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Edition #26 | Evan Slaughter's Unique Approach to Health

Plus: 6 tips to become an ultra-runner, expert advice for healthy joints, and more.

Good morning and welcome to The Weekly Rep, the official newsletter of fitness. Shoutout to the 327 new readers this week! We now have 11,690 readers.

In today’s edition:

  • Nike’s massive announcement

  • Evan Slaughter’s inspirational health journey

  • Expert advice for keeping your joints healthy

  • 6 tips to become an ultra-runner from pro Mike McKnight

  • Enter our largest giveaway yet — over $1,400 in prizes!

Let’s dive in 💥 

IN THE NEWS 
WEEKLY WORKOUTS

6 Tips to Become an Ultra-Runner from Pro Mike McKnight

So 26 miles just isn’t far enough for you, huh? If that’s the case, and you’re ready to take your running game to the next level, you’ve probably heard of Ultra running. These ultramarathons range from 31 miles to over 200 miles and are a grueling test of mental and physical stamina. Sounds like fun, right?

If you answered yes to that question, then these tips from professional Ultra runner and coach Mike McKnight will be just what you need to get started on your Ultra journey. McKnight coaches runners from beginners to those preparing for 200-mile races, so whether you’re at the very start of your journey, or just looking to improve, read his feature article to see what this pro recommends.

Build Strength With This 30-Minute Full Body Workout

Requiring limited equipment, this bootcamp-style intense full-body workout from Sydney Cummings is sure to make you break a sweat. Suitable for all fitness levels as a way to mix things up, this would make a great addition to your training routine. Here are a few of our favorite exercises from the workout:

  • Goblet squats

  • Single arm rows

  • Hammer curls

  • Reverse lunges

  • Skull crushers

4 Tips to Get a Killer Workout With Just Dumbbells

The gym is great. From its vast selection of machines that work basically every muscle imaginable, to barbells and weight plates, it’s not hard to get a great lift at the gym. But there are times in life when you don’t have access to the health club, whether that’s a pandemic (hopefully that’s behind us), or just because your kids are home from school for a few days. When that happens, it’s time to turn to those trusty ol’ dumbbells.

Now if you think you can’t get a killer workout with just dumbbells, you’re absolutely wrong – though there are a few tricks to give your dumbbell-only workout a little more kick. To get the low down on how to amp things up, we caught up with fitness instructor and master of at-home workouts, Fiona Judd.

Interested in reading Fiona’s advice? Check out her full article!

PROFILE

Evan Slaughter’s One Foot In Front of the Other Approach to Health

There are a million reasons to prioritize your health. From the numerous studies that show exercise increases life expectancy, to the outpouring of research that indicates movement can have a positive impact on mental health, there’s an abundance of scientifically backed reasons to get moving.

But getting in shape and keeping your body healthy isn’t always six packs and weight loss transformations. Instead, sometimes fitness has a dark side and becomes a slippery slope that strips away our self-love and erodes our mental health. Evan Slaughter knows this side of fitness all too well.

The veteran-turned-influencer has been candid when it comes to his journey with health and wellness, and recently acknowledged that being in shape doesn’t always fix everything.

“For a big part of my life, I was interested in exercise,” Slaughter says. “I worked as a personal trainer, and in the military, I was in the Army and the Infantry and went through Special Forces selection – so I always enjoyed exercise.

“When I got out of the military, just getting older and whatever, I got away from it. I got really out of shape and was eating too much, not putting healthy things into my body, and it just gets away from you fast,” Slaughter says.

A feeling that’s familiar to many, Slaughter acknowledges that getting out of shape “just kind of snuck up on me. It was one of those moments where I was like, ‘man, I gotta do something about this,’ because I started to feel like I wasn’t feeling great.”

Slaughter says that although he “wasn’t feeling great” at this point in his life physically, “the difference is that whenever I was at the time in my life where I was in really good shape, I think I was actually in worse mental health shape. It wasn’t until I got out of shape that I felt like I started to work on my mental health – you wouldn’t think that would happen like that.

