The Basics: Eat natural, be natural, sleep natural.
Don’t Sacrifice Sleep
One less hour of sleep does not equal an extra hour of achievement or enjoyment. The exact opposite occurs.
When you lose an hour of sleep, it decreases your well-being, productivity, health, and ability to think. Yet people continue to sacrifice sleep before all else.
As you make adjustments for better sleep, measure your progress. Note the time you get into bed and the time you wake up. Then rate your sleep quality on a 1-10 scale.
Daily Choices
The most influential choices you make for your health occur at the grocery store.
Once you put something in your cart, it is likely to end up in your stomach. Shop when you are full, whenever practical.
Keep Your Bedroom Cool
Keep your bedroom two to four degrees cooler at night. See if it helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.
If a room is too warm, your body will think it is time to get up.
Treat Sugar Like A Drug
Eating it releases dopamine, which gives you a “high” feeling and makes it addictive.
The more you eat, the more you want. You build a tolerance, meaning you have to eat more each time in order to get that dopamine hit again.
Sugar is candy for cancer cells.
The average person consumes 150 pounds of sugar annually
Treat sugar like it’s an illegal drug. Avoid added sugar wherever you can; don’t even buy unnecessary sweets and snacks; and use it very carefully when cooking.
What Counts More Than Calories?
Most people eat more carbohydrates than they need and not enough protein.
Try to find foods that have a ratio of 1 gram of carbohydrates to 1 gram of protein.
At a minimum, stay away from foods with a 5:1 ratio. Most chips are 10:1.
Every day invest more time and energy into good food, activity with friends, and quality sleep.
Make Inactivity Your Enemy
Exercise isn’t about the total amount of sweat you produce each week, your body only cares about not being inactive for a long stretch of time.
If you sit for six hours a day, even working out for two hours afterwards won’t reverse the health damage you’ve done.
Quality Over Quantity
The quality of what you eat matters far more than the overall quantity.
The researchers discovered that the types of foods you consume influence your health more than your total caloric intake.
Staying Healthy
- The total intake of fruits and vegetables is a robust indicator of your happiness.
- Every time you go to the store, start by loading up on fruits and vegetables with dark vibrant colours.
- When disruptions threaten your regular schedule, plan ahead to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.
Refined Fuel
- All carbohydrates convert to sugar in your bloodstream. The more refined they are the faster they convert.
- Avoid processed and refined carbs as much as possible. Carbs stimulate dopamine in your brain.
- Replace chips, crackers, and snack bars with nuts, seeds, apples, celery, and carrots.
- Get a full hour of vigorous activity to burn calories all day long.
Each ounce you consume is either a net positive or a net negative by the time it runs through your body. You don’t get healthier by simply trying to eat better in general. You improve your health on a bite-by-bite basis.
Making Small Adjustments
Ask yourself if the next food you put in your mouth is a net gain or a net loss. Repeat throughout the day.
Eliminate an hour of chair time from your daily routine.
Gradually add sleep to your nightly schedule in 15-minute increments. Continue until you feel fully rested each morning.
The 20-Minute Meal Rule
- Make every meal last at least 20 minutes. Nothing good comes from eating fast.
- Eating fast introduces extra air into your stomach.
- Force yourself to put the fork down between bites.
- Learn to enjoy the process of eating correctly.
Food Combinations
When you are offered complimentary bread with a meal, ask for a healthy alternative or simply pass.
Eliminate one type of red or processed meat from your diet for good.
Butter is healthier than bread. A couple of pieces of bread can increase blood sugar as much as a candy bar.
Glycemic Index: Whole grain bread: 72, Mars candy bar: 69
- Don’t eat your meat and potatoes.
- Daily consumption of processed meat poses the highest risk.
- Plate color can impact your appetite. Contrasting colors will make you tend to eat less.
- Small plates; smaller waistline.
Don’t Sit
Don’t sit for longer than an hour. Walk to the house five blocks away, take the stairs, not the elevator, and just get up a few times at work to move around.
Exercise alone is not enough. Working out three times a week is not enough. Being active throughout the day is what keeps you healthy.
