What should my Macros be? What specific supplements should I be taking? Should I be working more biceps and triceps to “tone up” my arms? Why aren’t we putting more crunches and sit ups into the workouts to help me flatten out my midsection? How many days per week should I strength train and how many should I do cardio? What do you think about me trying _______ (fill in the blank with some new fad diet that’s currently popular). Why isn’t my body changing and losing fat like I had hoped it would?
Every week I get asked questions like these. We all want results yesterday and say we are willing to try pretty much anything to get them. And almost every time, my answer is the same: Master the simple and little things first. In life we need to crawl before we can walk. Or learn addition before multiplication. Most of us have not mastered long term habitual changes in some SIMPLE areas first.
Start with these 4 Habits FIRST. And I mean 90 days in a row. 90 days of consistency in EACH one of these. Not a week on and a week off. Not 5 days on, then the weekend off. Not 2 weeks on, then OFF during the week you took that vacation. 90 days straight.
Simple Habit #1: Get 10,000 steps per day. This act alone ensures you are staying active and getting up/moving around. Even a 25 minute power walk each day can help you get closer to that 10K steps goal. Or, set an alarm every 2 or 3 hours and get up and walk for 5 minutes each time. 10,000 steps is the equivalent of 5 miles. The average person will burn between 350-600 calories walking 5 miles. Do this every day for 90 days and you can see the compound effect it can have on overall calorie expenditure. Get your steps however/whenever you can in your day. Grab a pedometer or smart watch to help you keep track. Simple habit number 1 just means you are moving in some capacity every day.
Simple Habit #2: Drink a gallon of water each day. Here are a handful of benefits of staying hydrated: It may improve memory and mood. It can help reduce sugar cravings and aid in weight maintenance. It may improve exercise performance. It lubricates the joints. It boosts skin health. It regulates body temperature. It flushes waste. It helps with satiety levels. It allows the body to thrive more optimally on a cellular level.
Simple Habit #3: Get 7+ hours of sleep each night. Studies have shown that poor sleep can be strongly linked to weight gain. People with short sleep duration tend to weigh significantly more than those who get adequate sleep. In fact, short sleep duration is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity. In one extensive review study, children and adults with short sleep duration were 89% and 55% more likely to develop obesity, respectively. The effect of sleep on weight gain is believed to be mediated by numerous factors, including hormones and motivation to exercise. If your goal is fat loss or weight management, then adequate sleep is a must.
Simple Habit #4: Eat 2-3 servings of veggies and fruits each day. Fruits and veggies are a great source of vitamins and minerals. They also contain lots of fiber which helps keep us feeling full longer. They are low in sodium and cholesterol and are typically lower in calories. They are great for helping maintain healthy blood pressure and are advantageous for those looking to lose fat or maintain their weight.
Sometimes getting back to the basics is what’s most important. Before you complain about the scale not going your way, or the results that just don’t seem to be happening….really focus in on these 4 Simple habits consistently over the long haul and see your health/body/mind start to transform! Don’t worry about all the new fad diets, workout programs, new exercise equipment, fun supplements, perfecting your MACROS….etc if you have not FIRST mastered the above.
In Health,
