight or flight). I could feel the blood flowing everywhere and was just “tense."

I’m glad I did it - feels like an accomplishment. I think it hit the reset button for my body and put food (in all of its abundance) into perspective for me to really appreciate and savor it again.

Oh - and one of the reasons I lasted the full 4 days was the support from so many people. The positive texts and gifs were awesome and really kept me going - so thank you!! 🙏 Just shows the power of community.

Giphy.com

Ever looking to try a fast? Let me (or the entire Thrive25 community) know - we’ll be there for support and to help you through it!

BONUS: Max and Thrive25 reader (and all-around good guy) Ryan F. have taken the 56-day meditation challenge. So far so good 13 days into the year. Lots of text messages of encouragement and philosophical discussions about tear ducts, virtual reality (and reality), enlightenment, and The Matrix.

Friday Flex

A little ab workout, but mostly stretching it out for the weekend with a supine twist to take care of our spine and a spiderman lunge - which I think is one of the best stretches out there - for your hips, hamstrings, and calves.

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click to View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

Brain Games

#1: 2-min Break - Subtraction

How can you take 2 from 5 and leave 4?

Why: Expand your logic and problem solving skills.

Credit: Riddles.com

#2: 10-min+ of Focus - Shift Tech from Primary to Memory Backup

Shopping lists? Who needs them - well pretty much everyone.

Test out your memory. Shop at the grocery store without that old school tech (paper). Use the shopping list as a backup before your leave so you don't get frustrated. Try it a few times to see if you can remember more and more items.

And what about Google Maps or Tesla's navigation - put the phone down or turn it off for the day. Maybe getting lost you'll find yourself.

Why: build new neural pathways for your memory

Credit: VeryWellMind

**For answer, scroll to the bottom of the issue

Thrive25 Referral Program

Do us the favor - tell your friends about Thrive25! Earn Thrive25 swag and other rewards from our Sponsors via our referral program:

Thanks for another great week!

🎾 The Australian Open kicks off Sunday! Russians and Belarussians are in. Alcaraz, Venus and Osaka are out. Novak made it into Australia and on the opposite side of the draw as Nadal. In the US, catch AO on ESPN / ESPN+.

Finally, in honor of my very first concert back in 1993 - The River of Dreams (in the middle of the night) by Billy Joel - enjoy the weekend everyone!

Missed an issue? No problem, check out our newsletter archive.
Got feedback? Tell us what you think at team@thrive25.com.
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Brain Games Answer

#1: Remove the letters F and E from F I V E and you have IV - the Roman numeral for 4

Why Thrive25

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.

To health!

Issue #104: Sleep and...Alcohol

Ryan Schneider — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 19:53:09 +0000

Good morning. It’s Thursday, January 12th. In 1885, Dr. Pepper sold its first bottle in Waco, TX. 138 years later we just think of Dr. Pepper for all the commercials during college football games. Does anyone still drink it?

As for my 4-day fast: well Day 3 was shall we say...a challenge. A combination of fatigue with such a mental game of avoiding food. But just 1 day left - here's to hoping Day 4 brings a euphoric high from ketosis. Any suggestions for my dinner tomorrow night?? (team@thrive25.com).

The last refuge of the insomniac is a sense of superiority to the sleeping world.
Leonard Cohen

From the Lab: Sedation vs Sleep
Take Action: Life Enjoyed on Your Terms
Speed Read: 3D Organ Bioprinting
Thursday Night In: Walnut & Rosemary Crusted Salmon
Moment of Fun: KLASK!

Per capita alcohol consumption across all people over 14 in the United States in 2020. This is the highest since 1990, but down from 2.75 gal per capita in 1980. (Statista)

Stick with us on some math: ~70% of the US population drinks + consumption breakdown (46% beers, 37% spirits, 17% wine) + % of alcohol ranges from 3-9% in beer to 11+% in wine to 96% in Polish-made Spirytus vodka (get out of the way Everclear). This all breaks down to each drinker consumes roughly 2 drinks per day.

From the Lab

Friday date night and you had a few glasses of wine - no problem right? Heck, maybe you’ll get even better sleep after a stressful week!

Turns out that alcohol induces “sedation”, which is different from sleep.

Sedatives like alcohol make us unconscious (why we feel we fall asleep quickly), but we miss the natural sleep stages - with alcohol we especially don’t get into REM sleep.

NIH

We actually wake up many times throughout the night (even if we don’t remember - what else happened last night, it’s all a little hazy now...maybe a CSI night?).

The result from a lack of REM sleep is:

Waking up not feeling refreshed and restored
Not releasing Growth Hormone (for metabolism and tissue repair)
Not releasing testosterone (not just for sex drive, but energy & motivation)
Not building memory of what we learned*

*On this last point, a study showed that of groups that learned something new, if the group members drank over the next 7 days it reduced the ability to retain that information by 30-50% when tested one week after initial learning. (Dr. Matthew Walker)

Take Action

Look, life is made to be enjoyed. That means different things to all of us. You decide how to live and when to indulge.

But just know that drinking later in the day will disrupt your sleep and chronic sleep deprivation is awful for your health. Few studies here - but there does seem to be a benefit (at least as it relates to sleep) to day drinking. (Maybe that’s why we tailgated in college at 9am 🤷).

Giphy.com

One final note: if you do get a bad night sleep - don’t change your routine the next day. It’s so easy after a night of drinking to sleep in or double up the latte. Try to avoid the long nap and going to bed earlier that normal - just get back to your normal schedule.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Shmoody is a new app for mental health that's actually fun to use.

Whether you're dealing with depression, anxiety, or just feeling stressed or down, there are scientifically proven ways you can feel better. Shmoody makes it easy and fun to feel better on tough days, and build positive habits. Plus an awesomely fun community for support and accountability.

Try Shmoody to feel better now - 20% off in January. Click HERE.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Bacteria Meets AI: You've probably heard of E. Coli as the bacteria causing a spinach recall that makes us sick. But...turns out it just might be the key for Generative AI to create antibodies. It takes, on average, 5.5 years to create an antibody with a 4% success rate in clinical trials. Generative AI could reduce the creation period to under 2 years with greater success. (Learn more)

3D Organ Bioprinting: Why not? The problem: there are 100K+ people (and increasing) waiting for an organ transplant in the US. Solution: TBD - scientists are trying everything. In 2022, the first genetically modified pig heart was transplanted, but this was unsuccessful. Now 3-D printing of organs based on cells from the patient is in the hype cycle. (The Sun)

Jobs Report: What do companies get right and wrong about layoffs? On the precipice of a recession, many companies, especially Tech, have triggered some form of RIF. Sucks for the unemployed - but it really impacts everyone and the negative affects may outweigh the cost savings. (Harvard Business Review)

Thursday Night In

For me salmon needs to be prepared just right. This is a delicious way to get those healthy omega-3 fats - plus, you get the good stuff for your DNA with rosemary and walnuts. Let me know what you think of this one!

Gardenuity

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Moment of Fun

KLASK!!!

Max's family got this game for Christmas...even the 3-yr old can play. From Denmark - it's a mix of air hockey, foosball and billiards with magnets. With 4 ways to score it's paradoxically complicated and easy - but 100% fun. Just avoid the biscuits and own goals, or you're going to hear KLASK!!! ringing in your ears all night.

KLASK is in pubs across Denmark. If you don't live in the 2nd happiest country in the world - Google for a bar or Facebook group in your area, reach out to Max for a quick best-of-3 or buy the game.

*Thrive25 has no affiliation with KLASK

Thrive25 Referral Program

Do us the favor - tell your friends about Thrive25! Earn Thrive25 swag and other rewards from our Sponsors via our referral program:

Thanks for joining us today!

Missed an issue? No problem, check out our newsletter archive.
Got feedback? Tell us what you think at team@thrive25.com.
Someone send you this email? Sign up here.

Why Thrive25

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.

To health!

Issue #102: Melatonin vs Magnesium

Ryan Schneider — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 19:51:52 +0000

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, January 10th. Forever Young Rod Stewart turns 77 today, while fellow musicians are also celebrating - Pat Benatar is 69, Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies (remember their one hit "Mmm Mmm Mmm" in 1993?), and Chris Smith of Kris Kross is 43 - where does the time go??

In non-birthday news, I'm on Day 2 of my 4-Day fast. The strawberries on my kid's dinner plate never smelled and looked so good. You really get a whole new appreciation for food.

The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.
F. Scott Fitzgerald

From the Lab: Magnesium > Melatonin
Take Action: Always Use Caution
Speed Read: Finding Happiness During Tough Times
Tuesday QR: Immune System Booster Shot
Bucket List: Igloo Hotel in Finland

The variance in the melatonin amount stated on the label and the actual amount in the supplement (study of 20 different brands). Be careful when buying over-the-counter melatonin, it's not regulated by FDA. (Read more)

From the Lab

Let’s start with melatonin - we produce this hormone in our pineal gland. Our internal clock or suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) uses light signals to trigger the release of melatonin before we hit the sheets.

It’s now popular as a supplement to boost our ability to sleep and knock us out.

Giphy.com

But hold on a sec...

First, we only produce, on average, 10-80 micrograms per night. 1,000 micrograms = 1 milligram. So when the suggested dosage is taken (0.3-5 mg) that’s up to 5000% more than we produce on our own. Plus, many brands aren’t consistent with how much you’re actually getting (see Stat of the Day).

Most of what you find online is that melatonin is “safe in the short-term, but long-term affects are unknown.” (List of side effects from Mayo Clinic).

Here’s the thing - hormones are complex. And melatonin may also affect reproductive systems, cell protection, and blood sugar. We honestly just don’t know everything it does for us.

Magnesium, on the other hand, is a key mineral to our health - and we don’t get enough of it in our daily diet. It reduces our stress, positively impacts our DNA, and may even stimulate new brain cells. Check out Issue #21 for the details on assessing your magnesium levels and the right dosage.

Magnesium > Melatonin

Here are a couple other supplements that seem to have a positive overall affect and can support sleep:

Apigenin is a polyphenol from plants with an increasingly positive view by medical researchers to benefit our health - even for the treatment/prevention of Alzheimer’s - but supporting sleep is still TBD.

L-theanine - is an amino acid found in green tea that can improve (or reduce) sleep disturbances. It can also improve non-REM sleep and reduce psychological stress.

Take Action

Focus on light exposure to get the right circadian rhythm before relying on melatonin. NOTE: If traveling across time zones and can’t adjust to sleep, maybe consider a low dose of melatonin during the trip, but not for long-term.
But if you’re not getting on a plane - then sunlight in the AM (full morning routine here Issue #12) and no screens at night (full evening routine here Issue #11).
If the right routine and magnesium isn't enough, consider some additional supplements (see above) before melatonin, and try to avoid antihistamines and sleeping pills.*

*Always consult with a medical professional you trust before engaging in any supplements or medications.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Shmoody is a new app for mental health that's actually fun to use.

Whether you're dealing with depression, anxiety, or just feeling stressed or down, there are scientifically proven ways you can feel better. The trick is to actually take the actions. Shmoody makes it easy and fun to feel better on tough days, and build positive habits. Plus an awesomely fun community for support and accountability.

Try Shmoody to feel better now - 20% off in January. Click HERE.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Just Another Sibling Rivalry: Got kids? Grandkids? Nieces/nephews? Kids impact each other's wellbeing. Rivalries can be good, to a point. Put the following into play: resist comparisons, increase awareness of biases and life events, celebrate strengths and encourage your children to follow individual interests, and spend time with your children individually. (Harvard Medical School)

Space - The Next Calendar Plug-In?: NYTimes journalists have created a catalog of newsworthy events in spaceflight and astronomy for 2023. Click here to subscribe to the calendar so you don’t miss any solstices, meteor showers, satellite or asteroid flybys, or missions with acronyms that are a reach - like the European Space Agency’s JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer). (NYTimes)

Happiness Through Acceptance: The key to enduring happiness is not to rid your life of negative emotions; instead, seek out the positive even during the darkest days. Easier said than done, but it's absolutely possible - read more on how. (Time)

Tuesday QR (Quick Recipe)

Hopefully the worst of the flu season is behind us - but there's sure to be more bugs on the way. Kick off your day with a shot that bolsters your immune system. Check out all the ways these ingredients will protect you. Click HERE.

