Peak Performance Insider: Zen and the art of stress management, quick yet effective HIIT workout, and why traditional Japanese cuisine is perfect for the modern professional.
Estimated read time: 5 minutes
This first email issue of the Peak Performance Insider is brought to you by MH Health Coaching. We help entrepreneurs and busy professionals get lean, boost energy, and build healthy bodies.
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After weeks of researching, writing, and making small adjustments, I shared this newsletter on social media and didn’t know what to expect.
Now, just a few days after announcing it, I’m blown away by the level of interest and support from friends, colleagues, and strangers.
So if you’re new here, thanks for joining. I’m really happy to have you.
And if you’ve been here a while, thanks for your patience over the last few weeks.
I’m excited to keep sharing new insights I find about health, fitness, and high performance.
Now without any further ado…
The Peak Performance Insider:
1. Zen and the Art of Stress Management
Meditation is an invaluable tool for stress relief and is deeply rooted in Japanese culture.
Zazen (座禅) is a popular form of Buddhist meditation in which participants sit for lengthy periods to try to achieve inner peace.
Its effectiveness lies in its ability to foster a state of calm and centeredness, and is an excellent way to counteract the chaos of daily stressors.
When we meditate, we shift our focus from external worries to internal peace, using techniques like mindfulness or focused attention.
This shift in focus allows us to achieve a state of mental clarity and relaxation.
Psychologically, meditation has been shown to reduce stress, reduce anxiety, and promote emotional well-being.
And physiologically, meditation has been shown to lower cortisol levels, the body’s primary stress hormone, and enhance the production of neurotransmitters that promote relaxation, like GABA and serotonin.
Plus regular practice leads to improved stress management, as it trains the brain to respond more calmly to stressful situations.
What You Can Do: Meditate for 10 minutes each day with the help of an app like Calm or Headspace. It is a game-changer.
2. Quick yet Effective HIIT Workout
When you’re strapped for time, short, high-intensity workouts can help maximize results in minimal time.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the cornerstone of this approach.
HIIT involves brief bursts of intense activity followed by short rest periods.
This method not only fits easily into a busy day, often requiring as little as 20 minutes, but also delivers big benefits including improved cardiovascular health, increased metabolism, and even fat loss.
Research shows that HIIT can be more effective than traditional steady-state exercise, especially in terms of boosting metabolic rate and enhancing muscle endurance.
Tabata training is a form of HIIT that originates from the research of Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata and his team at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Japan in the 1990s.
Tabata training involves 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for four minutes.
Combined with circuit training, which cycles through a series of exercises with minimal rest, this kind of training targets different muscle groups while keeping the body fully engaged.
So whether at home, in a hotel room, or a small office space, Tabata training is fast, effective, and completely customizable based on your fitness level and preferences.
What You Can Do: Try completing the Total HIIT Circuit at least once over the holidays.
3. Why traditional Japanese cuisine is perfect for the modern professional
Traditional Japanese food is known for its freshness, taste, balance, and healthiness.
Central to this diet is the idea that meals should contain a variety of food.
This principle is evident in the traditional Japanese meal structure, which typically includes a staple (like rice), a main dish (often fish or lean meat), a couple of side dishes (vegetables, tofu), and soup.
This variety ensures a comprehensive intake of essential nutrients while keeping calorie counts in check.
Plus, Japanese cuisine emphasizes the quality and natural flavors of ingredients without heavy seasoning.
This focus on fresh, seasonal produce not only enhances taste but also maximizes the nutritional benefits.
Traditional Japanese meals are also served in smaller portions, which helps naturally manage one’s caloric intake while promoting better digestion.
The cultural practice of ‘Hara Hachi Bun Me’ (腹八分目), or eating until you are 80% full, also aligns with modern dietary advice to avoid overeating.
What You Can Do: Focus on eating fresh, whole, lightly seasoned food in relatively small portions.
I hope this helps!
Client Spotlight – Lana, 30 | Tokyo, Japan | Account Manager
Click to see video
Lana had been to gyms, yoga classes, and even worked with a personal trainer but nothing worked until coaching.
Her biggest struggle was finding a program that was built around her busy lifestyle.
In 6 months she lost 18 pounds (8kg) and it changed her life forever.
Our strategy:
- Introduced more protein and fiber into her diet
- Discovered lactose intolerance by means of elimination dieting
- Began batch cooking on the weekend and bringing lunch to work
- Exercised several times a week including running, yoga, and HIIT
By working together Lana cleaned up her diet, shed excess fat, and now feels better than ever in her own body.
Food for Thought This Weekend
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”— Benjamin Franklin
Nothing is as meaningful as learning through experience.
Because active participation in the learning process leads to deep, lasting knowledge.
So take what you’ve just read today and apply it. Now.
– Menya
When you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help:
1. Download my free health and fitness guide. When you’re ready to tackle your fitness goals, this is definitely where you should start. It’s the same framework for achieving goals that I use with all of my clients. It also contains 6 habits of highly successful fitness people.
2. Are you an entrepreneur or busy professional who wants to get lean, boost energy, and feel fantastic? Apply for private one on one coaching here.
3. Promote yourself to like-minded subscribers by sponsoring this newsletter. Contact me for details.
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