How to Get the Most Out of Your Workouts

Working out is a great way to improve your health and your physical appearance. But if you want to see real changes in your physique, you need to put work into it. A lot of people go to the gym and exercise, and this works well to help them stay fit and active, especially if they exercise regularly.

But what if you have specific goals? Simply working out without a plan won’t get you very far. You have to work with your workouts for the best results.

Create Goals

The first step to reaching your goals to to create goals in the first place. As mentioned before, sometimes the generic goal of simply being fitter can work. As long as you have an intensive workout of any kind, you will improve your basic fitness.

But if you have a specific goal, you need to create a plan to work towards it. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to increase your strength? Do you want to create a lean and strong physique, or would you rather bulk up and grow muscle mass?

Once you’ve identified your general goal, you should come up with smaller, more attainable goals. This will help you track your progress and stay motivated. So, if you want to lose weight, have an end weight in mind, then create smaller goals to lose certain amounts of weight. If you want to be strong enough to lift a certain weight, build yourself up by setting smaller weight goals to work towards and build yourself up.

Your goals will also help you to design a workout routine that will actually work for you. Not every workout is created equal, and some will achieve different results. For example, should you focus on high weight and low rep workouts to build strength and muscle mass, or would you rather increase endurance and strengthen lean muscles with low weight and high rep workouts?

Once you focus your goals, you can focus your workouts to suit those goals and help you to craft the physique you want. Any exercise is better than no exercise at all, but if you want to get the most out of your routine, you should focus your efforts.

Stay Motivated

For many people, the biggest challenge is motivation. Setting goals will help with this, but sometimes you need an extra push to ensure you keep going. By getting the most out of your workouts, you will see more results, which can give you a reason to keep working.

It can also help to have a workout buddy. They might have the same goals as you or not, but company is the best thing. They can encourage you, and because you’re holding each other accountable, you’re less likely to want to miss a workout session and let them down.

Eat Right

One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to meet certain fitness goals is to only focus on the fitness side of things. But there’s more to it than what you do with your body to train it.

You also need to think about how you fuel your body. Your eating habits will directly influence the effectiveness of your workouts.You need to give your body the right materials to work with. 

For many people, this means increasing their protein intake, along with plenty of nutrients from fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats. Protein shakes and supplements can help you along, as they can be tasty and easy to put together. 

Again, depending on your goals, you might have different ways of eating. The obvious change is whether you’re trying to cut or bulk. In the former case, you want a calorific deficit and a very clean diet, but bulking means increasing your calorie intake to help your body build muscle.

Rest and Recovery

Believe it or not, constantly pushing your body to the limit isn’t the best way to build muscle. Your body actually builds muscle during the resting phase, because this is where it repairs the damage and adjusts to your needs.

You should give yourself a chance to recover between sets, as this allows you to work out for longer without exhausting yourself. You should also focus on recovery after the workout. This can prevent injury which can slow you down. 

Some people have different methods to help themselves along. For example, post workout support socks reduce the soreness in your feet and reduce swelling, so you can get back to your workout more quickly.

Why Focusing On Muscle Fitness Makes You Feel So Healthy

Focusing on the strength of your muscles can make you feel a lot healthier, both now and well into the future. It’s why repetitive lifting is such an effective exercise, even if it looks relatively low impact to the untrained eye. 

After all, when you feel like you can use your muscles, and you also like the way they make you look, you’re going to feel good in both your brain and your body. But these aren’t the only reasons muscle fitness makes you feel so healthy; check out the six points below to start investing in your muscle makeup.
You’ll Feel Physically Stronger

Feeling physically stronger has a very positive rebound effect on your entire body. When you can lift heavier things and push yourself further in day to day life, you’re going to feel a lot stronger just in yourself as well. Knowing this can improve your confidence and make you feel a lot more capable, which lifts your self esteem and makes life seem that bit easier. 

Muscle Building Requires Regular Exercise

If you’re focusing on building muscle, you’re going to be regularly exercising. This is going to improve a lot of things in your life, not just the size, strength, and flexibility of your muscles. You’re going to have a bit more energy, you’re going to sleep better, and you’re likely going to feel more positive when looking in the mirror as well.