40aprons

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Bucket List

Igloo Hotel in Finland

We're struck by Scandinavia this time of year. Maybe it's because everyone's so damn happy (Issue #101)? Maybe it's the Northern Lights (Issue #84)? Possibly the options for hot and cold therapy? Or maybe because you can sleep in glass igloos in 24-hr darkness.

Check out these other igloo hotels across Europe and Canada (Max missed the one in Québec...next time).

Kakslauttanen glass igloo bed. (Photo by Valtteri Hirvonen)

Thrive25 Referral Program

Do us the favor - tell your friends about Thrive25! Earn Thrive25 swag and other rewards from our Sponsors via our referral program:

Thanks for joining us today!

Missed an issue? No problem, check out our newsletter archive.
Got feedback? Tell us what you think at team@thrive25.com.
Someone send you this email? Sign up here.

Why Thrive25

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.

To health!

Issue #101: The Middle of the Night

Ryan Schneider — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 19:51:48 +0000

Good morning. It’s Monday, January 9th. It's day 1 of my 4-day fast - wish me luck (I'm not hanging out on a boat on the Great Barrier Reef like Chris Hemsworth in Limitless).

Did you miss any of our issues on the Best of 2022 last week? Catch up on Issues #96 - #100 here.

This week we're returning to a foundational element of our health and longevity - SLEEP. It's about how to wake up refreshed and fully recharged every morning!

Legend says that when you can’t sleep, it’s because you’re awake in someone’s dream. So if everyone could stop dreaming about me, that would be great.
Anonymous

From the Lab: Wake Up in Middle of the Night
Take Action: 3 Things to Do/NOT Do
Speed Read: Lungs of the Earth
Monday Metabolic: Start with a Sprint
Monday Q: What Affects Your Sleep?

The percentage of men over 40 that wake up once a night or more to use the bathroom. Surprisingly, for women over 40 it's even higher - 76%. (The Sleep Foundation)

From the Lab

My wife will tell you - I typically fall asleep within 5 min of my head hitting the pillow or putting down my book, but…

If I hear a crying 2-yr old or even a distant siren at 3am - I’m pretty much up the rest of the night.

I’m not the only one - while it might be a kid often disrupting my night (I'm sure fellow parents will understand) - 70% of adults over 40 go to the bathroom at least once per night. *Try sipping water (not gulping it) after dinner and cutting it off 1-2 hrs before bed.

My mind is racing. All of the sudden I’m in work mode, but feel stuck because I’m running through my To Do List - trapped in bed and not getting any of it done. And sometimes doubt or negativity creeps in.

Giphy.com

It’s like I’m behind on the day that hasn’t even started yet and I’m going to be tired as all hell so my productivity will be shot.

So what’s the solution (besides getting my kids to sleep through the night)?

Take Action

3 Things to DO

Write it Down - if there are specific thoughts zooming through your mind, whether they are stress-related or eureka moments of genius - transfer them from your mind to paper. This will allow your brain to feel they’ve been documented and your mind can rest knowing these thoughts won't get lost in the AM.
Yoga Nidra (what?) - ok, you can start with just a 4-7-8 breathing to calm down. If that doesn’t work, try to meditate (I go back and forth to clear my mind - focus on my breath, then let it wander - makes me exhausted and gets me to sleep), or go to full Yoga Nidra (from Andrew Huberman, here on Tim Ferris Podcast).

The Practice of Yoga Nidra to Improve Your Sleep and Stress | Dr. Andrew Huberman

Watch my full interview with Dr. Andrew Huberman here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojkh7qV-OoA&t=0s | Brought to you by Athletic Greens all-in-one nutrit...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rSOn0PurVc

*Highly rated Yoga Nidra for Insomnia: YouTube

Move - when all else fails, get up. Stretch - maybe 5-10 min of a more traditional yoga, reset the going to bed routine, and maybe try reading something really boring.

3 Things to NOT do

Check the Clock - this will only create more anxiety about how much time has gone by since you woke up or how soon it’s going to be to get up and start the day. I actually got rid of my bedroom clock.
Screen Time - getting on your phone or watching TV will just further disrupt your circadian rhythm to think it’s time to be awake and really wreck not only the rest of that night’s sleep, but future nights too.
Eat - digestion won’t make it easier to get good, deep sleep. Look if you’re starving go for something with some healthy fat and protein that isn’t too hard on your body and will fill you up (maybe a scoop of peanut butter), but try to wait unless hunger is what’s been keeping you up.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Created by the personal chef, Mary Shenouda (@paleochef), for the World Champion Golden State Warriors, Phat Fudge is a performance food to replace energy gels and bars when you're working out.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

🌏 Happiest Place on Earth: No - not Disney World. For five years in a row, Finland is the happiness country (yes - the one next to Russia with land in the Arctic Circle). Check out the three reasons why they are so damn happy while cross-country skiing. (CNBC)

🌳 400 Billion Trees: In 50 years, 17% of the Amazon (the size of Texas) has been converted from rainforest to farmland. "The lungs of the earth" absorb half a billion tons of CO2 / year). We're at a tipping point and soon the Amazon could release more carbon than it absorbs with significant global consequences. (50min on NYTimes)

🏆 NFL Playoffs Are Set: Anyone think 45-year old Tom Brady has a little magic left in him? A repeat for Patrick Mahomes? Maybe passing the mantle to one of the emerging QBs? For the full slate of games next weekend check out NFL.com.

Monday Metabolic

Kicking off the week fast - 3 timed rounds that will get your heart going and build up those shoulders. It all starts with a sprint!

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click to View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

Monday Q

Do you know what most affects your sleep?

*Just like anything, measure what matters (thanks John Doerr) - track good night and bad night sleep to see what you can do to personalize a perfect routine for sleep.

Product Recs

Some partners of ours that can help with your 2023 goals:

Impossible - now part of my sleep protocol. Just magnesium and l-theanine powder to get a little calmer before you hit the sheets. Sleep is possible - Check it out HERE.
TMAC Fitness - 20-min home workouts to help you get in shape and your mind right. Try TMAC for 10 Days Free

*Impossible and TMAC Fitness are affiliate partners of Thrive25 - because we believe in the products.

Thrive25 Referral Program

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To health!

Issue #117: Plan for Chaos

Ryan Schneider — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:57:01 +0000

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, January 31st. One of the greatest athletes ever was born this day in 1919 - Jackie Robinson. The first African-American to play in MLB, he was an all-star on the field (Rookie of the Year, MVP, 6-time All-Star & World Series Champion), but more importantly changed sports forever. No player will ever again wear number 42.

It’s not how good you are now, it’s how good you’re going to be that matters.
Atul Gawande

From the Lab: Plan for Chaos
Take Action: If-Then Technique
Speed Read: Helping a Blind Man See
Tuesday QR: No Bake Dessert for V-Day
Bucket List: Hanging with Butterflies

The percent of respondents that selected improved mental health as their #1 resolution for 2023. Improved fitness (39%), losing weight (37%), better diet (33%) and improved finances (30%) rounded out the top 5. (Forbes)

From the Lab

Unlike Max (Thrive25 Co-Founder who is on-pace to achieve his #1 goal for 2023 - see yesterday's Issue 116), I hit a bump in the road already and have NOT written in my “Fun Journal” every day.

What Happened?

For the first two weeks I almost surprised myself (that should have been a warning sign) that I consistently wrote down something fun from that day and some ideas to make tomorrow fun too.

But then my 2-yr old got sick. So more time with him during the day meant late nights working and sleep walking mornings.

What’s the first thing to go when time "disappears" - anything not yet a habit.

So one night I missed writing, then another.

Giphy.com

After 2-3 days I kinda felt like I failed - so what was the point.

Most of us significantly underestimate how much we can get done in our available time. Why?

Because when we plan out our week or consider new goals (like my Fun Journal), we envision everything going as planned.

Doing this - we’re not prepared for when sh*t hits the fan.

Instead, build habits around the unexpected - Plan for Chaos.

Take Action

If you miss a day or are behind in your goal - don’t think it’s a failure. What am I going to do - wait until the arbitrary date of Jan 1, 2024 to restart my Fun Journal? Figure out what happened - see if you can correct and jump back on the horse (BTW - no one is watching - it’s just about you, so hit reset).
If-Then Technique (from James Clear). To plan for chaos - actually map out probable ways your schedule goes to hell and come up with what you’re going to do in that scenario. For example - if I know I’ll still be working at 11pm, then I’m going to take a 5 min break to write in the journal before I go to bed.
Reduce Scope/Stick to Schedule - his other recommendation is to do the bare minimum that will still keep your system intact. We talked about this yesterday - how Max has a 5-30 min meditation goal and some days 5 min is all he’s got - but that’s a win. James Clear committed to writing an article every Mon & Thu. After getting food poisoning one night, he wrote “This post is coming!” Not great for the reader - but given his chaos it was the minimum he could do and stick with the schedule.

For more on James Clear and how to Plan for Chaos click HERE.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

I've always struggled with workout apps because I have a certain way I like to workout and felt like I had to adjust my workout to the app routine. Not anymore...

Enter Strongest! Answer a few questions about you, your health, and your goals and Strongest builds workout plans 100% personalized to you.

Strongest helps busy people develop sustainable exercise habits with personalized strength + conditioning plans.

For a limited time, Thrive25 readers get special pricing on 3-month plans - CLICK HERE.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Feeling Good on Tuesday: YouTube star MrBeast has made a living off YouTube videos centered around expensive stunts. Recently, he’s shifted his focus to philanthropy and posted a video in which he helps 1,000 blind people to see. (YouTube)

Making Food Labels Make Sense: Speaking of vision, the FDA continues to move forward with new regulations on more transparent food labels. We’ve discussed front-label packaging (Issue #22) and new nutrition guidelines (#35) that came from the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health. See our guest post from Mohammed Iqbal who was there (#82). But progress isn't happening fast enough. (Read more)

More Billions to Live Forever: Last week, we highlighted Bryan Johnson (Issue #115) and how he’s tackling aging one organ at a time. Here’s a view into the actions of several other billionaires (and a few millionaires to provide “perspective”) as they invest in companies to keep the inevitable at bay. (Business Insider)

Tuesday QR (Quick Recipe)

Need to get some healthy treats for V-day? These coconut lemon bars come out looking like cupcakes, don't require any baking, oh and they're awesome!

Bulletproof

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Bucket List

Tassili n’Ajjer

The Saharan Desert has always felt mystical - whether it's the butterflies that flap their wings to start hurricanes 🤷‍♂️ or the scenes in blockbuster films from Indiana Jones to James Bond. But maybe the right word is majestic.

Tassili n’Ajjer is the largest national park in Algeria - 8x the size of Yellowstone. While many visitors stay along the coast and explore Algeria's Roman ruins, the vast landscape of Tassili n’Ajjer boasts deep red dunes and pillars of Tadrart Rouge acting like natural Saharan skyscrapers. Accessible only by a four-wheel-drive vehicle, this national park is home to thousands of ancient works of rock art, stretching back to when the desert was a thriving savanna, as well as to the active nomadic Tuareg culture.

Adventure Algeria

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To health!

Issue #113: The Protein Cheat Sheet

Ryan Schneider — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:56:49 +0000

Good morning. It's Wednesday, January 25th. In 1924 the first Winter Olympics started today in Chamonix, France. The event was initially called the Winter Sports Week, but it was so successful that the IOC retroactively named it the First Olympic Winter Games.

