We recently upgraded the sweeteners in our PerfectAmino Powder and PerfectAmino Electrolytes.

And in doing so we found out something quite disturbing.

We already knew some sweeteners labeled “Pure” or “All Natural” were often cut with artificial sweeteners to a degree, and we have always had to watch this.

But what we found out when researching natural sweeteners for our new formulation, and the amount of them that actually aren’t what they say they are, was surprising and somewhat scary.

It turns out, about 99% of so-called natural sweeteners actually contain artificial sweeteners in amounts as much as 60%, 80%… or even 100%.

And we want to make sure you know about this, why it matters, and what to look out for.

The body is a complex contraption, full of very exact systems, and a thousand different factors influencing its overall health and performance in one way or another.

But how do we separate out the important factors that allow us to measure our overall health and spot potential health troubles before they become a real situation?

There is something called Heart Rate Variability, or HRV, and it is a literal measuring stick for our health that we can use to monitor ourselves.

Whether we're into extreme sports and maximum physical performance, or trying to achieve optimal health for a long life, learning what HRV is, and how to use it, puts our health and performance in our hands.

This helps us spot trouble when it’s still a ways away, so we can handle it before it gets out of hand.

High stress levels are a leading problem in society today, with over half of Americans reporting they feel moderately to significantly stressed during the day.

This leads to depression and anxiety, as well as high tempers, and makes life much less enjoyable.

But it goes beyond that, because our mental stress levels affect our physical health.

Mental stress raises our cortisol levels, which in turn throws other hormones out of balance, lowers our ability to get deep, restorative sleep, causes weight gain, slows or prevents muscle building, and lowers our energy levels.

Stress also reduces our ability to recover from exercise and injury and lowers our overall health.

But while mental stress raises physical stress levels, this is not one-sided. Physical stress levels can raise and magnify mental and emotional stress levels.

In fact, our physical and mental stress levels work in tandem, each raising or lowering the other.

So what causes us to be stressed and how do we lower our overall stress levels?

How do we achieve a more even-keeled mood, more able to calmly face the challenges life presents?

How do we become the most alert and competent we can be mentally, while at the same time being able to relax when we need or want to, or when it's time to sleep?

And how do we raise our energy levels, improve hormonal balance, and increase our overall health?

Welcome to the Stress Series and 3 week challenge.

Well done on completing the 30 Day Lean Body/Lean Bulk Challenge!

While you may feel and look different on the outside... on the inside things are even more different.

We’ve balanced hormones and repaired or replaced trillions of cells.

We’ve removed fat not only from our fat cells, but from our organs such as our liver and kidney, where it can make them less efficient or prevent them from doing their job.

We’ve built lean muscle and, depending on where we started, changed our body shape.

We’ve improved digestion and the microbiome, the most important gatekeepers for our overall health.

We’ve improved our body’s energy levels, our endurance, and our body's ability to recover, burn body fat and build lean muscle.

And we've set ourselves up, if we maintain our current lifestyle, to stay lean and continue to add muscle.

And if we have some extra deserts and gain a couple of pounds... we're now much more physically and hormonally set up to lose that very fast, often within a couple of days.

In short… we’ve done a lot!

But what do we do now?

As we enter Week Two, cravings for junk food or processed sugars should be lowering or gone.

And you may not have added much in the way of muscle yet.

That’s fine, you’ve just started and it will come. Right now we’re dialing things in and balancing hormones for muscle building and body fat regulation.

You also may have found it hard to eat all of the natural proteins on the protocol. But this protein is necessary.

Building muscle is about injuring our muscles by putting more pressure on them than they’re used to so they’ll be forced to not only heal, but grow to accommodate the new levels of stress we’ve put on them.

It takes about 90g of pure protein to build a pound of muscle. Most of the rest is fat and water. A pound of muscle is about the size of a tangerine, so even one pound is noticeable if in the right places.

So we need to make sure we’re getting enough protein to not only heal and maintain the muscle we do have, but add to it.

