I’ve worked with a lot of clients over the past few years. Each one of them being different than the next. They’ve had their own struggles and challenges and had to learn how to overcome them as they attempted to accomplish their health and fitness goals. The cool thing is, I’ve learned a lot along the way as well.
Today is my 28th birthday. And wanted to do something a bit different with this post. I wanted to share 28 of the most important tips I’ve learned to optimize your health and fitness. Each one of them has played a role in the success my clients have seen. So I hope you find them valuable.
Here we go!
Nutrition
1. Have protein with every meal
One of the most important benefits of eating more protein is it helps you build and maintain muscle mass. Research has shown that the more muscle mass you have, the lower your risk of dying early. Not only that, but studies have shown a high-protein diet can help you lose fat. Shoot for a minimum of 25-40 grams of protein at each meal.
2. Have produce with every meal
Fruits and vegetables provide innumerable health benefits. Research has shown they possess protective effects against cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. This makes them a great addition to improve your health. Aim for 1 serving of fruit and 1-2 fist-sized servings of veggies at each meal.
3. Have good fats with every meal
There is strong evidence to suggest fat aids in cardiovascular protection, improving body composition, and alleviating depression. Needless to say, it’s pretty important in your diet. Some good sources of fat include nuts, nut butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado. Aim for 1 or 2 thumb-sized servings at each meal.
4. Reduce or eliminate calorie containing beverages
The most important thing when trying to lose weight is creating a caloric deficit. Calorie containing drinks make this very hard to do as they do not satisfy your hunger. It’s best to avoid these as much as possible.
5. Drink 1/2 of your bodyweight in ounces of water daily
Water has been shown to improve metabolism, keep us feeling fuller, and help our joints feel better. It’s one of the easiest things you can do to optimize your health because it’s free. Shoot for 1/2 of your bodyweight in ounces each day. If you weigh 150 lbs, aim for a minimum of 75 ounces of water.
6. Prepare food ahead of time
We all have a lot on our plate each day. Work, family, errands; it’s hard to make enough time for everything. And that’s why it’s easy to run through a fast food drive through or pick up a frozen pizza. Preparing food ahead of time will save you time and countless headaches. You will not have to worry about what you are eating for the day if you already have it prepared. This will help you stay on point with your nutrition.
7. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store
The perimeter houses most of the whole foods of every grocery store. This is where you’ll find all the meat, produce, dairy, etc. These foods are lower in calories and will satisfy hunger more than processed foods. You can’t go wrong if most of your shopping is done here.
8. Buying and cooking your own food will save you a lot of money and may add years to your life
Many people complain that real food is expensive. It’s actually not when you compare it to a restaurant. Buying your own food will cost you about half (maybe even less than half) of what you’d spend on a restaurant meal. Not only that, research has shown that those who cook their own meals tend to live longer.
9. Don’t listen when anyone tells you to completely avoid a specific food
Just because you should eat mostly real foods doesn’t mean you should avoid your favorite foods. Like ice cream? Have some. Like potato chips? Feel free to enjoy them. This will help you stay on track with your nutrition better than completely eliminating these foods altogether. Just remember, the majority of your meals should be comprised of real foods.
10. Eat most of your carbohydrates after your workouts
During a workout, we use carbohydrates primarily for energy. After a workout, our bodies are primed to utilize carbs to repair our muscles. This helps us store less fat. And this is the goal when trying to get leaner.
11. If you’re having trouble losing weight, track your calories for 1 week
Sometimes foods sneak into your diet and you don’t even realize it. Tracking your calories and foods for one week can help you get a clear picture as to where your nutrition is going off track. This can help you accomplish your goals quicker.
12. Determine beforehand what you will eat at restaurants
It’s easy to eat a whole day’s worth of calories at a restaurant between the appetizers, main course, dessert, and drinks. You can avoid this if you know what you are going to order ahead of time. Most restaurants have their menus online now, making this a simple task.
13. If you have a bad food day, don’t worry about it
It’s easy to have a bad food day. You know, one of those days where you overeat or just eat crap all day. We’ve all been there. And when you do this, the natural reaction is to feel guilty and get upset. But, the best thing to do in this scenario is to completely forget about and start over the next day. One day won’t make or break your results.
14. Don’t keep your trouble foods in the house
If you struggle with overeating specific foods like cookies, chips, candy, etc. then don’t buy them. It’s as simple as that. The easier access you have to those foods the more likely you are to overeat them.
15. Avoid diets
Dieting is the worst. Most diets have you completely cut out your favorite foods making the likelihood of you sticking to it long-term slim. You need something sustainable. Check out this article for a easy to follow nutrition plan.
