EP14: From Stress to Strength: How To Use Stress To Your Advantage

EP14: From Stress to Strength: How To Use Stress To Your Advantage

In this episode, Coach Jackson dives deep into reframing stress — not as something to eliminate, but as a powerful signal of what you truly care about. Drawing on his own journey of overcoming crippling debt, building a thriving business, and enduring an emotional IVF journey, Jackson shows how stress can be transformed into fuel for growth — mentally, physically, and spiritually. He then walks you through a simple, science‑backed breathing technique and meaning‑based mindset shifts that turn stress into a catalyst for discipline, clarity, and purpose. In this episode you’ll learn: * How your interpretation of stress — as harmful or helpful — fundamentally changes your biology and performance. * Why trying to “escape” stress (through avoidance, numbing, or white-knuckling) usually backfires. * A quick, 15–30 second diaphragmatic breathing protocol (double inhale, long exhale) that can instantly calm racing heart and reset your nervous system. * How to reframe what you’re stressed about by asking: “What does this stress reveal about what I care about?” — turning stress into clarity about values and purpose. * How connecting stress to meaning (family, mission, purpose) can make even hardship feel worthwhile. * Why some of your toughest challenges might turn out to be the forge that builds your resilience, confidence, relationships, and life outcomes. * The importance of leaning into something bigger than yourself — faith, community, long-term vision — to give stress purpose and direction. Memorable Quotes: * [05:45] “When you believe stress is harmful, it becomes harmful. When you believe stress is fuel, it becomes fuel.” * [08:35] “If you didn’t care about this thing, whatever it is that’s causing stress to you, you wouldn’t actually feel any stress.” * [11:36] “What does this stress reveal about what I care about? What my values are?” * [26:20] “Hard times create strong people. … The ones who survive and thrive aren’t the ones who avoid stress — they’re the ones who use it.” Mentioned In This Episode: * The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal — https://amzn.to/3KDfHO1 [https://amzn.to/3KDfHO1] * Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl — https://amzn.to/3Y6WqHI [https://amzn.to/3Y6WqHI] * The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday — https://amzn.to/3KIv1J8 [https://amzn.to/3KIv1J8] * Breath by James Nestor — https://amzn.to/4iFmPpM [https://amzn.to/4iFmPpM] * More about Coach Jackson’s family and IVF journey — https://action-jackson-fitness.kit.com/posts/a-25-min-shoulder-workout-why-i-m-asking-for-your-help [https://action-jackson-fitness.kit.com/posts/a-25-min-shoulder-workout-why-i-m-asking-for-your-help] Sign up for Coach Jackson’s email newsletter Stronger Saturday: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/ [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/] This episode gives you a practical playbook to rewire how you respond to stress — so you don’t just survive, you grow. Ready to take action? Hit play, grab your notebook, and start using stress as your edge.

EP13: 5 Hard-Earned Fitness Lessons I Know at 43 That I Wish I Knew at 23

Coach Jackson shares the top five game-changing fitness lessons he's learned over two decades of training — lessons he wishes he knew in his twenties. Drawing from personal experience, client transformations, and years of elite coaching, Coach Jackson outlines the strategies that truly move the needle when it comes to building a lean, athletic body that lasts well beyond your twenties. Whether you’re just getting started or trying to make progress in your 30s, 40s, and beyond, these five principles will help you train smarter, improve your mindset, and take consistent, effective action. From ditching random workouts to mastering metabolic resistance training, Coach Jackson dives deep into what actually works — and why most people get it wrong. In this episode you'll learn: * Why “working out” is not the same as structured training — and how to make the shift * The secret to burning fat and building muscle in half the time using supersets and circuits * How the Norwegian 4x4 protocol can radically improve your VO2 max and longevity * The crucial difference between leading vs. lagging indicators for tracking progress * How to build a mindset that sees fitness as a privilege, not a punishment * Why training without nutrition is like owning a Ferrari with no gas * What most people get wrong when pairing workouts with diets like keto * The foundational training principles behind 100+ pound transformations Memorable Quotes: * [05:41] “Working out moves your body. Training transforms it.” * [09:00] “Their workouts finally fit into their life instead of competing with it.” * [17:34] “Your VO2 max is the strongest predictor of how long you’ll live—don’t neglect it.” * [25:13] “You don’t have to work out—you get to work out.” Mentioned In This Episode: * Apply for Coaching: http://actionjacksonfitness.com/apply [http://actionjacksonfitness.com/apply] * Stronger Saturday Newsletter: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/ [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/] * 7 Secrets For Chiseled Abs (book): https://amzn.to/3Wx6JUY [https://amzn.to/3Wx6JUY] * Metabolic Resistance Training Guide: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/burn-fat-with-metabolic-resistance-training/ [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/burn-fat-with-metabolic-resistance-training/] Sign up for Coach Jackson’s email newsletter Stronger Saturday: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/ [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/] This is the new playbook for getting lean without losing your mind. Ready to take action? Hit play, grab your notebook, and start showing up like the 1% who actually get results.