If you’re having trouble getting in all the protein, first, make sure you’re taking your digestive enzymes. Most people’s digestive tracts are not set up to fully digest natural proteins anymore due to our diets. But this prevents us from getting the nutrition we need from this food.

Your digestive tract’s ability to fully digest and absorb protein determines, in large part, your body's ability to build muscle and lose body fat.

It also affects our energy levels, hormones, inflammatory response, and overall health.

When protein isn’t properly digested, this triggers a sequence of actions, involving our immune system, which leads to higher levels of cortisol, the hormone that prevents fat loss and breaks down muscle.

Even more, without full digestion, our body receives less of the protein we consume in a form it can actually use.

So we get less protein for muscle, properly balanced hormones, and overall health and energy, while at the same time we’re eating more that goes to waste.

This is a big deal. Due to processed foods and sugars, many of our digestive tracts don’t function at optimal levels, preventing a significant amount of the food we eat from being fully broken down so our body can use it.

Beyond this, improper digestion leads to not only heart burn, acid reflux, GERD, and gas and bloating, but also allows for harmful bacteria, parasites, and fungi to take root, further causing us trouble.

Everything hinges on protein.

So, understanding exactly how digestion works and how to keep or get it working properly is very important.

Welcome to Week One of the Lean Body/Lean Bulk Challenge!

In this article we cover what metrics to keep track of, dialing in your macros and workouts, and what to expect during week one.

In the first week of this challenge we have several things happening.

We’re trying to switch our diet so our bodies are getting what they need to build lean muscle without the excess calories or hormone-triggering foods that would cause fat gain.

With this comes restructuring our cells so they will use the foods we’re giving them properly and balancing or increasing hormone levels so our body will prioritize building lean muscle over body fat.

We’re addressing digestion, which is crucial to our overall health as well as building muscle, as we need our cells to receive all of the nutrients and vitamins we’re consuming.

You will be consuming a lot of whole food proteins, which your stomach is probably not used to receiving, and it will need extra help until it builds up enough stomach acid and enzymes of its own.

So make sure you’re taking your digestive enzymes with each meal during this.

We’ll also be working to dial in our exact macros.

And we may be experiencing some cravings.

On this protocol you will be lifting 5 days per week.

As this protocol is very specific to building lean muscle and toning, there will mainly be weight lifting.

There will also be something called Zone 2 Cardio, which will not cause muscle loss, but other than that there is no cardio during this challenge.

If you would like to take a walk, that’s fine. But adding in other forms of cardio could hamper your progress.

And it’s only 30 days.

Okay, let’s run through a few key points and then jump into the workouts.

On this protocol you will be lifting 5-6 days per week.

As this protocol is very specific to building lean muscle and toning, there will mainly be weight lifting.

There will also be something called Zone 2 Cardio, which will not cause muscle loss, but other than that there is no cardio during this challenge unless you have extra energy for Day 6.

But if you really want to build muscle, extra cardio is not recommended.

If you would like to take a walk, that’s fine. But adding in other forms of cardio could hamper your progress.

And it’s only 30 days.

Okay, let’s run through a few key points and then jump into the workouts.

Here we cover the specific supplements and macronutrient you will be consuming during this protocol and exactly how.

This protocol is meant for significantly increased lean muscle, so the macros may seem high to some. 

But it's also meant to be used with the Advanced Workout Regimen, so the macros will be used by our body.

There are three different macronutrient ranges to pick from depending on which Carb to Fat ratio you personally prefer, with notes on each.

There is also an exact way in which you will dial in your macros to ensure you are getting the correct amount for what your body needs.

Let's start.

Here we cover the exact supplements and macronutrient you will be consuming during this protocol and exactly how.

There are three different macronutrient ranges to pick from, depending on which Carb to Fat ratio you personally prefer, with notes on each.

There is also an exact way in which you will dial in your macros to ensure you are getting enough for what your body needs.

Here we cover the exact supplements and macronutrient you will be consuming during this protocol and exactly how.

There are three different macronutrient ranges to pick from depending which Carb to Fat ratio you personally prefer, with notes on each.

There is also an exact way in which you will dial in your macros to ensure you are getting enough for what your body needs.

Let's start.