Sleep Foundations

Josh Allen • June 14, 2023

Understanding the Circadian Rhythm

  • Your circadian rhythm, or your sleep/wake cycle, is a 24-hour internal clock that regulates sleepfulness and wakefulness. Your circadian rhythm is controlled by a part of your brain called the hypothalamus, which is very sensitive to light. When your hypothalamus senses light, it sends signals to the rest of your body telling it that it's time to wake up. On the other hand, when it gets dark, your hypothalamus signals your body that it's time to wind down. 
  • Another factor that affects circadian rhythm is temperature. Humans have evolved with temperatures dropping at night relative to day. Just like light, our body senses temperature and it has an effect on our sleep.
  • Cortisol and melatonin are the main hormones involved in the circadian rhythm process. In a perfect world, cortisol rises in the morning and then drops at night. Melatonin does the opposite. It's lowest in the morning and then gradually increases as the day goes on. That means, in theory, you wake up in the morning feeling energized, ready to go from cortisol. Then at night you start to feel sleepy and head to bed from melatonin.
  • Circadian rhythms have been critical throughout evolution, allowing animals (including humans) to prepare for upcoming changes to their environment. Today, research is charting the harms of disrupted circadian rhythm, such as sleep disorders, obesity, diabetes, depression, and bipolar disorder—not to mention difficulties concentrating and staying productive.


Physiological & Lifestyle Factors That Affect Sleep

  • High Cortisol
  • Cortisol is your ‘stress’ hormone. Cortisol is not bad but too much of it and at the wrong times is. Unfortunately we expose ourselves to more stress than what we evolved to be able to handle. When we have this chronic high level of stress, our cortisol levels become imbalanced which will disrupt sleep.
  • Cortisol is designed to wake us up in the morning. Altered cortisol levels can lead to you waking earlier than usual. Waking up at 3, 4 or 5am and not being able to fall back asleep can be a sign of high cortisol.
  • Lifestyle factors: 
  • Mental stress such as deadlines, workload, arguments. 
  • Emotional stress such as relationship problems, not doing what you love.
  • Physical stress such as poor diet, lack of sleep, too much physical exertion or injuries.
  • Blood Sugar Imbalances.
  • Being insulin resistant means that your cells do not respond well to insulin, a hormone needed to regulate blood sugar. 
  • Insulin resistance and poor blood sugar balance can cause the kidneys to overwork, leading to more frequent urination at night which disrupts sleep.
  • Lifestyle Factors
  • Poor nutritional choices, typically processed high carbohydrate diets.
  • Lack of or poor quality sleep.
  • Poor Detoxification 
  • Inability to effectively detoxify will negatively affect sleep. 
  • The liver is responsible for detoxification and does most of its work at night. Therefore, if the liver is overworked or backed up from excessive toxic load, you will have trouble falling or staying asleep.
  • Lifestyle Factors
  • Consumption of water or food high in toxins ie: heavy metals, pesticides.
  • Environmental toxins ie: car or industry related pollution.
  • Direct exposure ie: careers with chemical exposure, cosmetics etc.
  • Digestion and Food Timing
  • Digestion is meant to slow down at night. Eating late leads to poor digestion by forcing it to work overtime. As a result you won’t sleep well.
  • Lifestyle Factors
  • Eating large/dense meals within 3hrs of bed time. 
  • Alcohol can disrupt sleep too. It may help you fall asleep easier but it generally will lead to poor sleep quality and cause you to wake early feeling unrested.
  • Low Carb Diets
  • Low carb diets and regular fasting, especially for too long will disrupt sleep. It results in a reduction of serotonin; a sleep and mood neurotransmitter.
  • Low carb/calorie diets also affect the thyroid which regulates body temperature; a major part of maintaining healthy circadian rhythm. 
  • Intense Training and Exercise Timing
  • Excess cardio, or workouts that are very long (more than an hour) put the body under excessive stress. 
  • Intense exercise later in the evening will suppress melatonin and elevate cortisol making it harder to fall asleep.


5 Reasons To Prioritize Sleep

Sleep is probably the best and most underrated thing you can do for your health, well being and longevity. In our modern world with so many forces against sleep (TV, cellphones, workload, social pressure/commitments, processed foods etc) it is no wonder that our sleep suffers the way it does and why it is so challenging for us to get a good night's sleep. Here are 5 reasons why getting good sleep is essential to living your best life. 


1.Repair and Recovery

  • Whether you are a professional athlete or office worker, if you want to perform well at your craft you must allow the brain and body to rest.
  • Between 10pm and 1am growth hormone repairs your body while the nervous system repairs from 1am - 6am.

