I had heart surgery at 32.
It was the health crisis that finally made me change.
Here’s how I reclaimed my health to become a thriving, energetic parent of 3, and how you can change your life too:
A friend asked me why I obsess over healthy habits.
I thought for a second.
Was it the blood pressure meds at 19?
Partially.
Heart surgery at 32?
Getting closer.
Then it came to me.
I simply enjoy the feeling after doing them.
So why wouldn’t I be obsessed?
The easiest way to make your meal healthier:
Change the order in which you eat it.
- Greens/veggies first
- Protein next
- Carbs last
Benefits:
- Feel fuller faster
- Stay fuller longer
- Avoid the post-meal energy crash
So same plate. Different order.
Habits form with repetition.
So attach them to things you already do.
Like walking through doors.
I do that about 36 times per day (yes I counted)
Each time I pull my shoulders back and stand with good posture.
5 days in. I already notice a difference.
What can you add to
I haven’t stepped in a gym in 6 years.
I don’t do Yoga.
You couldn’t pay me to eat Kefir or Chia seeds.
Yet I’m still pretty healthy.
There's no right way.
Only your way.
So just do it.
The formula for achieving 95% of your health goals :
--> Commit to an action
--> Have someone hold you accountable
Rinse. Repeat.
Don't overcomplicate this.
The most useless question about habits:
How many days to build one?
- 21
- 66
- 254
Who cares?
When you stop doing it -> it’s no longer a habit.
That’s all you need to know.
Living in big cities will make you healthier.
- More walking
- More bicycling
- More time in parks
- More carrying groceries
- More public transportation
Has this been your experience?
What’s the best way to break a bad habit according to science?
(Hint: It’s not reward and punishment).
You need to dismantle it. Here’s how:
1) Do the bad habit
2) Become aware that you just did it
3) Replace it immediately with a positive behavior
For example:
· Late-night
I spent the past 48 hours off the grid.
- No phone
- No TV
- No car
Just family time, reflection, walking and great food.
Feels great to unplug once in a while.
In one day, 10,000 steps may only get you from downtown NYC to midtown.
But every day for 6 months:
- NYC —> Chicago
And 1 year:
- NYC —> Dallas
That’s halfway around the country.
Small steps today = big progress tomorrow.
Little kids are most challenging in the evenings.
You're tired.
They're tired.
Every request is met with "No".
Most nights I stay calm...
But once in a while, I lose it.
There's no such thing as a perfect parent.
But each day gives us a chance to get better.
How to be healthier than 95% of parents:
- No eating after 8pm
- Walk 8k steps per day
- Eliminate juice and soda
- Start every meal with protein
- Eat 2 vegetables with lunch and dinner
What would you add?
Cold showers aren't for everyone.
But if you're feeling down, anxious or stressed:
Just try it.
Take a regular shower and end it on 30 seconds of cold.
What do you have to lose?
The key to skipping snacks between meals:
Distract your hunger.
Fill up with a low-calorie drink instead.
· Matcha
· Green Tea
· Yerba Mate
· Sparkling water
· Cucumber or berry-infused water
Anything you would add?
We all need cheerleaders.
Someone who:
- Encourages you.
- Challenges you to grow and change.
- Inspires you to achieve more.
A great coach will be that cheerleader.
Don't go your whole life without one.
I used to be that guy.
The guy who boasted about my healthy diet:
· Pastured eggs
· Wild-caught salmon
· Grass-fed beef
But I soon realized nobody cared.
Your value is not how you help yourself.
But in how you help others.
This week I reached out to an old friend.
We haven’t talked in over 10 years.
It was only a 15-minute conversation
Yet the highlight of my week.
It gets harder to reach out as we get older and start families.
But this call made me realize it’s always worth it.
I have one simple junk food rule:
If I let it into the house:
- I will eat it
- I will enjoy it
- I will not feel guilty about it
So I minimize what I bring in.
But maximize the enjoyment.
Having kids changes your identity.
You can be the type of parent who has no time for your health.
Or....
The type who prioritizes it.
Which will benefit your family more?
People tell me they don’t have time for their health during the workday.
20 years at a corporate job I’ve heard it all.
Too much work. Afraid of what my boss will think.
I call BS on that.
You will never regret:
- 30-60 minutes of exercising
- 5-10 minutes for
Following a strict "diet" almost always fails.
Why?
We're not designed to be robots.
Why can't I be a vegan who eats fish?
Why can't I do a Mediterranean diet with tofu?
Why can't I be Paleo but occasionally have rice?
We're all different.
Do the "You" diet.
“Don’t eat sugar”.
I laugh when I see that advice.
That’s like telling a alcoholic “don’t drink” or a smoker “don’t smoke”.
Better Advice: take a small step tomorrow in becoming the type of person who doesn’t need sugar to be happy.
What’s that small step for you?
I heard it a million times before.
But three weeks ago it finally clicked:
The best gift you can give little kids is your presence.
That's when I started hiding my phone...
From dinner until their bedtime.
I'm so much more engaged.
Just wish I started sooner.
85% cacao tastes great when it's the only chocolate in your pantry.
