Monthly Archives: May 2025

From Keto Cut to Dirty Bulk: Why I Switched Up My Nutrition

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From Keto Cut to Dirty Bulk: Why I Switched Up My Nutrition

By Jon Stone | Iron Resilience

Keto served me well.

It kept my discipline sharp, helped me cut through the noise, and gave me a framework to shred down when I needed it. I ran on fats. I trained hard while fasted. I stayed lean, clear-headed, and consistent. But now, I’m in a different season. One that demands a different strategy.

I’ve transitioned from strict ketogenic eating to a dirty bulk. No fasting. No one-meal-a-day. I’m eating throughout the day now, pushing up my calories and carbs, and using the “if it fits your macros” framework to keep things simple and effective.

This shift wasn’t about abandoning discipline. It was about aligning my nutrition with my current training. I’m lifting heavier, pushing more volume, and giving my body what it needs to actually grow. Here’s what that looked like today:

Saturday, May 31st, 2025 – Pull Day (60 mins)

  • Barbell Row – 275×12, 295×10, 275×12, 275×10
  • Lat Pulldown – 175×12 (4 sets)
  • Seated Cable Row – 220×10 (4 sets)
  • Straight-Arm Cable Pushdown – 70×12 (4 sets)
  • Barbell Curl – 90×12 (4 sets)
  • Dumbbell Hammer Curl – 75×12 (4 sets)
  • Cable Curl – 125×12 (4 sets)
  • Cable Reverse Curl – 100×12 (4 sets)
  • Chest Supported DB Row – 70×12 (3 sets)
  • DB Shrugs – 130×12 (3 sets)

Big volume. Heavy weight. No fluff. Just work. That kind of session demands fuel — and a lot of it.

Today’s Macros

  • Calories: 4,222
  • Carbs: 486g
  • Fat: 160g
  • Protein: 209g

I’m not obsessing over clean eating right now. It’s a dirty bulk, not a careless one. I still track. I still eat with purpose. But I’m letting go of the perfectionism. That’s how you grow — not by restricting endlessly, but by fueling smart and training hard.

Why This Approach Works for Me

Part of this shift was inspired by guys like Sam Sulek. Not because I’m trying to mimic him, but because his approach is straightforward and effective: train hard, eat big, don’t overcomplicate it. He doesn’t obsess over food choices — he focuses on showing up and doing the work. That resonates with me.

And it’s not just about mass. It’s about being grounded in reality. Right now, I walk 25k–40k steps a day, I train six days a week, and I’m on my feet nonstop. I’m not in a surplus to get lazy — I’m in one to build. It’s a phase, not a lifestyle. I’ll cut again later using keto when it’s time to strip down and reveal what I’ve built.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t a flex. It’s not advice either. Just a snapshot of where I’m at right now. I’ve done OMAD. I’ve done keto. I’ve cut down to single-digit body fat. Now I’m chasing size, strength, and performance — and I’m fueling accordingly.

It’s not forever. It’s just the right tool for the job.

Simple. Focused. Resilient.

That’s how I live. That’s how I train. That’s how Iron Resilience grows.

Begin With Awareness: The Scientific Simplicity Behind Weight Loss

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Begin With Awareness: The Scientific Simplicity Behind Weight Loss

By Jon Stone | Founder, IronResilience.net
Discipline, Not Genetics

Let’s be blunt: most people fail to lose weight because they overcomplicate it, get overwhelmed, or try to sprint a marathon. But real results don’t come from extremes. They come from awareness, consistency, and discipline. You don’t need to be a nutritionist. You don’t need a new diet every Monday. You just need to start tracking what you do — and gradually refine it.

This is how real transformation begins. Not with hype. Not with fads. But with data, action, and discipline.

Step 1: Track Your Calories. Nothing Else.

Forget macros. Forget superfoods. Don’t even think about supplements yet.
First, get honest:
🧠 How much energy are you putting in?
⚖️ How much are you burning?

