26 Tips For Optimum Health, Energy and Vitality

There are so many little details of workout programming and dieting that folks argue over – for example:

• Is low fat eating best for fat loss? Or is fat in fact good for you and even helpful for dropping weight?
• Is ‘cardio’ a part of an effective fat loss workout plan? Weight lifting? ‘Dieting’?
• What are the best ‘tools’ (body weight, dumbbells, weight machines, kettlebells, etc.) to help you reach your specific fitness goals?

The truth:  A diet, exercise, and lifestyle plan that follows basic and time-tested principles is the best – and truly only – way to reach your fitness goals and stay there. And any effective plan that works will follow these principles.

In this post, I’m going to list out 26 diet, exercise, and lifestyle tips that should be present in your quest for optimum health, energy, and vitality:

Exercise Tips

1. Start/end your workouts with self myofacial release

2. Perform directed and planned out joint mobility exercises on a regular basis

3. Warm up using a dynamic-style stretching routine

4. At least some of the time, lift ‘heavy’ weights (relative to you), work on maximal strength development

5. Get really good at the basic body weight exercises

6. Utilize metabolic conditioning – style workouts in your exercise programming

7. Limit ‘long slow distance’ – style cardio work

8. Work on strengthening your ‘core’

9. Do ‘pre-hab’ exercises for your hips, abs, shoulders, ankles, etc.

10. Static stretch your tight muscle groups; focus on optimum length-tension relationships and muscle balance throughout the body

11. Change your workouts frequently (but not too much)

12. Be active in some way every day

13. Pick exercise modalities that you truly enjoy

Diet Tips

14. Eat a rainbow of fruits and veggies

15. Eat nuts, seeds, and good fats

16. Eat lean proteins

17. Eat little starches and refined foods

18. Eat no or very little sugars

19. Live by the ’90% rule’

20. Drink 1/2 of your body weight in oz. of water each day

Lifestyle Tips

21. Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep every day

22. Minimize stress

23. Have specific, defined goals you’re working towards

24. Get social support

25. Plan your meals, workouts – your entire fitness program – in advance

26. Stay humble, always be improving and trying to get better

Well, there you have it … 26 diet, exercise, and lifestyle secrets for optimum health, energy, and vitality.  If you have any of your own to add – or just have feedback/comments/etc. on the post – please leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading and talk soon -

Forest

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