If you’re like me, you love learning about new things in the health and wellness world that can give you an edge. We usually think of information as a liberating force, but sometimes the sheer volume of what’s available can often confound us. “Did I execute that drop set correctly? What’s the difference between grass-fed and grass-finished? Am I supposed to journal before or after my morning meditation?” This inundation with information can actually prevent us from taking action.
An easier, more practical approach I’ve found is to set hard and fast rules around certain aspects of my health and to follow these rules religiously. These rules act like my personal health principles, providing a structure that helps eliminate the chaos of choice and gives my health routine the consistency it needs to yield results.
Below, I’ve listed examples of these rules. I want to clarify, I don’t follow all of them at the same time, but they serve as a repository I can draw from, based on my current lifestyle and health goals. If I’m in tune with my body and intentional with my current goals, choosing the correct handful of rules to follow at any given time is easy. Hopefully you’ll find a few that resonate with you:
1. No Added Sugar: Cutting out added sugar can radically improve your health. It can help regulate your blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and even improve your mood. While there’s still a long way to go, there are many new food products out there today that are eliminating added sugar. The other easy way to do this is to stick mainly to whole foods.
2. No “White” Carbs: Avoid white bread, pasta, rice, and other refined carbohydrates. As a Type 1 Diabetic, this is a big one for me, but I’ve seen it have a huge impact on others’ energy levels, weight, and mood. I prefer to stick to sweet potatoes, berries and bananas for the majority of my carbs.
3. Don’t Drink Calories: Stick to water, coffee, teas, and other no-calorie beverages to stay hydrated without inflating your daily calorie intake. Add sugar-free electrolytes to your water to give it flavor. Exception: Honey tea at night. I love a tablespoon of honey in hot water before bed.
4. At Least Half of Every Meal is Protein: Prioritize protein in your meals. It will help build and repair tissues and is an essential building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Don’t worry about exact numbers. Just look at your plate and make sure half of what’s on there is a protein source.
5. Don’t Eat Until You’re Hungry: You don’t need to eat breakfast as soon as you wake up. Everyone is different. I’m never hungry in the morning. I usually don’t get hungry until around 10:30am (4-5 hours after waking up) and I’ll eat around 11am. My wife on the other hand is always hungry in the morning so she will eat shortly after getting up. Just pay attention to your body and be intentional about it.
6. Don’t Eat Within Two Hours of Bed: Give your body a break before sleep. Eating too close to bedtime can cause digestion issues and interfere with your sleep quality. This is a game changer. Wake up feeling light, clean and refreshed. If you do this, that morning coffee won’t be sending you on an emergency dash to the you know where. I guarantee it.
7. Sweat Every Day: This is pretty obvious at this point but is still extremely vital so it bears a spot on this list. Just move your body somehow. Whether it’s a vigorous workout or a brisk walk, make sure you’re breaking a sweat every day.
8. Dedicate the Same Daily Hour to Exercise: This rule is the only reason I train consistently. If I don’t have it on the calendar, at the same time everyday, I let my routine slip. If you can’t do an hour, do what you can, even if it’s only 10 minutes. As many burpees as possible in 10 minutes is an incredible workout.
9. Drink a Gallon of Water Everyday: Danny Rojas was wrong. Water is life. And most people don’t drink enough. I fell short with water forever until I bought a 64oz water bottle and started using electrolyte powder. Now all I have to do is drink two bottles per day and it tastes great. Set the conditions to favor you and everything gets easier.
10. Go to Bed at the Same Time: A consistent bed time can significantly improve your sleep quality. Try to hit the sack at the same time every night, even if you wake up at different times. It creates an anchor point that your mind and body can rely on. If you do this consistently, you’ll start to wake up right around the same time too.
Actionables
When it comes to our health, it’s not about following every piece of advice under the sun. It’s about setting boundaries and creating rules that suit us and our unique lifestyles. So, consider these rules, pick a few that align with your goals, and give them a shot. Or make up your own. These are just suggestions that have worked for me. Here’s to making our health a little less complicated, and a lot more sustainable.