Calories from protein affect your brain, your appetite control center, so you are more satiated and satisfied.
Mark Hyman

From the Lab: Amino Acid & Protein Sources
Take Action: Grass-Finished
Speed Read: Hunga Tonga
Wednesday Weights: Hamstring Day!
What We're Reading: Effortless

The number of active volcanoes like Hunga Tonga (see Speed Read). This doesn't account for the continuous chains of volcanoes on the ocean floor along spreading plates (Mid-Atlantic). There may be up to 1M volcanoes, most extinct. (USGS)

From the Lab

We left off yesterday (Issue #112) with the goal of getting to 1.5g of protein per kg body weight per day (123g for that 180 lb person).

So how are we going to get there?

Protein isn’t really a single nutrient - it’s more like a multi-vitamin. There are 20 amino acids (9 "essential" amino acids we can only get from diet) that all do different things for our body - so we should really try to get all of them to optimize our health (think of them the same way you would as Vitamin C vs. Vitamin B12).

For example:

Lysine supports the production of hormones and energy and important for immune function.
Leucine helps your body make protein, growth hormones. It also helps grow and repair muscle tissue, heal wounds and regulate blood sugar levels.
Methionine helps with your body’s tissue growth, metabolism and detoxification. Methionine also helps with the absorption of essential minerals, including zinc and selenium.

See full list from Cleveland Clinic.

If you want to get real complicated - here’s the quantity of each of the 9 essential amino acids we need (at a minimum) per kg of body weight per day:

Cleveland Clinic

You can look up the amino acid profile of every food with protein in your diet and try to create a master eating plan.

A quick cheat - animal protein has the complete set of amino acids in the ratio we need.

So if you eat sufficient protein from animal products (meat, eggs, dairy), you’ll be good to go and don’t really have to worry about getting into all the amino acid details.

A note on animal protein - not all meat is created equal.

A cow pumped full of growth hormones and antibiotics that is stuck in a pen of its own sh** eating corn laced with pesticides can absolutely crush your health. Compare that to a cow raised without drugs/hormones walking around to build natural muscle and eating natural grass. 🐄

We aren’t just what we eat - we’re also what it ate too.

How do we know this? Well, all those amino acids started in the bacteria on plant roots and were taken into the plants and then the animal before going into us - so remember the entire food chain matters.

Before I lose any vegetarians out there - you absolutely can get sufficient protein from plants. 🌱

But, as you'll see the overall protein quantity is lower, the amino acid profile might be limited, and, on average, plant protein has only 60-70% bioavailability - meaning if it says 5g protein you’re really only getting 3-3.5g. Math again???

If you don’t eat much (or any) meat, here’s a list of “clean” vegan protein supplements to make sure you add to your normal diet to get all those awesome aminos.

Take Action

Look for “grass-finished” if possible. Grass-fed labeling isn’t certified and doesn’t guarantee anything than the cow ate grass at some point in it’s life (read more).

If eating vegetarian protein - make sure to try it without any other foods for a few hours to see how it affects your gut. Many of these blends can wreak havoc on our digestion.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Do you just work out to work out - don't have any goals? Or worse, have goals you don't know how to achieve? Enter Strongest! Answer a few questions about you, your health, and your goals and Strongest builds workout plans 100% personalized to you.

Strongest helps busy people develop sustainable exercise habits with personalized strength + conditioning plans.

For a limited time, Thrive25 readers get special pricing on 3-month plans - CLICK HERE.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Hunga Tonga: It’s been a year, but the greatest explosion on Earth is still reverberating with scientists. Measuring cosmic water in the atmosphere warming Earth to concentrated lightning (5,200 events/min) - what?? But the most important lesson from Hunga Tonga is the blindspot we have for underwater volcanoes and their impact with all of life. (WIRED)

Timeless: Ever tried the Pomodoro technique? We have struggled with balancing work and life, especially since working from home. And Max started to do something similar without a guide and has had success when he remembers to do it. This article is from June 2020, but still a great view into the how and why. (NYTimes)

Metabolic Health Meter: Do you experience low energy, brain fog, mood changes, breakouts or have trouble losing weight? Take stock and potentially make changes with how/when/what you eat (Issue #97), how much and what type of sleep you get (Issues #99, 101-105), and exercise regularly (Issue #96). See more from Levels Health.

Wednesday Weights

Here's a way to get those hamstrings as strong as your quads. Make sure you do a light stretch and some walking after this one, plus lots of water to hydrate to prevent soreness on Thursday and Friday.

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click to View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

What We're...

Effortless by Greg McKeown

GregMcKeown.com

Why we love it? It does a great job of disconnecting the myth of having to always work hard to get ahead. It makes it actionable to "work smarter, not harder." Enjoy the sequel to Essentialism!

Thrive25 Referral Program

Do us the favor - tell your friends about Thrive25! Earn Thrive25 swag and other rewards from our Sponsors via our referral program:

Thanks for joining us today!

Don't forget - you want to join us for the St. Anthony's Triathlon on April 30th, in St. Pete use code "THRIVE25" for a discount on the entry fee and tell us you're in!

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To health!

Issue #114: The Rise & Fall of Fake Meat

Ryan Schneider — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:56:34 +0000

Good morning. It’s Thursday, January 26th. The Great One is celebrating his 62nd birthday today. Just how great is Wayne Gretzky? Alexander Ovechkin (37) and Sydney Crosby (35) are the two closest active players to Gretzky's all-time points record of 2,857. If you combined their entire careers, they'd just barely be ahead of hockey's 🐐.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.
Bob Marley

From the Lab: The Rise & Fall of Fake Meat
Take Action: Pay Attention
Speed Read: The Six Million Dollar Man
Thursday Night In: Kung Pao Chicken
Moment of Fun: Game Night

Thinking twice about that omelette? Egg prices are up 79% since Jan 2020 due to avian flu - which has led to the culling of more than 40 million birds. (NBC News)

From the Lab

Just another sunny afternoon in LA, as I flipped on a few Beyond Meat burgers on the grill after a morning surf session (could that be more of a stereotype?).

That was in 2018. Beyond Meat was flying high - about to become one of the most successful IPO’s with a valuation of $14B. As of January 25th, 2023, the company was worth less than $1B and “fake meats” like Beyond and Impossible are nowhere to be found.

So what happened?

These meats hoped to capture the carnivores among us. It wasn’t a veggie patty - it was supposed to look and taste like a real burger (even using beet juice to make it “bleed”).

I, like 95% of all Americans (Gallup), eat meat. But I increasingly felt that pressure to reduce my own carbon footprint - these new “meats” seemed like the answer to getting my meat/protein fix and helping the environment.

So you see studies like this and you see you’re doing good, right:

Knowable Magazine

But all of these studies are commissioned by the companies themselves (just like most FDA and NIH studies are financed by big food and pharma companies). Plus, some meat advocates also point out that grass-fed or meat raised using regenerative agriculture has a low carbon footprint. But if we’re honest that represents less than 2% of today’s farmed meat.

So are these brands better for climate change? Probably.

The real test though - is it actually good for us and does it taste good?

Judging by these products getting pulled from Dunkin', McDonalds, and Taco Bell would say no - we aren't fans.

Respected food critics (Mark Bittman) and doctors (David Katz) talked about these meats being “ultra processed” and then issues popped up around the farming of the seed oils (canola in Beyond Meat) or GMO soy (in Impossible).

At the end of the day - the products just don’t taste like meat. So rather than disrupting a trillion dollar industry, these brands are simply competing with traditional vegetarian products for the 5% of the population that don’t eat meat.

But don’t worry…next up on the hype train - lab-grown meat.

Take Action

If you eat fake meat, pay attention to how it affects your gut (sometimes the pea protein or soy can be tough to digest). 🤢
If you buy any meat “alternatives” - always try to go organic. Most of these alternatives are cash crops - the last thing you want to do is eat a bunch of chemical pesticides for your morning “veggie sausage”.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Bodhi Surf + Yoga is an award-winning B Corporation and 1% for the Planet member surf and yoga camp located in the small, coastal community of Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica. At their quaint and homey lodge, they host a maximum of 10 guests per week for their 1 or 2-week long surf and yoga camps and retreats.

Bodhi Surf + Yoga's mission? Educating, inspiring, and empowering our stakeholders to live more sustainably through surfing, yoga, nature immersion, and community engagement.

Email team@thrive25.com if you're interested in a trip to Bodhi, 1 month free online membership or want to employ the Bodhi sustainable approach to your business.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Nothing, Nada, Zilch: “There’s no health benefit. There’s nothing to the taste. But there’s a whole lot of money to be made by selling caramel colored sugar water.” Retired Chief Creative Officer, Pepsi. That goes for you too Coke. (Pepsi, Where’s My Jet? + FastCompany Lessons Learned)

Move Over Bionic Man: Bryan Johnson is a successful software entrepreneur who wants to be 18 again. The problem - he’s 45. But that hasn’t stopped him. Johnson employs a team of 30+ doctors and experts to monitor his body, spending $2M+ annually. He follows a rigid daily routine of supplements, nutrition, exercise, sleep - and goes through a series of procedures monthly, all with the goals of reducing the age of each organ. What’s next? Experimental gene therapy. Stay tuned. (Bloomberg or read free on Twitter app if you're out of free articles)

The Economics of Longevity: Our mission is to inspire all of us to achieve our best health leading to longer, healthier lives. But we’ll spend more money and use more resources with that added health and time. This will put a strain on the current economy, requiring novel solutions to ensure the platinum years are more green…more to come on this. (NYTimes)

Thursday Night In

Ready for a great dish that tastes just like the restaurant...or takeout. This Kung Pao recipe makes it to the dinner table at Max's house at least once a month throughout fall and winter.

Inspiration: Once Upon A Chef

What is arrowroot powder? A pretty solid substitute for corn starch - if you have a corn allergy or sensitivity, or want to avoid GMOs or harsher food processing (see Take Action).

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Moment of Fun

Game Night

There’s nothing like a good old fashioned game night. Whether it's a guys poker night, trivia night (a few of Max's favorites), or old-fashioned board games - game nights are kinda awesome and we neglect them too often.

What are some of your favorites?

Need ideas…

Go have some fun this weekend, just don't take it too far...

Thrive25 Referral Program

Do us the favor - tell your friends about Thrive25! Earn Thrive25 swag and other rewards from our Sponsors via our referral program:

Thanks for joining us today!

Don't forget - you want to join us for the St. Anthony's Triathlon on April 30th, in St. Pete use code "THRIVE25" for a discount on the entry fee and tell us you're in!

Missed an issue? No problem, check out our newsletter archive.
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See our latest workout videos on our YouTube channel.

Why Thrive25

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To health!

Issue #115: Can You Reverse Aging for $2M?

Ryan Schneider — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:56:23 +0000

Good morning. It’s Friday, January 27th. Happy birthday to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - born in 1756, he's often widely considered the world's greatest composer. Despite such a short life (living only to 35), he completed over 800 symphonies, concertos and operas and his genius lives on to influence music today.

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.
Hippocrates (Eat to Beat Disease)

Weekly Insights: All About Protein
Inspiration: $2M to Reverse Aging
Friday Flex: A Healthy & Strong Back
Brain Games: Continuous Challenges

Bryan Johnson reduced his "biological" age by 4.5 yrs in 2021 going through his Blueprint protocol (see Inspiration below).

Weekly Insights

Click HERE to check out previous issues in the Thrive25 archive.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Struggling to get started with a training plan? Don't know what to do when you get to the gym or head to the basement to work out? Don't like burpees? Enter Strongest! Answer a few questions about you, your health, and your goals and Strongest builds workout plans 100% personalized to you.

Strongest helps busy people develop sustainable exercise habits with personalized strength + conditioning plans.

