Commandment 8
 
PROTECT

Picking Up Where Recovery Left Off

 

We’ve already talked about how recovery and sleep are essential for muscle growth, hormone health, and fat loss. But here’s the truth—most guys don’t lose progress because of their workouts or nutrition… they lose it to small, preventable sabotages that creep in when they least expect it.

 

And most of these “gremlins” show up at night—when the day’s discipline is winding down, and temptation (or bad habits) sneak in.

 

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Why “No Eating an Hour Before Bed” Works

 

Your body needs deep, restorative sleep to repair muscle, balance hormones, and burn fat efficiently.

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Late-night eating—even healthy food—keeps your digestive system running when it should be shutting down for repair.

 

Eating right before bed can:

• Disrupt deep sleep and REM cycles

• Increase overnight blood sugar spikes

• Slow growth hormone release (critical for fat burning and muscle repair)

 

Give your body at least 60 minutes of no food before bed—think of it as putting the kitchen “on lockdown” so your body can focus on recovery.

 

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Meet the Sabotaging Gremlins (and How to Defeat Them)

 

1. The Screen Glow Goblin (Revisited)

We already battled this guy in earlier commandments—but it’s worth repeating. Blue light from phones, TVs, and tablets tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime, delaying melatonin and making it harder to fall asleep.

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🛡 Defense: No screens 30–60 minutes before bed—or use blue-light blocking glasses if you must.

 

2. The Snack Sneak

That “just one handful” of chips or cookies? It’s not just calories—it’s a signal to your body to start digestion instead of recovery.

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🛡 Defense: Close the kitchen early and keep trigger foods out of reach.

 

3. The Stress Vampire

High cortisol (stress hormone) before bed keeps your body in fight-or-flight mode, not rest-and-repair mode.

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🛡 Defense: Use a short wind-down ritual—5–10 minutes of prayer, meditation, or deep breathing to calm the mind and prepare the body for rest.

 

4. The Caffeine Culprit

That “afternoon pick-me-up” coffee? It’s still in your system hours later, quietly ruining your sleep quality.

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🛡 Defense: No caffeine after 2 p.m.

 

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Bonus Tip: The ACV Trick

 

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) isn’t magic, but it has some neat tricks:

• May help reduce appetite in the evening

• Can improve digestion and nutrient absorption

• Might help steady blood sugar before bed

 

How to use: 1–2 teaspoons in a big glass of water 30 minutes before dinner or your last meal.

 

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The 10 Strong Way: Progress Over Perfection

 

Protecting your results isn’t about living like a monk—it’s about removing the obvious sabotages so your hard work actually pays off.