NUTRITION + LIFESTYLE

We are all creatures of knowledge and habits. There are moments in time when our knowledge in a specific area is lacking and gaining that knowledge is all we needed to inch closer to our goals. There are other times when we have the knowledge of the "right" thing to do to obtain a specific outcome but simply can't manifest the needed action in our day to day lives. This 30 day guide is designed to get you asking the right questions when it comes to nutrition & lifestyle and then put that newly found knowledge into action.

There is a caveat. While everything here will push you closer to your goals, it is NOT a magic supplement, secret workout or super food and it is not going to happen over night. Can you see change in 30 days? Of course! But understand that it is doing the BORING things CONSISTENTLY for MONTHS (AND YEARS) that will yield the AMAZING results you are after.

OBJECTIVE

Nutrition - To better understand what, when, and how much we eat. Using this knowledge to make small changes in our daily routine that will help us improve our health and fitness over the long haul.

Mindfulness - To live in the present and to better understand what we can and cannot control. Prioritizing action of the things truly important to us.

Sleep - To build our sleep environment and the habits around that environment which will allow us to wake up feeling recharged each day.

Activity - To build up our levels of activity outside the gym and create daily routines which cultivate higher levels of daily energy expenditure.

RESOURCES

Nutrition - If you plan on tracking food, we suggest the apps MyMacros+ or Cronometer. The daily nutrition activities can also be done simply with a pen and paper.

Habit Tracking - What gets measured gets managed. Use a daily habit tracker such as the “Way of Life” app, a simple spreadsheet, or a printable habit sheet to ensure you are managing things like food, mindfulness, sleep, and activity. We don’t have to be perfect and check every box, however, before these things become ingrained into your daily life, it is a good idea to use some form of habit tracking.

FORMAT

Question of the Day and associated activity. In some instances, there will be two activities which vary in difficulty. Choose the activity that best fits where you are right now.

WEEK ONE - NUTRITION REFLECTION

Day 1 - What am I eating? Today's activity: Write down the ingredients of every item you put into your body today. Now, do you know what all these ingredients are? If not, look them up online and write out what they are.

Day 2 - When am I eating? Today's activity: Write down when you are eating each meal and snack. Are you eating because you are hungry or are you eating because it's routine.

Day 3 - How much am I eating? Two options for activity today. Activity one (more difficult): Track all intake for therapy using an app like mymacros+ or cronometer. Activity 2 (easier): Record your fullness level before and after eating. Use this scale to record.

Day 4 - How much water am I drinking? Activity: Record how much water you drank today in oz.

Day 5 - Getting in some vegetables. Two options for activity today. Activity 1 (more difficult): Get in 800 grams. Activity 2 (easier) Get in 5 servings of vegetables today.

Day 6 - Getting in your protein. Two options for activity today. Activity 1 (more difficult): Get in 0.8g-1g of protein for each pound of your goal BW. (ex. A male looking to weigh 200lbs would be getting in 160g-200g of protein for the day. Activity 2 (easier): Get in some form of protein with EVERY meal.

Day 7 - Reflection - Look back at what you have learned over the course of this week. What are you ready, willing, and able to do over the remainder of the month? Ready, willing, and able to track everything that goes into your body? Great! Not ready fot that? No worries! Focus on getting in a few extra servings of vegetables every day or getting in protein with every meal.

WEEK 2 STRENGTHENING YOUR MIND

Day 8 - Are you practicing some form of meditation/mindfulness on a daily basis? Activity: Start a practice today. This can be as simple as closing your eyes for 2 minutes throughout the day and being present with yourself and the moment. Find 2+ minutes to be with yourself and your thoughts as they relate to the present moment, forgetting the past and allowing thoughts of what has yet to happen drop away.

Day 9 - Am I focusing on the right things? Activity: Make a list of 10-20 items you find yourself focusing heavily on during a given week. Now, ask yourself which items on that list are items you can control and which are items out of your control. For the coming week, make a conceited effort to focus on what you can control while accepting what you can’t.

Day 10 - Am I performing actions in line with the future self I want to become? Activity: Take Action - Choose one thing you would normally only think about doing during the day (we all have them) and put it into action. Always wanted to meditate but never made it a priority? Take 2 minutes and start your practice TODAY. This is true for almost anything. Take 1 to 2 minutes and simply DO! It doesn't have to be perfect and it won't be, just start.

Day 11 - Have I allowed my perceptions to control my emotions? Our world and our lives are in a constant flux, change is inevitable whether we like it or not. Sometimes that change makes our lives easier and the opposite is also true as we make our way through these tumultuous times. Activity: Control your perception - No matter who we are, we will inevitably find ourselves in a state of fear, anger, boredom, etc. While difficult, take control of these emotions and the situation. While you may not be able to control those around you or the emotions you are feeling in the moment, you CAN control how you react to the situation.

Day 12 -

Day 13 -

Day 14 -

WEEK 3 THE POWER OF SLEEP (seriously…)

To be updated after completion of Week 1 and 2.

WEEK 4 ACTIVITY IS MORE FUN THAN A GYM

To be updated after completion of Week 1 and 2.