2. Focus & Cognition

  • Good sleep can optimize problem-solving abilities and boost memory performance. Conversely, insufficient sleep has been demonstrated to hinder cognitive function and impair decision-making capabilities.

3. Energy

  • Most of us feel a sense of pride when we accomplish important tasks during the day. Having enough energy is essential to completing these responsibilities and feeling good about yourself. 

4. Fat Loss and Muscle Growth

  • Insufficient sleep duration is linked to a heightened likelihood of developing obesity and experiencing weight gain. Sleep deprivation can also amplify appetite, leading to increased calorie consumption, particularly of sugary and fatty foods.
  • Up to 80% of the growth hormone is secreted at night, between 11pm and 1am. This hormone is responsible for stimulating growth and repair of every tissue in the body (including muscles), along with mobilizing fat cells.

5. Emotions and Social Interactions

  • Inadequate sleep loss reduces your ability to regulate emotions and interact socially. Being tired creates behaviors that may be out of character for you. Prioritizing sleep may be a key way to improve your relationships with others and help you become more social.


10 Essential Habits to Improve Sleep

People demonstrate sleep challenges in different ways. Trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, snoozing a few times before waking up, waking up tired, etc. In some cases, people may not manifest specific symptoms. However, they realize how much better they sleep and feel when they start implementing better sleep related habits. So why do so many of us struggle with getting good sleep? There are many factors that play into having a good sleep, most of them lifestyle related and therefore within your control.  Here are 10 lifestyle habits that you can change to improve your sleep.


  • Morning Light
  • Allow sunlight (natural light) to be sensed by your body each morning. Getting sunlight (prior to 10am) on your body (eyes and skin) when you get up in the morning wakes up your cells and shuts off melatonin production to reset your circadian clock for a new day. 
  • If getting sunlight is difficult at certain times (because of weather, schedule or where you live), invest in devices that emit infrared light of specific (and safe) frequencies that have been proven to increase antioxidants, reduce inflammation, improve recovery and sleep quality.
  • Bed Time
  • Make it a habit to turn off your light by 10:30 pm at the latest. This allows your body to be sleeping by 11pm thereby taking advantage of the time when we release the most amount of growth hormone (which is essential for fat loss and muscle repair/growth). 
  • Electronics Before Bed
  • Set a time after which you do not use electronics including cell phones, TV, computers, etc. 1 hour before bed at minimum. If you absolutely must use them after the deadline, use blue-light blocking glasses and manage how bright the screens are.. 
  • Electronics While Sleeping
  • When you sleep, there should be no electronics beside you, especially near your head. All electronics emit frequencies that your brain perceives, disrupting sleep quality. Make sure Wifi is turned off and consider charging your devices in a room away from where you sleep.
  • Dim Lighting
  • The days of relying on a setting sun to regulate our sleep cycle are gone because we live in a time where it is hard to escape artificial light. We can however control the amount of light we are exposed to. As the sun goes down, turn off some lights to create a dim lit setting in your home. This will help with melatonin production allowing your body to be ready for sleep. Spending an evening with a fire is another way that dim lighting can help prepare your body for bed.
  • Bat Cave
  • For a healthy circadian rhythm, it is ideal to sleep in a room that is pitch black. Remove electorics, LED lights and install blinds or curtains to prevent light from outside. If you can not control the light, wear a sleep mask for your eyes. Along with that, reducing/eliminating noise in the room will dramatically improve sleep quality. If you cannot control noise, wear ear plugs.
  • Temperature
  • Temperature has just as much impact on your sleep, as light does. The ideal temperature of your room should be about 60-68 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius. Sleeping naked helps the body reduce its temperature, inducing deeper sleep too.
  • Nutrition
  • If you have blood sugar/insulin imbalances, it will be very important to fix this first. Generally this would require eating a whole foods diet that is free of processed carbohydrates. 
  • Finish eating your last meal, 3 hours before bed. If you need to eat closer to bedtime, choose something that is easier to digest such as a protein smoothie, banana or avocado.
  • Supplements
  • Basic supplements include high quality liquid fish oil and magnesium. These two alone will create improvements in sleep quality.
  • Calming Activities
  • Choose activities that help your nervous system turn on rest mode such as stretching, warm bath, drawing, reading or listening to relaxing music. Sitting by a fire is another great way to calm down and prepare the body and mind for bed.


Wake Times at Night and What They Mean 

10pm - 1am: Reactive Hypoglycemia (sugar crash)

  • Usually an indication of insulin resistance and not being able to balance blood sugar levels. Some form of nutritional intervention would be needed here. For others, this could be from not eating enough food or high quality carbohydrates during the day.