For a limited time, Thrive25 readers get special pricing on 3-month plans - CLICK HERE.

Inspiration

Yesterday we mentioned an article about Bryan Johnson (Issue #114).

That story is taking a life of its own across both social and mainstream media.

For those of you that haven’t seen it - Bryan is a former tech founder who made his millions from selling his payment company. Today he’s spending $2M a year to stay as young as possible - mostly through supplements, therapies, and tests that the rest of us can’t afford.

But before we just think he’s the real-life example of Gavin Belson from Silicon Valley - his experiment and these investments might actually turn out to be super helpful for the rest of us.

It’s not a coincidence that athletes like Novak Djokovic and LeBron James, who spend so much time on their bodies, are still at the top of their game way past their expected prime. I mean, I still want to do the Triathlon in April like I’m a 30-yr old.

Today’s research studies often require self-reported data from participants (especially nutritional research). But people forget what they eat and there’s a million other variables that might affect their health results - have you tried food tracking?? We're human.

Here’s a guy that’s tracking absolutely everything, even down to the calorie - 1,977 per day to be exact. Some days it’s got to be at least 1,978 right?

We respect companies that collect and leverage more data - sifting through the noise so they can make better business decisions to stay ahead of the competition and make more money. Wouldn’t the same concept apply to individuals?

So far the results show that we can significantly change how quickly we age.

As a 45-yr old, Bryan allegedly has the equivalent of a 37-yr old heart, 28-yr old skin quality and lung capacity of an 18-yr old. It’s interesting to note that our organs age at different rates. The future of healthcare will undoubtedly be based on personalized protocols for your highest risk factors - not just general health recommendations.

Look I don’t want to live like Bryan and I’m pretty sure you don’t either. Who wants to do monthly colonoscopies, wake up to take 20+ supplements at 5am, or never eat something different? (Don’t get me started on how they track the health of his erections during sleep).

But he’s sharing 100% of his protocols (website) so that we can learn from him what works and what doesn’t. For example, he’s already seen that eating all of his calories in the morning dropped his body fat to 3% (not good) - so he went back to spreading the calories out throughout the day.

Critics will say that people will read what he’s doing and start taking those supplements without medical supervision or that this will just further create a divide between the rich and those of us without financial means to reverse our age.

First - in the age of social media, anyone that wants to take unverified supplements or drugs will find countless influencers giving them suggestions of what to do.

Second - this will, hopefully, follow the same cost curve as most innovation. It starts out expensive to create new technology and the price goes down with mass adoption. Look at the cost of the initial Telsa Roadster ($100K) to the Model 3 today ($43K) or the even less expensive Chevy Volt at $25K.

The future of health is going to be personalized protocols based on your genetics, hormones, and test results. But for now, every one of these intensive studies will help us understand how our bodies work and how we can maintain our health for as long as possible.

Until then, we'll keep you posted on what's worth trying for health & longevity and always stick with what we already know works for all of us:

Eat whole foods 🥦
Move daily with some high intensity exercise 3-4x per week 🏋️
Get quality sleep every night 😴
Have a positive mindset (breath work or meditation) to reduce stress 🧘
Connect with your friends & family 👐
Learn something new as often as possible 💡
Make life fun 🤣

Friday Flex

Today we're focused on back strength and rotations to make sure we've always got the alignment and mobility we need. Don't neglect the health of your spine!!

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click to View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

Brain Games

#1: 2-min Break - Playing Cards

Three playing cards are in a row. Can you name them with these clues? There is a two to the right of a king. A diamond will be found to the left of a spade. An ace is to the left of a heart. A heart is to the left of a spade. Now, identify all three cards.

Why: Sharpen your logic and reasoning skills

Credit: Riddles.com

#2: 10-min of Focus - Continuous Challenges

Have you gotten really good at Tetris or Sudoku…or Wordle? Those and other games are touted for brain training, but once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s no longer beneficial - it becomes more of an addiction with perceived benefit (Max admits he has a problem). Replace a favorite game with a new one. Peak, Cognifit, and Elevate are examples of apps with hundreds of games.

Why: Once you “master” something, move on to the next challenge. This will support cognitive growth

Credit: Scientific American

**For answer, scroll to the bottom of the issue

Thrive25 Referral Program

Do us the favor - tell your friends about Thrive25! Earn Thrive25 swag and other rewards from our Sponsors via our referral program:

Thanks for another great week! For those that want to stay forever young here's a little JAY-Z to kick off the weekend...

Don't forget - you want to join us for the St. Anthony's Triathlon on April 30th, in St. Pete use code "THRIVE25" for a discount on the entry fee and tell us you're in!

Missed an issue? No problem, check out our newsletter archive.
Got feedback? Tell us what you think at team@thrive25.com.
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Brain Games Answer

#1: Playing Cards

Why Thrive25

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.

To health!

Issue #116: Making New Habits Stick - Max's Story

Ryan Schneider — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:56:13 +0000

Good morning. It’s Monday, January 30th. In 1969, The Beatles gave their final public performance. In 1996, Magic Johnson returned to the Lakers after a 4-yr retirement with HIV almost achieving a triple-double, and today Batman (Christian Bale) turns 49.

Did you miss any of our issues on NUTRITION last week? Catch up on Issues #111 - #115 here.

This week we're switching gears and talking about GROWTH - checking in on those New Year's resolutions.

We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.
J.K. Rowling

From the Lab: Max's Meditation Journey
Take Action: Find a Partner & Forgive Yourself
Speed Read: Future of NCAA Sports
Monday Metabolic: Back to Basketball Practice
Monday Q: How 'bout 'dem Goals?

Number of Australian Open titles for Novak Djokovic. Next closest - Roy Emerson and Roger Federer with 6 each.

From the Lab

Somehow we’re already approaching February - that means 2023 is 1/12th over.

It also means that “many” people have already quit their New Year’s Resolutions (at least that’s the official answer from ChatGPT - see you don’t need us human writers).

But not Max - he’s on Day 31 and counting for a goal of 56 straight days of meditating for at least 5 minutes. 👏

So I asked him - how has he actually kept with meditating and what would help everyone at Thrive25 stick with their goals. Here’s what he said:

Accountability. Max signed up on this quest with a good buddy (Thrive25 subscriber Ryan F). Let’s be honest - it can be easier to quit on yourself “oh well, didn’t meditate today” than it is to have to text your partner “didn’t do it today” and leave them hanging to crush this goal on their own. 🤝

Seeing Value. He’s actually already seen an improvement in his sleep and memory - two of the top reasons he took on this new goal for 2023. His awake time at night has gone from above 10-15% to consistently scoring under 10% every night. That’s without any other change to diet or nighttime routines. 😴

Mechanisms of Forgiveness. Get a pen or open your notes app - this is good stuff for keeping new goals! 🙏

Wide Range & High Anchor: He told himself the goal was to meditate between 5-30 min per day. The high anchor of 30 min makes finding 5 min seem easy. It’s almost like he’s cheating on days he actually hits the goal.
Free Session: He schedules 2 sessions per day on his calendar. If he misses one that’s ok - gives him leeway to not have to be perfect. He just has to make sure he does it at least 5 min per day.
The How Doesn't Matter: Guided or unguided meditation would count so he could reduce the pressure of having to do it on his own. NOTE: he relies on Calm, Ryan F. uses Headspace.

Kudos on getting over halfway to your goal fellas!

Take Action

Get an Accountability Partner. If you don’t have an accountability partner, try to create a separate identity for the person doing the goal. “Hey Maximus, can’t make my 7am meditation session, but I’ll see you at 3pm this afternoon.” Yes, I suggested he take on the persona of The Gladiator - who would be your alter ego?

Giphy.com

Build in Forgiveness. Set a bar higher than the actual goal so that it’s easier to achieve what you actually think is possible/ideal for here & now.

Write Down Benefits. The focus should be on the process, but if/when you identify anything improving thanks to that goal - whether meditating, flossing, whatever - make sure you physically write it down. It’s huge to your mindset to keep going.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

You know what sounds good right about now - surfing. And if I'm really honest - surfing without a wetsuit on a beautiful beach backing up to one of the most incredible National Parks in the world.

Well that's Bodhi Surf + Yoga - an award-winning B Corporation and 1% for the Planet member surf and yoga camp located in the small, coastal community of Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica.

If you're interested in some delicious meals, comfortable lodging, and friendly community that make the experience truly memorable - it's the place for you!

Can't make to Costa Rica right now? Get 1 month FREE Bodhi Online Membership.

Experience a taste of Bodhi's award-winning Costa Rican surf and yoga camp experience, right from your living room. Yoga practice and philosophy. Healthy and delicious recipes. Discussions about living well and awakening purpose.

Email team@thrive25.com to take advantage of the free membership.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Unintended Consequences: Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) - three words that didn’t mean much together until they did. NCAA athletes can now be paid to play - seems fair to me. They're the reason the fans show up and media companies buy mega contracts to air the games. But now the money from boosters that went to the athletic departments is going right to star athletes (mostly football and men's basketball players). What's the future of those other sports - tennis, swimming, wrestling, field hockey, etc.? (NYTimes)

Being Woke About Nipples: #FreeTheNipple has been a rallying cry for years, part freedom of expression, part sticking it to tech. An oversight board for Meta found that “...policies on adult nudity result in greater barriers to expression for women, trans, and gender non-binary people on its platforms.” Not exactly sure where this leaves us - maybe time to put our phone down, go outside and enjoy the physical world. (Read more)

HIIT Out, Sculpt In?: Move over HIIT, as people go back to in-person fitness classes, they’re going with strength training and flexibility. According to trainers, the focus is on managing stress and building strength over quick bursts that are more taxing on the body. (WSJ)

Monday Metabolic

Taking you back to high school basketball practice. Get down in the defensive stance and side shuffle as fast as you can. Then do some wall sits while doing shoulder exercises - and then do it all over again.

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click to View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

Monday Q

How Are You Doing on Your 2023 Goals?

Product Recs

Impossible - my go-to after a week of poor sleep during my fast. A combination of magnesium and l-theanine powder with nothing else to help you sleep. Click HERE. 😴
TMAC Fitness - 20-min home workouts with no equipment that finishes with a quick meditation, what's easier than that? Try TMAC for 10 Days Free. 🧘

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Why Thrive25

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To health!

Issue #119: We Need Each Other

Ryan Schneider — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:00:34 +0000

Good morning. It’s Thursday, February 2nd. How is Punxsatawney Phil still a thing? Since 1886 a groundhog has predicted our weather (107 times seeing his shadow). How secretive is this group in PA? They claim there's only been 1 Phil - he has the "elixir of life" (groundhogs live 6-12 years). So maybe we should talk to those guys about longevity.

There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.
John Holmes (Author)

From the Lab: Help Others With Goals
Take Action: Celebrate Their Success
Speed Read: Billions Bet on Longevity
Thursday Night In: Keto Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Moment of Fun: World Snow Sculpting Championship

Your chance of success of achieving your goal when you commit to an accountability partner and schedule meetings to check in on progress.

From the Lab

We talk so much about what it takes to hit our own goals. We said that Maximus should get an accountability partner (Issue #116). What if we put on that other hat and consider...

How can we help others with their goals!?!?

Don't your friends just come right out and say "hey you know what - I'm working on these new resolutions this year and I'd really like if you could help me stick with it."

Here’s how we really catch up (all via text)…

You guys in for dinner next Friday? 🍽️
What prop bets do you like in the Super Bowl? 💰
Check out this podcast on AI 🎧
Hey - what’s happening? Things good with work? 🖨️
Remember those waves in Mexico?? Man we need to get another trip on the books 🏄

Giphy.com

It’s great that we actually stay in touch and this makes sense for the majority of our connections, but are we going deeper with our inner circle (Issue #40 - Importance of Friends)?

