Category Archives: Bodybuilding & Strength Training

The Biceps That Look Like an Ass

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The Biceps That Look Like an Ass

By Jon Stone | Iron Resilience

You know you’re dialed in when your bicep looks like a goddamn glute. I’m talking about that deep separation. That crease running through the middle of your arm like a pair of shredded glutes flexed under stage lights.

Most men have arms. Few men have weapons.

When your bicep starts to look like an ass cheek, you’re entering dangerous territory. You’re no longer training to look good in a T-shirt. You’re training to put fear in the soft. To show your discipline before you speak a word.

If your arm has that split—congrats. You’re on track.
If not? We fix that. Now.

What It Really Means When Your Bicep Looks Like a Glute

  • You’re peeled. Sub-10% body fat. Veins crawling up your forearm. Skin like Saran Wrap.
  • You’re symmetrical. Both bicep heads are firing. Long head. Short head. Balanced and full.
  • You’ve earned it. This isn’t a “pump” from a cheat meal. This is decades of pain, progressive overload, failure sets, and food discipline.

IRON BICEP HYPERTROPHY ROUTINE: SHAPE THE SPLIT

This is not a pump session. This is surgical hypertrophy. You’re going to train the long head, short head, and brachialis—with perfect form, full range, and controlled negatives.

Do this routine once or twice a week, on its own or after back.

Iron Resilience Bicep Protocol

1. Incline Dumbbell Curls
3 x 10–12 (Full stretch, palms up, slow negative)
Targets: Long head (outer peak)
Tip: Let your arms hang back, pause at the bottom, explode up.

2. Preacher Curl (EZ Bar or Machine)
4 x 8–10 (Rest-pause on last set)
Targets: Short head (inner bicep)
Tip: Keep constant tension. Avoid locking out.

3. Cross-body Hammer Curl
3 x 10 each side
Targets: Brachialis (thickness, separation)
Tip: Think about dragging the dumbbell across the body like pulling a rope.

4. Cable Rope Curl (Facing away, overhead stretch)
3 x 12–15 (Slow reps, deep stretch)
Targets: Overall sweep and pump
Tip: Keep your elbows high. Squeeze like you’re wringing out a towel.

5. Chin-ups (Close grip)
3 x failure (squeeze biceps, don’t kip)
Targets: Functional strength, peak overload
Tip: Do these strict or don’t do them at all.

IRON RESILIENCE CUTTING DIET: REVEAL THE SPLIT

If you’re fat, you won’t see the split. Simple.
To reveal the glute-bicep, you need:

  • 250g protein daily minimum
  • 180–200g fat daily
  • Zero carbs except trace from veg
  • Fasted training or OMAD
  • Brutal output: 20k+ steps, 1hr lifts, 1hr cardio

Example Day: “Peel or Die” Cutting Day (Keto + OMAD)

Morning (Fast)
– Black coffee with butter + almond milk
– Optional: nicotine pouch + fasted walk to gym (45 mins)
– Train hard (weights + cardio)
– Walk to work (20 mins)

Post-Workout OMAD (1 Meal)
– 10 oz steak or pork chop
– 4 eggs fried in beef fat
– 3 hot dogs or sausages
– ½ avocado
– Handful spinach sautéed in margarine
– ¼ cup Greek yogurt with whey and flaxseed
– Keto pudding (almond milk + whey + margarine)

Night
– Skinny keto chai tea
– Shower, shave, rest
– Chill with weed, music, or girl—no phone, no fap, no sugar

Pain Is the Blueprint

You don’t get glute-biceps by chance.

You get them when you’ve suffered long enough that your body has no choice but to obey your will.

Every rep must be carved with hate for the old you. Every step walked fasted in the cold is a brick in the foundation of the new you.

This is Iron Resilience. You train like a masochist.
You dominate like a sadist—with no ego, no noise, and no mercy.

And when your biceps look like glutes? You don’t flex for attention.
You smile quietly, because you know what it cost you.

