Summary
There are a number of ways to improve your health. The key is to focus on the things that matter the most to you. Don't worry about the things you don't like. Focus on the ones that matter. Don’t worry about what you don’ts like.
Health is not about finding a quick fix in hopes of solving years of problems or inefficiencies. It’s about consistent habits that make healthy behaviors instinctual and natural. Compared to the amount of advice floating around the health universe, the behaviors that truly matter for your life are relatively few.
With this definition, you have the freedom to choose your path. There is no exact recipe or diet that will get you to a long and happy life. The best plan is the one you will stick to, which means you may decide to focus on different health behaviors at different times.
One last thing, before I get into the summary of health behaviors…I want to urge you that it’s never too late to start making progress toward your health. Here are eight of the most essential health behaviors that will help you achieve lifelong youth.
I have created a workbook to help you get more connected with your sense of purpose. Check it out at ‘Find Your Sense of Purpose’ workbook. I’m not saying you need to eat like a caveman. But you should strive to eat food that is just one or two steps away from what it looked like when it was alive.
If you’re doing it right, most of the foods in your home will have a shelf-life of less than a month. Here are a few of the most offensive foods that you should limit from your diet. Corn has a high inflammatory ratio, and we tend to eat a lot of it.
If we banned sugary drinks and everyone only drank water and tea instead, there would not be an obesity epidemic anymore. If you want to lose weight, the single greatest change you can make is to avoid drinking your calories through sodas, sugary liquor, and other sweeteners.
If you already have a routine set of habits that you perform every day, squeeze in your new habit amongst the rest. For example, when you wake up in the morning, after brushing your teeth, drink one full glass of water while your coffee is brewing. Here, you have stacked three habits on top of each other.
Without proper sleep, you’ll die sooner, get sick more often, and be worthless throughout the day. Men who sleep 5-6 hours per night have the testosterone levels of a man who is ten years older. Poor sleep messes up your hormones to promote weight gain.
If you want to be a better athlete, artist, employee, etc., sleep like you mean it. Your body heals, repairs, and prepares for the next day while you’re sleeping. Get in the habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
When the temperature of your room is a couple of degrees colder at night, you sleep better. The optimal sleeping temperature for most people is 65o. Make sure your bedroom is completely dark. Any bit of light can reduce your sleep quality or wake you up.
You don’t have to go to the gym to be healthy. If you have an active lifestyle, you’ll look and feel better. If your mind is racing, spend less time in bed. You want your brain to associate the bed with sleep.
If you enjoy weightlifting, be my guest. But if not, there are plenty of other ways to make exercise fun and challenging at the same time. The longest-living people on Earth rarely go to the gym, but they stay fit and healthy because their lifestyle is a constant expression of movement and exercise.
Use the two-minute rule — downscale your habit into a two- minutes time frame. Join a club, exercise group, or sports league. Creating a culture around your desired behavior helps you stay motivated. Make moderate activities feel like work, but not in an unpleasant way.
Your heart rate is elevated to a point where it would be challenging to sing but easy to talk (60-80% of your max heart rate) The happiest people on Earth socialize at least eight hours a day, and the world’s longest-living cultures spend much of their after-work time in a social setting.
If you want some ideas to spark your creativity, check out the ‘Movement Games’ addendum found at lifelongyouthbook.com/resources. Instead of drinking and sitting around, you might choose to do movement-based activities like hiking or playing yard games.
With an ‘embrace discomfort’ mindset, you become the master of your stress, not the victim of it. The trick to embracing discomfort is figuring out the proper dosage. For every bout of stress that you voluntarily impose on yourself, you will need to play the role of Goldilocks.
The same idea is true for any stressor. Each time you expose yourself to controlled stress, pay attention to how your mind and body feel afterward. Do things that are difficult, challenging, and a little bit uncomfortable. Your body likes to be challenged and pushed, and you are capable of more than you think.
Incrementally embracing the extremes of hot and cold can have widespread effects on your physical and mental health. The easiest way to embrace discomfort is to step out of your climate-controlled box and experience the real world. Think of demanding tasks as challenges rather than threats. That way, you will no longer be the victim of stress but the master of it.
You don’t need to be religious to practice spirituality. No matter what you believe, the act of sharing your beliefs will add to your health and happiness. spirituality also allows for quiet reflection and mindfulness, which relieves stress. Here are some more reasons why practicing spirituality is good for you.
Mindfulness helps empty your cup of stress so that it is less likely to overflow and cause damage. Whether it’s prayer, meditation, reflection, or whatever you choose to call it, focusing on your breathing will be impactful and beneficial for your mind and body.
Breaking down the behavior change into small, manageable doses will go a long way. Once you get acquainted with the habit formation process, you’ll notice that it becomes easier to accomplish big changes. The world is your playground, so get out there, play on it, and stay young along the way.
He plans to be financially independent by age 40. He is also creating an educational platform about health, wealth, and happiness. Be on the lookout for the Getting Gooder podcast and book series. For more information on Getting Good, visit www.gettinggooder.com.
