The 5 Best Health Principles I Learned in 2015
December 30, 2015 // Fitness
2015 was a tremendous year of insights, successes, challenges, education, changes, developments, and motivations.
This past year, I set out to study and explore unconventional schools of thought and groundbreaking research about health, wellness, nutrition, and fitness. Having a strong background and understanding of the traditional wisdom with exercise, it was time for me to question everything I “knew” and had been taught. It was time to re-build my foundation for coaching and training.
As I sit here in Bangkok, Thailand, reflecting on this past year, I can confidently say that 2015 was a breakthrough evolution of my skill set and practices.
Of all the amazing concepts and theories I explored this past year, I’ve chosen to highlight the five best health principles I learned in 2015. These principles, in my professional opinion, are essential to understanding how to manage your own health and wellness.
Here are the 5 Best Health Principles I Learned in 2015:
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Movement is Key
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Anything Above Zero is Progress
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Consistency Yields Results
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You Don’t Need A Six-Pack To Be Healthy
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The Secret is Usually Simple, But Takes Longer Than Expected
Movement is Key
Jumping, rolling, climbing, pushing, pulling, hinging, twisting, running, walking, and crawling all derive from one basic concept: movement. Movement is key to life. Our bodies are vessels designed to move. Movements are not limited to conventional exercises, though we tend to “train” our bodies to move in set paths of motion. After studying intense amounts of evolutionary biology, it’s clear that movement is vital to every aspect of health. Whether you play a sport or follow a specific workout regime, just move. Try not to limit your motions — just commit to moving in many ways, especially those that are unordinary to your normal patterns. Start with something simple like taking the stairs or dropping into a deep seated position for 30 seconds during your morning routine.
The Take-Away: Move. Move. Move. Your body will thank you indefinitely.
Anything Above Zero is Progress
People are becoming conditioned to believe that major health changes are easy to implement and progress should be automatic. Thanks to the explosion of social media, it’s common to feel behind when the world around you displays their successes (and covers up the struggles and failures). Real success comes from making the smallest changes that a person can sustain permanently. Extreme changes such as losing 50 lbs. in 6 months or becoming vegan overnight doesn’t teach long-term skills or maintenance. Instead, start by committing to one small change like including a source of fiber in your meals or belly breathing when you feel stressed and anxious. Research has shown that small changes are better absorbed because they’re easier to introduce right away. Pick anything that makes you better – just keep it small.
The Take-Away: Aim to be a little better than yesterday. Small wins instead of big leaps.
Consistency Yields Results
Once you commit to doing something small, do it everyday. Small wins done consistently teach automatic behaviors. Let that sink in for a minute. The idea behind good health practices is that you opt to make better choices automatically. When you default to drinking water instead of soda or juice, you’re utilizing your automatic behaviors. Automatic behaviors don’t yield internal conflict or deep thought – they become a reflex. So, as you’re choosing your one small change (from the previous principle), consider something small that you can do everyday; build a new reflex. If it’s too difficult, choose something easier.
The Take-Away: Pick something small that makes you better, and do it everyday.
You Don’t Need A Six-Pack To Be Healthy
The world around you tends to show off its best self. Instead of getting wrapped up in someone else’s successes, focus on your journey. The path of success is not linear, and bumps in the road are helpful in your evolution of better health. Health may be measured on certain metrics, but progress is subjective. Once you clearly define your commitment to change (small + consistent), tune out the world around you. The path of success is not linear, and bumps in the road are helpful in your evolution of better health.
The Take-Away: Outline your path to better health and focus on your journey.
The Secret is Usually Simple, But Takes Longer Than Expected
These small, consistent habits will yield lifelong results and progress. You can control your efforts, but not the outcome. Ease up on your timely expectations for outcome-based results, such as weight loss or aesthetic changes. Remember, there are thousands of factors and variables that influence change, and your body adapts to its environment. I’ve coached and trained hundreds of people whom all experienced outcome-based changes at different rates and speeds. Some took weeks, some took years. Again, it’s a process. Focus on the factors that influence change [those small, consistent habits] and trust the process — give it time.
The Take-Away: Focus on the habits and give it time.
My Small, Consistent Habit of 2016
I’ve personally felt and seen an incredible evolution of my health by following the above principles learned during the past year.
As we begin 2016, I have chosen my next small, consistent habit:
I will allocate an extra 20 minutes for floor-based movements every morning.