“I’m not saying that my mental health improved when I got out of shape, but I was able to learn some things about myself,” Slaughter continues.

“As I got out of shape, I started to learn how to love myself, no matter what I looked like physically – which was big for me. As I started working on my mental health when I was out of shape, I learned to love myself no matter what circumstances I was in, or what I looked like, or what my physical health was. That, in turn, gave me the desire to get back in shape because I now enjoy life again. It was like, now I want to be in better physical health because I want a better quality of life. I want to be able to do things. I want to be able to go places. I want to be comfortable when I do those things and to be able to try new things and be in shape.

“I got out of shape, worked on my mental health, and then from that transition, it was like, now that I love myself for who I am, let’s get back in shape,” he says.

THINGS TO…
…DO  🙌

Keep Your Joints Healthy

When your joints are feeling great, you probably don’t think about them. It’s kind of like having a cold – you don’t think about how much you take breathing through your nose for granted until you can’t. Daily movements with pain-free joints are a lot like that. Only once your knees creak, your lower back tightens, or your shoulders stiffen do you wish there was something you could do.

Good joint health is about more than addressing problems as they arise. Like any other fitness endeavor, joint health can be proactively nurtured to develop and maintain the mobility required to lead an active life. To shed light on how you can both rehabilitate painful joints, as well as prevent them in the first place, we turned to the expertise of physical therapist and founder of The Physio Fix, Dr. Stacie Barber.

…TRY 🏃

Training for Peak Metabolic Health

Zone 2 training has become a buzzword in fitness. But what exactly does it entail? And more importantly, how can you apply it to your training? Learn everything you need to know about Zone 2 training from this conversation between 2 highly regarded doctors, Iñigo San-Millán and Peter Attia.

…EAT 🌮

Rotisserie Chicken Baked Tacos

It’s Taco Tuesday and we’re back with another delicious recipe. These 5-ingredient, gluten- and dairy-free tacos will make your life easy. Olivia Adriance and Nicole Keshishian Modic crushed it once again with this recipe. It’s one you’ll have a hard time keeping out of your weeknight rotation!

…FIX 💪

Your Push-Up

Push-ups are one of the easiest exercises to do anywhere and provide massive benefits when performed correctly. Unfortunately, most of us were never taught how to properly do them. Follow the 4 steps below to perfect your form.

…LEARN 💡

How to Track Your Macros

Macros, short for macronutrients, are the building blocks of our diet. They are the nutrients that provide us with energy and help us grow and repair our bodies. There are three primary macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. And understanding how to count macros is essential for anyone looking to improve their health, fitness, or body composition.

FITNESS FUN

  • Dad Joke of the Week

    • Q — Why was the farmer kicked out of the gym?

    • A — He was destroying his calves

  • 5 signs you have gym OCD

  • What kind of squats do lazy people do?

FLEX YOUR BRAIN

What is the fastest marathon time on a record-eligible course?

a. 1:59:40

b. 2:00:35

c. 2:01:09

d. 2:01:41

Every week, we’ll pick people at random who reply to this email with the correct answer to receive a 1-month Lift Box subscription!

Last week’s answer — 3,249 push-ups 😎

OCTOBER GIVEAWAY

Introducing our new biggest giveaway yet! We’ve joined forces with 5 amazing brands to bring you an opportunity to win one of two incredible prize packages.

With over $1,400 worth of prizes up for grabs, this giveaway is one you won’t want to miss. But hurry, registration closes this Sunday, October 29 🔥

DEALS OF THE MONTH

Don’t miss out on the latest deals! Every month, we receive exclusive discounts for our subscribers from incredible fitness + wellness brands. Just by reading our newsletter (or being a subscriber of The Lift Box), you’ll receive every deal we have. New deals go live towards the end of every month.

Check them out!