Cucumbers and Hummus taste great when there are no chips to dip instead.
Berries taste great when you're out of ice cream.
You won't appreciate the healthy until you eliminate the unhealthy.
Telling a little kid to do something might work once every 4 tries.
But being playful will at least double those odds.
So use your robot voice.
Or make objects talk.
More Fun.
Less stress.
Better results.
I have no willpower.
Ice cream. Doughnuts. Cookies.
If they're in my house:
I eat them. Look for them. Think about them.
The only thing that works:
Keeping them out of the house to begin with.
So simple yet so effective.
Scrolling your phone is bad.
Unless you pair it with something good:
· Deep breathing
· Eating a vegetable
· Standing up straight
The more you scroll, the healthier you get.
Emotions create habits.
It's that simple.
If you feel good, you’ll keep doing them.
If not, you’ll stop.
So take a minute to intentionally feel good.
Both before a habit and after.
It’s the fastest way to make them stick.
Two common myths about goal setting dispelled by
@hubermanlab
:
1) Post-it note reminders
Leaving them in the same spot decreases chances for progress.
Why?
Our visual system ignores things it sees regularly.
Instead:
Write out a new Post-it each day
Move it to different
My non-negotiables to stay healthy as a busy parent:
1) Make lunch (salad) the night before
2) Butter coffee for breakfast
3) 1-2 eggs a day
4) No snacking in between meals
5) 8k steps minimum/day
What are yours?
What did John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley, and my grandma have in common?
They loved rocking chairs.
Great for:
- Back pain
- Relaxing
- Thinking
As I rock my kids I realize:
I love them too.
Feeding your kids vegetables is like growing your account on X.
- You have some success
- You hit a wall
- You give up
You win by staying consistent.
Kids have to taste a new food 9 to 15 times to begin liking it.
Be patient.
Our brains are 80% grown by age 3.
By then kids mirror our every action.
We want to set a good example yet this is when we are least likely to stay healthy ourselves.
What small habit would you suggest to help?
Becoming a parent will make you lonelier.
65% of parents say they're lonely.
Compared to 55% for non-parents.
So reach out to a parent you know.
Just to say hey.
It will make their day.
I just hopped aboard the July Ship 30 for 30 cohort from
@dickiebush
and
@nicolascole77
!
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Vitamin D deficiency is no joke.
It's linked to many health issues.
From cancer to heart disease to dementia.
Supplementing in the winter is best for most of us.
Accountability is key to reaching your health goals.
Regular check-ins are a must.
This got me thinking…
Partners/spouses make the best accountability buddies.
Agree or disagree?
Busy parents don’t have time to cook.
So make it easy:
Bake with oil, salt and pepper only.
Your best (and healthiest) options:
· Chicken legs/thighs
· Salmon
· Broccoli/Zucchini/Asparagus
· Sweet Potatoes
What would you add?
Life lessons that 90% of adults don’t get.
If I’m feeling grumpy don’t tell me:
• Why it’s such a wonderful day
• Things I should do to feel happier
• To smile
Just sit with me and say it’s a wonderful day to feel grumpy.
Commit to an action.
It’s step 1 of building a healthy habit.
Commit it out loud.
To a friend. Coworker. Twitter followers.
Doesn’t matter.
Just commit.
Ever heard of the slow-carb diet?
Tim Ferris swears by it:
1. Avoid starchy white carbs
2. Put breakfast and lunch on repeat
3. Don't drink your calories
4. Don't eat fruit
5. Go crazy one day a week. Eat whatever you want.
1-3 are easy for me.
4-5 I disagree
3 flights of stairs a day seems like nothing.
But one year later it's like climbing the Empire State Building...13 times.
Don't forget to zoom out on the small steps you take today.
Little kids don’t eat spinach and cauliflower.
So hide it in their food:
• Soup
• Pesto
• Burgers
• Meatballs
• Smoothies
They get healthier. So do you.
A few years ago I dove deep into nutrition.
This 700-piece masterpiece was my bible.
An accountant turned nutrition guru
(I was impressed with myself)
Only problem was: No one cared.
That’s when it clicked. Instead of teaching the “why” I was better off helping with the “how”
Lots of hate on cold shower posts lately.
I don’t get it.
If you feel down.
Or anxious.
What’s a quicker way to lift your mood than a 1-2 min cold shower?
Apples may not be the healthiest fruit.
But it's apple-picking season.
What better time to show your little kids:
Where food comes from
and
How to turn them into delicious apple pie.
White rice is empty calories unless you add one ingredient:
Coconut oil.
Here's how to cut the calories by up to 50%:
- Boil 2 cups of water
- Add a tablespoon of coconut oil
- Stir in 1 cup of rice and cook until ready
- Put in the fridge for 12 hours
- Reheat or eat cold
The best way to overcome fear is to find your purpose.
I grew up with social anxiety.
I never raised my hand in school.
Sat in fear of the teacher calling on me.
I couldn't fathom speaking in front of a group.
In the workplace, I learned to manage it.
But last year I got
Chirping sounds can relieve stress and bring joy.
The noises outside my NYC apartment are anything but relaxing.
So I’m curious - Have you experienced these benefits?