1am - 3am: Liver Toxicity / Overworked Liver

  • The liver could be overworked / toxic for a number of reasons. Some of these may include exposure to chemicals, hormones, heavy metals, birth control, medications, painkillers, alcohol and smoking. Besides minimizing / eliminating these factors, improving nutrition and hydration will support the liver.

3am - 5am: Oxidative stress

  • Having a high concentration of oxidants in your system is a result of consuming too many inflammatory, sugary, processed foods  and not enough variety/quantity of fruits and vegetables. 

3am - 7am: Disrupted Cortisol Curve 

  • Common for those who have a variety of stresses in their lives. The better you can manage the top stressors in your life, the faster you will sleep through this time slot. There are specific supplements that can help too if the basic sleep foundations do not work and you are unable to change the stressor.


If you would like more support to help you improve your sleep and energy contact us for information on our health coaching services.


By Nova Health Club March 31, 2025
Simon’s 6-Week Transformation: From Stressed & Stuck to Strong & Energized Simon joined Nova through the LeanDads 12-week program in February. Like many busy professionals...
By Josh Allen March 18, 2025
Health Comes First Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, strength or injury recovery, success starts with being healthy. As simple as that sounds, the unfortunate reality is that most people have no idea how to be healthy. Health isn’t just about working out and eating better . While those are important, they’re part of a bigger picture. True health requires a broader approach - one that goes beyond just hitting the gym or following a “healthy” diet. Think of health like a car with 5 gears: 1st gear – You work out 2nd gear – You work out and eat well But to shift into 5th gear, where real transformation happens, you need to focus on all 5 Pillars of Health These 5 pillars are so simple yet overlooked because modern life is filled with distractions - and we’re constantly bombarded with quick-fix solutions, trendy fads and marketing gimmicks that promise results overnight. But the truth is, when you implement the foundational principles of the 5 pillars you will achieve 80% of your goals. Without them, you’re stuck in low gear with slow progress and feeling frustrated. The 5 Pillars of Health 1)Mindset & Motivation Everything, even health starts with a thought. How you think determines your actions and whether they serve you or hold you back. For most people starting on a journey to achieve a health goal, it is like a fish out of water. They have no idea how to navigate the challenges - and trust me, a health journey has its share of challenges. You start off optimistic and full of excitement but if you don’t cultivate a strong mental outlook you won’t last. This is why most people don’t reach goals - or if they do, it does not last. THOUGHTS create FEELINGS which create ACTIONS which leads to RESULTS 2)Nutrition & Digestion Many people say they 'eat healthy' but are they eating healthy AND getting results? Unfortunately not… That is because most people do not understand what their body actually needs and even though a specific food could be 'healthy' it may not be healthy for you. Even if you are eating the right things, how is it being digested? Recent research emphasizes the critical role of digestion as the starting point for overall well-being. Digestive health influences not only body composition but also affects mood, energy levels, and even skin health. 3)Movement & Exercise The human body was designed to move. Incorporating movement, whether it be walking, stretching, working out or sport is paramount to overall health. When it comes to movement there are 4 components you must incorporate into your life - 1)Mobility, 2)NEAT (non-exercise active thermogenesis), 3)cardio and 4)strength training. If you only do one of them you are not optimizing your potential. 4)Stress & The Nervous System Stress is highly misunderstood. It is more than just work deadlines, traffic jams and challenging relationships. Stress is anything that takes your body out of equilibrium. That includes inflammatory foods, lack of sleep, digestive stress, alcohol, medications, environmental toxins etc. While most people see stress as something negative, it is meant to make us stronger and more adaptable to the pressures we face. Stress only becomes a problem when there is too much or when our resilience to it has been compromised. 5)Sleep, Rest & Recovery There is so much stress and stimulus in modern life. Even positive ones (like working out or taking a vacation) acts as a stressor that disrupts our equilibrium. To properly respond to the stressors in life, our body requires time to sleep, rest and recover in between. The unfortunate reality for most people is that they are under recovered and over stimulated by stressors. If you are not getting the right quantity or quality of sleep, then you are limiting your energy reservoirs, ability to adapt to stress and ultimately going to struggle reaching your health goals. The New Health Revolution After 20+ years as a personal trainer, I’ve seen countless people struggle to reach their goals - not because they weren’t working hard, but because their 5 Pillars of Health were out of balance. Many believe that grinding it out in the gym a few times a week is enough. But what they don’t realize is that intense workouts are a stress on the body, and without the right support from the other pillars, that stress won’t lead to the results they want. About 10 years ago, I had a realization - I didn’t want to be the kind of trainer who just counts reps while clients stay