According to Robert Waldinger (Harvard Happiness Study), this isn’t some touchy-feely idea - it’s hard fact.

Humans need nutrition, exercise, and purpose…and we need each other!

Take Action

Ways to support the goals of others:

Make time for them. If you make the effort to see a friend for a 2-hr dinner every month that’s still only 24 hrs per year (there’s 5,840 waking hrs in a year - so that's 0.4% of your time awake).
Ask them questions - go beyond movie quotes to really see how they're doing.
Put it on the calendar - when thinking of your goals, maybe throw on a few ideas to help someone else (even if it's just a 15 sec check-in).
Celebrate their success - no matter how small the win, everyone needs to know they’re important and what they’re doing is significant.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

This isn't some other "fitness video app". It's having a personal trainer on your phone!

Check it out! For a limited time, Thrive25 readers get special pricing on 3-month plans - CLICK HERE.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

It Pays to Be NEAT: "Non-exercise activity thermogenesis" or NEAT is the amount of energy we burn when we aren't sleeping, eating or actively exercising. This includes anything from cleaning the house to walking the dog to even fidgeting. This can range from 15-50% of the amount of energy we burn. I always wondered why some of my friends who fidget, but didn't work out were so skinny. (Read more)

Billions on Longevity: 2022 ended with $5.2B invested in longevity startups. Although it should be noted that over half of this was for Altos Labs - backed by Jeff Bezos. But there were still 130 deals. Seems like this is just the beginning as more mainstream investors and big pharma enter the game. Check out 5 predictions for 2023 HERE.

T-Minus 1B Years: Apparently the sun has roughly 5B years left, around that time it will turn into a red giant and engulf Earth. But…as the sun gets brighter our biosphere will break down from the immense heat and it will be too hot on Earth to sustain life. So what planet’s next? We’ve got 1B years to figure it out. (Big Think)

Thursday Night In

Looking for a little warm comfort food? This slow cooker recipe is absolutely delicious, but gives you a bunch of longevity nutrients - bone broth, carrots, ginger, garlic, spinach, rosemary...the list goes on and on. Enjoy!

Bulletproof

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Moment of Fun

As my sister and brother-in-law will tell you - they've gone days without getting above single digits. It's been frigid up there this winter! Who needs a cold plunge?

But that didn't stop teams from all over the world in competing for the World Snow Sculpting Championships!

This year Team MN took home 1st place - followed by Team FL??

World Snow Sculpting Championship

Congratulations to the winners of the World Snow Sculpting Championship 2023!! ❄️ 1st place: United States, Minnesota, Team House of Thune 2nd place - United States, Florida, Team Flozen 3rd place -...

https://www.facebook.com/WorldSnowSculptingChampionship/posts/206135425270518

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To health!

Issue #120: Rowing 3,000 Miles Across the Atlantic

Ryan Schneider — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:00:30 +0000

Good morning. It’s Friday, February 3rd. Today we're talking about the limits of human potential. We're not suggesting you row across an ocean - but for all you athletes out there (that's all of you) join us for the St. Anthony's Triathlon.

Swim with the dolphins in Tampa Bay. Bike through historic neighborhoods. Run along the waterfront to finish off your amazing achievement! This incredible race is in St. Pete, FL on April 30th.

Look - I'm not a natural triathlete. But just registering has gotten me out for more swims and faster running times. These events take us out of our comfort zone AND there's no better endorphin rush than crossing the finish line of a Tri with hundreds of fellow racers (supporters) cheering you on!

Whether you're signing up for your first sprint distance and plan to walk some of the run or you're a Tri veteran - let's go!

If you join the race with Thrive25:

Receive access to what I promise is the best 12-week Triathlon Training Plan out there (not just about swimming, biking, running)
Live Zoom Calls with all Thrive25 founders and athletes to talk training, what to expect, or anything related to health & longevity
Invite to a Thrive25-only complimentary dinner the night before the race
Special Thrive25 Welcome Kit
More perks and promotions to come as we get closer to Race Day

Use code "THRIVE25" when you register to get 10% off the entry fee to the race - and tell us you're in (team@thrive25.com).

One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: ‘To rise above the little things’.
John Burroughs

Weekly Insights: Making it Stick
Inspiration: Rowing 3,000 Miles
Friday Flex: Stretch, Crunch & Roll
Brain Games: Think Creatively

Number of oar strokes to row across the Atlantic Ocean (see Inspiration below).

Weekly Insights

Click HERE to check out previous issues in the Thrive25 archive.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Bodhi Surf + Yoga is an award-winning B Corporation and 1% for the Planet member surf and yoga camp located in the small, coastal community of Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica.

Their surf sessions give you mastery of the waves and encourage ocean stewardship inside the spectacular Marino Ballena National Park — one of the best beaches in the world for learning to surf.

To top it all off, it is the delicious meals, comfortable lodging, and friendly community that make the experience truly memorable.

Can't make to Costa Rica right now? Get 1 month FREE Bodhi Online Membership.

Email team@thrive25.com to take advantage of the free membership.

Inspiration

Can you imagine rowing (yep - just like you’re picturing in your head) 3,000 miles across the Atlantic?

Instagram - Atlantic Campaigns

In the middle of December, over 40 teams started off from a beach in the Canary Islands off Africa setting a course to Antigua in the Caribbean for the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

The winning team of four Spaniards (Team OceanCats) landed first with a time of 31 days, 17 hours and 9 minutes.

Just yesterday a trio of American Rowers (Team Guardian) landed in Antigua after 51 days at sea. This group of first responders is raising money for Guardian Initiatives - a nonprofit dedicated to First Responder Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention.

I can’t even begin to comprehend the mental and physical toughness to spend 1-2 months at sea. 20 foot waves, cracked hulls, and constantly burning 5,000 calories a day - doesn’t compute.

Absolutely incredible what the human body can do!

Friday Flex

After working those legs & glutes on Wednesday (See Workout), we're going deep with a modified pigeon stretch and then using a foam roller on our back. Don't worry - it won't hurt.

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click To View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

Brain Games

#1: 2-min Break

What is special about these words: job, polish, herb?

Why: Sharpen logic and reasoning skills

Credit: Reader's Digest; **For Answer scroll to bottom of the issue

#2: 10-min of Focus - Think Creatively

Time to get creative. Write the caption for one, or both, of these two cartoons:

If you want, share your thoughts with us at team@thrive25.com.

Why: Improves creativity, comprehension and memory

Credit: The New Yorker

Max dropped the kids off at school yesterday and Wham! came on the radio. He immediately went to this iconic scene from Zoolander, smiled and started singing!

Enjoy your weekend!

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Got feedback? Tell us what you think at team@thrive25.com.
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Brain Games Answer

#1: They are pronounced differently when the first letter is capitalized.

Why Thrive25

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.

To health!

Issue #121: Playing in the Snow

Ryan Schneider — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:00:27 +0000

Good morning. It’s Monday, February 6th. The only way it makes sense to put these guys together in one list - today is their birthday: Babe Ruth (1895), Ronald Reagan (1911), and Bob Marley (1945).

Did you miss any of our issues on GROWTH last week? Catch up on Issues #116 - #120 here.

This week we're switching gears and talking about MOVEMENT, specifically digging into the Wide World of Sports.

You want to exercise to look good, feel good, play good.
Dr. Andy Galpin

From the Lab: Your Own Winter Olympic Games
Take Action: Don't Be Afraid of the Cold
Speed Read: Embrace Your Full Potential
Monday Metabolic: Finding Your Quickness
Monday Q: What Sport Should You Be Doing?

Highest recorded VO2max. The top three measurements are all Olympian cross-country skiers with VO2max over 96 mL per kg per min, while Olympic marathon runners peak around 75 and swimmers around 70.

If you recall from Issue 32 - VO2max is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption attainable during physical exertion. So basically a measure of elite fitness. (source)

From the Lab

So you’ve got your Epic Season Pass and are hoping you can actually hit the slopes for more than a few days before spring.

Giphy.com

But you don’t have to visit the mountains to have fun working out in the cold.

Cross Country Skiing - the sport we remember every 4 years when the Nordic countries showcase what they do during their 8-month long winters.

But it's probably the absolute best workout out there - see Stat of the Day (why the NordicTrack was a thing in the 80's - and still kinda sorta).

Feeling a little intimidated to get started? Here’s a Step-by-Step Guide for beginners from REI or watch the video:

Snowshoeing - if you don’t want all the hassle of the skis, then just throw on some shoes that look like tennis rackets and hit the snow (5 Best in 2023). These modern shoes make it possible to hit the trail on days when you’d be tired after a few minutes with regular boots.

Believed to have been invented around 4000 BC by the nomadic tribes that ventured from present-day Siberia to Alaska, snowshoes allowed humans to hunt and migrate during the winter.

Your fridge might be stocked, but grab some snowshoes and keep moving in the winter!

Curling - not feeling the cold? Then this last one might be for you. Find some indoor ice and simply roll a 42 lb stone 150 ft to a bulls-eye on the other end.

It might seem easy, but this Scottish sport from the 1500’s burns hundreds of calories (you’re intensely sweeping while gliding on ice after all) - plus there’s the added skill and concentration of rolling a stone to score a point (The Physics of Curling).*

Confused by the rules? I can see why it’s a 26-page book. Don’t worry - here’s your cheat sheet:

Even if you’re in sunny FL or CA - there are plenty of places to sign-up for a rousing game or league, check USA CURLING to FIND A CLUB.

*Man those Scots sure like to have fun - they invented golf, curling, the bicycle, and shinty (I didn’t know what that was either - READ MORE).

Take Action

Share on our social when you get out there!

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Struggling to get started with a training plan? Don't know what to do after the 5-min Thrive25 workout when you get to the gym or head to the basement to work out? Don't like when we suggest burpees?

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For a limited time, Thrive25 readers get special pricing on 3-month plans - CLICK HERE.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Sugar Limitation: The USDA (finally) proposed new nutrition standards for school meals - putting limits on added sugars, as well as significantly reducing sodium. But the reality is that this won't happen until the 2025-26 school year and lobbyists continue to block these efforts. Speak up if you want action in your district! (Learn more)

From Private Equity?: The Global Head of PE at Raymond James shares how to train our brain for mental health to success in the office and in life: #1 meditation, cognitive load reduction, visualization/savoring, breathing exercises, and gratitude. (FastCompany)

Do Video Games Make You Smarter?: Kinda. Remember Brain Games from Issue #115 - it’s great to learn new games, but once you master it, it’s no longer beneficial - it becomes more of an addiction with perceived benefit. (Knowable)

Monday Metabolic

You get me this week - quick feet today that will be a real intense 6-min workout. When you read about the benefits of Zone 5 and HIIT - this is what they're talking about!

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click To View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

Monday Q

What sport do you miss playing or want to start?

Stop making excuses and get back out there!

Product Recs

Impossible - my go-to after a week of poor sleep during my fast. A combination of magnesium and l-theanine powder with nothing else to help you sleep. Click HERE. 😴
TMAC Fitness - 20-min home workouts with no equipment that finishes with a quick meditation, what's easier than that? Try TMAC for 10 Days Free. 🧘

Thrive25 Referral Program

Thanks for joining us today!

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Why Thrive25

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.

To health!

Issue #122: Channel Your Inner Laird Hamilton

Ryan Schneider — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:00:23 +0000

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, February 7th. On this day in 2005, Ellen MacArthur broke the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe (71 days). The record now stands with Francois Gabart at 42 days (2017).

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

From the Lab: Get in the Water
Take Action: Enter Blue Spaces
Speed Read: Exoplanet: Wolf 1069 b
Tuesday QR: Veggie Power Bowl
Bucket List: The Alaska Railroad

The number of points LeBron James needs to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record. LeBron and the Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight on TNT.

