In partnership with

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, December 24th.

Happy Holidays from Thrive25!

Keeping this one short and sweet…

In today’s email:

• Focus: Channel Your Inner Nordic

• Move: The Opposite of Sitting

• Laugh: A Nativity Scene from Nashville

• In the News: The Offline Revolution

Stat of the Day

The percentage of us that are stressed during the holidays. Don’t make it crazy - the gifts you buy will be great, the food you serve will be awesome, and the only thing people will remember will be being together. (APA)

Focus

Channel Your Inner Nordic

It’s ok to take a break this week. In fact, it’s recommended. We need to recharge and not feel guilt for what’s on our To Do list or skipping our AM workout.

“Hygge” is a Norwegian word that means “wellbeing” - coming from the word hyggja (“to think”) and hugr (“the soul, mind, consciousness”).

Denmark has embraced the concept as a core pillar in its culture. It now translates into:

What’s better than that?

The most basic example of hygge in Denmark is sitting around with friends and family discussing the big and small things in life - normally under blankets with candles lighting the room.

There’s a finite number of holidays left for all of us. Don’t miss the opportunity to make the most of this one.

And if you want to really be a Nordic this week - add a sauna session to your calendar and maybe even pair it up with a cold plunge (or a snow swim).

Move

The Opposite of Sitting

Hygge is great - but we shouldn’t stop moving all week. Over two-thirds of Americans won’t workout enough during the holidays and it can take a long time to make up for a full week of inactivity.

If you’re enjoying some down time with a bit more food and a bit more sitting than usual - here are three exercises to offset the effects of too much sitting:

1. Walk Backwards - creates more resistance to strengthen our legs.

2. Banded Pull Aparts - counter the forward roll of our upper back when we sit by using a band. Hold the band in front of you, and with straight arms pull both arms out until you’re in a T-position for 20 reps.

3. Lunge Stretch - counter the tightness in our hips by doing a single leg lunge. Keep your front foot flat on the ground and move your knee as far forward as you can. For support, you can put your front foot on a chair or bench.

Check out all movements in this video from Knees Over Toes.

kneesovertoesguy

View more on Instagram

I’ll be out there for sunrise run on Thursday, Dec 26th - if you want to join virtually, just send us an email that you’re in. BONUS: Share a photo of your AM workout!

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Your Breakfast Is Holding You Back

Coffee alone isn’t breakfast.

For lasting energy, peak performance, and real health benefits, your body needs more than just empty calories. That’s where Huel Black Edition steps in. Packed with 40g of protein and 27 essential vitamins, it’s the ultimate high-protein meal, ready in just 30 seconds.

Start fueling your day the right way. Use code BEHUEL15 for 15% off your first order, plus a FREE t-shirt and shaker.

Upgrade Your Breakfast Today

Laugh

A Nativity Scene from Nashville

We’ve been a fan of Nate Bargatze for a while now. He just did a spin off the George Washington SNL skit for his new Xmas special.

Enjoy…

H&L in the News

Gen Z's Offline Revolution: In 2025, Gen Z will lead a cultural shift toward techless human connection, rejecting digital addiction and reshaping work-life balance, consumption, and trust in a screen-saturated world. (WIRED)

Unfinished Business on El Cap: Alex Honnold returns to Yosemite’s iconic Nose route to free climb it for the first time, teaming up with stars and tackling new challenges on El Capitan (Outside). For a little more, check out our issue that highlights Free Solo.

The Cure for Health Inequality?: AI promises to transform global health, from diagnosing diseases to tailoring treatments. But can it overcome infrastructure gaps and ethical challenges to deliver on its revolutionary potential? (Big Think)

Thrive25 Referral Program

Thanks for being part of the Thrive25 community! Want to further support our mission of transforming science into digestible insights to support our health & longevity. Earn Thrive25 swag and other rewards from our Sponsors via our referral program:

Thanks for joining us today!

• Want to see what we’re up to? Sign up for early access to our platform

• Missed an issue? No problem, check out our newsletter archive

• Got feedback, recommendations or stories to share? Tell us what’s on your mind here

• Someone send you this email? Sign up here

We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].

To health!