Long story short, exercise is very good for you, and not just if you want to lose a bit of weight. It keeps your heart in good condition and pumping strongly for the course of your life. It also ensures your arteries stay unblocked and your blood doesn’t have any trouble making its way round your body. Keep things moving and your body will do the rest, and all because you’re focusing on muscle fitness. 

…and a Nutritious Diet

Another element of a healthy lifestyle! Combining a good diet with a great training regime to build muscles ensures you’re always in top condition and feeling healthy. 

So, what do you eat? It’s OK to have a bit of ‘junk’ food throughout the week, and it’s perfectly fine to enjoy a treat every now and then. However, do you have the kind of nutritious diet that supports your muscle building efforts? It’s often that people have to put a concentrated effort into packing their plate with as many vitamins and minerals as possible. 

But you’re not alone in diversifying your daily food groups. There’s a bit of support out there for people who want to work out and get the maximum out of what they’re doing and eating. The hardy workout supplement 3-AD prohormone is a great one for those looking to make large gains but can’t source the protein they really need to do so. 

And a nutritious diet looks a bit different to everyone. We all have our own unique dietary needs; some people need to fill their plate with superfoods like kale and broccoli, while others only need a couple spoonfuls three times a week. It’s up to you to find the balance, and you’ll know you’ve hit it when you start feeling good after eating your meals. 

Your Brain is a Muscle

Your brain is one of the biggest muscles in your body, and it’s quite possibly the most important one as well. It’s the hub that controls everything else in your body, which means when your brain feels good and feels like it’s working well, you’re going to feel healthy all over. 

Thankfully, there’s plenty you can do to support healthy brain function and even boost your cognitive ability; make sure you include these activities in your overall workout routine. Cerebral exercises are just as important! 

You should also consider eating more ‘brain foods’ on a regular basis. Leafy vegetables are a classic for this, as is a good cut of fried salmon. However, if you’re a little less stringent about your diet, simply cook up things you want to eat and your brain will be able to nourish itself well! 

Muscle Building Exercises Can Clear Brain Fog

If you experience brain fog quite often, and feel like you’re fighting your way through a pea soup that’s collected in your mind, try your hand at exercise. Exercising has been proven to help clear brain fog, especially aerobic exercise, which in turn helps you grow muscle in the long term. 

Brain fog can make you feel like everything in life is impossible. You’ve got no energy, you can’t think, and you’re struggling to get through the days without needing a nap. However, even if you don’t find that muscle building aerobic exercise really helps to clear the mist in the way, doing it in the long term can help to build your energy levels and make the fight against the fog easier. 

There are Many Ways to Build Muscle

Which means you’ll be focusing on multiple muscle groups in your body. This allows you to approach your health holistically, and prevents an overfocus on just one kind of muscle. You’re going to work on your body as a whole, and allocate your focus in a way that really works for you. 

That’s something you should always emphasize on bringing into a routine. The moment you realize you’ve been working out one set of muscles more than any other, move onto different movements, try out new circuits, have a go at a few new sports, and think about stretching more often. 

Muscle Fitness and You

Focusing on muscle fitness is key to a healthy, long life. Feeling strong and capable gives you the chance to work on other areas of your life, like your diet and the way you react to your emotions, which will help to strengthen the most important muscle of all: your brain! Keep the above points in mind and start working some strength training into your regular routine - it’s very good for you.

Make Fitness Straightforward with These Tips

For a lot of people, working out can be tedious and difficult.

This is primarily because they are doing things they don’t like to do and they aren't aware of some easy ways to stick with a workout program.

They might be following the latest fitness craze or pulling a routine from the internet, without paying attention to what would really work in their own life. Hard workouts are important from time to time, but fitness can be enjoyable if you become smart about it. Simply put, if the thought of working out is a major struggle every day, you’ll never stick with it in the long run.

If you want to make fitness more straightforward, follow these tips to save time and remove some of the grind from the process:

Plan Out Everything Beforehand 

If you have a plan for your workouts, it will make everything so much simpler. You will know exactly what you are doing as soon as you head into the gym or leave the house, without having to stress about the specific exercises to do that day. Going to a gym or out for a run can be daunting and frustrating if you don’t know what you are getting yourself into.