From the Lab

What would be cooler than your bio simply stating you’re a “Waterman” (or woman).

Gearing up for the Triathlon means getting in the water - either hitting up the pool or even better the ocean (my swims are now in the calm, warm Gulf of Mexico compared to the 3-5 ft swell of the freezing Pacific).

Swimming is one of the most basic water exercises. Since the Egyptians in 2500 BC we’ve been in the water swimming - it was even part of training in ancient Rome and Greece.

It’s not only a great metabolic workout (swimming burns calories at a rate similar to running a 9 min mile), but it's easier on your joints and works literally the entire body. There isn’t a muscle not being used to keep you up and moving forward in the water.

Doesn't matter if you're my 5-yr old daughter or 69-yr old dad - my advice is to get in the pool and start swimming!

Studies show that getting in the water also decreases tension, fatigue, anger and depression. I would agree that there's a weird combination of endorphins and calm when swimming.

Looking to get started with the right form? Watch HERE.

Motivated to get a little more competitive? Join a local Masters Club: CLUB FINDER

All Things Surf - if you want a little bit more excitement, then grab a board.

Start out with Stand-Up Paddleboarding. It’s relatively easy, but still a great workout - it sure beats paddleboarding 32 miles between LA and Catalina Island (without a paddle).

Looking to be a little less extreme and just get started? Here’s a great Guide & Video from REI.

Personally I fell in love with surfing - there’s nothing like seeing the sunrise while sitting on a board in water with dolphins and sea lions swimming by. You might only get a few seconds for a ride, but it’s the most incredible combination of finding calm and “a rush” at the same time.

This is coming from someone who is far from doing his best impression of 50-yr old Kelly Slater.

Yes - that's me

Beginner who wants to learn? I highly recommend taking a lesson or going out with friends willing to spend the time to teach you the tricks. Everyone should experience at least one ride in their lifetime.

Want to get even more extreme - there’s the increasingly popular kite surfing (check out our video in Issue #2).

No? How about using some technology for a hydro surf ride (Issue #16).

Rowing - I was fortunate to live by two row houses: Georgetown on the Potomac in DC and UCLA on the LA river in Marina Del Rey, CA. If you’ve ever sat in a scull, then you have an appreciation for those kids that woke up for 6am rowing practice in college - it’s freaking hard!

Your hands will blister, your back will hurt, you’ll feel awkward and you’ll probably tip into the water - yet you’ll come back for more. It’s just about the best workout you can get (burning 600+ calories per hour) and it’s absolutely exhilarating out on the water.

Find a local rowing club for lessons, equipment rental, and other people crazy enough to take up this sport.

Not into all that? Nothing wrong with taking a sea kayak out and paddling all on your own.

Take Action

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

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The dweeb app taps in to the same databases that many private investigators use, and pulls publicly available, non-regulated data in to an easy use format.

Dweeb is NOT available in the typical app store, but is a free download at www.dweeb.app.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Don’t Like What’s on TV?: Need to veg out for a few min, but can’t find anything good? Don’t worry, there are health benefits of re-watching movies/shows you like. Repeated viewings of familiar materials helps fulfill our emotional needs, provides comfort, gives us a sense of control over our lives, and connects us with our past. (Learn more)

QUIET!!!: Noise pollution doubles every 30 yrs. Ambulances are 6x louder than 100 yrs ago. Why? It’s loud out there. And the constant noise isn’t good for us - anyone else hate leaf blowers? Noise causes our bodies to excrete stress hormones and can increase the risk of hearing loss, depression, and cardiovascular disease. Go find a quiet place! (Forbes)

Could this be It?: Maybe Wolf 1069 b is that quiet place. Scientists recently discovered the exoplanet that is roughly Earth’s mass (rare) and within the habitable zone (liquid water could exist) of the red dwarf star, Wolf 1069. 31 light-years away, Wolf 1069 is a favorable candidate, like Proxima Centauri b and TRAPPIST-1 e, to search for biosignatures. Bets on what a real alien looks like? (Read more)

Artist's Rendering - Wolf 1069 b: Max Planck Society

Tuesday QR (Quick Recipe)

Get all your veggies in a single lunch bowl - loads of nutrients that will fill you up without the $18 price tag at sweetgreen.

Love and Lemons

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Bucket List

The Alaska Railroad

470 miles of mountains, glaciers and grizzlies from the comfort of a glass dome. 2023 marks the centennial of its operation - Warren G. Harding drove in the golden spike on July 15, 1923 in Nenana. Completed 36 years before Alaska became a state, the railroad has connected millions of passengers and enabled the trading of goods between Seward and Fairbanks.

The railroad is a great way to see wilderness, and even the aurora borealis (our favorite), without sacrificing comfort - there are glass-domed rail cars. When you want to explore, just wave a flag to embark or disembark - it’s the only remaining flag-stop major railroad in the US. So get on board to see Denali and Kenai Fjords National Park.

Alaska Railroad

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To health!

Issue #123: Jump on the Pickleball Bandwagon

Ryan Schneider — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:00:20 +0000

Good morning. It's Wednesday, February 8th. On this day - the NASDAQ began trading (1971), the first 8 stars are added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1960), and the Boy Scouts of America is founded (1910).

The older I get, the better I used to be.
John McEnroe

From the Lab: America's Fastest Growing Sport
Take Action: Injury Prevention
Speed Read: Birdwatching?
Wednesday Weights: Push-Up Challenge
What We're Watching: Cooked

The growth rate of pickleball in the last two years - the fasting growing sport in the US. (USA Pickleball)

From the Lab

Ever miss the days of intramural leagues or the weekly kickball game in your early 20’s? Maybe you once ruled the court (basketball or tennis) or couldn’t be stopped on the field (football or fútbol).

Growing up there were few things I loved more than playing basketball. I even wrote an article in the local paper about how I’d shovel the snow from my driveway to shoot in the winter and use the handle of the shovel to pop the ball out for every made shot when the net was frozen.

Even after my dreams of becoming the next Mark Price faded, I still played any time I could find a game.

Then as my 20’s turned into my 30’s I found myself playing less and less. The risk just seemed too high - I saw guys tear their ACL and even rupture their achilles (awful). Not to mention the jammed fingers, broken noses, and lower back pain.

So I moved on to tennis. The key is finding a partner about the same level as you. If you're not part of a local club, check out the USTA to input your self-reported rating to find partners/leagues in your area at your level. If that's too much, check out local FB groups or here's a list of 13 ways to find a tennis partner.

But let’s be honest - why play tennis when you can play pickleball??

It's not only America’s fastest growing sport (see Stat of the Day), but celebs and athletes are all in on Major League Pickleball - Kevin Durant, Lebron James, Heidi Klum, Michael Phelps, Mark Cuban, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady (hmmm - maybe this is the sport for the 40-90 somethings).

So how do you play? Here’s the basic rules - think tennis 🎾 meets ping pong 🏓.

The Top 10 Points from 2022

(Maybe it's not really a spectator sport - but still super fun to play).

Here's a directory of where you can find a court or if you live in the Midwest you can check out Chicken N Pickle - soon to be followed by Camp Pickle.

Whether it’s basketball, tennis, flag football, soccer, or even ultimate frisbee - don’t be afraid to keep playing the sports you love.

Take Action

To prevent injuries:

Hydrate before, during and after playing intense sports
Warm up with dynamic stretches (jumping jacks, high knees, butt kicks, squat jumps)
Stretch and use cold therapy after you play
Strengthen your lower back, glutes, knees, shoulders, and calf muscles
Playing through pain doesn’t make you tough - as soon as you feel slight pain, stop and get some medical advice

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Strongest helps busy people develop sustainable exercise habits with personalized strength + conditioning plans.

For a limited time, Thrive25 readers get special pricing on 3-month plans - CLICK HERE.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Philharmonic Coup: Maestro in LA since 26, inspiration for Mozart in the Jungle - Gustavo Dudamel is now on the move. In 2025, Dudamel will move from LA to the New York Philharmonic to turn around the struggling orchestra. For the last 13 years, Dudamel has built the LA Phil into THE destination. But his most important work is the creation of YOLA, the youth orchestra in LA, replicating his roots in Venezuela. (NYTimes)

Don’t Share Your Password: It’s finally coming, after years of sharing passwords across media apps, Netflix will be the first to crackdown. Apparently we all have been getting a free ride (at least 100M of us). Details are light, but imagine paying for Netflix like you do Verizon or AT&T - paying a little more for a family plan. (WSJ)

Why Not Birdwatch?: It’s popularity spiked in the pandemic, it has several mental health benefits, and birds chirping helps to elevate your outdoor experience. The same could be said for golf - maybe that’s why Jim Nantz’s “hello friends” at the start of every Masters is so soothing. (TIME)

Wednesday Weights

Me again - got 5 different variations of push-ups in 5 minutes. Do 10-15 push-ups of each variant in less than a minute, then rest and start the next variation on the next minute (every minute on the minute - EMOM).

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click to View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

What We're Watching

Cooked

Max and I have both been spending a lot more time in the kitchen as has dedicated Thrive25 reader - Andrew Rowe:

(Recipes from Issue #114 - Kung Pao, Issue #104 - Walnut Salmon, Issue #99 - Stuffed Peppers)

We're finding a lot of joy from cooking and enjoying meals with the family - especially excited to see the kids start to make a mess with ingredients in the kitchen. So we're watching Cooked on Netflix.

Best-selling author Michael Pollan explores four kinds of "transformations" that occur in cooking, Michael Pollan teases out links between science, culture and the flavors we love.

Netflix

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Issue #124: Don't Stop Competing

Ryan Schneider — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:05:32 +0000

Good morning. It’s Thursday, February 9th. In 1961 President Kennedy asked Congress to approve a new healthcare coverage for those 65+ and it became Medicare. In 1964 the Beatles embarked on their first tour of the US and in 1996 IBM Deep Blue defeated Chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov. Where will AI be 27 years in the future?

Happy birthday Leslie S! 🎉

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
Michael Jordan

From the Lab: Keep Competing
Take Action: Join Us - Triathlon in St. Pete
Speed Read: Humor + Levity
Thursday Night In: Healthy Snacks for Your Super Bowl Party
Moment of Fun: Super Bowl Commercials

Percent of adults 26-49 yrs old that play sports compared to 41% for 22-25 yr olds, and 64% for people under 20. (Learn more)

From the Lab

Growing up as athletes, Max and I always got such a rush from big games and tournaments. I can still feel the excitement as I ran into the gym to start our layup drills - feeling the eyes of the crowd; hearing the national anthem; stealing a quick look at the opposing team, and visualizing how the game would play out.

For those of us that didn’t become professional athletes, we rarely get the chance to experience these moments when our endorphins are really pumping (Issue #18).

But it’s essential that we still compete...and it has nothing to do with winning or losing.

Since moving to Tampa in 2019, I’d been running my 4-mile loop along the water pretty consistently (apparently Bayshore is the longest sidewalk in the world).

But even as someone committed to health & performance, I often fall into the trap of just going through the motions - just another run. Then I signed up for a race…

It completely changed my mindset. Now I had a new motivation, a new goal. I have no illusions of winning the upcoming triathlon, but it still has forced me to step up my training.

Before I was simply thinking “maybe I’ll run tomorrow AM after dropping off the kids” - now it's “ok, tomorrow’s plan is 20 min run with 4x10 sprints - 11 weeks to go.”

These events change our relationship with exercise - we become present, focused, and determined.

There’s a special place between our comfort zone and stress zone - that’s where the growth happens. Signing up for a race or competition pushes us into this space and that's where we find out what we’re really capable of.

James Akin-Smith, The CEO Coach

I’ve never won a race and probably never will. But I won the battle with myself to be my very best.

Plus, when you see the sun rising over the water and you’re surrounded by hundreds of fellow athletes listening to the Star-Spangled Banner, you can’t help feel that same adrenaline rush you did as a kid.