EP12: Leaning Into Loss: What My Mother’s Death Taught Me About Love, Grief, and Growth

In this deeply personal and powerful episode, Coach Jackson opens up about the life-altering experience of losing his mother and the profound lessons it taught him about love, grief, healing, and personal growth. Far from his usual fitness-focused topics, this episode explores emotional strength, mental resilience, and how embracing grief can lead to deeper transformation. Through storytelling, stoic philosophy, and candid reflection, Jackson shares how facing pain head-on — instead of running from it — helped him honor his mother’s memory and live with greater purpose. Whether you're navigating the loss of a loved one, dealing with emotional challenges, or seeking a deeper connection to your own purpose, this episode offers guidance and hope rooted in real life experience and timeless wisdom. In this episode you’ll learn: * Why suppressing grief can lead to long-term emotional damage * How writing his mother’s obituary became a healing turning point * The power of reflection and storytelling in processing pain * Why facing emotional discomfort is essential for personal growth * The role of Stoic philosophy in navigating grief and uncertainty * Three key Stoic principles that helped Coach Jackson heal * Why living your values is the best way to honor someone you've lost * How grief can be a catalyst for deeper love, clarity, and transformation Memorable Quotes: * [02:11] “You can't outrun it — you can only confront it.” * [10:27] “Writing turns grief into gratitude, and gratitude into healing.” * [20:23] “Life isn't happening to you — it's happening for you.” * [26:49] “Instead of that being morbid, it should become motivating.” Mentioned In This Episode: * Apply for Coaching: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/apply [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/apply] * Stronger Saturday Newsletter: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/ [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/] * 7 Secrets for Chiseled Abs (book): https://amzn.to/48sKVRu [https://amzn.to/48sKVRu] * Gloria Bloore Obituary: https://kishfuneralhome.net/obituary/gloria-bloore/ [https://kishfuneralhome.net/obituary/gloria-bloore/] * The Daily Stoic — Three Stoic Ideas: https://youtu.be/qMNMyLm57VA?si=rUgzhNtnBh19irEY [https://youtu.be/qMNMyLm57VA?si=rUgzhNtnBh19irEY] * The Daily Stoic — Memento Mori: https://youtu.be/fq8lGTBF1PE?si=WKHDL_NovOQnBGMY [https://youtu.be/fq8lGTBF1PE?si=WKHDL_NovOQnBGMY] * The Dead Moms Club (book): https://amzn.to/42HNKdL [https://amzn.to/42HNKdL] Sign up for Coach Jackson’s email newsletter Stronger Saturday: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/ [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/] This is the new playbook for getting lean without losing your mind. Ready to take action? Hit play, grab your notebook, and start showing up like the 1% who actually get results.

