Changing your life starts with a physical practice. It’s not the only way, but that’s what I know to be most effective and have firsthand experience with.
I recommend starting with a physical practice because of the compounding effects and the power of changing your physical structure. There is something special about changing the way you physically appear and interface with reality.
I use the term physical practice because there are many approaches you can take. I prefer and teach people resistance training but there are many modalities that can get the job done.
Once you start a physical practice, you quickly realize it’s difficult. You start to think of any way to make the next session easier. The best way to do that? Start eating better.
Eat food that builds you up and fuels your body. Real food that comes from the earth. Animal proteins, such as beef, fish, chicken, and eggs. Vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Not ultra processed in a factory that comes packaged and filled with a list of food-like substances.
Avoid junk food. When you start thinking about how the food you eat affects the way you feel and perform, you realize those donuts for breakfast, onion rings and fried chicken sandwich for lunch, and pizza for dinner are not serving you. They are hindering you and your progress. Yes, it tastes good and makes us feel better in the moment, but there is a tradeoff. You get a few minutes of mouth pleasure but you’re giving your body inferior raw materials to rebuild and sustain itself.
Eat real foods. You will feel better, recover faster, think clearer, and have more energy throughout the day. No more crashes. No more being stuffed and nauseated; laid up on the couch because you can’t move.
Another great way to make the next training session easier? Start prioritizing sleep.
You need somewhere between 7-9 hours. To many of us, that seems excessive. We’ve been getting 6 hours of sleep or less a night for years and there’s still not enough time in the day. But getting enough sleep improves all aspects of our lives. Mood, metabolism, strength, cognition, food cravings, and more.
Where do we get the extra hours for sleep? Sit down and audit your time. Take a moment to evaluate where you are spending your time and is it serving you. Many of us get caught up in the momentum of life and get dragged along its metaphorical conveyor belt without even considering alternative ways to live and behaviors to change.
Are you spending too much time on screens? 4 hours a day on your phone and another 2 hours watching tv at night? Don’t get caught up binging shows on Netflix or scrolling on social media. There’s nothing wrong with decompressing after a long day by watching your favorite show or catching up with friends on social media. But we all could do a better job creating more and passively consuming less.
If you cut that screen time in half, you would add 3 more hours in your day that could be spent increasing your sleep and improving another aspect of your life. Start studying that second language, developing that side hustle, pursuing your passion project, or try a new hobby. It’s far more rewarding.
And just like that, a physical practice has completely shifted how you feel and act throughout the day. You now have something to work towards and improve. A stress reliever that builds strength and confidence. You’re eating real food and feeling the effects. You’re moving better, having clearer thoughts. More sustainable energy to enable you to do the things you want to do with your life.
It’s not about making the physical practice the sole focus of your life; it’s about using it as a tool to get the most out of this incredible human experience. You are stronger and more capable than you have been led to believe. Everything you have ever needed is inside you. Start your physical practice today and change the trajectory of your life.
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If you purchased a kettlebell or set of dumbbells at some point over the pandemic and are looking for a physical practice, you’re in the right place. I just released an 8 week, full body resistance training program. All movements are demonstrated with bodyweight or a KB but they can be performed with DBs as well. Check that out here.
