Every time I write about this topic, I have to recheck my math because it just doesn’t seem possible: As a 46-year-old who discovered the weight room as a high school underdog, I’ve done almost every day. 32 years of training. Over the course of many of these years, I’ve trained multiple times each day, so even with my improvised multiplication skills, that means I’ve done at least 15,000 exercises so far…
Why do I mention this? Because, in those 32 years and over 15,000 sessions, I’ve made a billion mistakes and learned even more incredible lessons. One of the most valuable truths I’ve learned is that what we do outside the gym has a far greater impact on our bodies than the time we spend inside the gym. Yes, exercise is important, of course, but the greatest workout in the world isn’t going to help you create much physical change if you’re not exercising self-discipline for the other 22 or 23 hours of the day. So, this isn’t an exercise article, but you might just learn a hack or two that can make a huge positive difference in the way you look, feel, and perform!
They are important in no particular order, but these 10 effective habits and routines can hopefully help you create a stable and successful lifestyle:
Note: Some of them have different levels of psychology – how strict you really are depends on what your goals are and how serious you want to be to achieve those goals. If you’re relaxing and not in a rush, you don’t need to constantly be crazy about your nutrition and lifestyle. But, if you’re determined to find your best in how you feel, look and perform as quickly as possible, you’ll want to dial in all of those 100 percent.
- Sugar is bad: Want to look/feel/perform your best? Do not eat or drink sugar. Sounds hard, right? it is. But it gets easier, the more you avoid it (like any addiction).
- Beer equals body fat: apologies! I know, it hurts—I love a cold beer as much as the next guy. But honestly, our bodies don’t recognize it as a burnable fuel, and we store it as fat.
- Pre-programmed for dessert: Unfortunately, many of us learn as children that we should eat dessert after every dinner. This “pre-programming” becomes a very strong habit, which becomes our way of life. After finishing the salty/savory, we want Pavlov’s dogs sweet! Of course, if you really want to create change, you can’t eat sweets (see #1). Here are some quick tricks to combat this:
- Gum always with you. Put a piece in your mouth after a meal – the sweetness will “trick” your habits and hopefully satisfy the craving.
- Are you in a place where you can brush your teeth after eating? It’s even better than gum for curbing sweet cravings.
- Hunger or dehydration: Sometimes our bodies confuse dehydration with hunger. Don’t just eat breakfast – if you’ve eaten recently and you’re not hungry, try drinking a glass of water and wait five minutes. Water will do you good regardless!
- Draw more: Any good physical therapist will tell you that if more people did these simple things every day, they would make less money. Focus on your hamstrings and lower spine – being more lumbar and flexible will make you feel better all around – and will help reduce the urge to skip a workout or two…
- Preparation is everything: This can be applied to many aspects, but let’s focus on nutrition. A few hours of grocery shopping on a Sunday afternoon can be the difference between a successful week of progress and a stagnant “one step forward, one step back” week. Get a calendar, look ahead to the week, and plan what you’re going to eat and when. It’s that simple. Last minute decisions are rarely good for a fitness lifestyle.
- Bring your own lunch: Sounds lame? Who cares. If you really want to make a change, you have to take control of your diet and your choices. Bring everything – lunch, snacks, drinks, toothbrush… I know, I know – eating out can be the best part of a long work day. But, I can’t tell you how many hundreds of restaurants my lunch box has been to. Sit down and eat with your friends! Don’t be a jerk about eating healthy, you may be low key, but stick to your commitment.
- A fitness lifestyle can travel: Don’t give up your discipline or exercise just because you have to travel. Do your best to make good preparation and intake decisions. And remember: any exercise is better than no exercise. Don’t compare a travel workout to your local gym workout—just move, breathe, sweat. You will not back down.
- Training partner? Probably?: I’ve had a workout partner for 5% of the workouts I’ve done in the past 32 years. It’s not because I’m anti-social or elitist. I just have a crazy schedule, and frankly, I never take a day off. You might have a great training partner, and that’s great! However, if you depend on that person, your workouts can live/die based on their availability. This cannot be an excuse! You’re going to maintain your discipline no matter what, and you can’t let someone else’s schedule dictate yours.
- Become a student of your body: What works for him may not work for you. There are few universal rules when it comes to “what’s best.” Each of us should listen to our bodies – if something hurts, don’t do it. If you don’t like a certain food, don’t eat it. Instead, think about what activities and foods make you feel good! What motivates you, makes you feel strong, and “hooks” you? Do this and more!
The most important element of a fitness lifestyle is consistency. You must develop a self-discipline method to maintain your commitment every day. These habits become your lifestyle, and soon you won’t live any other way!
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