Hi Reader
Welcome back to 1UP,
my weekly newsletter where I share all things health and mindsets to help you get stronger, feel younger and live longer.
It doesn't need to be complicated
The health and fitness industry is going through trends that are all the rage for a while, only to leave most people more confused than ever. π΅βπ«
The truth? Being fit, having a lean body and enjoying health is not complicated.
It comes down to basics, applied consistently.
Low carb, fasting, cold plunges, vegan diet, keto, carnivore,...
They produce results, but are they sustainable?
It's one thing for the 20 or 30-something trainers who spend their lives in their workout clothes, recording every minute of their days, not having to juggle kid's needs, schedules and a family life to run, to be signalling that they've been there and done that.
It's another for the rest of us whose job is not to live in the gym, to create and stick to the simple routines that yield the best returns.
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Can these trends be part of YOUR life?
Are they even serving YOUR goals?
I'm in my 40s, I have 2 kids, and no time to create endless posts for social media trying to outshine the next content creator or try to show off how I am able to hang out in a tub full of ice cubes.
Pardon my rant, Reader, but I feel so annoyed with an industry and fitness influencers going from marketing gimmick to trends, when it is in fact hurting everybody else.β
We're all left to wonder what in the world we are supposed to eat or left feeling like we don't have what it takes to get healthy. Can you relate?
YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES.
Anybody does.
Because all it really takes, is paying attention to what you're eating, honing your sleep, moving and lifting.
And replace social media with social interactions. β€οΈ
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I am in the top 6% for VO2 max for my age.
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I am stronger than I was in my 20s.
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My body fat is at 20%, which is ideal for women.
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I am never hungry, starving myself or feeling like some foods are "forbidden".
And here's the thing Reader,
βI am relying on some very basic, simple habits, anyone can stick to.β
Nothing extreme, nothing restrictive, nothing time-consuming. Nothing clickbait.
It takes me 3 scheduled sessions of 40 minutes at the gym.
The rest is so automatic and second nature that it does not feel like it's taking time at all.
It's just who I am.
So let me share these 5 habits. β
If you put these in place, one at a time, your health and your body will transform, almost effortlessly.
Here's how it works:
- Think of it as levels
- Only get to level 2 after you completed level 1.
- Track how you are doing
- Make consistency the goal
By "completed" I mean you are consistent with it for at least 21 days.
For me, something is truly a habit when I don't have to think about it anymore. But it can take a while to get there.
Please remember, there is no set amount of time to make something a habit.
You may have heard of the study that showed 66 days on average. Let me remind you that there was huge variations and it depends on how difficult the task is (flossing your teeth: pretty easy, lifting weight: not so much).
It is hard to create a habit, so don't shoot yourself in the foot by doing it all at once. Focus on 1 thing, aim at 90-100% done until you feel like you're not working so hard on it, then move on.
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βLevel 1: Avoid processed foods
Processed foods are messing up our health on so many levels.
When it comes to weight, they lead to over eating (on average an extra 500 calories per day) and are often devoid of beneficial nutrients.
Some studies showed that we can gain about 2 lbs every month with a diet rich in processed foods.
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β‘οΈThat's how we get in our 40s, asking how this happened when looking in the mirror. Insidious weight.
Avoiding processed foods automatically controls calories.
Don't count what you eat, eat as much as you want so long that it's whole foods.
This can result to a 10-15 lb weight loss for most people and you won't even feel like you did anything.
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Level 2: Drink 0.5 to 1 gallon of water per day
When you drink water you don't drink anything else,... for people who drink soda, and other liquid calories, this makes a massive difference in their energy and weight. β²
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Level 3: Walk 10 minutes after each meal
Walking is the most underrated form of exercise. Walking after a meal boosts your metabolism and signals to your body that the calories you took in will be put to use.
Over time, if you can get up to 7000-10000 steps, you will get the best results.
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Level 4: Eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day
Give your body the building blocks for muscle mass. We lose 1-3% of muscle per decade after 35, unless we offset this with higher protein and strength training.
Some studies show that you can lose body fat by doing nothing else but eating at least 1 gram of protein per body weight.
Studies also show that it is safe to consume even more.
To know how much protein you're eating, get the free cronometer app or put a picture of your plate in Chat GPT or Grok and ask it to give you the macro breakdown.
You don't even have to track anything else at first if you find it overwhelming.
If you find that you're under eating your protein (often the case for us ladies) and need to increase, break the target down into smaller milestones to reach. π©
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Level 5: Strength training, starting 1 time per week
Muscle is the organ of longevity. Building muscle and getting lean is the #1 most protective thing you can do for your health.
Having completed level 1 to 4, your body will kick into fat loss and with strength training, you will give it the extra signal that you're in building mode.
βKeep going and watch your best body emerge. (Take a picture the first of the month to see your transformation).
If you're new to strength training, start with a goal of ONE work out per week.
Pick 2-3 movements (That's it!).
Start with easy weight and do as many rep as you can until your form gives up or you feel like you can't do it anymore (if you don't get to this point, you're not lifting heavy enough).
Do this 3-5 times slowly, taking your time.
Once you have achieved consistency in doing this once per week, there's a time when you will feel ready to add another session, then another.
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And now my friend, all you have to do is stay the course and be patient to see the results.
If you follow this, and don't get shiny object syndrome, success is inevitable.
And that's all I want for you!
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PS: Struggling with any of these steps? Let me know what is holding you back. You can reply to this email. I will help you troubleshoot.
Love,
Jihane
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PSS: Did you hear? I released a little taste of my podcast on Monday. You can now find it on Apple podcast or other platforms you use to listen. If you've been enjoying this newsletter, I invite you to go subscribe for the 40s Fitness Reset.
The 1st episode drops on Jun 23rd!
Go listen to the teaser here:
π§Weight loss is dead. Join the 40s Fitness Reset movementβ