There are tons of different competitions adults can still compete in. Doesn't matter if it's a local 5K or an Ironman - it's about competing with yourself, no one else.

Running (5K walks —> Marathons)
Biking (a few miles —> RAGBRAI)
Triathlon (Sprint —> Ironman)

Want a more adventurous mud run/obstacle course:

Take Action

Ready to set out for your best in 2023?

That’s why we partnered with the St. Anthony’s Triathlon. It challenges us to get out of our comfort zone - creating a process that leaves us stronger than we were before, while experiencing the thrill of an incredible accomplishment together as a team.

Don’t forget if you want to join us - you get 10% off the race and tons of perks during the weekend of swimming, biking & running.

Oh - and Max created the absolute best Triathlon Training Guide you’ll find.

Check it out HERE.

Click to View Full Training Guide

Who’s coming with us??

Giphy.com

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

The dweeb app taps in to the same databases that many private investigators use, and pulls publicly available, non-regulated data in to an easy use format.

Dweeb is NOT available in the typical app store, but is a free download at www.dweeb.app.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Parking Lots Are Ugly Anyway: France finalized a law Tuesday that will require parking lots be covered by solar panels. This would add the equivalent of 10 nuclear power plants’ worth of energy production across the country. Solar or wind farms are less desirable in a country with limited agricultural space, so...parking lots. Maybe we can finally put solar panels on top of Walmart stores in the US? (WaPo).

Humor + Levity = Better Health: Good news. Having a sense of humor during stressful times can benefit our mental health. Cultivating levity is essential to our well-being and important when strengthening romantic, familial, and work relationships. (NYTimes)

3D Printing of Peptides?: Peptides are chains of amino acids that create proteins - they are only 3.5 nanometers long. Yet, we might be able to print them and create all kinds of medical benefits. "Eventually, the goal is to print structures with cells and grow mature tissue in a petri dish. These tissues can then be transplanted to treat injuries, or used to learn about how an illness works and to test drug candidates." (Science Daily)

Thursday Night In

Hosting a party on Sunday? We've got your covered!

Here are some of the top Thrive25-approved snacks that will be great for SB LVII:

Broccimole (Issue #21)- sure to be a crowd-pleaser AND you get sulforaphane (Issue #3)
Spinach Artichoke Dip w/ Cashews (Issue #92)
Black Bean Brownies (Issue #89)
Epigenetic Chili (Issue #81)
Turkey Meatballs (Issue #18)
Cauliflower Buffalo Bites (Recipe)
Baked Zucchini Fries (Recipe)

Pinch of Yum

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Moment of Fun

Did we mention, the Super Bowl between the Eagles and Chiefs is Sunday? To get you ready for the game within the game here's a look at the best commercials over the last 40+ years. CLICK HERE.

Or - relive one of the greatest halftime shows ever with the ageless wonders of Snoop (51), Dre (57), Eminem (50), 50 Cent (47), and Mary J (52).

NFL (YouTube)

Thrive25 Referral Program

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To health!

Issue #127: Is Love Still There?

Ryan Schneider — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:05:28 +0000

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, February 14th - Valentine's Day. So who is St. Valentine anyway? First, which one - there's at least a dozen, even a pope. Let's go with St. Valentine of Rome - who not only oversees lovers, but is the patron saint of beekeeping, epilepsy, plagues, fainting and traveling. Quite an eclectic list.

And what about today? In 1375, it seems Geoffrey Chaucer used his imagination and a well-received poem ("Parliament of Foules") to create the holiday. He'd probably be on board with Safer Internet Day and Extraterrestrial Culture Day - two lesser known national holidays today.

Love is the name for our pursuit of wholeness, for our desire to be complete.
Plato

From the Lab: After the Fog of Early Infatuation
Take Action: Turn Judgment Into Curiosity
Speed Read: A.I., M.D.
Tuesday QR: Keto Cheesecake for V-Day
Bucket List: Methana, Greece

Number of roses grown just for Valentine's Day (apparently Red Roses were a favorite of Venus, Roman Goddess of Love). Men spend $158 on gifts, women only $75 - but it's the thought that counts, right? Want more stats - Source

From the Lab

Ah - Valentine’s Day. I’m sure you’re planning the perfect date night with a prix fixe four-course meal at a restaurant the required reservations six weeks ago. No doubt it will be all roses with engaging dinner conversation, tons of laughs, followed by some hot lovin’ to end the night.

No?

Even the best relationships change over time - especially if you have kids. Once we get beyond the “fog of early infatuation” we get to know the real person we decided to spend so much of our life with.*

Being a parent is one of the most stressful times of life (TED TALK). Happiness as a couple goes down the moment we have kids and then pops up when we become empty nesters.

The Woolf

How important is this bounce in happiness? The size of boost predicts how long a couple will live. It's true - the quality of your relationship as a couple as shown through science extends (or lowers) your longevity!

But wait - you don’t want to wait for the next 10-20 years to be happy again?

Whether you have kids or not, stress will be a part of your relationship - it’s inevitable.

Why would I want to want to do the dishes?

But like we say over (Issue #19) and over (Issue #98) - life is all about slowing down.

Stress raises our cortisol - we go into fight or flight mode and our reptilian brain takes over. Survival mode pushes us to look outward, not inward. So we think our partner is the problem and needs to change.

Pointing fingers isn’t going to make for a romantic dinner - and forget about the late night fun.

*From the book, "After the Honeymoon" (Dan Wile)

Take Action

1. Judgment —> Curiosity. Instead of just judging your partner and blindly reacting when they piss you off, try to, instead, figure out why they're doing what they're doing, why you’re so mad, and ways to solve it together. Don't stop learning about them.

2. Reset Expectations. Daniel Gilbert suggests the goal isn’t necessarily daily happiness, but long-term fulfillment. Don’t compare life today to life yesterday - that's a recipe for disaster.*

*For further reading, "Stumbling on Happiness".

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Struggling to get started with a training plan? Looking for more than our 5-10 min workouts? Don't like when we suggest burpees?

Enter Strongest! The app has 1,000+ functional fitness workouts for iPhone + Apple Watch with in-app pacing guidance + analysis to help you achieve more goals.

For a limited time, Thrive25 readers get this 100% free. - CLICK HERE. Check out this awesome app today.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Expiration Dating: Milk expire tomorrow? “Food product dating,” as the USDA calls it, is completely voluntary, and actually just refers to “peak quality” - can you trust them? Check out this article to learn more about when to throw out eggs, milk, beans, and other food staples. (NYTimes)

Artificial Intelligence, M.D.: ChatGPT passed the U.S. medical licensing exam (USMLE). It’s a significant milestone in AI, as the model produced “at least one significant insight that was new, non-obvious and clinically valid” for roughly 90% of its responses. (Read more)

Come to Florida for…the Food?: Move over Florida Man, the state is looking to break stigma (yes - I'm taking some new resident pride here). Known for Hooters, Olive Garden and Gatorade, Michelin devoted a U.S. guide to the Sunshine state last year - the 5th destination in the U.S. (after NYC, DC, Chicago and Cali). Why? Stone crab, steamed oysters, Cuban sandwiches, fresh orange juice, guava pastelitos, key lime pie…hungry? (WSJ)

Tuesday QR (Quick Recipe)

Cheesecake has always been one of my favorites - here's a health(ish) version with barely any sugar that your better half will love for V-Day dessert!

Low Carb Spark

Pro Tip: Make sure you get full-fat dairy products. If possible, always shoot for organic and grass-fed.

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Bucket List

Methana, Greece

Greece is a beautiful country with rich history that creates enduring memories. Max honeymooned in Athens, Santorini and Crete - they loved it so much, they went back two years later and checked out Mykonos.

30 miles southwest of Athens, but 2½ hours by car around the Aegean Sea, sits the nearest active volcano - Methana on a peninsula of the same name. Relatively unknown to tourists, in recent years hiking trails that date back to the Bronze Age have been recreated for passage. Greek mythology is ever present near and around the volcano, and you can relax at hot springs or ancient baths, or just stare off into the crystal blue waters at a beachside café.

Greece Travel

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To health!

Issue #125: How Lebron James Became the NBA's Top All-Time Scorer

Ryan Schneider — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:05:24 +0000

Good morning. It’s Friday, February 10th. Super Bowl LVII is Sunday at 6:30p ET on FOX. The Eagles are currently favored by 1.5 points over the Chiefs.

Learn to be your own biggest fan, the world will provide plenty of critics.
Dale Thomas Vaughn

Weekly Insights: The Wide World of Sports
Inspiration: The Chosen One
Friday Flex: Abs, More Abs and Foam Rolling
Brain Games: The Harder Way

World Record for Ironman Championship in Kona, HI - set in 2022. That's the time to cover a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run. (source)

That's crazy - we're just talking about a Sprint or Olympic Triathlon 😎.

Weekly Insights

Click HERE to check out previous issues in the Thrive25 archive.

And speaking of learning something new, check out this article by Thrive25 reader and contributor Lisa Roths. While you're out there, check out the revamped website. More will be rolled out in the coming days!

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Struggling to get started with a training plan? Don't know what to do after the 5-min Thrive25 workout when you get to the gym or head to the basement to work out? Don't like when we suggest burpees?

Enter Strongest! Answer a few questions about you, your health, and your goals and get a workout plan 100% personalized to you.

Strongest helps busy people develop sustainable exercise habits with personalized strength + conditioning plans.

For a limited time, Thrive25 readers get special pricing on 3-month plans - CLICK HERE.

Inspiration

Imagine being named “The Chosen One” on the cover of the most popular sports magazine in the world at age 17 - and then, over the next 20+ years, somehow exceed expectations.

Sports Illustrated

In an age of social media and short attention spans, we too easily glorify and anoint greatness to just about everyone that becomes popular.

But sometimes that recognition is warranted.

LeBron James has scored more points than anyone to ever play in the NBA. In his 20 seasons, he’s been an all-star 19 times, been awarded 4 MVP trophies, and won the title 4 times.

The crazy part is - he’s not even a “scorer." He also ranks 4th all time in assists, 9th in steals, and 32nd in rebounds.

There’s no doubt that LeBron is graced with innate ability that the rest of us can barely fathom - like when he jumped over 5’11” John Lucas.

But chalking up his success to raw talent would be a huge disservice. Despite the potential to let all that media attention going to his head, LeBron continues to outwork, outsmart, and outperform just about everyone that plays the game of basketball.

Philadelphia 76ers coach (and former player), Doc Rivers, said, “LeBron has scored baskets in every way possible.”

First - you could make him use his off-hand (make him go left). So he worked until he could go both ways. Then you gave him the open shot - he’s now 9th all time in made 3-pointers. Then as his body slowed down (even the slightest), he re-invented himself again with a low post game like a power forward.

Bam Adebayo says “he’s like a computer” comparing him to being MS Excel while everyone else is still writing things down.

It’s that meticulous attention to detail and work ethic that elevates him to the next level.

That’s also been the key to his longevity.

Back in 2014, LeBron struggled with back issues. Unwilling to accept traditional therapy, he got the best experts and trainers on biomechanics to figure out how to strengthen his core and adjust his alignment (remember Issue #84).

He uses that same approach for his workouts and diet. It’s pretty well documented that he tries to sleep 8-10 hours (even becoming the spokesperson for the meditation app Calm “Greatness Lies On the Other Side of Sleep”) and eats a strict regimen of meat, fish, veggies & fruit. He even went 67 days without sugars or dairy - he especially avoids sugar during the playoffs because it “delays recovery.”

It was cool to see him cut ties with McDonalds saying “our values don’t align," but to be fair he still promotes Mountain Dew (allegedly he doesn’t drink soda) and Ruffles Chips.