stuck. My clients wanted real results, and I wanted to help them achieve lasting transformations. That’s when I shifted from being just a personal trainer to becoming a health coach, using the 5 Pillars of Health to create real, sustainable change. This isn’t just a personal shift - it’s an industry-wide transformation, and at Nova Health Club, we’re leading the way. We’ve developed a 12-week program built around the 5 Pillars to help people finally break through and get the results they deserve. Even small improvements in these 5 pillars - mindset, movement, nutrition, stress, and sleep - can create massive changes in your health! But when you truly master them, you become unstoppable. At Nova, we’ve created personalized 12-week programs tailored to your needs within the 5 Pillars: ✅ LeanDads – designed for men ✅ Femme Fusion – designed for women Imagine having a step-by-step blueprint that eliminates guesswork and shows you exactly what to do in each pillar to optimize your body, mind, and performance!? Curious how LeanDads or Femme Fusion can transform your life in just 12 weeks? Click the button below to book a complimentary session with us today!
By Josh Allen March 14, 2025
If The 80/20 Rule is a great concept - especially for beginners. It’s a simple way to ease into better habits and get initial results without feeling overwhelmed. If you apply it to nutrition, it allows some flexibility while encouraging healthier choices most of the time. If your health and fitness is struggling due to unhealthy habits then the 80/20 is a great place to start. However, if you are someone who says they ‘eat healthy’ but not reaching the goal you have in mind then you will want to keep reading… Because the truth is… The 80/20 Rule is a minimum standard, not a lifestyle path to excellence. At some point in your journey, you have to ask yourself: Is this as far as I want to go? The Law of Diminishing Returns For those just starting their health and fitness journey, the 80/20 Rule will create solid progress. But over time, as you level up, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. The closer you get to your goals the more you have to refine your habits to keep seeing results. In other words, what worked initially will only take you so far. If you want great results - whether that’s a leaner physique, higher energy, or peak performance - you can’t stay stuck at 80/20. I believe most people who live by the 80/20 Rule use it as an excuse for not wanting to challenge themselves further. I say that because these people will say things like, “This is a balanced approach,” or “I want to enjoy my wine”. Yet in another conversation, they’ll complain about not seeing the results they want. You can’t have it both ways. Challenge Yourself or Stay Comfortable When push comes to shove, most people are afraid of challenging themselves beyond their comfort zone. There’s a strange phenomenon in the human mindset when it comes to pushing limits in health and fitness - many see it as an impossible challenge reserved for the extreme. Ask a casual runner if they’d ever do a marathon, and they’ll often shut it down with a quick “No way!” The same goes for nutrition - suggest tightening things up beyond the usual 80/20, and you’ll hear excuses like, “I need my wine, bread, and cheese,” or, “I’ll do it when....” The 80/20 Rule, if you’ve been at that level for a while can be quite comfortable yet it is a crutch that is probably holding you back. We see this often with those who practice “cheat days” - a popular reward for six days of ‘being good’ - followed by one day to indulge in low-quality food or excess alcohol. Many of these people want to get in better shape - I know dozens of people who will talk about their health and fitness goals but instead of embracing the next challenge, they seek comfort and ease. Cheat days (20% of the week) may have been a step up from where you started, but now they’re just keeping you stuck in the middle. If you truly value excellence and want to push to a higher level, it’s time to raise your standards. That next level comes with powerful rewards - unshakable energy, razor-sharp focus and a strong, resilient body that makes you unstoppable. And here’s the funny thing about all of this: In business, career growth, and wealth-building, these same people push for excellence—they don’t settle for “good enough.” Even their kids are expected to aim for 90% or higher in school. I’ve never heard a parent say, “80% is fine, just settle for that.” So why do they accept mediocrity when it comes to their health? That’s the phenomenon and mindset we need to bat out of the park! The 80/20 Rule in Practice Let’s break this down a little further using nutrition. You eat three meals a day—that’s 21 meals per week. If you follow an 80/20 approach, that means four of those meals can be lower-quality or “cheat” meals. Think about that: Four entire meals each week that could be pizza or pub food. That’s more than a full day of unhealthy food! For someone coming from a junk-food diet, 80/20 is a huge step forward. But if you’re already there and still striving for more, ask yourself: “Is this getting me where I want to be?” If not, it’s time to raise your standards. People rave about 80/20 like it’s the ultimate solution - yet they also complain about wanting to lose another 10 lbs or get stronger and more fit. You can’t have it both ways. If 80/20 is your comfort zone, then manage your expectations - embrace the stubborn belly fat or fitness level! The Next Level: 90/10 or 95/5 If you value progressions in your health and fitness then put aside the 80/20 mindset and raise your standards. Personally I think the new minimum should be 90/10 - or even 95/5. That means: One or two off-plan meals per week instead of four Focusing on long-term consistency rather than weekly indulgences What do I mean by ‘focusing on long-term consistency rather than weekly indulgences’?’ Rather than thinking of 90/10 as a weekly ratio (a few off plan meals each week), consider stretching it over a longer period of time. I call this ‘extending the gap’. Example: Instead of “cheating” one meal a week, allow yourself to be on track for a solid month or two and then take a week off for vacation. You’ll get far better results this way because your body gets consistent time to function at its best before introducing something that then slows you down. The Hidden Issue With Weekly Cheat Meals Most people don’t realize that one cheat day or meal per week can sabotage their entire progress! Unhealthy food creates an inflammatory response in the body that can take up to 14 days to recover from! If you’re indulging every seventh day, your body never fully recovers. This is why I push for a longer-term approach - one that ‘extends the gap’. Extending the gap creates better results even if you are following the 80/20 rule. Imagine being locked in for 80% of a 12-week period - eating well, training hard, and staying dialed in for 10-11 weeks. Then, after that consistent stretch, you take a week-long break or vacation where you enjoy whatever you want… The main benefit in ‘extending the gap’ of your 80/20 lifestyle is that your body has more time to detox, reset and thrive rather than constantly battling inflammation from frequent indulgences.… On top of that, when you do decide to go ‘off plan’ on a vacation for example the likelihood of you ditching the plan for an entire week is very low. In essence, your 80/20 mentality with an ‘extended gap’ naturally becomes a 90/10 plan with giving you better outcomes. Cheat meals or cheat days each week only work for those who are coming from no experience with anything healthy. For those who have been around the block a few times (most of the Nova Health community), they need to upgrade their approach and this the exact method we use in our health coaching & transformation programs for those who want to break through plateaus The Bottom Line: Raise Your Standards The 80/20 Rule is a stepping stone, not a destination. It’s a solid starting point, but if you want to keep progressing - or aspire to be great - you have to push beyond “good enough.” If your results have stalled, reassess your standards If you’re still chasing big goals, stop settling for mediocrity If you want real transformation, ditch the weekly cheat mentality and “extend the gap” At the core, we all crave progress. So ask yourself - what do you truly value more? The comfort of your weekly cheat meals and drinks? Or the opportunity to reach a higher level? Growth isn’t about choosing what’s easy. It’s about choosing what matters most. Action You have 3 choices depending on where you are at in your journey: Just beginning? Start with the 80/20 however it fits for you Stuck on 80/20? Stretch the gap! Stuck on 80/20? Move to 90/10! Whatever level you are at, if you are looking for support to jumpstart progress then check out how our health coaching & transformation programs can help you!
By Nova Health Club March 4, 2025
Congratulations to Steve, Our March SuperNova!
By Josh Allen March 1, 2025
If you work out, this article is for you! But here’s the big question: Are you getting the most out of your workouts?
By Josh Allen February 14, 2025
Discovering the 5 Pillars of Health When I was 36 years old my health came to a screeching halt because I was trying to live like I was still in my teens and twenties - working out as hard as possible, eating and drinking whatever I wanted, staying up late, not taking supplements, pulling 16 hour work days etc… BOOM - Out of nowhere I got hit with anxiety, depression and insomnia. Within 3 months it worsened and I had zero energy, belly fat, poor focus, weak muscles and felt the worst I ever had. My wife said I was having a mid-life crisis and while she was somewhat right, the physiological explanation was that my resilience to stress was broken. Stress that I once had no problem dealing with… To fix myself, I tried the only approach I ever knew - the approach that almost everyone takes into their adult lives (which we learn when we were in our 20’s)... That approach was to get serious about my training and to implement some mainstream nutritional tweak like lowering my carbs or to decrease alcohol. It didn’t work… What I really needed was a 360 holistic approach… Unfortunately it took me years to figure that out. Years of pain and frustration… My default mode was still to live like I was 25 years old. But the playing field was way different - I was older, married with kids and working crazy hours starting a small business. It wasn’t until I focused on ALL the 5 Pillars of health that I was able to start putting myself back together and get back into great shape - mentally and physically. The ‘5 Pillars’ of Health Mindset and motivation Nutrition and digestion Movement and activity Stress and the nervous system Sleep, rest and recovery Over the course of 5 years I tried hundreds of things to fix my health but it was these 10 things - 2 for each pillar of health are what made all the difference in my life. These 10 things, if you put them into practice can be game changers for your health too! 1) Mindset Discover Your WHY Your WHY is the reason you get out of bed each day. It is your guiding star that motivates you to do hard things. Your WHY should not be a goal like to lose 20lbs or to earn more money but rather the reason WHY you want to make those things happen. For example if your goal is to get fit then your WHY is how being fit changes