Humans love routine; we have a particular route we like to take to work and to the grocery store. We brush our teeth a certain way and fidget the same way. We sleep in the same position and bathe ourselves in the same manner (hopefully we all bathe, anyways).

Our love and programming for routines applies to our diet and lifestyle as well. If you’re accustomed to starting your day with a bowl of cereal, it may be tough to break that habit.

If you’re hungry for a little snack and decide to eat a bowl of ice cream or cookies, it may take a while to reprogram a healthier choice. However, better eating choices are not about restrictions and giving the illusion that you’re “on a diet” (we all have a diet, that’s just the name we use to talk about what we eat, of course). What you need is a “successful diet,” and the keys to this are simple.

Changing the foods that are in your reach can be the catalyst for creating a healthier and happier version of you. Let’s dig a little deeper.

For Example:

●  Swap out margarine, canola oil, and any “fake butters” for real, organic, grass-fed butter (those having an issue with lactose can successfully use grass-fed ghee).

●  Swap out your cereal for a bowl of chopped, raw mixed nuts with almond or hemp milk.

●  Swap out your ice cream for an organic dairy version or coconut-based ice cream.

●  Swap out the processed cheese for organic, raw cheese and reap health and digestive benefits.

●  Swap out your bottled filtered water for natural, hydrating spring water.

●  Swap out your wheat pasta for a gluten-free rice pasta.

●  Swap out your sodas for kombucha or “healthy man’s lemonade” using spring water, fresh lemon juice, and a dash of stevia.

● Swap out your milk chocolate for a 70% plus cacao version of dark chocolate.

● Swap out the sweet candy for some blueberries (you’ll be surprised when your palette changes that blueberries can actually have a hint of sweetness).

● Swap out your slim-jims for some grass-fed jerky or make your own.

● Swap out your aspartame- laden chewing gum for a xylitol based gum.

● Swap out your breads for gluten-free bread, or even better, eliminate bread completely. Gluten-free bread is still bread and therefore has a big impact on your blood sugar levels.

This will get you off to a good start.

Creating A Thriving Enviroment

If all you have around is fake food, all you will eat is fake food. If all you have are healthy choices around, those are the choices you’ll make. It can be a bit more difficult to maintain a healthy regimen if you live with someone who is not on board with your dietary philosophies, but it’s not impossible.

Carving out your section of the pantry, fridge, and freezer for your healthy foods is the first step to long-term dietary success. Eventually you may be able to convert your roommate or whomever you live with to join you, doubling up on healthy food to help one another save money and become exponentially healthier. There are various simple swaps that make a big difference in the nutrient composition of your diet.

Become An Avid Ingredient List Reader & Seek Out Single-Ingredient Foods

If you aren’t one already, becoming an avid ingredient list reader can help you detect and reduce your exposure to any potential bad ingredient that may be behind that mysterious headache or brain fog. Things like MSG can have many sneaky names that still result in the same poor effect.

While ingredient reading may seem cumbersome and obsessive, it’s a quick and easy way to ensure your choices are quality ones. There is an even better secret to being able to avoid the process of reading ingredients, it’s simply eating real food.

By eating one ingredient foods such as bison, berries, almonds, rice, and so on, you eliminate the possibility of becoming a food-choice freak. You won’t have to worry any longer, especially if you prepare the food yourself. Which leads me to the next key foundation of eating real food and worrying less.

Focus On Time Management & Start Cooking

I can prepare a bison steak, medium rare to medium, a large bowl of steamed broccoli, and maybe a side of blueberries and organic white rice in a total of about 15 minutes. If you think that cooking real food simply takes too long and it’s easier just to go grab something, it’s really not.

By the time you drive to your favorite restaurant or food trailer joint, you could have made an entire meal that was probably much more nutrient dense (not to mention cheaper).

Prices vary slightly across the USA and rest of the world, but generally speaking, you can prepare a nice quality meat, vegetable, and side item for around $8-12 a plate. For the amount of nutrient density, lack of pesticides or chemicals, and the pride from preparing the meal for yourself, the bang for your buck really exceeds that of a quick pick me up.

Even if you find a healthy store that sells pre-made meals, it’s easy to take those for granted and simply throw them in the microwave to “nuke it,” therefore, reducing some of the gentle micro-nutrients and enzymes contained in the food that help the whole nutrient absorption process.

Instead, if you develop a better grasp on your schedule, you can easily warm up your healthy meal in a toaster oven to preserve your nutrients, but avoid the “cold pizza” style of eating. The few extra minutes it takes to heat your food this way can give you the extra nutritional advantage you need!

While any cooking method, including roasting and boiling, causes a reduction in nutrients in food, microwaving is by far the most popular version of this degradation process. Several research studies have looked at iodine content and Vitamin C content before and after several different cooking methods.

Iodine, which is crucial for optimal thyroid function, was reduced by 27% via microwave cooking. The other study that looked at microwaving and cooking broccoli found that the mineral content stayed relatively preserved among all cooking methods, and that vitamin C was reduced across the board.

Long story short, microwaves aren’t the worst thing you could do to your food, but preventing the drying out of your food simply tastes better anyways!

