Happy Monday, y’all — and welcome back to The Work. December is here, the sleet is falling, and we’re kicking off the final stretch of the year with a whole lot happening behind the scenes.

This week, Greg and I dive into Thanksgiving recaps, starting with a massive shout-out to Marty, our UPS driver who surprised the whole crew with the most unbelievable keto barbecue spread. Brisket, ribs, pulled pork — all dialed in, Savage-certified, and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth. Watching Marty dive into keto, lose weight, and get fired up about the lifestyle is exactly the kind of ripple effect I always hoped this business would have.

Speaking of meat, I somehow managed to stumble into field-dressing a deer in my running shorts minutes before a business call. Only here, folks. The deer had been hit and was suffering, so Clancy and I stepped in, processed it, and now we’ve got a freezer full of venison. Not how I planned to spend my Wednesday morning, but sometimes life hands you a responsibility… and 40 pounds of protein.

Back at the homestead, Thanksgiving brought deep-fried turkey cooked in grass-finished tallow  - next-level stuff. Total game-changer for the family. But pigs? Different story. We got back from the holiday only to discover our new pigs had intestinal worms, despite being told they were clean. Definitely frustrating when you're doing everything as naturally and intentionally as possible. Luckily, we’ve got a regenerative protocol lined up — diatomaceous earth, pumpkin seeds, garlic, apple cider vinegar — to get everything back on track without resorting to pharmaceuticals.

We also recap our Black Friday/Cyber Monday launch. We didn’t discount the bricks — margins don’t allow it — but we did hook folks up with a killer value: free high-end cooler bags and access to the Savage System when they stocked up. Those cooler bags are insane, by the way. Yeti-level, maybe better, and my cousins took them through mud, rivers, and gun ranges to put them to the test.

Then we shift gears into 2026 planning. We’re working hard to lock down the venue for the next Natural State Savages. Tons of people are already asking, and yes — it is happening. As soon as the venue gives us the green light, the date will be set.

We’ve also finalized the core details for the next Savage Retreat: Tough Mudder weekend — Feb 28–March 1 — with Dr. Jamie Seeman as our keynote speaker. Three days, a shared Airbnb, a mud run, mountains of barbecue, and one heck of a good time. Tribe members get a discounted rate, but either way, we’re pricing it just high enough to cover costs and make it an unforgettable experience.

We close by touching on training — both Greg and I are seeing strength climbing across the board. Calories steady, recovery solid, and deep into grow-mode as I gear up mentally for the 2027 prep season. Eddie set the bar high at Worlds this year… and I’m coming for that standard.

December’s here, momentum’s up, and we’re grinding all the way into 2026. Let’s get to work.

Greg Mahler is also a lifetime natural bodybuilder, and can be followed on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/ketogreg80/

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