That’s all calories are — a unit of energy. Your body burns a certain amount every day. Eat more than that and you gain weight. Eat less and you lose it. That’s not marketing. That’s physics.

Until you track that number, everything else is guesswork. It’s like trying to run a business without looking at your bank account.

Step 2: Track Macros — Protein First

Once you’ve got the calorie habit down, refine it. Prioritize protein — the only macronutrient that repairs and maintains muscle, increases satiety, and has a high thermic effect (meaning it actually takes energy to digest).

➡️ Aim for 1g per pound of goal bodyweight.

Fat and carbs? Tailor those to your lifestyle, training, and energy needs. But without protein, you’re not just losing fat — you’re losing muscle, too.

Muscle is metabolism. Muscle is strength. Muscle is resilience.

Step 3: Micronutrients, Electrolytes, and Sodium

Now you’re operating like a pro. Once calories and macros are dialed in, look at the nutrients that don’t get the spotlight:

  • 🧂 Sodium
  • 🦴 Magnesium
  • 🍳 B Vitamins
  • 🥬 Potassium
  • 🍖 Zinc

These regulate performance, energy, hydration, sleep, and mental sharpness. Most people are deficient and don’t even know it.
This is where elite-level health begins — not just aesthetics, but function.

The One Percent Rule

You don’t need to be perfect today. Just better than yesterday.
Even 1% improvement over time beats the all-or-nothing mindset that keeps people stuck.

Do something small:

  • 🟢 Swap your sugary drink for water.
  • 🟢 Stop pouring cream and sugar in your coffee.
  • 🟢 Skip the sauce that adds 300 empty calories.

These aren’t life-ruining sacrifices — they’re refinements. Small upgrades that, over time, stack into real transformation.
And here’s the truth: most people won’t even take that first step. If you’re reading this and making even one of these changes, you’re already on a better path.

Ask Yourself This Right Now

What’s the highest-calorie, least-nutritious thing you eat regularly?
What do you keep going back to that doesn’t serve your mission?

Get real. Be surgical.
Cut it out, or dial it back.
This alone could shift your trajectory before you ever track a single calorie.

Final Word: Start With Consciousness, Not Perfection

This isn’t about punishment. It’s about personal power.
Tracking your intake is not obsession — it’s ownership.
Cutting the junk is not restriction — it’s self-respect.

You don’t need a six-pack tomorrow.
You need a standard today.

Start small. Stay consistent.
And never forget: Discipline. Not genetics.

Fat Gain Isn’t a Theory — It’s a Law

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Fat Gain Isn’t a Theory — It’s a Law | Iron Resilience


Fat Gain: It’s Not a Theory—It’s a Law ⚡️⚖️⚡️

By Jon Stone | Iron Resilience

Let’s cut the fluff.

Fat gain isn’t complicated. It isn’t mysterious. It’s not your hormones, your genetics, your metabolism, or the moon phase. Those can influence the rate or distribution of fat storage—but they don’t change the one thing that actually causes fat gain.

That thing is caloric surplus.

🔬 The Science Behind Fat Gain

Your body builds and stores fat through a process called adipogenesis. That’s the biological term for when your body takes energy it doesn’t need right now and tucks it away for later. Where? In adipose tissue—fat.

This tissue is made up of adipocytes, or fat cells. These cells store energy as triglycerides, a dense, efficient fuel source your body can tap into when food is scarce. Back in the hunter-gatherer days, that storage kept you alive. Today, it’s why your belt doesn’t fit.

None of this happens without one thing:

Excess energy. A calorie surplus.

🔥 What Is a Calorie?

A calorie is a unit of energy. Plain and simple. When you eat, you’re taking in energy. When you move, think, breathe, and digest, you’re burning it. If you eat more energy than you burn, your body stores the rest—mostly as fat.

No surplus = no storage.

That’s not up for debate. That’s not a diet guru’s opinion. It’s the First Law of Thermodynamics: energy cannot be created or destroyed—only stored or transferred. In humans, extra energy gets stored as fat. Period.

