Starting a Health Journey From Scratch
I am 28 years old, and I've been truly passionate about everything health-related since I was 20. Anyone who knows me well understands how much of a nerd I am about this stuff. I spend the first hour of every day reading, and I've taken countless courses, tried various ways of eating, moving, breathing, etc.
I love this field, and as complex as everything can be, the more I learn, the more I circle back to simplicity.
The internet is full of people claiming they have a secret, complex formula to help you achieve your desired outcome. But it can be much simpler than it’s made out to be. If I were starting from scratch, here’s exactly what I would do:
First and foremost, I would hire a professional to help dial in my movement and nutrition. I would work with this person for 12-16 weeks to really get my patterns set and momentum trending in the right direction. After this, I would only work with them if I felt I couldn’t do it on my own. For some highly motivated people, I actually think it’s a waste of money to work with a health professional long-term. But to get started, there is absolutely no doubt about its value. This is what I do for a living, and I’ve seen how valuable it is to get people trending in the right direction.
Next, I would download an app like Headspace or Waking Up by Sam Harris. I would begin meditating five minutes a day for 30 days, and every 30 days, add 5 minutes until I was at 20 minutes per day. The importance of a calm and clear mind has been life-changing for me. Quite literally, it’s the thing that helped me heal my gut and mental health.
Next, I would be really on the ball with what I eat 80 percent of the time. Eighty percent of my meals would consist of high-quality meat, organic vegetables, fruit, and some high-quality carb sources. The other 20 percent of my meals would be whatever I want, just being mindful of portions. That means 17 meals a week following a super healthy and basic structure, and 4 meals a week eating whatever I want.
Assuming my time with the trainer or coach is done and I am moving on my own, I would commit to moving my body for 45 minutes every day. This could be weights twice a week, a hike once a week, a yoga class once a week, a light jog once a week, swimming once a week, and Tai Chi on Sunday. The point is, it doesn’t matter what it is, just move every day. It doesn’t have to be intense. If you have two really hard sessions every week and the rest is light exercise, that’s beautiful.
Lastly, I would cut out all sugary drinks and only drink water with electrolytes.
Notice I didn’t mention any crazy sleep protocols? Guess what… When you are eating well, moving your body every day, hydrating adequately, and giving your mind space to be calm, your sleep generally happens naturally. If it doesn’t, that’s when things like blood work and salivary cortisol tests become useful. But for most people, when they start living a healthy life, sleep falls into place.
I know this seems “so simple,” but do this for one year, and you will look and feel 100 percent different than you do today. Of course, there is more I work on and do with clients, but for most people, this is all they need to get started.
Live. Your. Mystery.
PP Boys ⚡️⚡️⚡️
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