Invest In Your Human Vehicle, Not Your Metal Vehicle

I can’t count the times I’ve seen a $60,000 Mercedes SUV in the drive-thru at McDonalds. If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything! Save your money on fancy cars and invest in the vehicle that really matters: your body. Your human vehicle is with you for life and this is the only one you get.

Investing in material goods isn’t a sin or anything, but if you have to decide whether to upgrade to an LED TV or invest in a half-carcass of local grass-fed beef for your freezer, opt for the meat!

Then maybe you can use the energy and dietary fuel you’ve received to enhance your mental and physical function, which will then allow you to make more money to finally get that LED TV you’ve been dreaming about. It’s a roundabout way of looking at materialism, but it’s an important distinction to make.

If however, you have the ability to buy your Ray-Ban sunglasses and invest in organic vegetables too, that’s even better! A sustainable, enjoyment of life is a key foundation that I encourage people to discover. If sunglasses and quality food help you get there, go for it.

While you can get a few cheeseburgers, drinks, and fries for $10, you can also get a pound of organic broccoli, a small serving of quality meat topped with butter for about the same price.

Tying It All Together

Ultimately, consuming healthy, clean, and organic food is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Longevity, mental clarity, and the ability to physically exert yourself can all result from diet.

Short bursts of caffeine, energy drinks, and magic potions can temporarily support cognitive function and a martial arts schedule, but for a sustainable, safe, and enjoyable life overall, nutrition is the first stepping stone to throw in front of you.

Each little step in the right direction counts for something. Remember that each bite you take either helps or hurts your health; there is no such thing as “neutral foods.” Make your bites count!

The post How to Make Healthy Eating Accessible & Manageable appeared first on Onnit Academy.

With the popularity of crossfit boxes and high-intensity workout programs spreading rapidly across the planet, there has been a lot of good done. There has also been a good amount of damage in the form of preventable injuries, exhaustion, chronic fatigue and a dependency on caffeine to get through the day.

While HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and other forms of exercise are beneficial for maintaining bone health, muscle growth, and maintenance, too much can cause damage both externally and internally.

When we engage in these exercises, the adrenals, two small glands that sit on top of the kidneys, have to secret cortisol and other stress hormones to handle the exercise. Too hard or too often can both wear out the stress response.

Measuring Exhaustion

Lucky we have methods for quantifying the level of exhaustion we’ve put on our bodies. No, we aren’t talking about squeezing your pecs and determining if you’re ready for another day of pounding your chest.

Instead, we can measure the levels of cortisol from the saliva. Known as an ASI (Adrenal Stress Index), measurements can be taken across a 24 hour period.

This a very non-invasive and beneficial test to run on athletes and high-performing individuals. Even if you are not experiencing any signs of muscle loss, plateau, fatigue or otherwise, it’s a helpful biomarker to add to your list.

As you see, cortisol is necessary for getting up and getting you moving in the morning. It’s when cortisol is kept high at night from exercising too close to bedtime, consuming too many stimulants such as coffee and nicotine, or experiencing too much emotional stress.

Have you ever had a fight (any kind) with someone close to bedtime and were left tossing and turning throughout the night? Cortisol is part of the blame.

When this rhythm is thrown off due to excess stress in the form of training or otherwise:

• The ability for muscle growth and repair is greatly reduced
• Bone health is compromised
• Skin regeneration is reduced
• Thyroid function slows
• Immune system is impaired
• REM sleep is reduced

Care to take a day off from the gym yet?

Advanced Recovery Techniques

Resting is something that most people are good at. Often times, people rest too much! But, in the context of this article, we are speaking to the people who just can’t seem to slow down and take a breather.

Recovery Technique #1: Epsom Salt Baths

Your grandmother likely took epsom salt baths throughout her life, maybe she still does! The benefits of epsom salt, commonly known as magnesium sulfate are far stretching.

Soaking in a bath of warm water with about a cup of epsom salt dissolved into it will produce great results. It can aid digestion, muscle relaxation and repair and reduce inflammation and swelling.

Recovery Technique #2: Essential Oils

Essential oils are potent extracts of various trees, herbs and other plants that are commonly found in small glass vials. Some of the most popular and beneficial extracts are Eucalyptus, Lavender and Orange. Many essential oils have anti-microbial qualities and can provide a relief from allergies, sinus issues, stress, depression and even fatigue.

Eucalyptus is a particularly exciting essential oil to keep in your gym bag due to its ability to open up the airways. Put a couple drops of this oil into a bottle of water and spray it onto the rocks at your local gym’s sauna. Don’t use too much unless you want to make your eyes sting.

You can also add a couple drops of essential oils into your bathwater or onto your pillowcase for relaxation and improved breathing function throughout the night.

Recovery Technique #3: Sensory Deprivation Tanks

Joe Rogan has played a large role in re-popularizing the idea of using sensory deprivation tanks for relaxation, enhancing focus and mind expansion. These are incredible tools for people of all walks of life.

