FRLN105: Bloodwork Optimization, Tracking Your Retirement Number, The Price of Your Peace
Happy New Year!
If you’re anything like me, the turn of the calendar isn’t about resolutions.
It’s about starting strong.
Not by doing more…
But by measuring the right things, tightening assumptions, and removing unnecessary stress.
That’s exactly why this week’s newsletter features Andrew Giancola.
He's the host of The Personal Finance Podcast, which is one of the biggest shows in the space (600K+ downloads a month).
Our conversation on Fit Rich Life Podcast Episode 97 is a masterclass in setting the tone for the year ahead:
Using real data (not vibes) to guide your health
Updating financial targets so they reflect today’s reality
Making intentional tradeoffs that protect your energy, sleep, and peace
This isn’t about a perfect January.
It’s about building systems — in fitness, money, and life — that compound all year long.
Let’s get into it.
FIT — Bloodwork Changes How You Eat, Train, and Live
Andrew’s top fitness recommendation was simple and powerful:
Get your blood work done. Regularly.
And I couldn’t agree more.
When Andrew did comprehensive bloodwork, he uncovered something he didn’t feel but absolutely needed to know:
His cholesterol was significantly elevated, along with a few other markers that were out of range.
That information immediately changed:
How he eats (not following trends, but correcting deficiencies and risks)
How he thinks about training and recovery
How he thinks about his long-term health
Instead of guessing, he adjusted his lifestyle based on data.
That shift alone changed how he lives in his body day to day.
This is why bloodwork matters so much — especially as we get older.
There are entire dimensions of health you simply can’t “feel” your way into.
I’ve had a similar experience on my end.
About 2–2.5 years ago, I got my own blood work done and found my testosterone was on the low end of the healthy range.
Rather than jumping straight to supplements or medical intervention, I ran a clean experiment.
For six months, I changed one thing only:
I was physically in bed 9–10 hours every night
No training changes
No diet changes
No supplements
When I retested?
My testosterone went from the low 400s to nearly 900 — the top end of the healthy range for my age.
That one shift impacted:
Mood & motivation
My recovery speed
Overall energy and resilience
Ability to build & maintain lean muscle
And this isn’t just a “men’s issue.”
Hormones play a massive role in both men and women, and many of these markers can only be properly tracked through blood work.
I recommend testing at least once per year, ideally 2–4 times per year if you’re serious about longevity and performance.
Andrew uses Function Health. I’m not affiliated with them.
I personally use WHOOP, which just released Advanced Labs, offering tracking for 65 biomarkers, including a full hormone panel.
FTR - I am NOT sponsored by WHOOP, which is a health tracking device, but I have been using it for 5 years. If you use my referral code (they give one to every user), you and I will both get a month free.
Bloodwork is an additional cost, but well worth it in my opinion, as the bloodwork data is incorporated into the WHOOP ecosystem, which continues to be the most advanced & comprehensive health tracker I've ever used.
Whichever route you choose, the principle is the same:
Use a system that knows what to test — and why it matters.
Your primary care doctor may or may not track the biomarkers most relevant to performance, healthspan, and longevity.
If you want to live a Fit Rich Life, you need real data — not guesses.
RICH — Track Your Retirement Number (Not Just Your Net Worth)
Andrew shared a money habit most people don’t have:
He recalculates his retirement number every single year.
Why?
Because the goalposts move.
A few reasons this matters:
Inflation quietly increases the amount you’ll need (historically ~3%, sometimes much higher)
Healthcare inflation has been rising aggressively (Andrew cited ~7% annually in recent years)
Legislation changes — including Social Security — can materially affect retirement plans
Your life changes, and your future spending won’t look like today
Many people wait until they’re 5 years from retirement to check these assumptions — and that’s often when they realize they’re short.
Andrew’s approach aligns with one of my core beliefs:
What gets measured gets managed — and optimized.
Net worth is a snapshot.
Your retirement number is a living system.
Track it accordingly.
LIFE — Figure Out What Your Peace Is Worth
This was the heart of the episode.
Andrew shared why he sold his pickleball facilities — even though holding them longer could’ve made him a few million dollars more.
Why sell?
Because the cost wasn’t financial.
It was:
Chronic stress
Sleepless nights
Mental bandwidth
Constant problem-solving
At some point, he realized the money wasn’t worth the cortisol.
He also shared a smaller example: walking away from a ~$5,000 dispute rather than entering a long legal battle that would’ve consumed his energy and attention.
Not because he avoids confrontation.
Not because he lets people walk over him.
But because he’s learned to ask a different question:
Is this worth robbing me of my peace?
This resonates deeply with how I structure my own life.
It’s one of the reasons I intentionally keep a larger cash buffer than what’s mathematically optimal.
Textbook financial independence says:
Keep 3–6 months of cash
Invest the rest
In reality?
I prefer 1–2 years of cash.
When markets dropped hard earlier in 2025, and everyone was panicking, I slept like a baby. I didn’t have to sell assets at the bottom. I didn’t have to worry.
Yes — investing every dollar would likely produce higher long-term returns.
But peace has value.
And I’m willing to “pay” for it.
ACTION — Upgrade + Why This Episode Is Worth It
Pick one to upgrade the start to 2026:
Get your blood work done — stop guessing about your health. Schedule labs (annual minimum, ideally 2–4x/year) so you can adjust how you eat, train, and recover before problems show up.
Recalculate your retirement number — don’t rely on a stale target. Update it for inflation, healthcare costs, and your actual life today. Precision beats false confidence.
Protect your peace on purpose — identify one stressor you’re tolerating “for the money.” Ask honestly: Is this worth the cortisol, sleep loss, and mental load? Then choose accordingly.
Then grab the full convo with Andrew Giancola so you can:
Hear the real story of going from not enough money for gas to building wealth through income growth, investing, and systems (not luck).
Learn why savings rate (not budgeting perfection) determines how long you have to work — and how to increase it without burning out.
Steal Andrew’s career income playbook (raises, leverage, job offers, negotiation scripts) that can add millions over your lifetime.
Listen here:
🎧 Spotify | 🍎 Apple | ▶️ YouTube | 🌐 Web
To your health, wealth, and happiness,
— Justin David Carl