☠️ The Excuse Killshot

Fat gain is always the result of consuming more calories than you burn on average over time.

Not sometimes. Not maybe. Not “but what about insulin?” Always.

Yes, food quality matters. Yes, macros matter. Yes, hormones influence cravings, hunger, partitioning, and how easy or hard it feels. But none of them override the math:

  • Eat more than you burn = gain fat.
  • Burn more than you eat = lose fat.

This is not “calories in, calories out” as a slogan. This is physics applied to biology.

⚔️ Iron Resilience Standard

You can cry about it. You can call it toxic. You can say it’s more complicated. Or…

You can accept it, weaponize it, and get to work.

That’s the Iron Resilience way:
Discipline over delusion. Physics over feelings. No excuses, no lies, just the raw truth and the hard path forward.

If you’re gaining fat, it’s not magic—it’s math. Fix the math. Control the inputs. Watch your life change.

Welcome to the law. Respect it—or be ruled by it.



Why do some people eat healthy and work out but still don’t look fit?

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“Why do some people eat healthy and work out but still don’t look fit?”

Simple: they say they eat healthy. They say they work out. But reality doesn’t care what you say—it only responds to what you do, consistently, with intensity, and without compromise.

Here’s why they don’t look fit:

  1. Their version of “healthy” is a lie.
    Whole wheat toast, fruit juice, seed oils, cereal, and “moderation” of junk isn’t healthy. It’s mainstream dogma. Real healthy eating is built on protein, fat, and hard limits—no cheat days, no excuses, no comfort carbs.
  2. Their workouts are soft.
    A 30-minute walk or a few resistance band curls isn’t training—it’s movement. Training means progressive overload. Failure sets. Sweating through grit. Pain tolerance. If you leave the gym without a war wound, you didn’t train.
  3. They’re inconsistent.
    Discipline isn’t Monday to Friday. It’s seven days a week, through stress, bad sleep, holidays, and depression. One binge undoes a week of effort. One skipped session starts a slide. Half-assing this life never works.
  4. They overeat “clean.”
    You can get fat on peanut butter and protein bars. Portion control and macros matter. If you’re not tracking intake and manipulating it for your goals, you’re gambling, not cutting.
  5. They lack time under tension.
    One year of lifting lightly isn’t ten years of war in the weight room. The body is a reflection of cumulative suffering. If you’ve only just begun, don’t expect a veteran’s armor.
  6. They lie to themselves.
    Comfort is the modern curse. It whispers, “You’re doing enough.” But results don’t lie. If the mirror doesn’t change, your habits haven’t either. That’s the truth most “healthy” people won’t admit.

Bottom line: You’re not entitled to a fit body just because you kind of try. You earn it through discipline, suffering, sacrifice, and ruthless consistency. And if you’re still soft, it’s because somewhere deep down—you’re still soft on yourself.

Iron Resilience doesn’t play that game.
We forge the body to match the mind. And the mind to master the body.

—Jon Stone | IRON RESILIENCE

Discipline Over Dopamine: Why Fun is the Enemy and Dirty Bulking is a Lie

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Discipline Over Dopamine: Why Fun is the Enemy and Dirty Bulking is a Lie

By Jon Stone | Iron Resilience

The Dirty Truth

You don’t need motivation. You need a mirror and the balls to admit you’ve been soft. The fitness world is full of dopamine-chasing cowards looking for hacks, shortcuts, and comfort. If it’s fun and easy, it’s probably useless. Results come from pain, boredom, and sacrifice.

You think discipline is waking up at 6 AM for a jog with a podcast and protein bar? That’s lifestyle fluff. Real discipline is forcing down another plate of dry steak and eggs when you’re already full, walking an hour on empty just to get to the gym, and lifting until your joints scream. Not because you love it. Because you demand results.

Hard Work is Not Meant to Feel Good

Eating clean sucks. Being in a deficit is draining. Lifting heavy when you’re already sore is torture. But the work gets done anyway.