It might seem a little boring to sit down and plan things out, but it's a good idea if you want to create a plan that you enjoy and will look forward to doing. Heading to a gym like Fitness 19 and seeing all of the equipment in front of you can feel overwhelming if you aren't aware of which piece of equipment to use.

Choose the exercises that you are confident doing and will give you a full body workout. If you don’t know where to start, working with a personal trainer can be an excellent idea to build a customized program that works for you. Once you have this program set, you can just stick with it day in and day out, knowing it has been built just for you.

Learn The Key Factors And Fundamentals Of Nutrition 

Nutrition can play a major role in physical performance and weight loss (if that is one of your goals). There are many conflicting opinions out there about the ideal diet, but there are some basic principles to keep in mind. Focus the bulk of your diet around real foods that you enjoy - fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, beans, oatmeal, etc. Take inspiration from the diets of some of the best athletes in the world. Clean sources of carbs, protein, and healthy fats are your friend when trying to maintain your energy levels and build your fitness. A diet that overly restricts any macronutrient is not a good idea and will likely lead to failure over time. Follow the basics, limit junk food (you already know what that is), and your nutrition plan will help you achieve your fitness goals.

Don’t Overthink And Expect Instant Results

We live in a world where people expect results right away. This includes fitness and getting in shape. It's best not to get into the habit of obsessively weighing yourself and trying to get immediate results. This will only lead to a rollercoaster of emotions and will often derail your program before it gets off the ground. Instead, set a clear goal at least months into the future, and simply enjoy the journey to get there. It’s fine to monitor your progress at set checkpoints and adjust based on how you are tracking, but it’s important to play the long game. You can’t expect to achieve all of your goals right away - the most important part is building a plan that enables you to actually enjoy the process on the way to your long-term objectives.

I hope these tips help you create and stick with a fitness plan that works for you in the long run.

Why I Stretch Every Morning

I have been a runner for more than 20 years.

A funny thing happens when you run for that long without ever really stretching.

Your body gets incredibly tight.

I felt my body getting tighter and tighter over the years, especially my hamstrings.

But I didn’t do anything about it.

Then a couple years ago I read Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. Goggins is an ultra-endurance athlete and former Navy SEAL, known for pushing his body and mind to the absolute limits.

But in the book, he credited stretching as the thing that improved his life most in recent years.

Goggins became a fanatic about stretching, initially stretching for 8–12 hours per day, which then got reduced to 6 hours, and then to 4. He still spends at least 2 hours every day stretching.

He credited his stretching routine with alleviating back pain, releasing quad stiffness, improving range of motion, and increasing blood flow throughout his body. He also firmly believes stretching reduces anxiety and depression.

I figured if this superhuman athlete was taking this much time to stretch, and seeing such profound benefits, I should give stretching a try as well.

Once I got started, I haven’t stopped — I have been stretching consistently for over 2 years now (I think I have only missed 1 day in that time).

I don’t stick with things that don’t work, so that tells you about the effectiveness of stretching.

I am not a personal trainer or stretching expert, so I won’t get into the specifics of my routine or suggest that anyone exactly follow my protocol. But here are the basics of what I do:

I do a full-body stretch every morning, usually lasting between 30–35 minutes. I start with my lower body, giving extra attention to my hamstrings which tend to be my tightest muscle. My legs typically take up 2/3 of the routine, with the remainder focused on my upper body.

In addition to increasing flexibility, I have found this practice to be incredibly peaceful. I enjoy a cup of coffee while I stretch, so my mind and body wake up at the same time. I also usually have some easy listening music on in the background, which gently eases me into the day.

After I have completed my stretching routine and with a cup of coffee in the books, I feel mentally and physically ready for the day.

This practice has been nothing short of transformative in my life.

I also do this same stretching routine before playing sports (I mostly play squash and tennis), to loosen my muscles, prevent injury, and increase performance.

I believe a stretching routine, done slowly and mindfully, produces many similar benefits as yoga. I am fairly anxious by nature and have found stretching to produce as many mental benefits as physical.

