Healthy Habits for a Happier You Newsletter
Newsletter #02
So, how did you do with your water intake over the last 2 weeks?…
Here are some of the things people mentioned they noticed after drinking more water:
“It’s much easier to manage my hunger by drinking more!”
“I thought I was drinking a lot, it turns out I wasn’t”
”I can’t stop going to the washroom, and that’s helped my steps increase too!”
Great job on your inputs!
(Reply with the number newsletter you joined in on above)
Your Habit For The Next Two Weeks
- Increasing Stress management -
Or, add in your own habit!
(Re-download the habit tracker here)
“I’m just stressed”
Is an identity statement - You’re not stress, you’re feeling stressed. Like every other emotion you’ve felt, it is not who you are but something you’re experiencing.
Between managing kids, your partner, your business or job, your parents, friends, fitness regimen, lack of sleep, and lack of control—of course you're stressed out.
Stress and "Serenity Now!"
For those unfamiliar with Seinfeld, the photo above features George Costanza’s dad, Frank. In the episode, he tries to manage his stress by yelling "Serenity now!" The phrase humorously concludes with another character adding, "Serenity now, insanity later."
You’re often stressed because you care deeply—one reason you're a high performer.
Leveraging Stress
(Finding the goldilocks zone of stress)
In my article, I discuss how stress can actually be leveraged to help you achieve your goals.
Give it a read and share your thoughts and insights!
Helpful tips to manage Stress: 4-7-8 Breathing
One of my favourite stress management techniques is the 4-7-8 breathing exercise. Try performing 10 rounds of it with this video here
How It Works
Controlled breathing triggers a relaxation response by calming the nervous system. Benefits include:
Lowered blood pressure
Lowered heart rate
Reduced levels of stress hormones
Stress management is crucial, as we can't avoid stress if we want to grow. Instead, we need to get good at managing it.
Add 4-7-8 breathing to your habit tracker (aim for at least 80% compliance with your water intake) and practice it 1-3 times a day.
Articles I think you might find interesting!
Does your body composition affect your risk of dementia or Parkinson's?
TLDR (Too long, didn’t read)
We all know the aesthetic benefits of being lean, but there are significant long-term health benefits too, such as reducing your risk of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
Key Findings from the Study:
Body Fat and Disease Risk: High levels of belly and arm fat increase the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Muscle Strength Benefits: Strong muscle strength lowers the risk of developing these neurodegenerative diseases.
Focus on Body Composition: Targeted efforts to reduce fat and build muscle may be more effective than general weight control.
Cardiovascular Health Link: Managing heart health is crucial in preventing or delaying neurodegenerative conditions.
Importance of Cardiovascular Health
The third point highlights the importance of keeping your heart healthy. Exercise isn’t just about building muscle; it's also about strengthening your heart, which is a muscle that benefits from different intensities and rhythms of activity.
Often, we think of “weight loss” as the metric to go by (usually, the number on the scale). Check out the caption on this instagram post I put up & why Goodhart’s law is a great way to make sure you’re aiming for the right metric.
Exercise Recommendations
Before starting any exercise program, get medical clearance.
The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (zones 1 to 3).
Even staying in zone 2 for the entire 150 minutes can provide significant benefits. This recommendation emphasizes reducing sedentary time.
If you’re looking to get a more specific/prescriptive exercise regiment, consider filling out this application form for us to jump on a call & see what would suit you best!
Kobe Bryant Said Lifelong Success and Achievement Comes Down to 8 Simple Words.
“I had to try something to get it”
TLDR
Failing helps you discover the limits of your current abilities. Just like stress can be used to identify and tackle your blind spots, failure can also guide you to areas where you can improve.
Identifying these blind spots enables you to learn and develop new skills that will distinguish you from your competition and help you stand out.
Highlights from the Kobe Bryant Article:
Embrace Failure: Don’t fear looking bad or being embarrassed when trying something new. Kobe Bryant emphasized that failure is part of the process and essential for growth.
Focus on Long-Term Goals: Keep your end goals in mind. Each setback is a valuable lesson and a step towards building your skillset.
Overcome the Spotlight Effect: People notice and remember your actions far less than you think. Often, your self-critical thoughts overestimate others' awareness.
Live Your Own Path: Pursue what you want to achieve over others' opinions. True success comes from following your unique vision and working hard towards it.
Our Relationship with Failure
We have a strange relationship with failure. Remember, if we weren't meant to overcome failure, we'd all still be crawling on the floor — learning to walk involves falling and picking ourselves up repeatedly.
It’s tough not succeeding in something, but real failure only happens when you stop trying.
That’s all for today!
I’m excited to see/hear your responses & insights on the articles above & how your habits went.
Catch you in a few weeks,
Santo