They all have one thing in common, they require discipline and mental fortitude, you will be uncomfortable but not feel like dying. They are the shortcuts to staying fit and healthy.
Fasting 24-40 hours
Once or twice a week, or month. Just do it. 16/8 IS NOT FASTING. I'll say it again, 16/8 IS NOT FASTING.
Benefits of the 24+ hour fast:
Autophagy
Giving your digestive system a break
Reducing your insulin
Release of Growth Hormone
Energy
Less bloating
Lose fat, water and weight. A 40 hour fast will easily lose you 4 lb. in scale weight. After 40, I stop.
It's one big mind game. Drink lots of water, expect to urinate a lot, you'll be thinking of food at your normal feeding times. Once past dinner time, if you chose to go over 40 hours, you're home free. You will not be hungry the next day and you'll feel rejuvenated.
Things to drink:
Water, Black Coffee, Green Tea, Apple Cider Vinegar and Lemon Juice in Water. (This will help with hunger pangs)
Can I put milk or cream in my coffee? Sure, but you're breaking the fast.
Abstaining from Alcohol
Benefits:
Higher Energy
Better Sleep Quality
Great Workouts
Lose Weight while being less compliant with your diet. Eat vs. drink calories
No Hangovers
Lower Blood Pressure
Better Heart Health
Liver rejuvenates
Digestive system feels better
Better looking skin
Joint Pain disappears due to hydration and lubrication of joints.
No next day anxiety
Easier to adhere to better food choices.
Better focus
I love reading blogs that say, "This is what happened after I gave up alcohol for 30 days!" Then they're back to drinking and all of their gains have disappeared. I get it drinking is FUN. It's relaxing, It's the great adult pastime. Unfortunately, it is TERRIBLE for you. Once you're through a weekend or 2, it is easy. Some people are great at moderation. I am terrible in moderation. I'm an all or nothing person.
10–20-minute Kettlebell MetCon workouts.
I LOVE kettlebell complexes and chains. That is what drew me to kettlebells in the first place.
EPOC Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption Higher calorie burn after exercise
Build a stronger heart with heart rates over 150
Less time more bang for the buck
Builds Strength, Endurance and Mental Toughness
Blow torch fat, not muscle
Get in incredible condition which will carry over to other activities.
Total body workouts which bring variety.
There are a lot of schools of thought that have evolved into flavors of the month. Maffetone Method, keeping heart rate around 130. A + A, lift explosively for short periods of time, Minimalism, Simple and Sinister, doing just getups and one hand swings. None of these interest me. To me, exercise is getting the heart rate jacked up and going hard. The heart rate, go slow stuff is BORING to me. I'd rather do a 5-minute snatch test and push myself or do a double kettlebell complex or chain which will be HARD for 15 minutes and be done with it.
Today, I did a complex called the Upper Back Attack from Geoff Neupert's More Kettlebell Muscle. It was week 4 of the 6-week program. I'm doing it sequentially as a chain. Heavy day was today. My kettlebells are 45 lb. each and I did doubles. 5 rounds, with 90 seconds rest between rounds. Looked like this:
Double Swing x 1, Double Clean x 1, Press x 1, Double Snatch x 1, Squat x 1. Repeat sequence 5 times to be 1 set.
It looks innocent enough, but around the 4 time around the sequence because you've used your upper and lower body fatigue sets in. Each set is 25 reps. The whole workout took 11 minutes. My heart rate was 180 beats per minute and when I got into the shower 15 minutes later after mediating and praying, I was still catching my breath a little.
The carryover is once or twice a week, I'll go to Planet Fitness, do some pullups and dips and run 2-3 miles. I can run sub-9-minute miles on a treadmill, and I might run 5 miles on a good week.
The Best Pullup Program is to lose Weight
Every website has pull-up program. Add one rep every day for 30 days. Grease the Groove, Pavel's Fighter Pullup program.
In my opinion, pull-ups are a top 5 exercise. It's the BEST back AND AB exercise. Do 20-30 pull-ups and let me know how your upper ab muscles feel the day after. I'm not a max rep guy, I have long arms, but love to do them. Hands facing one another which helps build biceps and back width without hurting rear deltoids. Maxing out reps burns out your next set and the set thereafter. Plus, form gets sloppy. Are you getting your chin over the bar? Sets of 2-5 work best, between other working sets. If you go to the gym and do chest, 3 exercises, 3 sets a piece. You can get 9-10 sets of 3. That's 27-30 on the low end of good reps. The lighter you are the easier they are to do which would equal more reps. Sets of 4 or 5. Mentally, don't think of pulling your chin over the bar, think of meeting your elbows with the bottom of your ribcage.
Take Psyllium Husk
Also known as Metamucil. It's not old people stuff. It is PHENOMENAL for digestive health. When I had my colonoscopy at 50, they told me I had diverticulosis and to take 2 tbs a day. It tastes good, like Orange Hi-C. I mix 2 TBS of Lemon Juice and Apple Cider Vinegar with it. Goes down easy.
Benefits
Lowers Cholesterol
Fiber fills you up, so you'll eat less
ACV helps with gut health
Eliminates IBS and diarrhea
Cleans out your digestive track.
Soft, enormous one wipe movements
Less bloat
Absorbs water into your waste.
Highly recommend it. 5 days a week.
Daily Flossing
One of the most preventive things you can do. If you're awake for 16 hours a day, that's 960 minutes. Takes 1 minute to floss your teeth after brushing. Dan John is a HUGE proponent of this.
Gum health
Teeth health
Removes plaque
Eliminates halitosis. Don't believe me? If you haven't flossed your teeth in a couple of days, take a sniff of the floss when you're done. That bacterium is what is causing it. Lose the Altoids, floss your teeth.
Heart health. Everything comes back to the heart. The bacteria in the plaque can contain strep which will damage your heart if it's exposed.
Magnesium Oil
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals for your body. Most people are deficient. Oral supplements don't absorb as well as applying it into the skin. Start with soles of feet. It can burn/itch at first. This is an indication that you are deficient in it. You can wipe it off after 20 minutes. Apply when you get up in the morning before showering and 30 minutes before you go to bed.
Deeper sleep, enjoy the vivid dreams.
Natural relaxant. Same as bathing in Epsom salts which are magnesium based
Alleviates soreness
Helps with hypertension.
Forget the CBD oil, buy magnesium instead.