No one said this was supposed to feel good. It’s supposed to feel like war.

Fun is for the weak. Discipline is doing what you hate like it means nothing.

Shoving down your cravings, shutting off your comfort reflex, brushing your teeth, walking your steps, showering when you’re dead tired, and still hitting the iron with intention. That’s what separates the disciplined from the delusional.

Dirty Bulking is the Coward’s Escape

Let’s talk about the lie everyone loves: “I’m bulking.”

Translation? You’re binge-eating garbage and telling yourself it’s muscle.

Dirty bulking is easy. Shovel food down, lift a bit, and pretend it’s all going to turn into gains. You’ll cut later, right?

Too bad reality doesn’t play along. Six months of that behavior leads to 2–3 years of struggle. You’re not bulking. You’re running. And now you need a search party to find your dick and balls under the fat.

What you call a “bulk phase” is just your addiction to dopamine disguised as strategy.

The Cost of Delusion

You bulked your way out of discipline.
You buried your hunger cues.
You inflated your ego with every bite.

And now you’re left with man tits, low energy, and a wardrobe full of lies.

Cutting through that mess takes real suffering. You don’t just undo months of comfort with a few weeks of salads and cardio. This is where 99% quit. They wanted results, not reality.

But you? If you’re still here, you’re not them.

Fun is a Trap

Comfort is the great lie of our time. People think if you love your workouts, if you enjoy every bite, if your training is always engaging, then you’re doing it right.

No. You’re doing it easy.

The right way is often repetitive. Monotonous. Brutal. Real training is showing up when you don’t want to. Real dieting is saying no when everything in you screams yes. And real life? It’s what you build when you stop chasing pleasure and start living with purpose.

No Shortcut Lasts Forever

People will try every shortcut in the book—keto, fasting, carb cycling, pills, powders, even injections. And some of them work. Temporarily.

But it all circles back to diet and exercise.

If you want to make it a lifestyle, not a phase, you’ll have to accept the truth: discipline over dopamine, consistency over excitement, and effort over ease. No matter what you take or try, real results still demand real work.

The Biggest Flex

The biggest flex isn’t your PR. It isn’t your abs. It isn’t your follower count.

The biggest flex is maintaining your physical youth while watching everyone else around you get old.

While they slump into chairs and sugar comas, you’re out walking laps in the heat with a gallon jug and a steel spine. While they reminisce about their prime, you’re living it—again and again.

This is the power of discipline. This is the reward for the pain. You didn’t lose time. You reclaimed it.

The Iron Resilience Way

We don’t dirty bulk. We don’t binge and blame.

We eat with intention, even if the food tastes like cardboard.
We train through pain, fatigue, and boredom.
We walk with blisters. We lift with fury. We rest just enough to go again.

We don’t chase dopamine. We chase discipline.

Iron Resilience isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about identity.

You become who you are by walking through the fire, not around it.

Stop Bulking. Start Becoming.

Burn the bulking phase. Build the war path.

Stop lying to yourself. Start living by code.

Results cost pain. Pay in full.

Bonus Points from the Field

As much as I believe in balance and not cutting out entire food groups, there are certain things I personally avoid entirely—never “in moderation.”

  1. Palm oil & refined oils — Never in my kitchen. Restaurants might use them, and that’s fine once in a while. But not at home.
  2. Instant noodles — Maggi, ramen, etc. Not food. Just addiction.
  3. Cheese, peanut butter, yogurt, most dairy, nuts, and butter — These make me soft, bloated, and sluggish. Out. (I only use these in moderation and where my calorie intake is high enough to support my metabolism and activity, but I don’t recommend it for everyone—especially since I’m doing keto.)
  4. Sugar, processed grains, processed foods, fast foods, and junk — They’re poison for performance and longevity.
  5. Seed oils — Avoid these inflammatory nightmares whenever possible.

Real Talk on Lifestyle

Switch your diet to strictly eating whole foods and watch what happens — not just to your weight but to your energy levels.