The next evolution in my stretching will be doing it after exercise, which I know is as important as pre-exercise. Stretching takes up a fair bit of time, especially when performed multiple times per day, but I always find it to be worth it once I’m done.

Stretching has been one of the most impactful habits I’ve incorporated in recent years. It could change your life, too.

If you are looking to increase flexibility and relax your mind at the same time, I suggest you give stretching a try.

How To Be in the Top 1% for Health

If you are looking for a no-nonsense way to get healthier, this article is for you.

The first place to start is with food.

It’s true that you can’t outrun a bad diet and what you put in your mouth arguably has the largest impact on your bodyweight and health.

According to the Top Rated Doctor in Dubai, when it comes to food, healthy eating revolves around real, whole foods. That means food with one or only a few simple ingredients that your great grandmother would recognize as food.

Whether you are a vegan, omnivore, or carnivore, that principle holds true.

If you are eating real, whole foods, there is limited damage you can do to your body.

Within the real, whole food spectrum, you want to focus on foods low on the glycemic index. Ideally the bulk of your diet will be foods with a glycemic index of 35 or lower.

The foods that meet that criteria are primarily non-starchy vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, etc.), high-quality protein sources (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, etc.), and healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil).

Base your diet around these foods. If these foods make up 90% or more of your diet, the occasional treat will not be problematic.

That’s it on the diet front. If you eat that way, you’ll be in the top 5% of healthy eaters.

Next on the health hierarchy is exercise. Exercise won’t necessarily help you shed pounds, but it will give you energy and vitality, and will help you live longer.

There is not a ‘best’ form of exercise that universally works for everyone. The best exercise is truly the one you will do consistently.

The key with exercise is consistency. You need to be exercising for at least 30 minutes per day, ideally every single day of the week. Our bodies were meant to move and if you’re sedentary for too long, your body will start to break down.

There are a zillion different types of exercise to choose from — walking, running, swimming, cycling, dancing, yoga, tennis, basketball, etc. It doesn’t matter what you do, just do it regularly.

It is important that you add in some strength training at least 1–2 times per week, especially as you get older. Your muscle starts to break down as you age, so it’s essential to maintain your physical strength as much as possible against these forces.

Exercise for 30 minutes every day, including at least 1–2 strength training sessions per week. Do that and you’ll be in the top 5% of all people in your age group for cardiovascular fitness and strength.

Diet and exercise are the big rocks. Follow these simple principles and the health puzzle starts to fall into place.

The next place to focus is sleep. You’ve heard a lot about sleep and you know it’s good for you. It helps your body repair and cleanse itself. The simple advice is to sleep for at least 7 hours per night. Give yourself an hour to wind down before bed to make falling asleep easier. During this time, just read a real, physical book until you’re tired enough to fall asleep.

Finally, find a way to manage the emotional stress in your life. Eliminating stress is not realistic, so you just need to find ways to cope and enjoy life in spite of stress. For instance, if you have poor mental health and addiction, seeking support from a dual diagnosis treatment center can put you on the pathway to better health. Or, reducing your workload to reduce stress and overwhelm can make you feel more relaxed. Furthermore, there are lots of daily habits to achieve better health and less stress, including yoga, meditation, walks in nature, having a cup of tea with a friend, etc. Even a glass of wine for happy hour counts. Finding a way to ‘down shift’ is one of the common habits among the longest-lived people in the world.

That’s it.

Diet, exercise, sleep, stress management. Oh, and water too. Drinking healthy bottled water with the right pH level, and drinking enough of it, can make a difference.

These are the pillars of health and no-nonsense tips to be in the top 5% in each area.

If you’re in the top 5% in each individual area, you’ll be in the top 1% for overall health.

I hope this article helps you to live longer, better.

Best Ways To Prevent Injuries While Running

Running is a healthy activity that keeps your stamina and lungs strong. To run safely, learn about the best ways to prevent injuries while running

Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned expert, running is a great aerobic exercise that gets the blood pumping. However, the less experience you have with it, the more prone you are to injuring yourself. Check out a few of the best ways to prevent injuries while running to stay safe.

