The Key to Health Wellness and Fitness podcast

 It’s really rather simple, becoming or staying fit and healthy: consistency!  Not herculean efforts that leave you drained done sporadically, or plugging away, jogging and walking for endless distances.  Neither is natural, or desirable.

The best strategy to life, as well as strength, health, and fitness is to just do things daily, or nearly so.  A simple list will do, really.

Go to bed early.  Sleep 8 hours, or more

Exercise first thing!  In front of the TV is best, stimulating your mind along with your body.  Virtual exercise, generating resistance within your own muscles as you move each limb is the foundation (see Perfectly Paleo Exercise).  These are also called Tiger Moves, since it is similar to how cats exercise themselves.  Then stretch a lot, on the floor- come up with a routine than covers your whole body- it should feel great, not painful at all, and energize rather than deplete you.  

Do targeted strength work two times per week.  Pushups, pull-ups, dips, ring work, squats, kettlebell swings, etc.  Total time should be about 30 minutes or less.  You should be tired, but not exhausted.  Listen to podcasts or music here!  I like it in the early afternoon.

Eat breakfast.  A big one is best, with eggs, sausage, a smoothie and coffee with cream.  (I have my first cup during my workout).  

That is the bulk of your fitness work, every day.  It is all lumped into the morning, so you really do need to get your sleep, and be ready to get up early!  Once you have gotten up and worked out, showered, fueled your body properly, and then made a lunch to eat at work that is paleo/carnivorish approved, with meat and veggies, a little fruit- usually leftovers from supper the night before, why your work is all done!  

Now, you go to work, and work seems easy, because all that you really needed to do for your health and wellness is accomplished.  You go serenely about your day, knowing your health and wellness are all taken care of.  You should feel relaxed and happy, because you are fulfilling your own needs first, and freeing yourself for the needs and wants of others!

And this is key, because helping others, either through our work, or through our church activities, or our hobbies such as music, art, or outdoor projects is really the purpose of our lives.  Reading is huge, and best done in the when fresh, and nighttime binge watching of Netflix or Amazon Prime is a horrible time-suck.  

Only watch movies and such-like in the mornings, as you exercise!

This will keep you addicted to exercise better than anything!  The evenings are for reading, making and eating supper, preparing next days lunch, conversing with family, and relaxing by taking a walk in the woods.

After that, I find playing and singing music is best for me, along with YouTubes about ‘how to do’ certain things, along with history and politics.

The best part about this prescription?  It’s daily, it’s sustainable, and it is FUN.  You are living like a real human, attending to your own needs yourself, and not flailing about seeking fake pleasures, eating awful fast foods and wasting your life on reality TV and situation comedy shows, and ultimately feeling empty and going to medical clinics to find out why you are so sick, and falling into the pit of drugs and despair that most Americans today are in.

Each day, you will awaken with at strong sense of purpose; driven by your own quest of health to also seek the health of your family, community, and ultimately our state and nation!  If we are healthy within ourselves, only then can we actively and effectively help others.

Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #19 Straight Legged Situps and Planks!

What I want you to consider is this:

This?

The FIRST thing you do, each and every morning, is to first fixate on your breath, breathe into your diaphragm and then your chest, in bed, to gradually awaken yourself naturally and healthfully.  This is incredibly important for overall health and wellness- costal breathing is vital for maximum health!

Next, after going to the bathroom, go to your workout area- for me, this is in front of my television!  Lay down a towel if you’d like; I do, and then go through a brief warmup, rotating your neck, shoulder rolls, quarter squats, side to side twists- just methodically warm up each and every joint in your body, gently and pleasantly!

Or this??

At this point, I go into my kitchen, start the water boiling in my teakettle for both green tea and coffee, and then get my Vitamix blender canister and assemble my morning Paleo Green Smoothie- the foundation of my Health!!  I have ingredient lists on www.paleojay.com, and in my eBooks Perfectly Paleo Exercise and Paleo Quick Start, but here is the idea in a nutshell:

Pour into the canister about a cup or so of green tea… add a can of coconut milk if you have it (ideal!), if not just add in about a cup or so of frozen mixed veggies, I like the California Mix that is cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots.  Add in another cup of kale, or spinach, or whatever fresh or frozen green you have on hand, and then throw in cod liver oil, Vitamin D, kelp powder, spirulina powder, a couple of raw free range eggs, a bit of Kerry gold butter- whatever you know to be really nutrient dense and super healthy- throw it in!!  The idea is to give yourself the maximum dose of nutrition possible, in an easily drinkable and absorbable form!  The results are actually miraculous!!

Anyway, blend it up for a couple of minutes, and then make your coffee and tea- this whole process takes maybe 15 minutes max- I use an Aerobie Press coffee maker- about $20, and makes the very best coffee you will ever taste- the procedure is a little “ritual” that I enjoy…

NOW, at last, we get to the subject of this podcast!  I just want you to realize that exercise is important, but nutrition is paramount, as is deep, costal breathing for your health!  So, do those FIRST, and THEN-

Go into your workout space, turn on your favorite Netflix program (this is what I do, daily!), and prepare to enjoy yourself!  Watching Television passively, sitting on a couch or chair, is NOTHING compared to actively building your health and vitality while watching!

I always start with a sequence of Virtual Resistance exercise, which I have covered before, so lets get into the sequel: Straight legged sit-ups, and planks!

These two exercises are the very best for your core; the part of the human body that is most neglected, and the most important for the health of the interior organs, and the overall body itself!  In addition, the straight legged situp also stretches and revitalizes the spine with each repetition.

Start with the straight legged situp: curl your body up from a flat position on the floor, and try to go as low as you can trying to touch your forehead to your knees.  Repeat.  Do NOT put your feet under anything to anchor them- it is crucial that you curl up without this crutch!  If you can’t do it at first, get into the top position, and then curl down slowly to the flat position- stick with it!  This negative situp is actually the most productive and result-producing part of the exercise!

Now, it’s Plank time!  Turn on your left side, and support your body on your left elbow and left foot.  You can just hold this pose, but I like to lower my hips to the floor, and then raise them, for reps- this speeds up the effect!

Next, just turn onto your right side, and do the same thing…

Situp time again!  And then planks again…

The thing is; while you are watching a compelling program on TV at the same time, doing the exercises is not onerous at all- it is enjoyable and productive!  I like to think that I am earning the right to be entertained!

And so, with this mindset, you can start your day with not only the best base of nutrition you could possible have, with your Vitamix-powered Paleo Green Smoothie- you are also completely energized with oxygenated blood, and muscles stimulated to make the best possible use of that maximum nutrient density!  A WIN WIN!!

Go on out and rule the day!

Check out this episode!