EP11: 4 Lessons Nose Surgery Taught Me About Strength, Marriage, and Mental Health

In this deeply personal episode, Coach Jackson opens up about the 18‑month journey following a major nose surgery (to correct a deviated septum, enlarged turbinates, and a collapsed nasal valve). What began as a quest to simply breathe better evolved into a masterclass on patience, identity, resilience, partnership, and the power of process. With raw vulnerability, Jackson shares how this medical setback became a catalyst for growth in his physical health, mental state, and marriage. In this episode you’ll learn: * Why strength training becomes vital medicine when your mental health is challenged * How being physically fit going into trauma or surgery accelerates recovery * The way a supportive spouse or environment can dramatically change your odds of success * Why learning to love the process (not just the outcome) is one of the hardest—but most freeing—lessons * The dangers of ignoring symptoms like fatigue, snoring, or sleep disruption (a call to get checked for sleep apnea) * How to navigate non‑linear healing, setbacks, and identity shifts * The mindset of “life happening for you” instead of “to you” * How Jackson’s own struggles—with surgery, IVF, grief, business shift—have become pillars of his philosophy Memorable Quotes: * [05:46] “The mental fog sort of lifted … I was no longer the angry, bitter, annoyed, and frustrated man‑child roaming around the house like a caged lion.” * [11:23] “Fitness isn’t about looking good when things are easy—it’s about being resilient when things get hard.” * [24:50] “Healing isn’t linear. … It’s often years until you’re 100% back to normal.” * [35:15] “If you’re walking through hell, keep going. … The point wasn’t just to survive that ordeal. The point was to evolve, to get better.” Mentioned In This Episode: * Apply for coaching: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/apply [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/apply] * Stronger Saturday Newsletter: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/ [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/] * Photos from surgery & recovery: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6dmLjOud9x/ [https://www.instagram.com/p/C6dmLjOud9x/] * The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday: https://amzn.to/3KJ7CHd [https://amzn.to/3KJ7CHd] Sign up for Coach Jackson’s email newsletter Stronger Saturday: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/ [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/] This is the new playbook for getting lean without losing your mind. Ready to take action? Hit play, grab your notebook, and start showing up like the 1% who actually get results.

EP10: Movement, Mindset, and Tonal with Nicolette Amarillas

In this episode, Coach Jackson brings on his long-time friend and movement coach Nicolette Amarillas to dig into how posture, pain, coaching mindset, and connected fitness all intersect. They explore why most people overlook movement mechanics, how to navigate setbacks and consistency, and how a tool like Tonal can be a powerful asset — if you use it intelligently. In this episode you’ll learn: * Why posture and movement mechanics matter more than you think — and how flaws can cascade through your body * The difference between tension from strength vs. tension from weakness * How to self-assess pain and know when to seek out a professional * Strategies for staying consistent over months and years — even through life’s disruptions * What to look for in a movement coach or trainer (questions to ask, red flags, etc.) * Nicolette’s favorite and least-favorite Tonal exercises, and how to get more out of your machine * How connected/“connected-fitness” tools like Tonal change coaching — what works and what doesn’t * The meaning of “action” (in training and life) — and how to turn commitment into momentum Memorable Quotes: * [03:07] “Posture … is not just sitting straight upright … how you begin and end movement will influence how you move.” * [19:54] “You need to be honest with yourself … pick a number of days you actually can do — even if it's just two.” * [45:38] “Taking action every single day starts with listening to your body … Where am I sore? How do I feel?” * [48:42] “You have to be accountable … you have to do it for yourself … you tell yourself you’ll do this — show up for that.” Mentioned In This Episode: * Nicolette A. Wellness (website) — https://www.nicoletteawellness.com/ [https://www.nicoletteawellness.com/] * Nicolette on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/nicolette.amarillas/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/nicolette.amarillas/?hl=en] * DIAKADI Body — https://www.diakadi.life/ [https://www.diakadi.life/] * Tonal — https://tonal.com/ [https://tonal.com/] * Apply for Coaching with Coach Jackson — https://actionjacksonfitness.com/apply [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/apply] Sign up for Coach Jackson’s email newsletter Stronger Saturday: https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/ [https://actionjacksonfitness.com/subscribe/] This is the new playbook for getting lean without losing your mind. Ready to take action? Hit play, grab your notebook, and start showing up like the 1% who actually get results.