Apex — 90-Day Protocol

30lb

Fat to lose

4days

Lifts/week

45min

Session cap

175g

Daily protein

15k

Step target

90-day phases

Days 1–30

Foundation

Lock habits. Log every lift. 10–12 reps. Build the baseline.

Days 31–60

Acceleration

+5 lb every two weeks. 4 sets. HIIT intensifies.

Days 61–90

Definition

6–8 reps. 3 sec eccentric. Supersets. Peak load.

Weekly structure

Mon

Push

Tue

Pull

Wed

HIIT

Thu

Legs

Fri

Full

Sat

Soccer

Sun

Rest

Phase progress

FoundationWks 1–4

AccelerationWks 5–8

DefinitionWks 9–13

Workout window: 12–1 pm fasted. 5 min dynamic warm-up + 30 min lifts + 5–10 min yoga cool-down. Hard ceiling: 45 min.

The 4-day split

Monday — push

Chest, shoulders, triceps

45 min

DB floor press3–4 × 10, 60–90 sec

DB shoulder press3–4 × 10, 60–90 sec

DB lateral raise3 × 12–15, 45 sec

Overhead tricep extension3 × 12, 45 sec

Push-up finisher1 × max

Tuesday — pull

Back, biceps, rear delts

45 min

DB bent-over row3–4 × 10, 90 sec

Single-arm DB row3–4 × 10 each, 90 sec

Inverted row (under table)3 × 10, 60 sec

Incline DB curl3 × 10–12, 45 sec

DB shrug2 × 15, 30 sec

Wednesday — HIIT cardio

Fasted, 20 min max

20 min

Phase 1 — 6–8 rounds30 sec work / 90 sec rest

Phase 2 — 8 rounds30 sec work / 75 sec rest

Phase 3 — 8–10 rounds30 sec work / 45 sec rest

MovesJump squats · high knees · burpees · skate jumps

Thursday — legs + core

Quads, hamstrings, glutes, core

45 min

DB goblet squat3–4 × 12, 90 sec

Romanian deadlift3–4 × 10, 90 sec

Bulgarian split squat3 × 8 each, 90 sec

Single-leg calf raise3 × 15 each

Plank → ab wheel rollout3 × 45 sec → 3 × 8

Friday — full body

Compound emphasis, metabolic finish

45 min

DB clean + press3–4 × 6–8, 90 sec

Renegade row3–4 × 8 each, 90 sec

DB squat to press3 × 10, 75 sec

Farmers carry2 × 40–50 sec

Dead bug3 × 8–10 each side

13-week calendar

Week 1Establish baseline weightsFoundation

Mon

Push — learn your working weights

Floor press 3×10 · Shoulder press 3×10 · Lateral raise 3×12 · Tricep ext 3×12 · Push-up 1×max
Record every weight. This is your Day 1 baseline.

Tue

Pull — feel the muscle, not the weight

Bent row 3×10 · Single-arm row 3×10 · Face pull 3×15 · Hammer curl 3×12 · Shrug 2×15

Wed

HIIT — 6 rounds, 30 sec on / 90 sec rest

Jump squats or high knees. Add 1 round per week until you reach 8.

Thu

Legs + core

Goblet squat 3×12 · RDL 3×10 · Reverse lunge 3×10 · Calf raise 3×20 · Plank 3×40 sec

Fri

Full body — practice the clean + press

Clean+press 3×8 · Renegade row 3×8 · Squat-to-press 3×10 · Suitcase carry 2×30 sec · Dead bug 3×8

Sat

Soccer + 10 min foam roll post-match

Sun

Walk + 5 rounds sun salutations + abhyanga

Week 2Hit top of rep range, prep first weight jumpFoundation

Mon–Fri

Same split. Target 12 reps on every set that called for 10.

If you hit 12 clean → add 2.5–5 lb next week. HIIT up to 7 rounds. Plank to 50 sec.
Rule: could do 3+ more reps = add weight next session.