Unpopular opinion: Buying groceries is not cheaper than eating out when you’re a single person. But the point isn’t cost. It’s control.

I hate talking about weight loss with some people. Everyone’s body is different, sure—but some suggestions are insane. Let’s just get real for a second:

You can’t just eat whatever you want after 30.

Kids are naturally active — playing outside, running, standing, burning sugar fast. Adults aren’t. Jobs and lifestyle trap you in sitting patterns, and the sugar just settles. Nearly all American food is sugar-laced trash, slowly killing most people.

When Monday comes, most people are already making excuses.

You’re not most people.

You don’t wait for motivation. You build momentum.
You don’t chase comfort. You chase progress.

This week, show yourself what discipline really looks like.

Get up. Lock in. Move.

The Best “Weight Loss Drugs” on the Market

  • 10k steps a day
  • No alcohol
  • Restful sleep
  • Whole foods only
  • Weight training
  • High protein diet
  • Stress management

Don’t do cardio to lose weight. Do cardio to increase energy, sharpen your mind, and level up your life.

If you want real results, embrace the hard path. The easy road is full of lies. Discipline is your weapon. Use it.

Jon Stone
Founder, ironresilience.net
Discipline, Not Genetics

IRON RESILIENCE LINKS

The Validation Trap: Social Media, Dating Apps, and the War on Men

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The Validation Trap: Social Media, Dating Apps, and the War on Men

By Jon Stone | Iron Resilience

In today’s world, the average woman logs onto social media and feels like a celebrity.
Filters, likes, comments—instant dopamine.
She posts a selfie, and the digital world rolls out the red carpet.
She doesn’t need to build anything.
She just needs to exist.

The average man logs on and feels like a ghost.
He posts his transformation, his progress, his grind—
and gets silence.
Invisible unless you’re rich, ripped, or ridiculous.

Social media isn’t neutral.
It’s engineered to inflate her ego and erode his confidence.
A psychological rigged game where validation is currency—
and men pay the price.

All for a few likes.
A few digital crumbs just to feel seen.
But that validation comes at a cost: your dignity, your focus, your fire.

Then there’s the other trap: dating apps

Tinder. Bumble. Hinge.
What looks like a chance at love is actually hypergamy on steroids.

She swipes left on 95% of men,
chasing the top 5% she believes she “deserves”—
the athlete, the influencer, the verified guy with abs and a boat.
Meanwhile, hard-working, disciplined men get zero matches—
unless they play the clown or wave their wallet.

Online dating has turned women into choosers
and men into desperate performers.
It’s not dating.
It’s a funnel that filters women upward and filters men out.

You are not broke. You are not ugly. You are not failing.

You’re playing a game designed to humiliate you.

It’s time to walk away from the circus.
Unplug from the matrix.
Validate yourself.

Train hard.
Build in silence.
Be the man who doesn’t need likes to feel powerful.
Be the man who doesn’t need swipes to feel wanted.

Because you’re not here to be picked.
You’re here to conquer.

—Jon Stone | Iron Resilience

5 Habits That Will Reshape Your Mind and Body

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5 Habits That Will Reshape Your Mind and Body

(Evidence-Based. Focused. Sustainable.)

These aren’t magic hacks. They’re just principles — rooted in biology, behavior science, and real-world results. If practiced consistently, they’ll rewire your nervous system, sharpen your focus, and build the resilience needed to thrive in a demanding world.

1. No Phone from 9PM to 9AM

Smartphones hijack the brain’s dopamine system. The more you check, scroll, or react, the harder it becomes to focus, sleep, or stay emotionally balanced.

A 12-hour phone fast — especially overnight — resets your nervous system. It improves sleep quality, reduces stress hormones, and reintroduces stillness into your life.

Early morning and late night are your most programmable windows. Use them wisely. Be present. Think clearly. Let your mind settle without distraction.

2. Train 1 Hour Every Day

Regular physical training isn’t just about muscle — it’s a full-spectrum upgrade for your brain and body.

