Over the past 10 days I’ve sat down and spoken with at least 30 people regarding the new year and their goals. Everyone wants a fast tracked approach to health and wellness, but the truth is that doesn’t exist.
I do however think in today’s day and age people are far too often distracted. They’re looking for what the best supplements on the market are, or whether or not they should spend thousands of dollars on a cold plunge or sauna. They might even be looking for “the best” advertised workout for fat loss. The truth is while these things matter, if people were just consistent long terms (more than 6 months) and focused on these 3 things, their life would vastly change. What are the 3 basic tools?
Movement
If you’re just starting out, stop looking for the perfect workout routine. The truth is, of all people surveyed who worked out back in 2019, only 20% enjoyed their workouts. There is a good chance you won’t love what you’re doing and that’s ok. Think about improving your long term health and resiliency for your family. Here’s what you should focus on. On a daily basis focus on walking more. Take the elevator. Park further away at the grocery. Take your conference calls while walking. Take a 10 minute walk after each meal. Don’t focus on a step count, just move more. Secondly, and much more importantly, it’s imperative that you lift weights 3 days per week for at least 30 minutes. A new systematic review in the American Journal for Preventive Medicine found that regular weight bearing exercise reduces:
– all cause mortality risk by 27%
– cardiovascular disease mortality by 19%
– death from cancer by 14%
In summary, move more and lift weights. Stop wasting time searching for the perfect routine and just get to work.
Sleep
Sleep is of the utmost importance for mental and physical recovery. Consider the amount of data and processing your body and brain go through on a daily basis. Adequate sleep (7 hours or more per night) helps bolster your immune system so you’re sick less often. It helps reduce stress and regulate your mood. It also allows you to maintain your weight by keeping your hormones in balance. These are just 3 of many important reasons that adequate sleep is a game changer.
Nutrition
I’m not going to sit here and bore you with a bunch of complex data as to why you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. It’s 2023, and unless you’ve been living under a rock you already know that. So here are a few super easy tips to help tighten up your nutrition.
1 – Don’t drink your calories (stick to water and other non calorie drinks).
2 – Drink 50% of your body weight in ounces of water. If you weigh 200lbs, drink 100 ounces.
3 – Feature protein at almost every meal. Protein should be the centerpiece of just about all of your meals. It will help keep you full for longer. Gents up to 2 palms worth of protein, ladies 1 palms worth as a guideline.
4 – Be mindful when you eat. Sit down with no distractions and chew your food. Meals are better than snacks because you’re not unconsciously eating.
5 – Eat your “diet” foods 80% of the time and enjoy life the other 20%.
If you’re just starting out on your health and wellness journey and you simply stick to the above 3 things, I guarantee you will make a noticeable difference. Take some pictures today, then look at them 1 week from now, 1 month from now, 3 months from now etc. I promise, I guarantee you will have life changing results with these simple interventions that don’t require any fancy products or supplements.
Have any questions on where to get started? Book a call with us today.
– Coach Chris