Week 3First weight increase on all primary liftsFoundation

Mon

Push: +2.5–5 lb on floor press and shoulder press

Lateral raise + overhead ext: same weight, +1 rep per set

Tue

Pull: +5 lb on rows, +2.5 lb on curls

Wed

HIIT — 8 rounds, 30/90 (Phase 1 peak)

Thu

Legs: +5 lb on goblet squat and RDL. Plank to 55 sec.

Fri

Full body: clean+press +2.5 lb, renegade row +2.5 lb

Week 4Deload — 2 sets, same weight, no HIITDeload

Mon–Fri

2 sets per exercise. Keep Week 3 weights. Replace HIIT with 20 min zone 2 walk.

Deload is non-negotiable. Adaptation consolidates this week.

2050kcal

Daily target

175g

Protein

65g

Fat

185g

Carbs

Macro split

Protein 34%Fat 29%Carbs 37%

Fasting window

8 pm → 12 pm — Fast (16 hr)Black coffee + cardamom + cinnamon + L-theanine only

12 pm → 8 pm — Eat (8 hr)4 meals or 3 + optional shake

Meal structure

12:00 pm — break fast

~600 kcal · 45 g protein · post-workout

3–4 eggs or 200 g Greek yogurt + berries. Small serving oats or sweet potato. Handful walnuts. Ginger + lemon + turmeric tea alongside.

3:00–4:00 pm — meal 2

~700 kcal · 50 g protein · largest meal

Grilled chicken or salmon + roasted vegetables + quinoa or brown rice. Largest carb window of the day.

6:30–7:00 pm — meal 3

~550 kcal · 45 g protein

Protein + fat dominant. No high-glycemic carbs. Fatty fish, avocado, leafy greens, olive oil. Tulsi + cinnamon tea post-meal.

7:30–8:00 pm — optional meal 4

~200 kcal · 20 g protein · before window closes

Casein-forward only. Greek yogurt + berries + a few almonds. Supports overnight muscle protein synthesis.

Anti-inflammatory staples

Wild salmonSardinesBlueberriesPomegranateWalnutsExtra virgin olive oilDark leafy greensBone brothTurmeric + black pepperGingerCardamom (in use)Cinnamon (in use)

Calcium and magnesium compete for the same intestinal transporters. Separate by at least 2 hours or one cancels the other out.

Morning — fasting window (safe)

L-theanine 200 mg — in your coffee

Already doing this. Blunts cortisol spike, sharpens focus. Direct synergy with caffeine.

Ashwagandha 300–600 mg (KSM-66)

Morning if it energizes you. Lowers cortisol, supports testosterone. Shift to bedtime if it sedates.

Meal 1 — 12:00 pm (with food)

Multivitamin with D3

D3 requires dietary fat to absorb. Take with your largest meal. Aim for 2,000–4,000 IU D3 total.

Fish oil 2–3 g EPA+DHA

Reduces DOMS, lowers triglycerides, supports cognition. With food to prevent reflux.

Creatine monohydrate 5 g

Timing is flexible — any meal works. Increases phosphocreatine, drives strength gains. No loading needed.

Milk thistle 150 mg

Silymarin supports liver phase II detox. Pairs well with the autophagy drive from your fasting window.

Meal 3 — 6:30 pm

Calcium hydroxyapatite 500 mg (split dose)

Second half here, first half at Meal 1. Better absorbed than carbonate. Keep 2+ hrs from magnesium.

Bedtime — 30–60 min before sleep

Magnesium glycinate 400 mg

Most bioavailable form. Deepens slow-wave sleep, reduces anxiety, relaxes muscles. Single highest-impact change in your stack.

L-theanine 100–200 mg (optional second dose)

With magnesium glycinate, this is a clinically studied sleep stack. Blunts night-time rumination.