Exercise increases BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which improves cognition, mood, and resilience to stress. It regulates hormones, enhances insulin sensitivity, and builds mental grit.

You don’t need to crush yourself. But you do need to move with intention. Discipline isn’t loud. It’s quiet, repetitive effort.

3. Drink 3 Liters of Water Daily

Mild dehydration (as little as 1–2%) impairs cognitive function, energy levels, and physical performance.

Drinking 3 liters a day keeps your cells functioning, your digestion optimal, and your brain sharp. If you train hard, sweat often, or drink caffeine, you probably need even more.

It’s simple. It’s boring. But it works. Most fatigue and brain fog is preventable. Water is your foundation.

4. Do 4 Hours of Deep Work

Focus is the new superpower. In a distracted world, the ability to do deep, uninterrupted work for 3–4 hours a day puts you in the top 5% of performers in any field.

Neuroscience shows that flow states — those moments of peak focus and creativity — require 20–30 minutes of sustained attention. Constant task switching kills this.

Structure your day to protect your deep work hours. Turn off notifications. Put your phone away. Let your brain lock in. Don’t try to work more. Just work deeper.

5. Read Every Day

Reading strengthens neural pathways for attention, language, memory, and imagination. It’s one of the simplest ways to build a sharper, more flexible mind.

Unlike scrolling or watching, reading demands active mental participation. It slows you down, improves emotional regulation, and gives you access to the thoughts of history’s greatest minds.

Even 10–20 minutes a day compounds over time. Choose quality. Stay curious. Learn things that change how you think.

Final Thought

None of these habits require talent. Just consistency. They ground you in your body. They sharpen your attention. They train you to be calm, focused, and capable under pressure.

You don’t need to be extreme. Just intentional. Small things, done daily, become identity. And identity shapes outcomes.

Keep it simple. Keep it honest. Keep showing up.

— Jon Stone, Iron Resilience

Myth-Busting: “You Can’t Outtrain a Bad Diet” – Not Always True

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Myth-Busting: “You Can’t Outtrain a Bad Diet” – Not Always True

Myth: “I can outtrain a shitty diet.”
Fact: You can—temporarily. But you can’t outrun the consequences.

Let’s be real: if you’re on gear, genetically blessed, or training like a Tour de France rider—4 to 6 hours a day, burning 5,000+ calories—you might be able to get away with more than the average man. Junk food, processed carbs, sugar bombs… in those rare cases, it’s fuel, not poison.

But for everyone else?

That saying—“you can’t outtrain a bad diet”—is a guideline, not a universal law. Still, it applies to most of us. Especially if you’re natural. Especially if you’re not an elite athlete training like a maniac.

Because here’s what happens over time:

  • Health markers crash: cholesterol climbs, blood pressure spikes, insulin sensitivity drops, gut health suffers.
  • Inflammation rises. Organs stress out. Low-nutrient, high-toxin food takes its toll.
  • Injuries creep in—because your recovery isn’t being supported by real nutrition.
  • Even guys on PEDs eventually hit a wall if their diet stays garbage.

Yes, there are outliers: pro bodybuilders who live on fast food yet stay shredded. NFL monsters pounding 6,000 calories of processed food and staying jacked. But they’re statistical freaks. They’re not the standard. And even they won’t be invincible forever.

Here’s the hard truth:
Most people can’t even come close to burning off 700–1000 extra calories of junk. That’s HOURS of serious effort—cardio, lifting, walking. Think you’ll “burn it off later”? You won’t. You’ll just store it.

Discipline doesn’t start with your workout. It starts with what you put on your plate.

Train like a beast. Eat like a warrior.
Not for aesthetics—for survival.

Own your fuel. Control your outcomes.

Iron Resilience.

Jon Stone
Founder, ironresilience.net
Discipline, Not Genetics

IRON RESILIENCE LINKS

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonstone.ironresilience
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ironresilience91
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iron.resilience
Website: https://ironresilience.net

Fat Won’t Kill You—But the Food Pyramid Will

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Myth: Dietary Fat Clogs Your Arteries and Makes You Fat

Truth: Low-fat = high-carb. That advice gave us the obesity epidemic.

