Why we aren't waiting until January 1st to build resilience.
Most people treat December like a "throwaway" month.
They let the holiday stress pile up, the nutrition slide, and the workouts disappear, telling themselves they will fix it all when the ball drops on New Year's Day.
But at Brooktree, we don't operate like that. We don't wait for calendar dates to take control of our lifestyle management.
We just wrapped up Fit Before the Feast, where the focus was physical—dropping the sugar and keeping the gains. Now, for the final stretch of the year, we are shifting gears. We are focusing on mental resilience, metabolic health, and maintaining our peace amidst the holiday noise.
Introducing the Cool, Calm, & Collected Challenge.
Why This? Why Now?
I recently shared a breakdown of the science behind cold exposure. It is one of the most potent tools available to us—and it’s free.
By voluntarily stepping into the cold, you are training your nervous system to handle stress. You are triggering a flood of dopamine (motivation) and norepinephrine (focus). You are waking up your metabolism and boosting your immune system right when everyone else is getting sick.
But mostly, you are building a "discipline muscle." If you can handle the freezing cold at 6:00 AM, the holiday traffic and family stress don't stand a chance.
The Protocol
For the next 30 days, we are focusing on three pillars:
1. COOL (The Mental Challenge)
Every single day, you will take a cold shower.
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The Rule: It doesn't have to be a cold plunge. You can take your normal warm shower, but for the last portion, you turn the knob all the way to cold.
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The Goal: Start with 15 seconds. Work your way up to 2 minutes by the end of the month. Breathe through the shock. Control your response.
2. CALM (The Active Recovery)
December is chaotic; your movement shouldn't be.
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The Rule: A daily 15–20 minute walk. No excuses.
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The Goal: This is for your head as much as your heart. Get outside, get some sun if you can, and find some peace and quiet.
3. COLLECTED (The Maintenance)
We aren't letting our physical gains slip away.
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The Rule: Complete 3 scheduled resistance workouts per week via the BrooktreeFit App.
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The Goal: These are curated to be efficient. We want to stimulate the muscle and maintain strength without adding unnecessary stress to your schedule.
How to Join
This challenge is fully integrated into the BrooktreeFit App. You will get:
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Daily reminders and tracking for your cold exposure.
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Your scheduled workout plan (customized for the busy season).
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A community of us doing this together—because misery loves company, but resilience loves community.
Don't arrive in January feeling sluggish, stressed, and soft. Arrive feeling sharp, disciplined, and ready.
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