Stay sharp. Stay shredded. Be the weapon.

—Jon Stone
Iron Resilience

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

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

The Standard American Diet vs. Iron Resilience: A Data-Driven Comparison

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The Standard American Diet vs. Iron Resilience: A Data-Driven Comparison

By Jon Stone | Iron Resilience

The Standard American Diet (SAD) isn’t just unhealthy—it’s anti-performance. Its effects on health, physique, and discipline are measurable, well-documented, and directly opposed to the Iron Resilience way of eating and training. Here’s a fact-based comparison of SAD versus the Iron Resilience protocol during a structured cutting phase.

1. Daily Caloric Intake & Macros

Category Standard American Diet (SAD) Iron Resilience Protocol (High-Intensity Day)
Calories/day ~2,700 kcal (USDA average) ~3,681 kcal
Protein ~70g/day (12–15%) 302g/day (33%)
Fat ~115g/day (35–40%) 252g/day (62%)
Carbohydrates ~340g/day (50–60%) 43g/day (mostly fiber and dairy sugar) (5%)
Caloric Deficit Often in surplus 500–1,000 kcal deficit with strategic refeeds

SAD Insight: The average American diet is carbohydrate-heavy with moderate fat and low protein, contributing to metabolic dysfunction and excess fat storage.
Iron Resilience: Prioritizes very high protein to preserve and build lean mass, very high fat to support hormonal health and energy, and very low carbs to promote fat oxidation. Despite higher calories, a controlled deficit is maintained by elevated energy expenditure.

2. Food Sources

Typical Iron Resilience Foods Include:

  • Pork (large fried pork chops, ground pork, pork fat, pork rinds)
  • Chicken (all parts, especially skin-on, bone-in)
  • Seafood (shrimp, trout, salmon)
  • Organ meats (calf liver)
  • Bacon, sausages, hot dogs, pepperoni sticks, hamburger patties
  • Dairy (cheese, Greek yogurt)
  • Nuts (almonds)
  • Vegetables (spinach, bell peppers, onions, avocados)
  • Coffee
  • Cooking fats like butter and animal fat

Breakfast Example:
Whey protein, Greek yogurt, natural peanut butter, ground flaxseed, almond milk, Himalayan pink salt

Lunch Example:
375g chicken breast (skin and bone-in)

3. Physical Activity & Energy Output

Category Standard American Male Iron Resilience Protocol (High-Intensity Day)
Steps/day ~5,000 (NIH average) 35,000 steps
Training Low intensity or inconsistent 1 hour of weightlifting and core training
Deficit Caloric surplus or maintenance 500–1,000 kcal deficit (with periodic refeeds)

SAD Impact: Most adults fail to meet minimum physical activity recommendations, contributing to chronic disease.
Iron Resilience: Combines high daily steps with focused resistance training for optimal fat loss and muscle retention.

4. Summary

The Standard American Diet supports excess fat gain, insulin resistance, and poor body composition due to high carbs, low protein, and low activity.

The Iron Resilience protocol counters this with:

  • Very high protein intake (over 300g/day) to maintain and grow muscle.
  • High fat consumption (over 250g/day) for sustained energy and hormonal health.
  • Low carbohydrate intake (~40g/day), mostly from fiber and dairy sugar.
  • High physical activity (35,000 steps and 1+ hour lifting) to create a moderate caloric deficit (500–1,000 kcal/day) with planned refeeds to maintain metabolism.

This approach maximizes lean mass retention while aggressively reducing fat, all backed by nutrition science and real-world experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Is the Iron Resilience protocol a ketogenic diet?

A: Yes. It’s a targeted ketogenic diet designed to keep carbohydrate intake very low—around 40 to 50 grams per day—primarily from fibrous vegetables and dairy. The diet is high in fat (over 250 grams daily) from animal fats, nuts, butter, and cooking fats, which provides the main energy source. Protein intake is very high (300+ grams daily) to preserve and build muscle during a cutting phase with intense training. This combination supports fat burning and muscle retention while maintaining energy and performance.