Give Your Back a Break

While it may not seem likely that you can hurt your back while running, the possibility of back injury is very real. One of the best ways to avoid this injury is to purchase proper running shoes that support your spine. Quality shoes discourage bad form that would otherwise strain the muscles of your lower back. Additionally, you can maintain good running posture by keeping your head up, your shoulders leveled, and your back straight. If you experience pain even after obtaining quality shoes and practicing good posture, make sure to see a doctor for your back pain.

Keep Your Feet Dry

Blistered feet is a common injury for many runners that can make running uncomfortable and even unbearable. Keeping your feet dry with proper ventilation prevents blister-causing friction. If you have especially sweaty feet, adding some talcum powder to your shoe can prevent excess moisture.

Stretch Beforehand

You can easily avoid the pain of pulling a muscle that wasn’t prepared for exercise. Having a good stretching routine at the start of each run prepares your muscles for the upcoming exertion. It’s important to ensure that your warm-up is slow and that it thoroughly works each muscle you’ll use when running.

More to the point, this stretching routine should be more dynamic than static. Work more on stretching your muscles through ranges of motion as they move, which improves your mobility. Pay very close attention to your knees and hips while you’re at it. This warm-up must keep the joints warm and mobile or you run the risk of long-term injuries like tendonitis. Those of you who already experience nagging pain in your knees or hips may be suffering from it already. In this case, stop running and get the treatment you need to prevent it from getting worse. Look into things like advanced cellular therapy for PRP injections - they’re great at treating inflammation and joint injuries. 

Warm-ups are excellent for preparing your body to run, but they also help you spot the warning signs of injuries. That’s why they should never be skipped! Always listen to your body during a warmup as you’re stretching and doing mobility work. If it doesn’t feel “right”, hold off on your run for the day.

Running is a great sport for increasing your stamina and lung strength. However, many people injure themselves when they underestimate the simplicity of the sport and run unprepared. By considering a few of these ways to prevent injuries while running, you’re less likely to hurt yourself, and you’ll be able to improve more quickly.

The 1 Habit That Has Improved My Life More Than Anything Else

Exercise is the single habit that has improved my life more than anything else.

Specifically a 30-minute run first thing in the morning.

This habit, which takes up just 3% of my waking hours, has delivered an incredible return on investment.

Exercise helped me overcome anxiety when I was in college and it has been a competitive advantage throughout my professional career.

I have worked in many high-pressure environments, working for billion-dollar companies including New Balance, Clif Bar, Red Bull, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox.

Throughout my career, I’ve never gone into a big day without running first thing in the morning.

Any time I need to attend an important meeting or give a high-stakes presentation, you can be sure I’ve gotten my run in first.

Just a 30-minute run at a moderate pace (9–10 minute mile) has consistently proven to improve my mood and heighten my productivity for hours afterward.

This makes me better with my relationships and better at business.

Now that I have a family of my own, including 2 children, my morning run is the me time I need to then be there for my family.

My morning run makes me more patient and focused with my loved ones.

The benefits of my morning run are felt immediately and persist throughout the rest of the day. That immediate feedback is what I have needed to stick with this habit for more than 20 years now.

Remarkably, the long-term health benefits have not been a primary driver to maintain this habit, although it is a nice bonus.

I’ve often wondered throughout my professional career why more people don’t exercise first thing in the morning.

Perhaps they have tried and it doesn’t produce the same results as it does for me, or maybe it’s just hard to resist the urge to sleep in a bit more.

I need sleep as much as anyone else, but knowing how much my day will be improved is all the motivation I need to put on my running shoes and get out the door.

Whatever exercise you enjoy, I encourage you to give it a try first thing in the morning, before your obligations for the day begin.

If you’re like me, you’ll notice the rest of the day goes much smoother in all aspects of your life — mental health, relationships, and business.

Racket Sports Shown to be the Healthiest Sports, Again

Racket sports provide the ideal combination for health.

Sports such as tennis, squash, badminton, and racketball simultaneously tax the cardiovascular system and the brain, delivering greater health benefits than aerobic exercise alone.

Racket sports build up your fitness while also requiring complex movements (front to back, and side to side) and quick strategic thinking. That combination of high-intensity training, strength building, flexibility, and mental toughness is rare among other sports.