Two gaps in your current stack

Zinc 15–25 mg — supports testosterone, immune function, protein synthesis. Most people in a caloric deficit are depleted. Take with dinner.

Vitamin K2 MK-7 100 mcg — directs calcium to bones, not arteries. Non-negotiable alongside D3 + calcium hydroxyapatite.

80% of daily growth hormone is released in the first 2 sleep cycles. Magnesium + L-theanine at bedtime directly supports this. The fasting close at 8 pm exists for the same reason.

Sleep protocol

Dim lights at 8 pm

Melatonin onset needs ambient light to drop. Screen warm filter alone isn't enough.

Room at 65–68°F

Core temp drop of 1–3°F is the physiological trigger for deep sleep onset.

Morning light <30 min

Your first walk already does this. Sets cortisol awake-phase. Protect it.

Consistent wake time

More impactful than bedtime. ±30 min max on weekends. Anchors everything.

No fluids 90 min pre-bed

Night urination fragments sleep cycles. Front-load your 100 oz/day earlier.

Sleep tea blend

Chamomile + valerian + passionflower + cardamom. 30 min before bed.

Weekly recovery schedule

Daily2–3 walksMorning light · post-lunch · evening zone 2

DailySun salutations5–10 min end of every workout

DailyBreathwork3–5 min box or 4-7-8 before bed

3×/wkCold finish shower2 min cool → 30 sec cold. Reduces DOMS ~30%.

WeeklyFoam rollPost-soccer: quads, IT band, calves

Weekly20-min yoga flowSunday — parasympathetic reset

MonthlyMassageAlready on the calendar. Best day-after-leg day.

SeasonalSauna3×/wk × 20 min at 170–180°F when available

Hydration

At 200 lb: 100 oz (~3 liters) minimum daily. Add 16 oz per workout hour. Add 8–12 oz on soccer days. Electrolytes post-soccer: pinch Himalayan salt + lemon in water.

Ayurveda alignment

Vata-Pitta imbalance

Irregular winter discipline + anxiety + inflammation points here. Your protocol is already well-aligned — cardamom-cinnamon coffee, ashwagandha, and fasting all work with this constitution. The gap is grounding: consistent routine, warm oil self-massage, and less cold in the evening.

Abhyanga (self-massage)

Sesame oil (warming, Vata-calming) or coconut oil (Pitta-cooling). 10 min before Sunday shower. Crown to extremities. Supports lymphatic flow, reduces cortisol — measurable parasympathetic activation in RCTs.

Breathwork

Box breathing

4 in / 4 hold / 4 out / 4 hold. 5 min pre-workout or pre-sleep.

4-7-8 breath

4 in / 7 hold / 8 out. 4 cycles before bed. Strongest vagal activation for sleep onset.

Nadi Shodhana

Alternate nostril. 5 min midday. Reduces afternoon mental fatigue.

Kapalbhati

30–60 rapid belly pumps × 3. Morning energizer. Stimulates liver, generates internal heat.

Mudras

Surya mudra — ring finger bent under thumb. Stimulates metabolic fire. 15 min daily.
Prana mudra — ring + pinky tips to thumb. Builds vitality and fatigue resistance.
Apana mudra — middle + ring tips to thumb. Supports detox and elimination during fasting.

Chakra focus

Manipura (solar plexus) — metabolism, will, discipline. Sun salutations directly activate this. Add yellow visualization.
Anahata (heart) — cortisol regulation and resilience. Box breathing and L-theanine both support this.
Vishuddha (throat) — humming on your morning walk activates the vagal nerve. Measurable parasympathetic effect.

Tea blends by purpose

Break fastGinger + lemon + turmeric + black pepperWakes digestion, anti-inflammatory

Post-workoutHoly basil (Tulsi) + cinnamonLowers cortisol spike, stabilizes blood sugar

Pre-sleepChamomile + valerian + passionflower + cardamomGABA-ergic, deepens sleep quality