Q: How does the Iron Resilience diet differ from the Standard American Diet?

A: The typical American diet is high in carbohydrates (around 340 grams per day), moderate in fat, and low in protein. This leads to excess fat gain and poor metabolic health. Iron Resilience flips this by prioritizing high protein, high fat, and very low carbs, paired with high physical activity to create a controlled calorie deficit and optimize body composition.

Q: What kind of foods do you eat on the Iron Resilience protocol?

A: Foods focus heavily on animal proteins and fats such as pork chops, chicken (all parts), seafood (shrimp, trout, salmon), organ meats (calf liver), bacon, sausages, cheese, and eggs. Vegetables like spinach, bell peppers, onions, and avocado provide fiber and micronutrients. Cooking fats include butter and animal fat. Coffee and nuts are also part of the diet.

Q: What does a typical high-intensity day look like?

A: An example high-intensity day involves:

  • 3,681 calories consisting of 302g protein, 252g fat, and 43g carbohydrates.
  • 35,000 steps of walking or movement.
  • 1 hour of weightlifting and core training.
  • A caloric deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories, depending on the day, with strategic refeed days to maintain metabolic health.

Build your body like it’s your last chance. Because it is.
Iron Resilience isn’t just a diet. It’s a declaration.

Jon Stone
Founder, ironresilience.net
Discipline, Not Genetics

IRON RESILIENCE LINKS

The Missing Links to Peak Health and Anti-Aging

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The Missing Links to Peak Health and Anti-Aging

By Jon Stone | Iron Resilience

Most people chasing “health” or “fitness” don’t realize they’re doing it with a half-empty toolkit. They track macros, go to the gym, maybe even fast—but they’re still inflamed, tired, low-testosterone, and biologically aging fast.

This is Iron Resilience. We train hard, eat harder, and live disciplined—but we also go deeper. We optimize every system in the body to build aesthetics, strength, endurance, and longevity—without excuses, without substances, without weakness.

Here’s what you need for true peak health and to reverse aging from the inside out.

WATER, ELECTROLYTES & FIBER: THE FOUNDATION

Daily Targets for Bodybuilders:

  • Water: 3.5–5+ liters/day. More if you sweat. No exceptions.
  • Sodium: 4,000–6,000 mg/day or more. Especially on keto.
  • Potassium: 3,500–5,000 mg/day. Use potassium salt or avocado and leafy greens.
  • Magnesium: 400–600 mg/day. Glycinate or citrate at night.
  • Fiber: 15–30g/day. From flaxseed, greens, and cruciferous veg. Don’t wreck your gut.

Hydration is not about sipping water—it’s about retaining it with sodium and potassium. Cramping, fatigue, or brain fog? You’re low. Fix it or suffer.

THE MICRONUTRIENTS THAT MATTER

You train like a beast, so fuel like a machine. Here’s what your body needs beyond protein and fats:

  • Magnesium: Sleep, muscle recovery, ATP.
  • Zinc: Testosterone, immunity, anabolic drive.
  • Vitamin D3 + K2: Bone, mood, hormone health.
  • Potassium & Sodium: Pumps, hydration, muscle contraction.
  • Calcium: Muscle firing, bone strength.
  • B-Vitamins (B6, B12, Folate): Energy, red blood cells.
  • Selenium & Iodine: Thyroid function.
  • Chromium & Vanadium: Bonus for keto lifters—blood sugar control.

BEYOND THE BASICS: DEEP OPTIMIZATION

1. Mitochondrial Power = Energy + Longevity

  • Train hard (especially HIIT and fasted cardio).
  • Supplement CoQ10 and PQQ if depleted.
  • Use cold exposure and walk fasted to trigger mitochondrial biogenesis.

2. Autophagy: Clean the System

  • Fast daily. OMAD or 18:6 windows.
  • Train fasted and hard.
  • Consider berberine or spermidine for deep cellular cleanup.