Additionally, racket sports can be played at any age, and they bring you together with other people for social connection, which we know is beneficial for health.

It should therefore come as no surprise that racket sports were once again shown to reduce the risk of death more than any other type of sport.

A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), just published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), showed that many types of physical activity lower the risk of death for older adults — but racket sports top the list with a 27% lower risk of death from heart disease.

Playing racket sports regularly was shown to reduce the risk of death from any cause by 16%, slightly better than Running which came in 2nd with a 15% risk reduction. Other sports analyzed included Cycling, Swimming, Walking, Golf, and Aerobic Exercise.

…

These results are consistent with a previous large study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which looked at the link between 6 different types of exercise (Racket Sports, Swimming, Aerobics, Cycling, Running, Soccer) and the risk of early death.

Over 80,000 people were included, ranging in age from 30 to 98. The study — which spanned 9 years — showed that people who regularly played racket sports were 47% less likely to die (nearly 20 percentage points better than swimming, which came in 2nd with a 28% lower risk of dying).

These studies are not outliers. Another recent analysis of more than 8000 people over a period of 25 years determined that tennis can extend your life by nearly 10 years. This was far greater than the longevity gains of other healthy sports such as soccer (4.7 years), cycling (3.7 years), swimming (3.4 years), jogging (3.2 years), and going to the gym (1.5 years).

…

Numerous types of activities can produce health and longevity benefits.

But racket sports consistently rank as the best sports for a longer life.

Start playing racket sports today and you could wind up living a decade longer.

Why ‘Intermittent Eating’ Will Be the Next Big Health Trend

Mark Sisson is widely regarded as the founding father of the ancestral health movement. A former world-class endurance athlete — with a 2:18 marathon and a 4th-place finish in the Hawaii Ironman World Triathlon Championships — the 67-year-old now presides over a wide-ranging Primal enterprise (including the Primal Kitchen line of healthy condiments) and maintains one of the world’s top health and fitness blogs at MarksDailyApple.com. Sisson is a New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, all of which challenge conventional wisdom’s diet and exercise principles.

Sisson’s latest book, Two Meals A Day (which he wrote with fellow elite athlete Brad Kearns), gets into the specifics of what and when you should eat for optimal health. In our modern world of food abundance, Sisson says eating just 2 meals a day with no snacking in between — a practice he calls ‘intermittent eating’ — is the most simple and sustainable strategy to lose fat and age well.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Sisson to get his advice for putting the Two Meals a Day philosophy into action.

…

If you want optimal health, body composition, and longevity, you have to do two things:

1. Eliminate processed foods in favor of wholesome foods

2. Eat less frequently

Sisson says following this approach enables you to achieve metabolic flexibility, whereby you burn body fat between meals and keep your energy, focus, and mood stable throughout the day.

The first step is completely removing ‘The Big 3 Toxic Modern Foods’ from your diet, according to Sisson. The 3 foods that should be avoided at all costs are sugars, grains, and refined industrial seed oils.

“Sugars, sweetened beverages, grains (wheat, rice, corn, pasta, cereal), and refined industrial seed oils (canola, corn, cottonseed, peanut, safflower, soybean, sunflower) are insidious killers,” writes Sisson in Two Meals A Day. “They are directly associated with both immediate health disturbances (inflammatory and autoimmune reactions) and an elevated risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and cognitive decline in the long run.”

Sisson advises total elimination of these 3 toxic food groups for 21 days in order to escape carbohydrate dependency — what he believes is the #1 public health epidemic in the developed world. “Benefits should kick in quickly, which is more stable mood, energy, concentration, and appetite,” Sisson says. “Over the long term, becoming a fat burning beast will be life changing. Starting with efficient reduction of excess body fat and keeping it off!”

At this point, you probably know that sugar and refined grains are bad for your health, but you might not know as much about the evils of industrial seed oils. Unlike traditional fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, butter, and ghee, industrial seed oils are a very recent addition to the human diet, only introduced into the American diet in the early 1900s. This makes these industrial seed oils an evolutionary mismatch between our genes and the modern environment. Additionally, industrial seed oils produce an unhealthy omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio in the body, they are unstable and oxidize easily, are commonly derived from GMO plants, and are often repeatedly heated which makes them even more toxic.