Other key aspects of his health routine:

20-min yoga sessions to end workouts
Hyperbaric chamber to increase oxygen levels
Electrostimulation on flights after games to flush out toxins
Cryotherapy & ice baths to boost recovery
Pressure & massage

But maybe the most overlooked tool is LeBron’s commitment to mental health. He cites meditation as the way he got through “The Bubble” when NBA players were quarantined from the rest of the world for months in Orlando playing games through the pandemic. It’s the year the Lakers won the title, so…

Despite that magazine cover back in 2002, no one would have guessed that LeBron would score 38,000 points and be one of the best players in the NBA for 20 years.

We don’t need to spend $1M a year on our health - but it shows you what’s possible for the rest of us when we take care of our mind and body.

ESPN

Friday Flex

Wednesday (Issue #123) was chest - today is all about abs. Three rounds of three exercises for your core, followed by a little foam roll to show some love to your quads.

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click to View Workout

Brain Games

#1: 2-min Break - Allergies

Five friends (Enrique, Maria, Viktoria, Wei, and Zion) are each allergic to something different: pollen, shellfish, bee stings, cats, or nuts.

Enrique has a food allergy
Maria can play with his kitten for hours without issue (or medicine)
Viktoria’s allergy is not related to animals
Wei has seasonal allergies

Can you figure out who is allergic to what?

Why: Sharpen logic and reasoning skills

Credit: Reader's Digest

#2: 10-min of Focus - Try the Harder Way

Technology does a lot to make things in life easier, faster, more efficient, but our cognitive skills can suffer as a result. Max used to know every street where we grew up, now he’s too reliant on GPS to get around.

Don’t use your navigational system for a day, a week, maybe more - rely on your brain only! Bonus: figure out another part of life where you're too reliant on tech and cut it out of the routine for a bit.

Why: Improve spatial and problem-solving skills

Credit: Scientific American

**For answer, scroll to the bottom of the issue

Thrive25 Referral Program

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Thanks for another great week! Head into the weekend with a little tribute to LeBron's 2020 championship run:

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Brain Games Answer

#1: Enrique is allergic to shellfish, Maria to bee stings, Viktoria to nuts, Wei to pollen, and Zion to cats.

Why Thrive25

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.

To health!

Issue #128: What Women Want

Ryan Schneider — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:04:28 +0000

Good morning. It's Wednesday, February 15th. On this day in 2001, in Nature a group of hundreds of scientists published the complete human genome - all 3B base pairs. This was the culmination of a major project that started in 1990 and has enabled countless studies.

Happy birthday reader Justin T!

Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get–only with what you are expecting to give–which is everything.
Katharine Hepburn

From the Lab: Affection & Empathy
Take Action: Listen & Open Up
Speed Read: Tonal in Trouble
Wednesday Weights: Single Arm Workout
What We're Reading: The Good Life

The average difference between audience (57%) and critics' (36%) ratings in Rotten Tomatoes for romantic comedies. This is the biggest positive spread of any movie genre - we want to be in love! The highest rated RomCom since 1941? The Big Sick.

From the Lab

You probably know about the 5 Love Languages.

No doubt that knowing how your partner communicates is helpful (take the Quiz HERE to better understand yourself and your partner).

But according to the Harvard Happiness Study - just two things matter the most:

Affection
Empathy

Couples who expressed affectionate emotions while talking about a challenging topic were more likely to be together five years later.

Seems pretty obvious - but what does this really mean? And do we do it?

Start with affection.

The study brought in couples and then had untrained observers watch 8-10 min videos of how they interacted - showing affection vs. anger vs. humor.

Giphy.com

Five years later they checked in with the same couples. Turns out the observers were correct 85 percent of the time in predicting if the couples would still be together. If these random observers picked up on your emotions - what do you think your partner notices??

As for empathy - this was especially critical for men.

The more men showed an interest to understand what their partner is actually feeling (not just what they’re saying) the more likely the couple stayed together.

One critical point for guys - they don’t even need to be right about what they’re feeling (let’s be honest - sometimes we just don’t get it). But it’s not about actually knowing how your partner feels - just that we care enough to try to know.

Giphy.com

I can relate - every time my wife tells me about a problem all I want to do is solve it. But really what she wants is just me to listen and understand what she’s going through.

Bonus Point: Many men (hand raised) can be closed off and engage in a relationship with the mindset that “we’re self-sufficient” or “we’re tough." I tell myself I’m always there as a rock for my wife, but rarely open up.

There are numerous examples in the Harvard Study where the problem with the relationship wasn’t a fight - but a guy being unwilling to let their partner in.

Look - vulnerability is hard (Issue #126). What if this doesn’t work out - what if we get hurt?

Our relationships today tie up our entire life - finances, kids, even friends.

Being vulnerable doesn’t always come naturally. But living in fear is about surviving - deep intimate connections opens up the true human experience and gives us the ability to thrive.

Take Action

Listen - literally just listen and do your best to understand what your partner is feeling.
Open up - remember toughness isn’t some old-school masculinity. Toughness is being vulnerable to the people you love and love you back.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

The dweeb app taps in to the same databases that many private investigators use, and pulls publicly available, non-regulated data in to an easy use format.

Dweeb is NOT available in the typical app store, but is a free download at www.dweeb.app.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Wanna Play a Game?: Recycle or Trash? It’s not as easy as you think. What you think you know about recycling might not be true. Local laws make it very confusing and if you really want to make sure you're doing it right - you gotta check out your own area. (NYTimes)

Tonal in Trouble: The smart fitness platform that was supposed to "change" the way we all workout raised $250M in 2021 at a $1.6B valuation. With all of us heading back to the gym, the company is now seeking a buyer at only a $500M valuation. What's next for all these fitness tech companies from the pandemic? (SportsProMedia)

The Chicken Economy: 100 years ago, we really only ate the eggs, rarely the actual bird...until a local hatchery delivered 500 chickens instead of 50 to a farm. Without an Amazon return policy, the farm ended up making a nice profit. Word spread…globally we consumed 8B chicken in 1965 - now that number is 70 BILLION. (Read more)

Wednesday Weights

Back in the weight room today to strengthen our chest, but also our core, back & shoulders with a pull-through exercise that is definitely underrated.

For easy access, save this image to your phone or computer in a folder called Thrive25.

Click To View Workout

Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts at Playbook!

What We're Reading

The Good Life

Many articles, blogs and podcasts attempt to summarize the findings from the Harvard Happiness study (including us). But the headlines don't do justice to the many scientific findings and interesting stories of the hundreds of people who actually participated in the research. This book quickly became one of my favorites that I highly recommend to just about everyone in my network. Trust the title - if you want to live The Good Life, check it out. (Amazon)

Thrive25 Referral Program

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Thanks for joining us today!

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Why Thrive25

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To health!

Issue #129: Love Thyself

Ryan Schneider — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:04:24 +0000

Good morning. It’s Thursday, February 16th. Umm... it's National Almond Day?

Oh if you're interested - "I Want to Know What Love Is" was yesterday's poll winner (followed by Whitney and my fave REO Speedwagon).

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
Oscar Wilde

From the Lab: Treat Yo' Self
Take Action: How to Self Love
Speed Read: Quaoar the Creator - Reimagined
Thursday Night In: Sheet Pan Fried Rice
Moment of Fun: ChatGPT in Love?

The percent of people in the U.S. with low self-esteem at some point in their life. Remember, there's only one you, so learn to love yourself for who you are. (Read more)

From the Lab

Consider this…

How did you treat yourself yesterday? This past week? Since the New Year?

If you treated your partner the same way would you still be together?

The relationship I struggle with the most in life - myself.

(Even as I write this, my inner critic is saying - “umm…how are you going to write about this when you’re not even good at it”).

But I don’t think I’m alone.

Many of us don’t give ourselves a break. We overanalyze our faults and mistakes; we don’t celebrate our own wins.

When I finish a run - I wonder how it could have been faster; when I shoot an 87 on a tough golf course - I look back and think of all the bad shots that I could have fixed; my focus goes to what's wrong even when "I'm winning."

Giphy.com

As you can see - way too much time grilling myself and not enough time loving myself.

Self-love is a tough concept. It’s not the same thing as having self-esteem or deserving respect.

Even self-confidence and worth aren’t enough - we need to love ourselves.

While we might feel tough by setting higher expectations and constantly striving for more - but self-love is actually what makes us truly tough:

We can give more fully to others and are open to real vulnerability
We are more resilient and not dependent on others for our happiness
We earn respect from others

There’s a book from Kamal Ravikant, “Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It.” He went through hell and back.

He says we should ask ourselves:

“If I loved myself, truly and deeply, would I let myself experience this?”

For more on his full set of practices - including two meditations click HERE.

Take care of the relationships in your life and don’t be afraid to love.

That starts with you.

Giphy.com

Take Action

If you haven’t already, name your inner critic. It separates you from this voice so you can have more control
Focus on appreciation, not expectation. You can still push yourself to be the best, but celebrate wins and treat yourself like you would your partner, parent, or kid

*For more reading:

Life Force by Tony Robbins (Chapter 25 - ironic?)
"Stop Being So Hard on Yourself" by Harvard Business Review

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

The Strongest App has 1,000+ functional fitness workouts for iPhone + Apple Watch with in-app personalized guidance + analysis to help you achieve more goals.

Psst. Don't tell anyone, but we've been able to snag a few more spots for Thrive25 subscribers...

Get a 100% personalized strength + conditioning plan powered by Strongest AI for only $14.99 / mo if you sign up by the end of the week (2/17).

CLICK HERE to check out this awesome app today.

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Put a Ring on It: How do you like these crazy space updates? There’s a ring around a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, and it shouldn’t be there. Quaoar (named after the creator god of the Tongva people of ancient LA), which also has a moon named Weywat (Quaoar’s son), is doing its best Saturn impression. The ring is 2x beyond the Roche limit, and should have already formed another moon. Point is - we're learning about planet formation. (NYTimes)

Workout Wife: We’ve hit on the value of both accountability partners and workout buddies to stay motivated. But a workout wife or husband? If it works for you! (WSJ)

Did We Just Talk About This?: The need to navigate might have been the starting point for all memories. If that’s true, what does GPS do to our memory? Likely limit your hippocampus, deeply associated with spatial memory, spatial navigation and mental mapping - if you don’t use it, you lose it. Perhaps you don’t remember - we gave you this task in Issue #125, Brain Games. (Scientific American)

Thursday Night In

Got some leftover rice from earlier in the week? Try this healthy "fried" rice. And it's not just about leftover rice - go ahead and clean out your refrigerator and include any extra vegetables. Get some oyster sauce on hand - with several essential minerals (Fe, Mg, Na, Zn, B12, etc.) it's a healthy addition, and makes this baked rice taste really good.

Damn Delicious

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Moment of Fun

ChatGPT in Love?

OpenAI ChatGPT

ChatGPT is everywhere right now. So we sat down with it and asked two really important questions:

Can you love? As an AI language model, I do not have feelings, emotions, or personal experiences, so I cannot be in love in the same sense that humans can. I have been programmed to understand and respond to questions about love and relationships, but I do not have the capacity to experience love myself. I exist solely to assist users by providing information and answering questions to the best of my ability.

Ok, then tell us some good jokes about love? Here are a few love-themed jokes to make you smile:

Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing!
Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!
How do you catch a unique rabbit? Unique up on it!
What did the frog say to the princess when he asked her to marry him? "I'm your prince charming!"
Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired!
What did the left eye say to the right eye? Between us, something smells!
What did the math book say to the history book? "Don't bother me, I've got my own problems!"

Remember, laughter is a great way to bring people together and to lighten the mood in any relationship. These jokes may bring a smile to your and your partner's faces and help to create a fun and relaxed atmosphere in your relationship.

With all those "love" jokes, it's safe to say the singularity isn't happening tomorrow...maybe we've got until GPT-6.

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