Healthy fats—animal fats, eggs, butter—don’t make you fat. They support your hormones, keep you full, and help you burn fat.

If you think:

  • Juice is hydration
  • Chocolate milk is a protein shake
  • Cereal is clean eating
  • Grains are the base of the food pyramid

You’re not following science. You’re following 1950s marketing and 1980s food lobby propaganda—designed to keep you addicted, inflamed, and dependent.

“Cereal is fortified with vitamins!”

Fat logic: “It’s basically medicine in a bowl.”

Reality: It’s “fortified” because they stripped all the nutrients out—then sprinkled synthetic ones back in like fairy dust.

The sugar and starch hit your bloodstream faster than cocaine in a Wall Street bathroom. You’re hungry again in an hour. Rinse, repeat.

If cereal is breakfast, diabetes is dessert.

“Whole grains are heart-healthy!”

Fat logic: “I switched from Frosted Flakes to granola and brown bread!”

Reality: Whole grains are better than white flour—like getting punched is better than getting stabbed.

They’re still high in carbs, spike insulin, and are loaded with anti-nutrients like phytic acid that block mineral absorption.

Most cereals are ultra-processed, sweetened, and marketed with cartoon animals or fake doctor endorsements.

Translation: You’re not eating health food. You’re eating corporate-approved kibble.

“Chocolate milk is the perfect post-workout drink.”

Fat logic: “It has protein and calcium, bro.”

Reality: It has more sugar than soda—up to 30g per cup. The protein is fine, but you’re pairing it with an insulin bomb.

Unless you’re lean, insulin sensitive, and lifting hard—it’s not fueling recovery. It’s fueling your gut.

Translation: Chocolate milk works great if you’re a 12-year-old playing peewee hockey. Otherwise, you’re just getting fat with a straw.

“Fruit juice is healthy because it’s fruit!”

Fat logic: “It’s basically a salad you can drink!”

Reality: Fruit juice is sugar water with a vitamin halo. One glass of OJ has the sugar of 4 oranges—without the fiber.

It spikes insulin, crashes your energy, and leaves you hungrier. Fructose hits your liver like alcohol—causing fatty liver and insulin resistance.

Translation: If fruit is nature’s candy, juice is nature’s crack.

Bonus Round: “Healthy snacks”

  • Granola bars: Candy bars in yoga pants.
  • Trail mix: Fat + sugar bombs you eat while sitting.
  • Smoothies: Fruit juice milkshakes with a vitamin label.

Translation: Just because it has “natural” on the label doesn’t mean it’s not naturally making you fat.

“Oatmeal is a healthy breakfast!”

Fat logic: “It lowers cholesterol! It’s fiber!”

Reality: Oatmeal is a high-GI carb bomb. Instant oats digest faster than sugar.

Most people drown it in brown sugar, raisins, banana, and milk—making it a dessert disguised as breakfast.

Translation: Oatmeal is a carb bomb in a cardigan. Fiber doesn’t make it holy—it just makes your colon busy.

“Fish and chips is healthy—it’s fish!”

Fat logic: “Omega-3s cancel out the deep fry!”

Reality: That “fish” is cheap white fillet, breaded and deep-fried in seed oil sludge. The fries? Carbs + trans fats + heart disease.

Translation: That fish ain’t swimming in your arteries. It’s drowning you in visceral fat and inflammation.

“Gatorade is healthy because electrolytes!”

Fat logic: “I need to rehydrate after walking to the fridge.”

Reality: Gatorade was made for athletes in Florida heat. A bottle has 34g of sugar—like soda with sodium.

Translation: It’s just sugar water with corporate permission.

“Protein bars and shakes are healthy snacks!”

Fat logic: “It’s protein, so it’s fine!”

Reality: Most protein bars are candy bars with whey and soy shoved in. Loaded with maltitol, sucralose, seed oils, and gut-wrecking fibers.