It is very important to look at labels because sugars and industrial seed oils are added to just about every packaged food.

…

After you have removed the Big 3, it is time to restock your kitchen with nutrient-dense ‘ancestral’ foods, according to Sisson. For the past 2 million years, humans have been eating meat, fish, fowl, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Instead of being overly prescriptive of the exact foods you should eat, Sisson advises to simply choose the foods you like best from those ancestral-approved categories.

He even allows for some healthy modern foods such as organic high-fat dairy products (e.g. Full-fat milk, cream, yogurt, aged cheese) and high-cacao dark chocolate (85%+ cacao).

If you want to consume the best of the best, Sisson says these are the healthiest foods we should be eating on a daily basis:

Grassfed Beef

Not just cow but buffalo/bison, elk, lamb, and venison. “Bone-in cuts of meat have better nutritional benefits than muscle meat (Burger, steak),” says Sisson.

Seafood

Oily, cold water fish (SMASH family of Sardines, Mackerel, Anchovy, Salmon, and Herring), salmon eggs, shellfish

Pasture-raised eggs

Sisson says pasture-raised eggs are vastly superior to conventional or even organic eggs, with the yolk being one of the planet’s true superfoods

Grassfed organ meats

“Liver is arguably the most nutrient dense food on earth,” says Sisson. He also recommends bone broth for the assorted nutritional benefits that are hard to find in other foods (e.g. collagen).

“Many health enthusiasts will want to include colorful, nutritious fruits and vegetables, but the aforementioned are the true superfoods,” asserts Sisson.

In fact, he recommends taking some caution with fruit. “Fruit is the most fat-forming of all carbohydrates because the main form of sugar in fruit, fructose, must first be processed in the liver before being burned,” says Sisson. “This is fine — it creates a more steady burn vs. sugar spike from straight sugar — unless you are a typical modern human with full glycogen stores and the fruit is extra carbohydrates you don’t need.” The liver is where extra carbs are converted into fat (triglyceride) so fruit is easy to convert into fat.

Sisson recommends aligning fruit consumption with ancestral principles — enjoy fresh local fruit in season and emphasize high antioxidant, low glycemic fruit (berries are best!) and de-emphasize lower antioxidant, higher glycemic fruits (tropical fruits such as mango, pineapple, and papaya).

…

After you clean up the quality of your diet, you are ready to move toward eating only two meals a day (i.e. fasting more often than eating).

“Fasting has profound anti-inflammatory and immune boosting effects,” says Sisson. He notes that fasting produces internal antioxidants, optimizes cellular detoxification, enhances mitochondrial health, and enables your brain and body to burn fat as fuel.

“Fasting blows away the benefits offered by any superfood smoothie, magical jungle berry, exotic fresh-squeezed juice, or expensive detox powder or pill,” according to Sisson.

He says the best way to get started with an intermittent-eating lifestyle is to simply wait until WHEN (When Hunger Ensues Naturally) to eat your break-fast meal every day. This typically means having only a midday meal and then dinner. This fits within what is commonly known as 16/8 fasting, where you eat only during an 8-hour window (e.g. 12–8pm) and fast for the other 16 hours. It’s not as hard as it sounds, especially since sleep counts toward your fasting time.

Another option is the Morning-Evening pattern. In this case, you enjoy a morning breakfast and then dinner, with nothing in between. This approach works well for people who are especially busy during the day and not able to break away for a healthy meal.

Or you could simply follow the ‘Intuitive Pattern,’ honoring natural hunger and satiety signals and eating a maximum of two meals a day with no snacking. “This may be the most evolved and successful strategy for an experienced and highly adept fat burner,” according to Sisson, although you probably want to work your way up to this point over time.

At a bare minimum, you should confine eating to 12 hours or less each day. As your body adapts, you can regularly push your fasting window to 14 or 16 hours, or occasionally even 20 or 24 hours.

