Aside from self-mutilation, hard drugs, massive amounts of fatty/sugary food, smoking, massive amounts of alcohol, and sleep deprivation, the worst thing you can do to your body is this:
Skip breakfast, then sit down (in the car, or at your desk to start working).
Why skipping breakfast is bad
When you skip a meal, your brain sends this message to your body: “Food is scarce! We must store fat for energy because we don’t know when the next meal is coming!”
Our bodies are amazing machines, and we were built with this survival mechanism pre-installed.
While we can’t turn this feature off, we can trick our bodies into not storing fat. Here’s how:
- Eat as soon as you wake up (Remember, you’ve been without food and water for 10 hours or so since dinner)
- Eat frequently throughout the day (think 7 tiny meals, instead of 1-3 large meals)
- Drink lots of water throughout the day
This signals to your body that everything is ok, and it doesn’t need to hold on to fat for you.
Of course, what you eat needs to be healthy too: High protein, low carbs, low fat. Leafy greens. Avoid sugar and salt. Avoid processed foods.
Eat like a caveman.
Why sitting down is bad
Thinking back again to when we were early humans (cavemen), we had to walk everywhere because there were no cars.
We had to intermittently sprint to for survival…to get escape from a dangerous beast or threat.
We had to sprint, leap, throw, swim for hunting…to catch our prey.
We weren’t built to sit at a desk.
When you sit all day, your brain sends this message to your body: “We aren’t moving…something must be wrong. Let’s store fat for energy, because we don’t know when the next meal is coming.”
While we can’t turn this feature off, we can trick our bodies into not storing fat by constantly moving around.
For early man, it was about survival of the fittest. Those cavemen who were always moving, running, sprinting, hunting, jumping, were probably ripped and chiseled.
Act like a caveman.
Take calls on your cell phone while you walk around.
Get a standing desk ($100-400), or a tripod desk ($30-100) to put your laptop on.
Stick an inexpensive treadmill ($300-700) under your desk.
Ask your employer to pay for it.
If your employer won’t invest in your health, it might be time to search for a new job. But don’t let that be an excuse…ultimately, your body is your own responsibility.
Invest in your own health, because without it, you have nothing.
Conclusion
Eat frequently (light, healthy portions) and move frequently. Do whatever it takes to make these lifestyle adjustments.
Leave a comment