Gas station protein shakes? Syrupy sludge with 5g of protein and 30g of carbs.

Translation: You’re not eating like a bodybuilder. You’re eating like a diabetic toddler with a gym membership.

“Margarine and plant-based is healthier than butter and meat!”

Fat logic: “Saturated fat is bad!”

Reality: That logic is from the same era as asbestos and lead paint. Margarine = hydrogenated seed oil plastic. Plant meat = pea protein, sawdust, and 78 additives.

Butter, beef, and eggs? That’s what your great-grandparents thrived on.

Translation: If margarine is your health food, you might as well eat sunscreen and call it a salad.

“Sugary lattes aren’t that bad—it’s just coffee!”

Fat logic: “I need my pick-me-up!”

Reality: Your “coffee” has more sugar than a donut—plus oat milk, whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and a selfie.

It’s not caffeine you’re addicted to—it’s the dopamine hit from dessert in a cup.

Translation: You’re not sipping energy. You’re sipping liquid self-sabotage in a $7 cup.

—

Jon Stone
Founder, ironresilience.net
Discipline, Not Genetics

IRON RESILIENCE LINKS
Instagram: @jonstone.ironresilience
YouTube: @ironresilience91
TikTok: @iron.resilience
Website: ironresilience.net

Top 10 Lazy Excuses That Keep You Soft

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Top 10 Lazy Excuses That Keep You Soft

At Iron Resilience, we’ve heard every excuse in the book—and probably said a few of them ourselves back in the day.
This isn’t about judgment. It’s about honesty. If you want change, it starts by cutting the crap, owning your choices, and laughing at your old logic as you outgrow it.

Here’s a lighthearted roast of the top 10 lazy excuses we’ve all either used or heard—and why they’re holding you back.

1. “I’m strong under this.”

So is the floor under your recliner.
Hidden potential doesn’t mean much when it stays hidden under 80 lbs of excuses.

2. “Protein bars are my snack.”

Candy bars in disguise.
Check the label—if sugar is in the top three ingredients, it’s not fueling you. It’s fooling you.

3. “I don’t have time.”

But 4 hours of Netflix made the cut?
Time isn’t the issue—priorities are. Your body doesn’t care about your calendar. It reacts to what you do daily.

4. “I have kids!”

So lead by example—or they’ll follow your gut.
Your kids don’t need another excuse-maker. They need a role model who shows them how discipline looks in real life.

5. “I just want to live my life.”

You mean survive it.
Living life doesn’t mean coasting in comfort. It means showing up sharp, strong, and capable—not just breathing in and out while being winded tying your shoes.

6. “I retain water.”

No, you retain drive-thru receipts.
There’s a difference between bloating and bloated habits. Let’s be real—water isn’t the reason the scale screams.

7. “I’m built different.”

You mean built… rounder.
Yeah, we’re all built different. But the gym doesn’t care about your body type—it rewards effort and consistency.

8. “It’s bulking season.”

You’ve been “bulking” since 2009.
There’s a difference between strategic mass gain and permanently living in sweatpants. Don’t confuse overfeeding with progress.

9. “I walk at work.”

To the vending machine?
Sure, you’re moving—but is it intentional? Is it intense? Or just pacing while waiting for lunch?

10. “I’ll start Monday.”

Said every quitter… forever.
There are 52 Mondays in a year. If you waited for all of them, you’d still be soft in 2030. Start today—even if it’s a Thursday at 3 PM.

Final Word:

We all have excuses.
The question is—do you feed them or fight them?

At Iron Resilience, we don’t aim for perfection. Just discipline, progress, and truth—served cold with a side of real talk.
If this hit home, good. Now get up, shut out the noise, and get your reps in.

Jon Stone
Founder, ironresilience.net
Discipline, Not Genetics

IRON RESILIENCE LINKS
Instagram: @jonstone.ironresilience
YouTube: @ironresilience91
TikTok: @iron.resilience
Website: https://ironresilience.net