16. Under-eating can be just as bad as overeating
If you want to lose weight, under-eating can be just as bad as overeating. One study showed that under-eating increases stress, which makes it extremely difficult for you to burn fat. You need to provide your body with vital nutrients to function properly and keep you healthy. And this can only happen if you’re eating enough calories. Here’s an easy way to increase your caloric intake if you feel you aren’t eating enough.
Exercise
17. Move at least 30 minutes per day
Our bodies were designed to move and move often. But in today’s society, we sit more than ever before. Prolonged sitting has been linked to increased fat around the midsection and cancer. To combat against this problem, all you need to do is move around more. This could include hitting the gym, going for a walk, playing sports, parking further away, taking the stairs, etc. As long as you aim for 30 total minutes per day that’s enough.
18. Perform a good warm up prior to working out
Warming up is the most overlooked aspect of a workout. A good warm up will increase core temperature, increase blood flow to muscles, and mobilize your joints. Warming up will not only improve your performance but can also decrease risk of injury. Here’s how you should properly warm up.
19. The majority of your workouts should include compound exercises no matter if your goal is to lose fat or gain muscle
Compound exercises include things like squats, deadlifts, lunges, push ups, and rows. All of these exercises use a lot of muscle mass and burn a lot of calories. Whether your goal is to lose fat, build lean muscle, or get ridiculously stronger these types of exercises will lay the foundation. If you want to figure out how to design your own program, take a look at this.
20. Add finishers to the end of your workouts
A finisher is a short (10 minutes or less) exercise or group of exercises performed at the end of your workout. They are performed at a high intensity and push you to your limit. By including finishers in your workout, you will ramp up your metabolism and burn a lot of extra calories. This means better results for you. If you want some ideas for finishers, check this free resource out.
21. Opt for interval training over cardio when fat loss is the goal
If you want to spend less time in the gym and still lose fat, high-intensity interval training is your answer. Interval training involves alternating periods of very intense work with periods of rest. The cool thing is research shows it increases energy expenditure more when compared to long duration cardio training. If you want to learn more about interval training take a look at this.
Sleep
22. Sleep 7-9 hours each night
Research has shown sleep is correlated with weight. And those who get the least amount of sleep weigh the most. One of the primary reasons being because sleep deprivation increases appetite and cravings. This makes chronic sleep deprivation hazardous to your health and wellness. Aim for 7-9 hours per night. This seems to be the sweet spot for most people.
23. Turn off all electronics 30 minutes-1 hour before bed
Most come home from work, eat dinner, then watch tv before bed. The problem with this is your body is very smart, and it senses when it is dark or light outside. When it’s dark, you secrete melatonin to help you fall asleep. If you are using an electronic device, the light can disrupt melatonin secretion. This can inhibit your sleep cycle resulting in less overall sleep.
Supplements
24. Take a protein powder supplement
Most people don’t eat enough protein each day. And as I mentioned earlier, it’s pretty important for any health and fitness goal you have. This is where a protein powder supplement can come in handy. Research has even shown protein powder can help you lose more body fat and retain more lean muscle mass even when you’re in a caloric deficit. Here’s some more info on protein powder.
25. Take a fish oil supplement
Fish oil is another one of those supplements that’s worth taking and has been shown to have many health benefits. Studies have concluded it helps you decrease body fat, lower cortisol (your stress hormone), and reduce inflammation which makes you more prone to fat gain and disease. As for which fish oil to take, look for small-fish-based formulations (e.g. herring, mackerel) and make sure the total of both EPA and DHA is at least 300 mg per 1000 mg capsule.
Lifestyle
26. Find something (a hobby, activity, etc.) to help you de-stress
Stress increases your cortisol level. And if your goal includes weight loss or fat loss, an increase in cortisol is the last thing you want. Cortisol signals your body to store more body fat. Finding a hobby or any other activity (like reading a book or going to the movies) is an easy way to help you get rid of stress and get your body back in a fat burning mode.
27. Be consistent in whatever you do
Consistency is the only thing you’ll need to achieve your goals. Constantly jumping from one thing to the next is a recipe for failure and will leave you frustrated more than anything else. If you have a goal, pick your plan and be consistent with it. I know it sounds easy, but it’s not. The ones who choose their path and ride it out, are the ones who can accomplish anything they want.
28. Have fun and laugh
You’ll be met with countless ups and downs in your lifetime. There’s will always be something to stress and worry over. But if you let that consume your life, it will ruin you. If you’ve ever watched the movie Patch Adams, there’s a great quote that I love. It says, “Being happy is the best cure of all diseases!” Take time to laugh and enjoy the simple things in life. You’ll be amazed at how it can improve every facet of your life including health and fitness.
There you have it!
Every client I’ve worked with went through their own struggles and trials. But these tips have helped them get to where they want to be. And no matter where you’re at on your health and fitness path I know some of these tips will apply to you as well. So enjoy the journey and never give up.