As you submerge yourself into a large tub of warm water mixed with nearly a thousand pounds of epsom salt, you float on the surface of the water in a sort of harmony with gravity. Neuroscientists have discovered that removing the sensory inputs to the brain is a highly rewarding and relaxing behavior. The stress hormone cortisol we’ve talked about plummets after a session in one of these tanks.

Also, the magnesium in the water is able to absorb into the body, providing relief from digestive issues, muscle spasms and pain. This should be part of every high-performing fitness fanatic and athlete. To be more clear, these are beneficial for everyone, regardless of your physical performance, they just happen to be very helpful for healing the physical body.

Take a Chill

Ultimately, we just need more time to relax, recover and allow the body to work it’s magic. Many of us can feel the effects of excess stress, except the majority of us do not recover and cope with it in the proper ways.

Add some relaxation time into your week and workout schedule. Remember, the time spent in the gym is NOT the time when you grow. The time resting, eating and recovering after the workout counts just as much.

Consider some of these relaxation remedies and next time you want to pound the weights too many days in a row, consider yourself warned.

Recover With A Good Night’s Rest

Sometimes all you need to recover from a workout and feel refreshed is a good night’s rest. New MOOD® by Onnit™ Labs is a serotonin-boosting supplement aimed at elevating a positive affective state and promoting restful sleep. The New MOOD® formula includes neurotransmitter precursors with the co-factor vitamin B6, catalyzing the synthesis of serotonin in the brain. Additionally, four natural extracts, with a long tradition of reducing stress and combating poor sleep, are paired with two essential vitamins and magnesium to promote a mental state of calmness and well-being. So quit dragging ass through your day and get the energy and rest you deserve.

The post 3 Advanced Techniques to Help Recover From Overtraining appeared first on Onnit Academy.

A low number on the scale does not necessarily equal healthy, just as a high number on the scale does not mean you’re unhealthy. Today we’re discussing the topic of visualization and the importance of self-confidence when it comes to achieving your goals.

Men and women both are guilty of staring at themselves in the mirror critiquing every nook and cranny of our bodies. In reality, the more important aspects of health are how you feel and function. If you have humongous arms, a six pack and broad shoulders, but your legs are the size of toothpicks, how functional is your body as a whole?

Finding Balance with Weight Loss

It’s important to remember that the body likes to be in balance. Many of us look to TV shows, movies and magazines as if they were blueprints for what someone should look like.

However, the ultra-lean people are often far more unhealthy than if a person had a balanced diet and exercise routine. I’ve seen many people make themselves miserable in an attempt to look good.

The truth is, a large percentage of the way you look is dictated by what you eat. Counting calories, skipping meals, or starving yourself is not the proper way to maintain an ideal body image. Instead, become aware of how you feel.

Let’s go through a couple important questions to ask yourself when determining if your looks match up with your feelings.

• How are your energy levels?
• How is your sleep quality?
• How is your sex drive?
• How are your moods?

If any red flags stood out to you when reading those questions, it’s time to reconsider your goals.

In my experience, using a scale is the least accurate method of determining your health.

So how should we feel?

• Confident
• Positive
• Energized
• Calm
• Strong
• Powerful

These traits are common in people that are truly healthy. If you have none of these traits, don’t feel bad! It may be time to change your perception of health.

Often times, we aren’t happy with what we have now. We are always looking to the future as if it were some sort of magical place where all of our dreams will come true. In reality, the present is where the real dreams are accomplished.

5 Weight Loss Tips for the Path to Health.

Weight Loss Tip #1: Celebrate the Small Wins

When it comes to achieving your physical and mental goals, progress is often slow moving. Instead of feeling not good enough because you have achieved your goals yet, look at where you have came from. How much better do you look and feel since the beginning of your health journey? Sometimes the success is invisible until we look to the past.

Weight Loss Tip #2: Take Days Off From the Gym

There is a misconception surrounding fitness culture that the more you exercise the more result you get. Depending on the person, less exercise is often more beneficial. Over training can lead to excess stress hormones that can store fat and eat away at your precious muscle gains.

Weight Loss Tip #3: Walk, Walk and Walk

When’s the last time you saw an aspiring bodybuilder performing a walking routine? Excluding walking from your exercise routine is like excluding protein from your diet, you may be okay for a little while, but eventually you will have to change. Walking stimulates the release of endorphins, a powerful antioxidant and mood boosting chemical. Walking can also help to eliminate excess lactic acid, therefore reducing your recovery time and soreness.

Weight Loss Tip# 4: Develop a Healthy Sleep Routine

Sleep is critical for achieving any desired fitness goal. Without quality sleep, you cannot have quality gains. Set a bedtime for yourself and stick to it.

Weight Loss Tip #5: Find a Partner

We are social creatures. Many of us find it easier to stick to a diet or fitness routine when we have someone there to support us.

Meet a friend at the gym, find a coworker looking to improve their health or bring your family and spouse along for your health journey. It’s a win-win situation.

So remember, the next time you go to step on the scale, think about how you feel instead.

Make your own expectations, and be your own superstar. What is your experience with self-doubt? Are you getting in the way of your own success?

The post Ditch the Scale & Follow These 5 Weight Loss Tips appeared first on Onnit Academy.