your life? What will it allow you to do that you can not do right now and who will it have a positive impact on? Once I discovered my WHY I had a greater purpose in life which was beyond any fitness goal or financial status I wanted to reach. It gave me the energy to persist beyond will power and self discipline and it was aligned with my future identity and values. Do What You Love The ‘grind’ is not only hard on your head and body but it is hard on your heart… And when you are in that mode it is easy to forget about the love and passion you once had for life and doing the things that make you happy. This could be hobbies, spending time with friends or doing anything that gives you joy. Neglecting these things is an energy killer but sprinkling them into your life will charge you so that you can tackle that ‘grind’. For 8 years I put aside my hobby of graffiti art and hanging out with friends. When I was at my lowest, an old friend invited me to a Hip Hop jam where I would be part of a graffiti mural. The vibe lifted my spirit massively - the breakdancing, DJ’s, artists and old friends that I neglected gave me strength and I realized that this needs to be a part of my life once again. 2) Movement Walking Walking is not only exercise but a time to create space from the clutter and busyness of life. We all heard of 10,000 steps a day and for good reason - walking decreases stress, burns fat calories, manages blood sugar, keeps your heart, muscles and body functional and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. For decades, I relied solely on workouts and sports, but as an adult, I discovered that adding walking to my routine made my body feel better and more energized. Rather than going straight to the computer screen upon waking (which I did for years), I started going outside for a 15 minute walk. I started to incorporate more walks into my day as breaks to get away from the chaos. Walking allowed me to clear my mind and come up with new ideas. Walking is also how I keep fat from piling up on my waistline. Tailor Workout Intensity Based on Your Nervous System It blows me away to see how so many ‘stressed’ people workout so hard at the gym following the ‘no pain no gain’ mentality. What people don’t realize is that working out is a stress on the body. If your life is stressful outside of the gym and you pile more stress on with hard training you are ‘smashing’ your nervous system. This can lead to decreased energy, sleep problems, poor muscle recovery and lack of progress towards your fitness goals. Understanding how your nervous system works by tracking something like HRV (heart rate variability) is one of the smartest ways to tailor your training program to your stress levels AND still get results. When my daughter was born and I was managing a fitness club in West Vancouver I was under a lot of stress. I still had this mentality of going hard in workouts. I remember working out hard with clients at 7pm (end of my day) and feeling awful in the workout. However it was not until 5 years later (when I hit the wall) that I realized this was the wrong way to train. One practice I began that helped my nervous system for working out was to create a transition time between life and the workout. This is a time to relax before a workout such as sitting in the sun, sauna, meditating or stretching. This has helped to regulate my nervous system and prepare it better for a workout. 3) Nutrition Eat Food The Way Your Parents Taught You Growing up, you probably have been told things like eat breakfast, chew slowly, sit at the dinner table when eating, eat your veggies etc. But as life gets busy in our 20s we throw it all away. We skip breakfast, skip meals, decrease calories, eat on the go, eat in front of computers, inhale our food to get back on with the day and scroll on phones without any regard to the food in our mouth. All of this creates stress on the body. Stress from being malnourished (low calories, low protein, low carbs, not digesting well from not chewing etc) and a disconnect between our body and the fuel we need to perform our best. I was like this too. I even remember a time when I was annoyed having to eat when all I wanted to do was work. And when I did eat I wolfed it down. On top of that I was cutting carbs - little did I know that carbs were the very energy my body required. As a very active individual under a lot of work and family stress, eating low carb and low calorie was more stress on my body. Once I began eating like a human being, instead of a machine - by sitting down to eat, chewing slowly and eating in a low stress environment away from work, food began to work better for me. It gave me the energy I needed to focus and perform my best in all areas of my life. Eliminate Inflammatory Foods If you get punched in the face it will become inflamed. If you eat inflammatory foods the same thing happens in your body. The problem with inflammatory foods is that unless you are severely ill after (ie: celiac person eating bread) the inflammation is low and you do not feel it. Wheat/gluten, dairy, sugar, corn, soy and processed vegetable oils are common inflammatory foods that most people consume every day. As a result, most people are in this state of chronic inflammation and it is one of the major reasons why they are stuck in their pursuit of good health. You cannot optimize your health, drop body fat or avoid illness if you are in this state. I used to eat pizza, beer, cheese, yogurt, soy milk, tofu, fried food, cookies, chips, you name it each week. I can not tell you how much better I feel having eliminated 95% of this from my diet. I once had constant phlegm, hives, allergies at my parents house and felt bloated after most meals. Now it is all gone. Removing these foods from my diet was one of the best decisions I ever made. Sure I still have pizza once in a while… But it is going to be the most expensive, best quality pizza in town once… Once every 3 to 6 months, not every week.. (these days, you couldn't pay me enough to eat a cheap pizza like a McCain Deep n Delicious! 