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Health and Fitness: Simple, Not Easy

As I embarked on my weight loss journey and progressed through the years, I eventually came to a profound realization – this whole "health and fitness" thing is actually quite simple. It's definitely not easy by any means, but it is simple.

As humans, we have a tendency to overcomplicate things even if they are inherently very simple. When it comes to fitness, it probably doesn't seem that way since a basic Google search about a very basic concept in fitness can easily return an unimaginable number of search results.

Let me show you what I mean:

I googled "How often should I workout?" and got 481,000,000 results. It's overwhelming and the furthest thing from simple – TikTok and Instagram make it even worse.

You'll be scrolling until your thumbs fall off.

Through 8 years of trial and error, I learned valuable lessons and developed simple protocols to keep fitness and health uncomplicated. If you're looking to avoid getting bogged down in the minutiae and instead seek practical, actionable steps to incorporate into your daily life, here are some simple yet impactful strategies that I personally used. They made a significant difference not only in helping me lose the weight but also in maintaining my weight loss:

1. Eat your protein

The FDA recommends that adults consume 50 grams (g) of protein per day, but I respectfully disagree.

Early in my fitness journey, I neglected proper protein sources, opting exclusively for salads and veggies under the misguided belief that anything else would lead me to gain weight (an idea I quickly learned was far from the truth).

After experiencing some initial weight loss, I excitedly visited my doctor for a checkup, hoping they would be proud of my progress. However, I was taken aback by the scan results – while yes, I had lost some weight, my muscle mass had plummeted (it's especially concerning given my already embarrassingly meager muscle mass at the time).

The lesson? Protein is crucial – an essential macronutrient that serves critical functions in the body, including:

• Being the most satiating macronutrient out there. Studies show protein is the most filling macronutrient. It changes the levels of those hunger hormones like ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). And let me tell you, if you want to lose weight without feeling hangry 24/7, this is a BIG damn deal.

• Building and repairing tissues like your muscles, bones, and skin. Contrary to what many believe, increased protein becomes even more important as we get older and muscle loss starts to accelerate.

• Regulating your hormones to support important processes like growth and development.

• Transporting vital substances like oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. You know, the essentials for staying alive and all.

• Supporting your immunity.

• Providing a source of energy when your body needs it.

and so on.

The simple guideline I followed? As an active adult, aim to consume 0.8 - 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you weigh 140 lbs, that translates to 112 (0.8x140) - 140 (1x140) grams of protein daily.

And of course, the most classic follow-up question:

No worries, I got your back. Here's a handy list of high-protein meats, complete with portion sizes, calories, and protein content. Easy peasy.

Say no more. Here's a list of seafood rich in protein.

Let me stop you right there. Here are some awesome plant-based protein sources.

The key is to keep it simple. Prioritize protein, and you'll notice a significant change.

2. Learn to cook

I'm not suggesting we all become experts in Emulsification, Molecular gastronomy, or Sous vide cooking (yes, I googled complicated culinary techniques). What I'm proposing is that learning to cook is a simple yet powerful way to transform your journey towards better health.

There are two reasons to learn how to cooking:

1. Eating at Home vs. Eating Out: Beyond the financial savings of cooking for yourself, having control over what you put into your body is a game-changer. For years, my weight loss was fueled by what I perceived as "healthy" fast food options like Chick-fil-A and Chipotle. While I did lose weight, I'm confident I could have achieved better results had I controlled the ingredients and portions. With restaurant meals, you never truly know how much oil is used, whether macronutrient information is accurate, or if serving sizes are consistent. Eating at home puts you in control of everything that enters your body – it’s a simple way to feel better, both physically and mentally. Your wallet will also thank you.

2. Redefines "Healthy" Food: For the longest time, my perception of healthy food was limited to dry broccoli and unseasoned chicken breast. The moment I learned to cook was the moment I came to a simple yet life changing realization: healthy food can be delicious?!?!?!?. The issue wasn't the healthy ingredients themselves but my inability to properly season, cook, and combine them into meals I would enjoy. Once I learned this, suddenly, I actually enjoyed cooking for myself. Crazy, right?

Youtube is your best friend and you are a few searches away from taking control of your diet.

3. Walk

Walking is such a simple health hack that’s very much overlooked. I mean, for years, the only form of walking I engaged in was on a treadmill at the gym.

Let me ask you this: how many times have you come back from a trip, having indulged in every culinary delight and food in sight, only to be surprised by weight loss when you step on the scale afterward?

The secret? Walking. Many countries and cities outside the US rely heavily on walking as a primary mode of transportation, leading to increased daily step counts without conscious effort.

Keep it simple: aim for 10,000 steps per day. On average, people burn 30–40 calories per 1,000 steps, which means they burn approximately 300–400 calories by walking 10,000 steps.

Let's assume it takes about 90 minutes to walk 10,000 steps. I'm not suggesting you do it all at once; instead, make more intelligent choices and incorporate walking whenever possible. If you divide those 90 minutes into 5-10 minute chunks throughout the day, you'll reach your goal before you know it. Combine this with the calories you burn simply existing as a human, and adding 10,000 steps will be a game-changer.

Even if you have a sedentary job, I promise you can find time for 5-10 minute walking breaks here and there. Repeat this several times throughout your day, and you'll start to see noticeable changes.

4. Sleep

Again, so simple yet SO important. Sleep, people, please. It is not impressive to "only get 4 hours of sleep every night."

Honestly, this was me. I used to think I was so cool when I would tell people, "yeah, I only slept 4 hours last night." No one is impressed by this, you won’t receive any badges of honor or courage, and most importantly, your body is not benefiting from the lack of sleep.

If you don't sleep enough, here are the benefits you're missing out on:

• Sleep allows our body to repair tissues and produce growth hormones

• Sleep is necessary for effective learning

• Sleep helps manage emotions and a lack of sleep is linked to irritability, anxiety, depression

• Sleep supports concentration, decision-making, and problem-solving

• Sleep allows our body and brain to preserve resources and replenish energy levels needed for optimal daily functioning

For the sake of simplicity and clarity, I'll stop here. I think it's evident why sleep is crucial. Get your 7-9 hours of sleep, and you'll feel better throughout your day, perform better at the gym, be able to focus and stick to your goals, and, I promise you, you'll feel better overall.

Thank you for joining me on today's newsletter. I hope you found value from it and learned something that can help propel you forward on your own journey.