3. Inflammation Control

  • Cut seed oils and processed carbs.
  • Load up on omega-3s, turmeric, ginger.
  • Train, walk, sleep, and stay calm under fire.

4. Natural Testosterone & Growth Hormone Boost

  • Deep sleep + heavy lifting = highest test.
  • Ashwagandha, zinc, sunlight, cold exposure.
  • Have sex, not smut. Stay off the hub. Focus your energy.

5. Collagen and Skin Health

  • Collagen + vitamin C daily.
  • Bone broth, sardines, gelatin.
  • Red light therapy if available.

6. Gut Health

  • Add fermented foods: kefir, sauerkraut, unsweetened yogurt.
  • Use ACV or enzymes if digestion lags.
  • Avoid zero-cal sweeteners that nuke your microbiome.

7. Liver Support

  • Eat liver or egg yolks for choline.
  • Use milk thistle or TUDCA if overloading your system.
  • Sweat daily. Train, sauna, or hot showers.

8. DNA Repair and Glycation Control

  • NAC, alpha-lipoic acid, and resveratrol (optional).
  • Keep blood sugar low and stable.
  • Avoid charred meats and artificial junk.

THE UNSPOKEN FACTORS THAT MAKE OR BREAK YOU

  • Sleep: 7–9 hours. Magnesium + indica before bed. Cold room. No screens.
  • Sunlight: Every morning. Set circadian rhythm. Boost testosterone.
  • Teeth and gums: Floss like it’s life or death—because it is.
  • Posture, mobility, and joint health: Don’t lift like a beast if you can’t move like a man.
  • Mental resilience: Music, solitude, mission. No victim talk. No dopamine chasing.

CONCLUSION: LIVE LIKE A KING, TRAIN LIKE A WOLF

Peak health isn’t about hacks. It’s about discipline, awareness, and ruthless consistency.

If you’re walking 30,000 steps, lifting heavy, fasting, eating primal, and optimizing these systems—you’re not aging. You’re evolving.

That’s Iron Resilience: built from the ground up, from cells to soul.

Jon Stone
Iron Resilience
Train. Build. Dominate.

Quick and Dirty Guide to Macros

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Quick and Dirty Guide to Macros

Remember these formulas:

Option 1 (High Carb):

  • Carbohydrates = 1.5 × bodyweight (in pounds) → grams per day
  • Protein = 1 × bodyweight → grams per day
  • Fill the remaining calories with fat

Option 2 (Keto):

  • Protein = 1 × bodyweight → grams per day
  • Fat = 1 × bodyweight → grams per day
  • Carbohydrates = Under 30g per day

Examples (200 lb person):

Keto Approach:

  • Protein: 200g
  • Fat: 200g
  • Carbs: Under 30g

Higher-Carb Approach:

  • Carbs: 300g (1.5 × 200)
  • Protein: 200g
  • Fat: Adjust based on total calorie needs

This version works better for low to moderate fat intake with moderate to high carbs.

Key Points:

  • Protein comes first. Always hit your protein target before worrying about anything else.
  • Pair protein with carbs or fats for proper absorption. Example meals:
    • Yogurt, oats, and whey
    • Banana with peanut butter
  • Space meals or snacks 4–6 hours apart.
  • Count calories, but prioritize protein. Once protein is locked in, fats and carbs can be adjusted based on energy needs and your goal (cut, bulk, recomp).

On Fasting:

Fasting works best for fat loss in obese, sedentary individuals. It’s not ideal for lean, active people trying to train hard. You can’t fast 16–20 hours a day and expect optimal performance unless you’re cramming in 3,000–4,000 calorie meals—which defeats the point. Fasting isn’t sustainable for performance-focused lifestyles. Use it sparingly, if at all.

Jon Stone
Founder, ironresilience.net
Discipline, Not Genetics

IRON RESILIENCE LINKS