4) Stress Magnesium Magnesium is vital for over 300 body functions, including energy production and muscle health. Stress depletes magnesium quickly - that includes work, injuries, alcohol, poor sleep, tight muscles etc. On top of that, most of us are eating a diet high in processed food and/or low in healthy calories which compounds the magnesium deficiency. Magnesium has been a saving supplement for me. It has improved my sleep, calmed my nervous system, helped recovery after workouts and even helps me stay regular. Next to vitamin D, magnesium has been one of the best supplements I have introduced and is a regular part of my routine each day. Nature Sometimes all you need in order to clear your head and release tension is to get into nature. This is a free resource available to everyone yet few of us take advantage of it. Our DNA thrives on fresh air, sunlight, and the natural sensory experiences that come with being outdoors. In addition to stress release, nature will increase energy, boost immune function, decrease blood pressure, improve mood, sleep and happiness. There was a place in my town where I would go every Friday for a walk in the forest. Like making my workouts part of the weekly routine, going for this particular forest walk each week was something I ritualized because it was the very peace I needed away from hardcore workouts and ‘grinding’ at work. As a bit of a spin off to this, I even began growing my own vegetables. Spending time in nature and making an effort to be in physical contact with trees, water and soil was a huge part in my healing process. 5) Recovery Sleep Hygiene This means having a system around your sleep, whether it is a pre bed-time ritual, sticking to a specific lights out and wake time or adjusting things like light, sound and temperature when sleeping. Good sleep has a massive ROI on your health - fat loss, cognition, detoxification, mood, mental and physical performance… The list goes on! I realized that my current sleep habits were formed from my years as a teen and during my 20’s. And let’s be honest, those sleep habits don’t work for a lot of men over 35. Sleep was one of the things that got bad for me and if I was going to improve it I needed to follow a better system. I created a schedule that I stuck to for example not staying up past 10pm. I incorporated other tricks like earplugs, lowering the temperature and not sleeping with a cell phone near my head. Sleep for me has been a tough one to master as I find it is highly influenced by everything else going on in life too - hence why I am such a firm believer in a holistic approach. Early Morning Sun We are ‘heliotropic’ beings, meaning we are drawn to light. Light has a huge influence on our health - energy being one of them. Exposure to early morning sun is important because when the light hits the retina of our eyes, it tells our body that it is day and to create energy. If you want to improve your energy, get more natural sunlight on your eyes first thing in the morning as this sets your circadian rhythm and your circadian rhythm drives your energy levels each day. Being on a screen and working in doors living in the northern hemisphere, it is easy to skip the sun. Plus I was always one who wore sunglasses. I began to make it a priority to get sun on my face and eyes as early as possible in the day. Not only did the warmth make me feel better, my energy levels were better in the day and it was easier for me to then fall asleep at the end of the day. There you have it, 10 things that made a dramatic change to my health when I hit my ‘mid-life crisis’. My goal at the time was just to be healthy and get myself out of ‘the deep end’... The crazy thing is, that now at age 46 I am not only past the struggles that I was trying to solve but I have more energy, am stronger, more fit and accomplish more in a day than I did in my 20’s and 30’s. And this is why I do what I do in life - health coaching and holistic transformations based around the ‘5 Pillars’. Whatever you are struggling with, looking at your life from a 360 perspective is the key to solving the problem. Even if you are healthy, a focus on the ‘5 Pillars’ is going to catapult your health and performance into the stratosphere like you never imagined.Trust me, I’ve been there and have taken many people on the same journey. If you want to explore any of these 10 concepts or how the ‘5 Pillars’ can be improved in your life email me Josh@NovaHealthClub.com
By Nova Health Club January 31, 2025
What is a Pod Call? A Pod Call is a live online session with a Nova coach, offering support and insights on key health topics like fitness, nutrition, recovery and overall wellness. Why did we create Pod Calls? Our goal is your success and your health goals can not be built on fitness alone. After delivering thousands of personal training sessions, we noticed a disconnect between fitness sessions we were delivering and the other pillars of health (lifestyle habits that happen outside of the gym). To get the most out of your health and your fitness sessions at Nova we need to link other pillars such as mindset, nutrition, stress and recovery. Training coaches who care about your results will agree that a couple hours of personal training each week is not enough time to both workout AND learn everything you need to know about maximizing those workouts... Things like how to eat before or after workouts, what