The Rocket Science of Fitness
As will be clear from the opening paragraph of this post, I actually wrote this shortly after the new year. I wasn't happy with the tone, so it lingered unpublished for months. However, some recent encounters have convinced me that the information in here may actually be useful to some. If the tone rubs you the wrong way: sorry about that, I was dabbling with a different "voice." If you need a punch in the face to finally make some changes in your life, then great! Just ignore this preamble and pretend I'm yelling at you.
It's a #NewYear and that means... new year's resolutions! For many this will mean resolving to get fit. You know the factoids: gym memberships spike, people burn out after so many days, etc. I am a fairly healthy individual and even I go through my own versions of this every year. I'm here to tell you: this shit ain't rocket science.
Skip the personal trainer, the outrageous gym fees, and the meal subscriptions. You really only need to do three things: eat, sleep, and move.
Eat
Eat better, live better. People build entire careers around studying optimal nutrition. You aren't going to find the perfect diet plan for you on Google. What you need are simple rules that net you a better nutrition profile than you currently have and gets you closer to your goal of being fit. For most people this can be easy. Less refined carbs, more vegetables, real foods as much as possible. You also probably need to drink more water and up your protein intake. Don't snack. Don't drink calories. No booze.
Search for a BMR calculator and adjust your intake to match your goals. If you need to cut, intermittent fasting (a.k.a. time-restricted feeding) helps. Don't go crazy - just try skipping breakfast. It's really that easy. You don't need an app for this.
Sleep
Your sleep sucks. Fix it. It's important. Buy a better mattress, a quality eye mask or blackout curtains, and a white noise machine. You're probably too hot, so turn down the heat or lose the extra blanket. Don't eat or drink booze within three hours of bed.
Move
Move yourself. My $600 watch tells me when to get my ass up and move around. An $8 Casio will also do this. Or a free Google search for "timer". Make rules for yourself: ten thousand steps, sit no more than 20 minutes straight, always take the stairs, whatever. Just make some rules and actually do it.
Move heavy things. There are many indisputable benefits of resistance training that, generally speaking, have a greater impact on overall health than most other forms of exercise. You should be lifting heavy things, even if it's just your body weight. I recommend starting with something simple you can fit in every day. Kettlebells for semi-coordinated individuals. Simple compound lifts in an alternating upper-lower body split for those with the access to equipment. A body weight routine for those that simply want to regain some functional strength.
For beginners I recommend finding something you can do every day. Not because it's optimal, but because most find it (counter-intuitively) easier to program and build a habit around. Like brushing your teeth.
My personal routine is simple: 3x8 across three major compound lifts (six lifts total split into two upper-lower body workouts - third set always to failure) followed by a (approximately) 10-minute HIIT. This is what works for me -- it takes roughly 30-minutes per session and I do it every day. I'm not perfect, some days I miss a workout and others the workout gets cut short. But I'd say I have an 80% success rate and at least once or twice a week I have time to go longer.
**A quick note: I actually don't do this routine anymore. I joined a local CrossFit gym. I pay the fee. I show up everyday and do what the coach tells me to do. And now I can bang out handstand pushups. And I'm 40 years old. Don't overthink it--just pick something and do it consistently.
That's it. Eat better, sleep better, move yourself (and move heavy things). Keep it simple and stick to it. These unrefined recommendations are blunt instruments... but maybe you need some bludgeoning. The habit matters more than the programming. Six months from now once you've formed the habit you can start having fun optimizing in the margins.
If I were to totally make up percentages for these categories with respect to how much they impact overall health and fitness I'd say something like: Eat (50%), Sleep (35%), Move (15%). Focus your efforts accordingly.
Disclaimer: I have zero qualifications to be making any recommendations about diet and exercise beyond my N-of-1 experience. But I'm also tired of seeing people waste time and money on bullshit instead of simply doing the very basic things that are more-or-less common sense when it comes to fitness.
Cheers!