Where Do We Start With Fitness?
I always start with movement. Movement is tangible, and we can set clear goals that can be measured in time, distance, range of motion, weight, etc. This creates a clear path that can be roadmapped, benchmarked, and incredibly motivating to catalyze your journey as a newb, or even as an experienced student, exploring new territory.
That being said, you are only ever going to be as fit and healthy as your habits outside the gym. There are basic, fundamental practices that will help nourish your body from the inside and enhance your recovery training.
Don’t forget – training breaks the body down. We grow stronger between sessions, not during them.
Rule #1 – Sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer
Getting 7+ hours of sleep consistently AND going to sleep and waking up at the same time are both essential for optimal recovery and for hormonal balance as well. The human body is tough and resilient and has mechanisms to manage imperfect sleep, but this is not optimal. There is a reason why heart disease kills so many people every year. The amplified stress hormones that get us through the day when we are poorly slept, or malnourished, are basically red-lining our body and burning us out faster than we have to.
A good way to learn more about how important sleep is by checking out Why We Sleep by James Nestor. It’s a quick read and you’ll get the picture before you’re even halfway through the book.
Rule #2 – We have to absorb our nutrients, not just put them in our mouth
A number of factors affect nutrient absorption, but we are talking basics here. Chew your food! Your stomach doesn’t have teeth and neither do your intestines. The more you can emulsify your food and expose it to the digestive enzymes as it passes through your system, the more likely you are to actually get the benefit of all those organic and non-GMO nurtrients you are paying top dollar for.
Another factor for nutrient absorption is getting into a parasympathetic state before eating. This means becoming relaxed and calm vs sympathetic activation which is more along the lines of fight or flight. We want to rest and digest, not eat in stressed out overdrive mode.
Setting up a routine around food consumption where you can put your work away and let the mind rest while you consume is going to improve digestion and absorption. Combine this with thorough chewing and whole foods, and you’ll be taking a giant step forward in terms of fueling your body effectively.
Rule #3 – Consistency will always win
Fitness and health are not something you can hack. There are no quick fixes. Being fit is a way of life, not a 30 day program. I see this all too often in every aspect of my friends’ and acquaintances’ lives. They want something, but they only work on it once a week. Or they go out and drink and stay up late multiple days per week. Then they’re tired and don’t feel like training, or putting in extra work on what they claim are their goals and what they really want to achieve.
I guess I’m supposed to be talking about health here, but this is a life lesson too important not to expand on. If you want something, you have to make it a priority. It doesn’t mean you crawl into a hole – though that might be a requirement for some really audacious accomplishments – it only means you don’t waiver and allow distractions to tear you away from your path.
Friends going out at night? Join them in the early part of the evening and order a soda water. No one knows there isn’t alcohol in your drink. Friends going to a restaurant for dinner? Order a steak with no sides and have a bite or two of a friend’s dessert instead of ordering your own. Friends ask you to join them for some kind of ass kicking workout when you’re about to start your session? Do your own workout and wish them well. In a year, they’ll still be just playing around and you’ll have a whole new bag of tricks. And, I promise you, they will still be your friends and they’ll probably be very proud of your dedication and the skills you’ve developed.
That’s it. The basics. Go to sleep, chew your food well and get into a relaxed state before eating, and do these things consistently forever. The benefits outweigh what will initially feel like sacrifices. They’ll become habits, and you’ll wonder why everyone else doesn’t realize how much better they would feel if they could just take care of the basics.