Snacking is ok when you are just starting out, but make sure to reach for something healthy like a handful of nuts, dark chocolate, or hard-boiled eggs. Over time, you want to eat only two meals a day with no snacking in between.

…

Sisson looks better than just about any 67-year-old out there. He still keeps up with athletes half his age. If you want to follow Mark’s specific eating plan, here is what he does:

7am: Coffee with a pinch of cream and sugar (“shhh, don’t tell the fasting police,” he jokes)

1pm: Break-fast: Typically a large steak or other interesting entree, and a small salad or vegetable selection.

7pm: Delicious celebratory meal such as steak, sushi and other seafood, ethnic food, or even an omelet if he feels like it.

“I adhere to a compressed eating window of approximately a 16/8 pattern,” Mark told me. “16 hours fasted and 8 hours in which I eat two meals. I never snack or graze between meals as this can be counterproductive to metabolic flexibility and also I’m never hungry due to the nutrient density of my meals.”

…

Eating only two meals a day might sound overly restrictive, but Sisson asserts it is actually quite freeing. Instead of being dependent upon frequent, carbohydrate-based meals, you can go out and enjoy your life with plenty of energy to do the things you love.

It’s all part of a plan to optimize health and live your best life.

Sisson sums it up well: “Ditch refined sugars, grains, and seed oils; eat fewer meals and snacks; move more, sleep more, and live awesome!”

How Much Exercise You Should Do Each Week

The World Health Organization recently updated its guidelines for physical activity and sedentary behavior. This marks the first update the WHO has made to the guidelines since 2010.

The new guidelines call for adults (ages 18–64) to do 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, per week (or some equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous exercise). Additionally, resistance training at moderate or greater intensity — involving all major muscle groups — should be done at least 2 times per week.

This equates to about 30–60 minutes of total exercise per day. That amount of activity has been shown to have a range of health benefits, including reduced risk for hypertension, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and all-cause mortality (dying from any cause). Additionally, exercise at these levels improves mental health (including anxiety and depression), brain functioning, and sleep quality.

Adults over 65 should place extra emphasis on functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity at least 3 times per week, to improve overall physical functioning and bone health, as well as to prevent against falls.

Children and adolescents (ages 5–17) should be averaging 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity per day, as well as activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least 3 times per week. Kids who meet these levels are shown to have improved cardiometabolic health (blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and insulin levels), bone health, mental health (reduced symptoms of depression), and cognitive functioning (academic performance).

Unfortunately, the guidelines report that 27.5% of adults and 81% of adolescents do not meet the recommendations for aerobic exercise, and there has been no overall improvement in global levels of activity over the last two decades.

It may feel like a huge undertaking to meet these new guidelines, but it is important to note that any amount of physical activity is better than none and you can work your way up to these optimal levels. Start with small amounts of exercise and gradually increase frequency, intensity, and duration over time. Brisk walking is a great place to start.

Another worthy goal across the board is to simply limit sedentary behavior. Although the WHO guidelines do not specifically call out the maximum amount of time you should be sitting per day (due to limited evidence for specific thresholds), less is more in this regard. Every time you go to sit, simply ask yourself if you could be standing or moving instead.

Overall, the new guidelines are very similar to the 2010 version, which confirms the continued strong evidence for exercise’s role in improving health. In terms of what’s new, the previous guidelines called for exercise to be done in bouts of at least 10 minutes, but that has now been removed. This change reflects the evidence that exercise of any session duration is associated with better health, including reduced all-cause mortality. A little bit really is better than nothing at all.

The second big change is these new guidelines now specify a target range of physical activity, compared with the previous version that focused on simply achieving the lowest end of the range. This edit acknowledges that the more exercise you do the better, but going above the upper limit does not necessarily produce additional benefits.

The WHO does not specify the types of exercise that are optimal for health, beyond incorporating the overarching categories of aerobic exercise and muscle strengthening. The best type of exercise is likely the one that you enjoy doing and can do consistently over time. For me, that currently includes a mix of running, squash, and resistance training on a weekly basis.

I firmly believe that regular exercise has the power to change your life more than any other habit. These WHO guidelines provide a very concrete and practical formula to improve your overall health and well-being.