recovery habits should be practiced or the link between stress and working out are all subjects that you need to know on your health and fitness journey. Pod Calls are dedicated sessions where we teach you essential health and fitness insights that we can't often cover during your gym workouts. We hope you take advantage of these expert-led sessions that will enhance your workouts, teach you new concepts about health and bridge the gap between fitness and overall wellness. Upcoming Pod Calls (all times in EST) Feb 11, 2025 (7:00pm): Topic: Evening foam rolling recovery and relaxation (active session) Coach: Zack Fernandez Feb 12, 2025 (7:00pm) Topic: Preparing for InBody and interpreting the results Coach: Meredith Foley Feb 18, 2025 (7:00am) Topic: Kickstart your day with morning mobility (active session) Coach: Kayla Hutchinson Feb 20, 2025 (12:00pm) Topic: Spine mobility & blood flow for better strength and recovery Coach: Matthew Nadler Feb 18, 2025 (6:00pm) Topic: Addressing women’s hormones for optimal wellness Coach: Heather Layton Feb 25, 2025 (12:15pm) Topic: The 5 most common workout mistakes that hold back progress Coach: Josh Allen Mar 4, 2025 (3pm) Topic: Benefits and techniques to barbell movements Coach: Tyler Hann Mar 5, 2025 (2:00pm) Topic: The importance of having power as you age Coach: Colin Soltesz Mar 8, 2025 (1:30pm) Topic: Functional Range Conditioning and creating active range of motion Coach: Kim Vo These calls are free for Nova members and Zoom links for each call can be found in the Nova Mighty Networks platform. If you are not a Nova member and would like to attend any of these please email Info@NovaHealthClub.com for a seat. We look forward to seeing you then!
By Nova Health Club January 31, 2025
Congratulations to Sandra Hurl-Smith, Our February SuperNova! 
By Josh Allen January 31, 2025
A NEW Approach to Fat Burning When it comes to burning fat, most people (including fat loss experts) only know the old school approach - more exercise and disciplined nutrition. And while tweaking these 2 things is super important when it comes to fat loss… It won’t address metabolic stressors that are causing fat storage in the first place. The ‘stress reduced fat loss’ approach considers all the pillars of health - not just exercise and nutrition… It works by specifically targeting the things that cause stress on the body… Stress & Fat Gain It is important to first understand that stress is not good or bad. Stress is just a stimulus that takes your body out of homeostasis, or in other words out of balance. Our bodies were designed to be healthy, lean and energetic. It is extremely capable of adapting to stressors and fixing problems… But when there is constant exposure to stressors (often years) it results in metabolic damage resulting in the accumulation of body fat and other health problems. Simply put, the more body fat a person has, the more their body is under metabolic stress. The ‘stress reduced fat loss’ approach works to reduce stress… Not stress that’s hard to control like work, family or running behind schedule… But rather stress that you expose your body to every day, in most cases for decades that you have full control over! The Evolution of Fat Loss The ‘stress reduced fat loss’ approach is the newest most advanced method to burn fat! We live in a world that is very different from the one we lived in even 30 years ago… As the world evolves to one that creates more and more metabolic stressors on the human body, the approach to burning fat must also evolve. As a result, the old methods of fat burning by simply cutting back on wine or chips and increasing workouts just isn’t going to cut it anymore! Until you consider all the pillars of health, by honing in on your specific metabolic stressors, fat loss will continue to be this elusive thing you keep chasing… The ‘stress reduced fat loss’ approach is the exact system we use at Nova Health Club in our LeanDads and Femme Fusion coaching programs. And it has helped so many people… People who have tried the old school ways for years but without success. Determining Metabolic Stressors The old school approach does this… It will have you step on a scale and then say you got 10-20lbs to lose… And you get back on the same hamster wheel of increasing exercise and trying to cut back on foods you enjoy. This approach does not work for people over 35 who have ‘racked up’ years of metabolic stress. The new ‘stress reduced fat loss’ approach however uses a 5 step assessment to determine exactly what metabolic stressors need to be fixed… Stressors like poor sleep, impaired digestion, allergens, toxins or vitamin deficiencies - all of which are ubiquitous in our modern life. You see, when these things are improved, exercise and good nutrition work better. But when there are metabolic stressors left unchecked, exercise and nutrition tactics don’t work like they should. If you want to burn fat, boost energy, be in great shape and live your healthiest life it’s time to evolve your approach… It's time to expose and zap those hidden metabolic stressors that have been holding you back from reaching your full potential. And it all starts with looking at your health with a new perspective - not just by what the scale says… But through an assessment that identifies what is happening within your body that’s making you gain fat weight. If you are curious about this 5 step assessment email Josh@NovaHealthClub.com for more information. And if you're serious about improving your health or losing fat and want to incorporate this new approach, all without extreme workouts, rigid diets or a huge time commitment - consider joining the LeanDads or Femme Fusion program today.
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