Tuesday tips

It's Time To Stop Searching For Hacks

Coach KS explains why complicated fancy wellness trends are not leading to better health, fitness, or happiness.

Welcome to the science-based corner of the internet. Every week, we help you make sense of the confusing world of health and fitness by analyzing and simplifying the latest research, into bitesize tips designed to help you stay healthier in under 5 minutes.

Today’s Health Upgrade

• Tuesday Truths

• The art (and science) of getting **it done

• Workout of the week

Tuesday Truths

Over one billion people around the world live with obesity.

Over one billion lives with a mental and physical health problems.

Everyday, there’s a new theory about why. Some blame genetics. Or chemicals. Or sugar. There's always another villain.

I don’t think so. Science tells us it's much simpler than that.

We are chronically online.

We move less.

And we eat more.

Of course, changing those things is never easy. Talking and connecting requires vulnerability. Moving your body requires effort. Eating well requires discipline. These are simple actions, but they are not easy.

And that’s why so many search for that silver bullet. Because if the problem is chemicals or genetics, then it isn’t your responsibility. Then it’s not your problem... But, the truth is - if the solution is moving and eating better… then the work is on you.

I get all of your concerns about the latest scientific research. And I’m not dismissing science — you know I love learning all about the human body. But this blog is popular because we cut through the "trends" and focus on what works. And what works is almost always the basics.

Let me tell you a secret: I avoid most restaurant foods, not because I think its loaded with excess calories, but because I know what fuels me best. I train at least twice a week, no matter how busy I get, but because I know the gym gives me strength and energy. And I set a hard limit to screen time, because I know that saps my energy and focus.

It’s the boring basics that truly change our life.

So here’s your action item for this week: Pick one of the three basics and commit to it every day.

Less screen, more connections: Reduce your screen time by just 1 hour. Reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.

Move more: Take a 10-minute walk after lunch. Hit the gym after work. Do pushups before your morning shower. Just move.

Eat better: Add one real, whole food to your meals each day. A vegetable. A lean protein. Cook a healthy meal on the weekend.

I don’t care which one you choose. Just pick one, and do it. Every day this week.

That’s your insurance policy. Do it consistently, I promise you’ll feel different in seven days. Stronger. Sharper. Better.

Stop searching for magical hacks. Start with the basics.

Now, let’s have a fantastic week.

The Art and Science of Getting It Done

If you've ever written a to-do list only to feel more overwhelmed, or found yourself constantly forgetting important tasks, you're not fighting laziness—you're fighting biology. Your brain simply wasn't designed to juggle multiple priorities while trying to remember what needs to happen next.

To-do lists that focus on actions — and not everything that needs to be completed — can reduce mental stress and improve focus by working with your brain's natural limitations instead of against them.

Cognitive scientists analyzed productivity methods through the lens of modern brain science. They wanted to understand why certain organizational approaches succeed while others fail spectacularly.

Turns out, your brain excels at pattern recognition and creative problem-solving but struggles with holding multiple unrelated pieces of information simultaneously.

Effective productivity systems share three key characteristics: they offload memory tasks to external systems, organize information as situation-specific action triggers, and allow for opportunistic execution rather than rigid scheduling.

That’s because working memory—your mental workspace—can only hold about 4-7 items at once before becoming overwhelmed. When you try to remember everything (errands, deadlines, family obligations), you're essentially asking your brain to be a filing cabinet when it's designed to be a processor.

If you want to get more done, scientists recommend using a system that allows your brain to do what it does best — recognize opportunities and make decisions.

Step 1: Brain Dump Everything Spend 15 minutes writing down every task, commitment, or nagging thought. Don't organize yet—just get it out of your head and onto paper or into a digital tool.

Step 2: Make It Actionable For each item, ask: "What's the very next physical action needed?" Transform vague entries like "mom's birthday" into specific actions like "buy birthday card at Target."

Step 3: Context Is King Group tasks by where or when you can actually do them: "At Computer," "Errands," "Quick Calls." When you're in that situation, scan your list and pick what feels right in the moment.

But don’t forget to control the size of the list. Massive lists can cause inaction instead of real productivity, when the real focus is to get more done — not create a longer list that weights you down.